BHA & BHT Free Herb Cod Cakes with Lemon & Turmeric
These golden pan-fried cakes bring together flaky poached cod, creamy sweet potato, and a bright hit of lemon zest and turmeric for a dish that feels both nourishing and genuinely exciting to eat. Every ingredient here is whole and straightforward — fresh fish, fresh herbs, cassava flour, coconut oil — which means none of the synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT that sneak into so many packaged breadcrumbs, seasoning blends, and processed binders. That matters more than it sounds, because those additives hide in the most unexpected pantry staples and can be nearly impossible to spot without reading every label carefully. Here, you control exactly what goes into the mix, from the grated ginger and chopped chives to the sea salt and scallion greens. A quick chill in the fridge before cooking helps the cakes hold their shape beautifully, and the coconut oil gives each patty a deeply golden, crispy crust without any refined or chemically stabilized fats. Squeeze a little lemon over the top before serving and you have a plate that looks impressive, tastes bright and savory, and keeps things genuinely clean from start to finish.
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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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