Celery Free Ginger-Turmeric Snapper Cakes with Zucchini

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time20 min

4.5

(30)

Celery Free Ginger-Turmeric Snapper Cakes with Zucchini

These golden fish cakes are packed with bold, warming flavor — fresh red snapper hand-chopped to a satisfying chunky texture, brightened with grated ginger, turmeric, and scallion greens, then bound with rice flour and egg for a crisp, pan-fried crust. Grated zucchini gets wrung completely dry before folding in, which is the secret to cakes that hold their shape and develop that deep golden sear in the coconut oil. The whole lineup of ingredients is naturally free from celery and celery derivatives, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or swap anything out — it just works as written. A creamy ricotta dipping sauce spiked with parsley, apple cider vinegar, and a touch of turmeric ties everything together with a cool, tangy contrast to the warm spiced cakes. Cooking in two batches keeps the skillet hot enough to get a proper crust rather than a steam, and pulling them at 145°F means the fish is perfectly cooked through without drying out. These are the kind of weeknight cakes that feel a little special without requiring much effort at all.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the cakes

1 lb fresh red snapper fillets, skin removed
1 medium zucchini (about 8 oz), coarsely grated
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup rice flour
¾ tsp salt
3 tbsp coconut oil, divided

For the dipping sauce

¼ cup fresh ricotta
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp salt
1–2 tbsp water

Instructions

1
Place the grated zucchini in the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather the edges, and wring firmly over the sink until no more liquid drips out. The zucchini should feel nearly dry to the touch. Set aside.
2
Pat the snapper fillets dry with paper towels, then finely chop them by hand into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch — you want a rough, chunky texture, not a paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

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