Salmon Sweet Potato Patties
on Jul 31, 2023, Updated Jan 26, 2024
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These mini salmon sweet potato patties are easy to whip up in one bowl and perfect for baby-led weaning. They’re a great way of incorporating Omega-3’s into your little one’s diet!
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein, and great for a little one’s development. The secret behind these easy patties is to use canned salmon! Canned salmon is often cheaper than fresh filets and saves prep time to get these out and ready to serve quickly!
If you love these mini patties and are looking for more recipes to try out with sweet potatoes, be sure to try out these sweet potato waffles for breakfast and these sweet potato zucchini tots and sweet potato fritters for lunch!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these salmon sweet potato patties:
- Sweet Potato: The main star ingredient for these patties. You can either cook the potato in the microwave or in the oven.
- Salmon: I used canned wild-caught salmon for this recipe, but you may also use fresh or frozen filets.
- Breadcrumbs: I like to use plain flavored panko breadcrumbs.
- Red Onions: For subtle flavor and slight texture variation.
- Garlic Powder: For added flavor.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Ingredient Substitutions & Additions
- Salmon: The salmon may be replaced with canned tuna.
- Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs in this recipe, but for a gluten-free version, replace the breadcrumbs with almond flour.
- If you’d like the patties to be a bit more moist, you can add an egg yolk to the mixture.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork and cook it in the microwave for 6-7 minutes, or until it is soft and tender. Transfer the flesh to a bowl and measure out 1/2 cup of the mashed potato.
STEP 2: Drain the liquid from the canned salmon.
STEP 3: Add the mashed sweet potato, salmon, breadcrumbs, chopped onions, and garlic powder to a bowl. Mix well until combined (Image 1).
STEP 4: Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and shape them into mini cakes (Image 2). You may also make larger-sized cakes, but I prefer to make them mini-sized so that there is less chance for waste and they hold their shape together a little better.
STEP 5: Preheat a frying pan with one tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
STEP 6: Cook the cakes for 2-3 minutes per side until golden on both sides (Images 3 & 4). Transfer to a paper-towel-lined pan to cool before serving.
Storage Instructions
Once cooled, store the salmon sweet potato patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. To freeze, place the cooled cakes in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips For Success
- I like to make these cakes mini-sized so that there is less potential for waste when serving them to my baby. Feel free to make the cakes larger if preparing for an older child or an adult!
- This recipe only makes 10 mini-sized cakes, so feel free to double it for a larger portion!
- If you’d like moister patties and you or your little one is not allergic to eggs, mix an egg yolk into the mixture.
- Add salt and other seasonings for a bit more flavor if serving to adults. I usually make a batch for my baby and add salt and a little spice to a batch for everyone else!
Recipe FAQs
I like to plan ahead and prep the sweet potatoes for this recipe beforehand. You can roast it in the oven if you have some time or quickly cook it in the microwave if you’re in a pinch!
Yes! The consistency of the sweet potato helps serve as a binder so that they still hold together and maintain their shape. Making them mini-sized also helped them hold their shape. If you’d like the patties to be a bit more moist, you can mix in an egg yolk.
These salmon cakes are soft and pillowy in texture with a slightly crisp coating.
More Salmon Recipes You’ll Love
Easy Salmon Cakes (With Leftover Salmon)
Salmon Rice Balls
Salmon Nuggets
Air Fryer Salmon
If you tried these Salmon Sweet Potato Patties please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
Salmon Sweet Potato Patties
Ingredients
- ½ cup mashed sweet potato
- 1 5 oz can salmon
- ¼ cup plain Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red onions
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork and cook it in the microwave for 6-7 minutes, or until it is soft and tender. Transfer the flesh to a bowl and measure out 1/2 cup of the mashed potato.
- Drain the liquid from the canned salmon.
- Add the mashed sweet potato, salmon, breadcrumbs, chopped onions, and garlic powder to a bowl. Mix well until combined.
- Preheat a frying pan with one tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and shape them into mini cakes. You may also make larger-sized cakes, but I prefer to make them mini-sized so that there is less chance for waste and they hold their shape together a little better.
- Cook the cakes for 2-3 minutes per side until golden on both sides. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined pan to cool before serving.
Notes
- I like to make these patties mini-sized so that there is less potential for waste when serving them to my baby. Feel free to make the cakes larger if preparing for an older child or an adult!
- This recipe only makes 10 mini-sized cakes, so feel free to double it for a larger portion!
- If you’d like moister patties and you or your little one is not allergic to eggs, mix an egg yolk into the mixture.
- Add salt and other seasonings for a bit more flavor if serving to adults. I usually make a batch for my baby and add salt and a little spice to a batch for everyone else!
These are so great. I was looking for a recipe that my son would actually like and a way for him to eat salmon (he’s 2.5 and starting to get picky) and he loves these. We serve with a little “secret sauce” of mayo and ketchup for him to dip. Love knowing he’s getting the nutrients he needs without any fillers or other ingredients. Thank you so much for sharing these!
Hi Beth! I’m so glad that your little one enjoyed these and I love the idea of serving it with a fun sauce to dip!😊
Do you think I could make this into mini waffles? Or how may I need to adjust to make it waffle-able?! My little guy seems to o to eat waffles lol
Hi Stefany! I haven’t tried making these as waffles but it could probably work if you add in an egg to help the mixture get a little more loose and easier to form into a waffle😊
Do you think I can use freshly baked salmon instead of canned?
Hi Lisa! Yes, you can definitely use freshly baked salmon instead😊
Can I make this with sweet potato puree?
Can you freeze these after made? How long would they be good for?
Hi Kristen! These are the storage instructions for these patties😊 “Once cooled, store the salmon sweet potato patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. To freeze, place the cooled cakes in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.”
I added egg as suggested and my 19 month old loved them! you’re my go-to for easy nutritious toddler meals, thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that your little one enjoyed these patties! Thank you for sharing your feedback, Kathy!😊
Made this for dinner tonight for my 13-month-old. It’s a great recipe – nutritious ingredients and super easy to throw together. He wasn’t sold on them but he’s kind of picky these days and I thought they were tasty!
Hi Katie! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed them! Hopefully your little one will come around and be willing to give them another shot in the future!😊
easy to make. I tried to use it get my toddler to try salmon – it was worth a shot lol
I was shocked by how my picky toddler loved these salmon cakes!! I ate several too and can attest to their deliciousness. The second time around making them I added some minced broccoli and parmesan cheese. They turned out great! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Can I use sweet potato puree for this? Excited to give this recipe a try!
Hi Maria! I’m not sure if sweet potato puree would work since it tends to be a little looser and more liquid-like in texture compared to mashed cooked sweet potato, but I’d love to know if you decide to give it a shot!
Mine didn’t crust like yours and fell apart as my little one ate them. Any tips?
Hi Caitlin, I’m so sorry that they fell apart! Did you portion out one tablespoon of mixture when forming the patties? Sometimes, trying to portion out more than that will cause the patties to be too large and they may not hold together well. You can also try adding in the egg into the mixture (if your little one isn’t allergic) to help with binding if forming larger patties. I hope that helps!
I did portion them out, but probably made them a little bigger then a tablespoon. I’ll try the egg next time! I also live at a really high altitude so sometimes cooking is different. Thanks!