All the flavours of Thai fish cakes, made with juicy pork and an irresistible dipping sauce.
These Thai Pork Cakes with Cucumber Dipping Sauce are my take on classic Thai fish cakes, swapping fish for pork mince while keeping all the bold, fragrant flavours you love. They’re crisp on the outside, tender in the middle and paired with a sweet, tangy cucumber dipping sauce that brings everything together. Perfect as an entrée, finger food or part of a Thai-style feast.
Thai fish cakes have always been one of my go-to orders when eating out. They’re light, punchy and full of flavour, and they always arrive at the table smelling incredible. One day I started wondering how they’d work with pork mince instead – something a little juicier, a bit more forgiving, and easier to cook at home.
Turns out, pork is a brilliant swap. It carries the Thai flavours beautifully and gives these cakes a tender, almost bouncy texture that’s incredibly satisfying. Paired with a fresh cucumber dipping sauce, they hit all the same notes as the restaurant version but feel just as at home on a weeknight dinner table as they do on a platter for entertaining.
Why You’ll Love these Thai Pork Cakes
- Big Thai flavour without complicated ingredients
- Juicy, tender texture thanks to pork mince
- Quick to make – perfect for weeknights or entertaining
- Great as an entrée, finger food or light main
- The cucumber dipping sauce balances everything perfectly
- Easy to adjust the spice level to suit your taste
Perfect for Entertaining or Easy Dinners
These pork cakes are one of those recipes that feel a little bit special but are actually very easy to pull together. Stack them on a platter with the dipping sauce in the middle and they’re ideal for standing-up finger food, BBQs or casual get-togethers.
They’re also great served as a main meal. Add rice noodles and a fresh salad, or keep things simple with steamed rice and vegetables. If you’re after something lighter, serve them in lettuce cups with extra herbs and cucumber for a fresh, hands-on dinner.
Serving Suggestions
These Thai pork cakes are easy to fit into just about any Thai-style spread. I love serving them as an appetiser with other crispy bites like my Crispy Thai Prawn and Pork Spring Rolls, crispy prawn balls, or grilled Thai chicken skewers (gai yang). They also work beautifully alongside Sticky Asian Chicken Wings with Hoisin if you want something a little sticky and charred to balance the fresh flavours.
For a lighter option, serve the pork cakes with lettuce cups, extra cucumber, fresh herbs and lime wedges so everyone can build their own bites. They’re also great as part of a casual platter in the middle of the table – relaxed, interactive and perfect for entertaining.
If you’d rather turn them into more of a meal, pair them with Thai chicken larb salad, Healthy Thai Basil Beef or a mild curry like red pumpkin curry or an easy green prawn curry. The cucumber dipping sauce cuts through richer dishes nicely and keeps everything feeling fresh.
A Note on Spice
As written, these Thai pork cakes have a moderate heat level that most people will enjoy. If you love things spicy, you can increase the red curry paste slightly or add fresh chilli to the mixture. For extra heat without changing the cakes themselves, adding a sliced bird’s eye chilli to the dipping sauce is an easy win.
How to Make Thai Pork cakes
FAQ’s
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes. The pork cakes can be shaped and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.
Can I freeze them?
Absolutely. Freeze the uncooked patties on a tray, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months. Cook from thawed or add a few extra minutes if cooking from frozen.
Can I use chicken or turkey mince instead?
Yes, both work well. Chicken mince is slightly softer, so be gentle when shaping.
Can I cook these on the BBQ?
Yes. A flat hotplate works best to keep them from sticking.
Storage & Make-Ahead
These pork cakes are ideal for prepping ahead. You can shape them up to 24 hours in advance, cover well and store in the fridge until ready to cook – they’ll actually hold their shape better this way.
Cooked leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat well in a frying pan or air fryer. The uncooked patties also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months – just thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.
The cucumber dipping sauce can be made ahead too and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring it back to room temperature before serving for the best flavour.
These Thai Pork Cakes with Cucumber Dipping Sauce are proof that a small twist on a classic can be just as satisfying. They’re flavour-packed, versatile and incredibly easy to adapt – the kind of recipe you’ll make once, then keep coming back to whenever you’re craving Thai flavours at home.
You may also like
- Thai Prawn & Pork Spring Rolls
- Chilli Jam (The Absolute Best!)
- Thai Larb Chicken Salad
- Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers (Gai Yang Recipe)
- Chinese Ham and Chicken Rolls (Cheats Version!)
- Prawn Toast (Shrimp Toast)
- Crispy Prawn Balls
- Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)
Thai Pork Cakes with Cucumber Dipping Sauce
Equipment
- Food processor or Thermomix
- Non-stick frying pan
Ingredients
- 500g pork mince
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste (I used Maesri)
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and stems
- 1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded very finely (or the zest of half a lime)
- 1 teaspoon brown or palm sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 50g green beans, finely sliced
- Cooking oil, for shallow frying (canola, vegetable, rice bran etc)
CUCUMBER DIPPING SAUCE
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- ½ Lebanese cucumber, halved, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 small birds eye chilli, finely sliced
Instructions
THAI PORK CAKES
- Place pork mince into a the bowl of food processor along with the fish sauce, red curry paste, coriander, kaffir lime, sugar, egg and salt. Process until smooth then stir in the sliced green beans.
- Divide the mixture into 18 portions. Roll each portion into a ball then flatten into a 5cm disc shape. If not cooking right away, cover and chill until required. They can be chilled for up to 24 hours.
- Heat enough oil in a large non-stick frying pan to cover the base. Cook patties, in batches, for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towel before serving the cakes with the Cucumber Dipping Sauce.
CUCUMBER DIPPING SAUCE
- Combine vinegar, water and sugar in a small pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil then simmer for 1 minute. Pour syrup into a small bowl and allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Serve with the Thai Pork Cakes.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - PORK MINCE SUBSTITUES
You could use chicken or turkey mince in place of the pork mince if desired. - THERMOMIX INSTRUCTIONS
The pork mixture can be combined in the Thermomix. Add all ingredients as listed above in the recipe. Mix on for 10 seconds, Speed 4. Scrape down the sides and Mix for 5 seconds, Speed 5. Add the beans and stir for 5 seconds, Speed 4, Reverse or transfer to a bowl and stir them through by hand. Carry on with recipe as above in card. - NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (CALORIES)
The provided calorie information is a general guide and may not be exact. This calculation is based on one serving and assumes complete consumption of the accompanying dipping sauce. Variations in portion sizes, specific ingredients, and individual dietary habits can affect the accuracy of the calorie content.
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