These delicious sweet potato salmon fish cakes are made with fresh herbs for added flavour and moisture. They contain a handful of ingredients and, with a little preparation, can be ready in minutes!

Sweet potato salmon fish cakes ingredients

This recipe involves cooking the salmon (or using salmon leftovers) and sweet potato separately then combining with fresh herbs (I used chives, parsley and dill) and seasoning and forming fish cakes. There is no egg or breadcrumbs in the mixture (though I did use breadcrumbs for coating the fish cakes) and the recipes comes together in minutes.

Frying is also quick as the ingredients are already cooked so all these fish cakes need is a little crisping up.

Ingredients for sweet potato salmon fish cakes in individual dishes. — Sweet potato salmon fish cake ingredients.

Preparing the salmon

You can either

use salmon leftovers, or
prepare the salmon from scratch

To cook salmon from scratch place it on top of a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper, season and drizzle with oil or mist with cooking spray. Bake in the centre of the oven at 375 F/ 190 C/ gas mark 5 for about 15 minutes or until fully cooked, taking care not to overcook it. Remove from the oven, flake the salmon (discard the skin if present) and set aside to cool before combining with the rest of the ingredients.

Can I use frozen fish

Yes, you can! If using frozen pieces of salmon simply place them in a pot, cover and simmer until fully cooked, stirring occasionally to prevent them sticking to the pot. You shouldn't need to add any water as the salmon will release lots of moisture as it defrosts. Drain thoroughly, allow the fish to cool and make the recipe.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1. Peel, cube and boil the sweet potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes, until tender but not mushy (do not overcook them).

2. Remove from the heat, drain thoroughly and mash coarsely using a fork (the mixture shouldn't be smooth). Set aside to cool.

3. Flake the salmon and combine with the sweet potato, herbs and seasoning.

4. Stir thoroughly making sure the mixture retains its coarse texture. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

5. Form small balls (they should be firm), place in the breadcrumbs and press down a little to form fish cakes (do this gently so the fish cakes do not end up being too flat).

6. In a large non-stick pan heat up 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the salmon fish cakes over a medium heat until lightly browned (approx. 2 minutes). Gently turn them over, add another tablespoon of oil and fry for 2 more minutes.

7. Remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions

These sweet potato fish cakes are delicious with a drizzle of lemon juice, dollop of tartar sauce, alongside crispy salad or crunchy coleslaw. For a more substantial meal serve with mashed rutabaga or roasted celery root puree.

Top tips

Cook the sweet potato until tender but do not overcook it (it shouldn't be mushy). Mash it up roughly with a fork (do not puree the sweet potato until smooth).
Chop the herbs as finely as you can to easily incorporate them into the mixture. Avoid using tough stems.
Don't forget to taste the mixture before forming the fish cakes to check if the seasoning needs adjusting. Be generous especially with the pepper.
Using salmon leftovers: This salmon fish cake recipe is ideal for using salmon leftovers. Flake the salmon and combine with the rest of the ingredients then make the fish cakes according to the Instructions.
Take time when forming the fish cakes to make sure they are firm.
I recommend using a large non-stick pan so you can easily turn the fish cakes over. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Best served immediately. Refrigerate leftover fish cakes, covered, for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Freeze for up to 3 months.

How to freeze salmon fish cakes

Form the sweet potato salmon fish cakes (but do not coat in the breadcrumbs), place in an airtight container and separate with parchment paper so they don't stick to one another. Freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost the fish cakes remove from the container and spread on top of a plate lined with paper towel. Coat in the breadcrumbs and fry as per Instructions.

Substitutions

Herbs: adjust the recommended amounts of herbs to your preference or use 1-2 types of herbs.
Use either white or black pepper.
Breadcrumbs: use either fine or coarse, alternatively use flour.

Make ahead

Both the salmon as well as the sweet potato can be cooked ahead and refrigerated (for up to 2 days) until you are ready to make the fish cakes. Make sure they have cooled completely before popping them in the fridge.

Top tip

I do not recommend preparing the fish cakes ahead as the fresh herbs might start to release moisture.

Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh

I do not recommend it. Fresh herbs not only add flavour (dried herbs lack the freshness that's needed in this recipe) but they also help to keep these salmon fish cakes moist.

Will canned salmon work in this recipe

I think cooked salmon works best as it's soft and flaky, while salmon from a can is a little tougher and this will affect the texture of your fish cakes.

Keep in touch!

If you make these sweet potato salmon fish cakes I'd love to know how they turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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