Potato Salmon Cakes with Creamy Yogurt Sauce
These salmon and potato cakes hit all of my crave buttons—they’re hot and crispy, cool and creamy, and they’re laced with scallions, garlic and ginger. A hint of sesame oil and tamari (or soy sauce) gives them a slight Asian flare, while a quick yogurt sauce lends cool creaminess. The cakes are easy to make and are an awesome prep-ahead dinner or appetizer. I prefer to use wild salmon in this recipe (it’s a great time to use frozen salmon—just defrost it before baking). Don’t be tempted to use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes in place of the red potatoes—their higher water content won’t allow the cakes to brown properly.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds red potatoes (about 4 large potatoes), peeled and quartered (halved if small)
- Salt
- 1 pound salmon fillet(s), preferably wild
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 large garlic clove, grated
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- Neutral vegetable oil, such as safflower or grapeseed, for frying
- Creamy Yogurt Sauce, see recipe below
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Season well wth salt. Bring to a boil. Cook at a gentle boil until the potatoes are very tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain well, then transfer to a large bowl. Using a fork, break up the potatoes until light and fluffy.
- Meanwhile, put the salmon on a parchment-lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake until medium-rare (it should still be quite pink in the middle), about 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your salmon. Gently flake the salmon, discarding the skin.
- Add the flaked salmon to the potatoes, along with the scallions, garlic, ginger, tamari and toasted sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir with a fork until evenly combined. Form the mixture into ½-cup patties (you should get 8 patties). Do Ahead: The patties can be covered tightly and refrigerated overnight.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat about ¼ inch of oil until shimmering. Pan-fry half of the cakes over medium-high heat until browned and crisp on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining cakes, adjusting the heat as needed. Arrange the cakes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
- Serve the salmon potato cakes warm from the oven with the Creamy Yogurt Sauce.
Notes
Storage: Leftover salmon potato cakes are delicious the next day! Reheat them in a toaster oven (or regular oven) until hot.
Tips:
- You’ll need a large nonstick skillet (or you can use a cast iron skillet) for this recipe. I love this teflon-free Scanpan.
- A thin fish spatula works great for flipping the cakes.
- Don’t be tempted to use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes in place of the red potatoes—their higher water content won’t allow the cakes to brown properly.
- Bake the salmon to medium-rare (it should still look very pink in the center). The fish will cook further in the cakes.
- You can also use leftover cooked salmon in this recipe, if you have it!