Hazelnut Free Ginger-Turmeric Snapper Cakes with Carrot
These golden fish cakes are punchy, fragrant, and genuinely exciting — the kind of thing that disappears fast off a platter. Fresh red snapper gets hand-chopped for real texture, then folded together with bright ginger, earthy turmeric, sweet grated carrot, and fresh cilantro before being pan-fried in coconut oil until deeply golden on both sides. The rice flour binder keeps everything light and crisp without weighing the cakes down, and the cool ricotta dipping sauce with parsley and apple cider vinegar is the perfect creamy contrast to all that warm spice. For anyone navigating tree nut allergies, this recipe is a genuinely clean option — every ingredient is straightforward, and there's no place for hidden nut oils or cross-contaminating pantry staples to sneak in. The technique matters here: squeezing the moisture out of the carrot and hand-chopping the fish (not blitzing it) are the two small steps that make the difference between a cake that holds together beautifully and one that falls apart in the pan. Serve them hot with a scatter of fresh parsley and that chilled ricotta sauce, and you've got a dish that feels restaurant-worthy with very little fuss.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!