Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes
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These salmon and sweet potato cakes are packed with nutrition and flavor! Enjoy them as a sandwich or a la carte. Freezing instructions included!
About This Recipe
I love cooking shows. And, there’s one Food Network star who will always have a special place in my heart. Can you guess who?
Rach, of course! I watched 30 Minute Meals pretty consistently for over 10 years. Honestly, a large majority of what I know in the kitchen, from tips to ingredients to techniques, I learned directly from her.
I saw Rachael Ray make a similar version of these Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes on her show and knew I had to try them. Over the years, I’ve made these few times and tweaked the recipe to make it a little more user-friendly.
Why I Love These Salmon Cakes
I love them because they are super nutritious, my kids will actually eat them(!), and they freeze nicely so I can make a big batch for later. Don’t worry, there’s no fishy-ness in these cakes. All the different flavors and textures make them absolutely great, in my opinion.
Ingredients Needed
This delicious recipe uses two of the best superfoods on the planet!
Wild Salmon Filets – The big gun ingredient is the Omega 3-rich wild salmon which the American diet is sorely lacking in. The salmon provides heart-healthy fat and lots of protein.
Note: Be sure to buy WILD salmon, NOT farm-raised salmon. That’s because many studies have shown there are 10 times as many PCBs in farmed fish. Dr. Sanjay Gupta in an article here says,
Basically, that’s a reflection of how much pesticides, antibiotics, other contaminants are used in raising these farmed fish. There’s higher pesticide levels in the farmed fish….They actually raise these farmed fish (with large numbers in pens) … You actually have to give them antibiotics. And a lot of the PCBs and toxins are all part of the farming process that are used to try and keep these fish free of disease….sometimes even inject fish like salmon with red dye or pink dye to make them look more pink, more like their wild counterparts.
– Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Wild Salmon is readily available and affordable in most grocery stores now, but the tastiest Wild salmon I’ve had is from ButcherBox. It’s where I get all of my meat, because they offer affordable, healthy (and delicious!) meat from small farmers that is delivered to my doorstep on my schedule. (Cancel any time.)
Sweet Potato Puree – One of the top superfoods in the world, packed with plenty of minerals, fiber, vitamins, and phytonutrients that help both your body and mind. The sweet potato helps as a binder (instead of mayo!) and lends a slightly sweet taste.
You can find sweet potato puree in a can or you can easily make your own. Simply poke some holes in a few sweet potatoes using a knife. Place them in the microwave and cook in 2-minute increments. Turn the potatoes between increments and cook until soft and tender all the way through. Use a knife to check. Mine usually take about 5 minutes.
Other Ingredients:
- Seafood seasoning – Recommended: Old Bay Seasoning.
- Whole wheat crackers – Panko breadcrumbs would work instead.
- Egg – Helps to bind the mixture.
- Fresh thyme leaves and fresh parsley – These fresh herbs add depth of flavor.
- Scallions or green onions – Adds a little pungent flavor
- Hot sauce – Optional, but lends a touch of heat.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Another heart-healthy oil that you’ll use to grease the pan.
How to Serve Salmon Cakes
First of all, I’d highly recommend making our Avocado Aioli sauce to top these cakes. The creaminess and beautiful color of the sauce contrasts well with the warm, crispy salmon patties. You can also use an all-natural Tartar Sauce for serving, if you want.
My kids liked them on mini buns with a slice of cheese on top, like a burger. I ate these Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes a la carte with some of the Avocado Aioli sauce on top. Delicious!
Side Dish Ideas
With these salmon cakes as the centerpiece of your meal, all you need are a few simple, healthy sides. Here are a few ideas:
How to Freeze Salmon Cakes
It’s easy to freeze salmon cakes. They turn out tasting just like you made them fresh, if you freeze them this way:
Freeze For Later: Put the salmon cakes together, but do not cook them. Freeze in a freezer bag or container in a single layer. If stacking patties, divide single layers with parchment paper.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw completely in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Then cook according to the directions.
Recipe FAQs
Wash and dry it. Poke several holes around it using a knife, so steam can release while it cooks. Microwave it for 2 minutes. Flip it over and microwave another 2-3 minutes, until soft all the way through. Test doneness by inserting a knife into the middle. It should give easily.
You can, but we recommend cooking wild salmon filets according to our directions.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes
These salmon and sweet potato cakes are packed with nutrition and flavor! Enjoy them as a sandwich or a la carte. With a small amount of effort, you’ll make a meal your family is sure to love.
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, cooked and mashed* (about 1 cup)
- 3 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
- 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth (sub: water)
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat crackers, crushed into crumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 scallions or green onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Bring the broth to a boil in a large skillet or pot over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.
