Gelatin Free Ginger-Turmeric Snapper Cakes with Carrot
These golden pan-fried fish cakes are packed with bold, warming flavor — fresh red snapper hand-chopped for real texture, bright ginger, earthy turmeric, and sweet carrot all pressed into crispy little rounds that cook up beautifully in coconut oil. The combination sounds fancy but comes together with straightforward pantry staples and a quick chill in the fridge to firm everything up. Many store-bought or restaurant fish cakes rely on binders and stabilizers that can sneak in animal-derived setting agents, so making them from scratch here keeps everything clean and completely free of those concerns. Rice flour does the binding work alongside a single egg, giving the cakes just enough structure without any hidden additives. The cool ricotta dipping sauce — stirred together with parsley and a splash of apple cider vinegar — is a creamy, tangy contrast that makes every bite feel restaurant-worthy. This is the kind of recipe that looks impressive on a platter but is genuinely approachable, whether you're cooking for a weeknight dinner or a casual gathering.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the cakes
- 1 lb fresh red snapper fillets, skin removed, pin bones removed
- 1 cup finely grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp rice flour
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, for frying
For the dipping sauce
- ½ cup fresh ricotta
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the dipping sauce: stir together the ricotta, parsley, apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the cakes.
- 2
Pat the snapper fillets completely dry with paper towels, then finely chop them by hand into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch — do not use a food processor, as the fish should have some texture, not become a paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
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