Nightshade Free Ginger-Turmeric Snapper Cakes with Carrot
These golden fish cakes are a seriously satisfying way to get a restaurant-worthy seafood dish on the table without a single tomato, pepper, or potato in sight. Fresh red snapper is hand-chopped for real texture, then folded together with bright ginger, earthy turmeric, sweet carrot, and a touch of rice flour to bind everything into compact, pan-fried rounds that develop a deep, crispy crust in coconut oil. The squeeze-dry step for the carrot and the short chill in the fridge are small moves that make a big difference — you get cakes that hold together beautifully and sear rather than steam. Avoiding nightshades can make sauces and condiments the trickiest part of any meal, but the creamy ricotta dipping sauce here — brightened with apple cider vinegar and fresh parsley — is completely free of the usual suspects and genuinely delicious. Everything comes together with straightforward pantry staples and fresh fish, so there's no hunting for specialty substitutes or second-guessing labels. Serve them straight from the pan while the edges are still crackling, with the cool ricotta sauce spooned alongside and a few parsley sprigs scattered over the top for a little color.
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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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