Artificial Food Coloring Free Herb Cod Cakes with Lemon & Turmeric
These golden pan-fried cakes are everything a seafood dinner should be — crispy on the outside, tender and flaky within, and packed with bright, herbaceous flavor from fresh parsley, chives, and a hit of lemon zest. The warm earthiness of turmeric and ginger gives each bite real depth, while mashed sweet potato binds everything together and adds a subtle natural sweetness that pairs beautifully with the mild cod. Every bit of color on the plate comes straight from whole ingredients, so there's no need to second-guess what's actually in your food. Poaching the cod first keeps it incredibly moist before it ever hits the skillet, and chilling the shaped patties ensures they hold together perfectly when they cook. Cassava flour keeps the recipe grain-free and gives the cakes a satisfying, slightly crisp crust when seared in coconut oil. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the table ties the whole dish together and makes it feel like something you'd order at a coastal bistro — except you made it yourself, and you know exactly what went into it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the cod cakes
- 1 ½ lb cod fillets, skin removed
- ¾ cup mashed sweet potato (from about 1 medium sweet potato, cooked and cooled)
- ¼ cup cassava flour, plus more for dusting
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green tops only)
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
For cooking
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, divided
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
- fresh parsley sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large skillet of salted water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the cod fillets and poach for 6–8 minutes, until the flesh is opaque throughout and flakes easily when pressed with a fork. Transfer to a plate and let cool for 10 minutes, then flake into small pieces with a fork, discarding any bones.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flaked cod, mashed sweet potato, cassava flour, scallion greens, parsley, chives, ginger, turmeric, lemon zest, and sea salt. Fold together until the mixture holds together when pressed — it should be firm enough to shape but not dry. If it feels too loose, add cassava flour 1 tsp at a time.
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