Spicy Salmon and Sweet Potato Fishcakes

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 07/30/19
Plate of salmon fishcakes

sonjayounger / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 16 mins
Time to Chill: 15 mins
Total: 46 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
372 Calories
20g Fat
26g Carbs
22g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 372
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 55mg 18%
Sodium 206mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 10%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Protein 22g
Calcium 64mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Spicy Salmon and sweet potato, what a lovely combination. These two delicious ingredients come together really well and with a prickle of spice mellowed by fresh coriander, all topped off with a herby, tangy mayonnaise - delicious.

Use fresh salmon when possible and steam for 5 to 7 minutes to lightly cook. If fresh salmon is hard to find, then use tinned as it still makes a tasty fishcake. The salmon and sweet potato fishcake are seriously easy to make and there is a lot of room for play with the ingredients: try a different spice, herbs or even fish. An extremely versatile dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound/450 grams sweet potatoes (peeled)
  • 150 grams salmon filet (cooked)
  • 3 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
  • 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (divided use)
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro (fresh and finely chopped)
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Cube the sweet potato into roughly 1 inch/2.5cm pieces. Place into a pan of cold water with a pinch of salt, bring to the boil and cook the potato until soft, about 10 minutes. Once cooked, drain through a colander and put to one side. 

  3. Place the Thai curry paste in a large bowl, add the drained, sweet potato and mash loosely with a fork or potato masher.

  4. Flake the steamed salmon and add to the sweet potato mash and stir gently to combine the ingredients. Do not over stir as the mixture will become mushy.  

  5. Add 1 tablespoon of the breadcrumbs to the sweet potato and salmon mixture and again, stir well but gently. Add the chopped cilantro/coriander leaves, stir again. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  6. Divide the mixture equally in 4, then roll each into a ball. Gently flatten to create a fishcake. The mixture is quite soft so handle with care.

  7. Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.

  8. One by one, gently press the fishcakes into the breadcrumbs, flip over and make sure the whole cake has a light covering of crumbs. Repeat with the remaining three cakes.

  9. Place the fishcakes in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill.

  10. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot but not smoking. Cook the fishcakes one at a time for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until a crisp golden brown. The fishcakes are very soft and may become a little misshapen, but no worries, they still taste amazing. 

  11. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Serve with a herb mayonnaise or a tartare sauce on fresh steamed greens or with a mixed salad.

Alternatives

If you do not have salmon, mackerel works very well or use smoked haddock. As with all fish, be careful that you have removed any small bones from the fish, especially if serving to children, 

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