Soy Free Ginger-Turmeric Snapper Cakes with Carrot
These golden fish cakes are bright, aromatic, and genuinely exciting — the kind of thing that looks impressive on a platter but comes together with straightforward technique and a short list of clean ingredients. Fresh red snapper gets hand-chopped for real texture, then folded with finely grated carrot, bold fresh ginger, and earthy turmeric before being pan-fried in coconut oil until deeply golden on both sides. Avoiding soy is effortless here because every single ingredient is naturally free of it — no tamari, no edamame binders, no hidden soy-based fillers that sneak into so many packaged seafood products. Rice flour does the binding work quietly, keeping the cakes light rather than dense or gummy. The cool ricotta dipping sauce — stirred together with parsley and a splash of apple cider vinegar — cuts right through the warmth of the spices and makes each bite feel complete. Squeezing the moisture out of the grated carrot and chilling the mixture before shaping are the two small steps that make the difference between cakes that hold together beautifully and ones that fall apart in the pan. Serve them straight off the skillet while the edges are still crisp and let the sauce do the rest.
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!