- Season salmon fillets lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Carefully lower them down into the liquid, making sure they are submerged. (Note: If the broth doesn’t cover the top of the filets, add just enough water to make sure they are covered.) Poach until the salmon is opaque, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the salmon to a mixing bowl and flake the fish with a fork. Add in the mashed sweet potatoes, seafood seasoning, half of the cracker crumbs, the egg, thyme, hot sauce, scallions, and parsley. Using your hands or a fork, combine until the mixture is firm enough to mold into cakes. (If it’s too wet, add a few more cracker crumbs.)
- Add the remaining cracker crumbs to a plate. Form the salmon mixture into four (4-inch) patties or eight (2-inch) patties and coat in the cracker crumbs on both sides. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Discard the liquid from the skillet and wipe it clean. In that same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmery.
- Cook the fish cakes until light golden, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
- Serving suggestion: Serve with tartar sauce for dipping or serve on buns with cheese on top, like a burger.
Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 1-4. Freeze in a freezer bag or container in a single layer. If stacking patties, divide single layers with parchment paper.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw completely. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Follow Steps 5-7.
Notes/Tips
*To cook and mash the sweet potato: Wash and dry it. Poke several holes around it using a knife, so steam can release while it cooks. Microwave it for 2 minutes. Flip it over and microwave another 2-3 minutes, until soft all the way through. Test doneness by inserting a knife into the middle. It should give easily.
Where We Get Wild Salmon: My favorite frozen wild salmon is from ButcherBox. Read my review and check out their latest deal here.
Kate says
We had leftover baked maple salmon so we used this recipe wit the leftovers to use them up. I added Rosemary and extra lemon thyme in addition to the regular thyme. These were a hit and even my picky 4 year old who will NOT eat salmon ate all of her plate!
Carla from Thriving Home says
Great news about your pick eater! Love to hear how you used leftovers in this recipe and adjusted the seasonings to match the flavor. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review Kate!
Sarah says
LOVE these and highly recommend with the avocado aoli – a beautiful and tasty meal. I have made fresh and served and also made and froze. Both winners.
Carla from Thriving Home says
Hi Sarah! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review and let everyone know that you enjoyed them both fresh and from frozen!
Cheri says
Delicious! Love the flavors. A little effort to put it all together but worth it!
Carla from Thriving Home says
So glad you enjoy these Cheri! Sometimes the things that taste best require a little extra effort. 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Lisa McCulloh says
Excellent recipe. Thank you!
Carla from Thriving Home says
Glad you enjoyed it Lisa. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Jen says
Delicious. My whole family loves this recipe and it’s something I can easily make with my kids. Its official in my dinner roster.
Carla from Thriving Home says
Awesome! We love to hear about kids in the kitchen. Thanks for leaving a review Jen.
Shanna in Ferguson MO says
Super easy to make and they taste amazing. This recipe has been added to our family cookbook. Thanks
Carla from Thriving Home says
Love to hear this Shanna. Thank you for leaving a review and letting us know how much your family loves it!
Linda Stone says
This was delicious and I’m not a fish lover. I read about this dish in James Patterson’s book “Triple Cross”, an Alex Cross novel. I’m so happy I tried it. I will definitely make it again. Next time I will add more panko as my cakes were falling apart.
Carla from Thriving Home says
Hi Linda. So fun to hear why you decided to give this a try. Thank you for leaving a review!
Marlene says
I’m reading triple cross right now. Stopped reading to look up this recipe. Looking forward to trying it.
Carla from Thriving Home says
Hi Marlene. Hope you enjoy it!
Meg Punt says
My son made these and they were excellent. I used premade mashed sweet potatoe, not a good idea. The premade have brown sugar in them which messed with the flavors.
Rachel Tiemeyer says
Thanks for the tip about the pre-made mashed potatoes. Oops! But I’m glad your son liked them!
Megan says
We LOVE these salmon patties! They’ve become a routine part of meal rotation. I often make them ahead of time and freeze them for later. Super easy to cook these guys up! So tasty and healthy! Win win 🎉
Rebekah says
We really liked the flavor of these with homemade tartar sauce! Great way to stretch salmon a little bit further.
Lauren says
Could this be made using canned salmon? I’ve made salmon cakes before using it, but have never pre-cooked it. Just baked or fried them straight from the can (after mixing with other ingredients, of course).
Rachel says
I definitely think it would work and have some cans in my pantry right now. I’d love to try it, too.
Jessica says
So if I’m using canned salmon would I just skip step 2? or do I have to cook it some way ?
Rachel says
Canned salmon is pre-cooked, so you can skip the cooking step.