Vietnamese Fish Cakes in Tomato Sauce (Chả Cá Sốt Cà Chua)
Vietnamese fish cakes in tomato sauce, or Chả Cá Sốt Cà Chua, is one of those simple Vietnamese dishes that immediately feels like home to me.
There is nothing particularly fancy about it. Springy fish cakes, ripe tomatoes, a little fish sauce, some green onion — and a bowl of hot rice.
But sometimes those are exactly the meals I miss most.
Growing up in Vietnam, dishes like this were simply part of everyday family cooking. Now that I live in France, making them in my own kitchen is one of the little ways I stay connected to the food I grew up with.
And because I make my Vietnamese fish cakes (chả cá) myself, this dish has become even more satisfying.
What Is Chả Cá Sốt Cà Chua?
Chả cá sốt cà chua simply means fish cakes cooked in tomato sauce.
The fish cakes are usually lightly fried first, giving them a golden exterior while keeping that characteristic springy texture inside. They are then simmered briefly in a savory tomato sauce until they absorb some of its flavor.
The combination is simple but very Vietnamese: salty, slightly sweet, a little tangy from the tomatoes and perfect with steamed rice.
This isn’t restaurant food to me.
It’s Vietnamese home cooking.
Homemade Chả Cá Makes It Even Better
You can absolutely make this recipe with good-quality store-bought fish cakes.
But whenever I have time, I prefer making my own.
My homemade Vietnamese fish cake recipe produces springy, savory fish cakes that I can prepare ahead and keep ready for dishes like this.
A quick food-safety note: If you’re making the fish cakes from scratch, keep the raw fish properly chilled while preparing it. You can find more information about safe handling and preparation of seafood from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Vietnamese Fish Cakes in Tomato Sauce (Chả Cá Sốt Cà Chua)
Ingredients
Method
- If your fish cakes aren’t already cooked, shape them into patties and fry them until lightly golden.
- If you’re using prepared fish cakes, cut them into pieces if necessary.
- I like having a little color on the outside before adding them to the sauce.
- Heat a little oil in a large pan.
- Add the shallots and garlic and cook gently until fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and let them soften over medium heat.
- As they cook, press them gently with your spoon so they begin breaking down into a rustic Vietnamese tomato sauce.
- Add a small splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Add fish sauce, sugar and black pepper.
- Let everything simmer for a few minutes, then taste.
- You want a balance between the natural acidity of the tomatoes, the saltiness of the fish sauce and just enough sweetness to round everything out.
- I don’t like making the sauce overly sweet. I still want to taste the tomatoes.
- Place the fish cakes into the tomato sauce and gently turn them so they’re coated.
- Lower the heat and simmer for about 5–10 minutes.
- This gives the Vietnamese fish cakes enough time to absorb some of that tomato sauce without losing their springy texture.
- Add the green onions just before turning off the heat.
- Fresh chili, cilantro or dill can also be added depending on what you like — and what happens to be in the kitchen.
What to Serve with Vietnamese fish cakes in tomato sauce?
For me, there is really only one answer:
Hot steamed rice.
Spoon some tomato sauce over the rice, add a piece of chả cá and that’s already a very satisfying meal.
I usually serve it with something green on the side — perhaps steamed vegetables, cucumber or whatever vegetables I have from the garden.
It’s the kind of uncomplicated meal I could happily eat again and again.
Can You Make It Ahead?
Yes.
You can make the fish cakes ahead of time and keep them refrigerated or frozen, then prepare the tomato sauce when you’re ready to eat.
The finished dish can also be refrigerated and gently reheated.
In fact, I sometimes think it tastes even better after the fish cakes have had more time to sit in the sauce.
A Little Taste of Home
Living in France has introduced me to countless ingredients, dishes and ways of eating that I love.
Many of these everyday recipes eventually find their way into the recipe notebook I keep in the garden.
But Vietnamese food remains the food I return to without thinking.
And often, it isn’t the elaborate dishes I crave.
It’s something as simple as Chả Cá Sốt Cà Chua.
A pan of homemade fish cakes simmering in tomato sauce.
A bowl of steaming rice.
And suddenly, a very ordinary dinner in France tastes a little bit like home.
