Pantry Sweet Potato Salmon Cakes

These super easy fish cakes using canned salmon and mashed sweet potato are one of my favorite go-to recipes for when my fridge is less than optimally stocked. If you, like me, sometimes lose track of time and let dinnertime sneak up on you unprepared, this is the pantry recipe to keep on hand.

Pantry Meals are a Godsend

I'm a sucker for a good pantry meal. Sometimes, evenings just sneak up on me before I've had even a moment to plan what I'll be eating for dinner. During these strange COVID times, I'm less likely than ever to pop out for last minute ingredients and have less of a budget for takeout.

So what makes for a great pantry meal? Ideally, it should require no more than a single ingredient that you don't keep on hand at all times. In my world, pantry items include long lasting produce that can be kept in a root cellar, so onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash are all game.

These Sweet Potato and Salmon Cakes are among my very favorite pantry meals. They're chock full of protein, omega-3's, vitamin A and other good for you ingredients. Unlike most typical pantry meals, there's not a lick of pasta to be found. And if you're lucky enough to have a handful of greens on hand, they turn a boring salad into an epic meal.

Canned salmon? Really?

When I first came across canned salmon, I have to admit I was skeptical. I'm a person who LOVES salmon. Growing up, we ate it at least twice a week. (Man, do I miss having easy access to fresh, inexpensive fish!) My favorite sushi? Sake, a.k.a. raw salmon. Knowing how dry canned tuna can be (and what a far stretch it is from the fresh stuff), I wasn't sure I'd be able to find a canned salmon recipe that would make me reach for seconds.

Now don't get me wrong. I love tuna salad sandwiches, and canned salmon makes a fine substitute. But I wanted something that wasn't gloppy and didn't require bread to make it a meal. These fish cakes are healthy, filling and light enough to serve for brunch, and they come together in almost no time at all.

The key players for delectable fish cakes

This recipe requires little else other than a can of salmon and a sweet potato. If you have mayonnaise (or plain greek yogurt), an egg, and some bread crumbs, you're basically all the way there. Now you're free to customize your flavor profile.

I personally like to add in some scallions and cilantro, plus a dab of sesame oil to make them sort of an asian inspired treat. Serve with some sriracha mayonnaise or my Green Sauce and you're set!

You can also go in a different direction, dressing them up with capers, pickles or cornichons instead. Add a bit of chopped onion, some dijon mustard and parsley for a more Mediterranean feel. Mince up some garlic and stir into store bought mayo for some super fast aioli, and suddenly you're fancy AF.

However you're feeling, you can fix these babies up to deal with whatever your pantry and fridge has to offer.

How to Make Sweet Potato Salmon Cakes

First off, you need to get your sweet potato into a mashable form. I personally love using a microwavable "baked potato" bag to get the job done. Simply rinse your sweet potato, prick it all over with a fork or knife, toss it in a bag and microwave for 4 minutes. It's pretty magical.

TIP: Even if you don't keep a bag of sweet potatoes on hand like I do, you can easily make these salmon cakes using canned pumpkin or canned squash instead. Bonus? The canned stuff comes pre mashed! I do not, however, recommend using canned sweet potatoes that have been preserved in syrup as they'll be far too sweet for this application.

While your potato cools off enough to handle, assemble your other fish cake ingredients. If you have dogs or cats, the liquid you'll drain from the can of salmon is about to gain you some super cool owner points! Depending on your flavor profile, make a yummy mayo sauce to match.

Now: throw everything in a bowl with the peeled sweet potato and mash with a fork until it comes together. Easy, right?

TIP: You can make the salmon cake mix ahead of time and refrigerate for later use. The mix will last up to three days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Heat a sauté pan with a bit of oil over medium heat. When it's shimmering, use a disher to scoop out your salmon cakes. Flatten them a little bit with the back of the disher or your fingers, wait until they're golden brown and flip. When it's golden on both sides, you're good to go.

A canned salmon recipe worthy of guests

This canned salmon recipe is downright magical. You'll have dinner (or lunch, or brunch) on the table in about 15 minutes flat using nothing but pantry goods.

I personally like to serve them over (or beside) a lightly dressed salad, but they work equally well as the basis for a salmon burger. Just make two large patties rather than 6 small ones and serve on a toasted bun with your choice of toppings. And they are so easy to scale up for a larger crew!

Their extreme adaptability also make these fish cakes perfect to keep in your regular rotation. Here's just a few ways to change them up:

• Asian Inspired: add 3 chopped scallions, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro. Serve with Sriracha Mayo or Sesame Mayo.
• Mexican Inspired: add 3 chopped scallions, 1 teaspoon Cholula, 1 teaspoon taco seasoning. Serve with Peruvian Green Sauce or Chipotle Mayo.
• Mediterranean Inspired: add 1 tablespoon minced onions, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 2 teaspoon rinsed chopped capers or cornichons. Serve with Garlic Mayo.

TIP: To make flavored mayonnaise, a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon flavor (e.g. Sriracha, Sesame Oil, Chopped Chipotles in Adobo, Minced Garlic) per 2 tablespoon store bought mayonnaise. Add more mayo or seasoning depending on your personal flavor preference.

Now go on and get after making these super easy, ever adaptable Sweet Potato Salmon Cakes! Until next time, friends. Have a happy, healthy and well fed week!

Need more easy dinner inspiration? Check out these other super fast recipes:

• Santa Fe Chicken Sandwiches
• BBQ Chicken and Sweet Potato Bowls
• Sesame Peanut Noodle Bowls

If you loved this recipe and want more delicious food inspiration, be sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest!