Home » Recipes » Dinner » Seafood & Fish » Zucchini Salmon Cakes with Lemon Dill Pesto

Zucchini Salmon Cakes with Lemon Dill Pesto

There's something special about fish cakes. I don't know if it's because they remind me of the beach or the fact that they taste just so darn good, but either way, give me a fish cake and I'm content.

As I'm sure you already know, classic fish cakes (of any kind) are traditionally made with breadcrumbs. Classic breadcrumb means gluten which means no-can-do for me. But, you also know that I love using quinoa in fun and creative ways, and have used them in many different burger recipes.

So I'm sure you can already assume where this post is headed. Down the fish cake aisle, stopping to pick up some quinoa on our way.

But first, before I tell you about a new spin on my oh-so-favorite Salmon Cake recipe, I need to talk about the pesto.

Lemon Dill Pesto | Gluten-free & Vegan | Queen of Quinoa

This pesto is also special. It's a new-to-me recipe, which combines two of my favorite ingredients. Lemon and dill.

And honestly, what doesn't go better with seafood than lemon and dill??

So instead of adding dill to the cakes themselves, like I do in my traditional Salmon Cake recipe, we topped ours with this awesome Lemon Dill pesto. And it was a revelation.

There's the zing from the lemon and the bite from the garlic, but the dill is the star of this show. It shines through and makes this pesto stand out among its basil competitors.

Zucchini Salmon Cakes | Gluten-free & Quinoa | Queen of Quinoa

This recipe is what happens when you have too much zucchini from your CSA on your hands. These cakes are like a zucchini fritter and salmon burger mashed together in one fabulous bite.

The shredded zucchini add some body {and much needed greenness}, and stand up nicely against the chunked salmon. The quinoa of course is the stabilizer, the binder, the glue that holds the cakes together. And the pesto is the perfect way to top off the dish.

Zucchini Salmon Cakes

5 from 1 vote
There's something special about fish cakes. I don't know if it's because they remind me of the beach or the fact that they taste just so darn good, but either way, give me a fish cake and I'm content.
author: Alyssa
yield: 8 Fish cakes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 7 oz can of wild caught salmon skin & bones removed
  • 1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 2/3 cup grated zucchini pressed tightly to remove the water
  • 2 large scallion thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 egg
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor, combine the scallion, lemon zest, salt and pepper and pulse 2 or 3 times.
  • Add the quinoa and salmon and pulse until a dough starts to form.
  • Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and stir in the zucchini and egg.
  • Form the dough into cakes and pan sear them over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes per side, until they are browned.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

gluten-free | dairy-free | sugar-free | soy-free | nut-free

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 0.9mg
cuisine: American
course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Filed Under:

 

Lemon Dill Pesto

This pesto is also special. It's a new-to-me recipe, which combines two of my favorite ingredients. Lemon and dill.
author: Alyssa
yield: 1 cup
Prep: 3 minutes
Total: 3 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bunch / handful fresh dill roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add the walnuts and garlic to a food processor and pulse until you have a sandy texture, about 5 pulses.
  • Add the dill, lemon juice and zest, and the salt and pepper. Turn the food processor on, removing the pusher. Slowly pour the oil through the open hole in the lid until you have the consistency you're looking for.
  • Serve on top of the cakes or any which way you would like.

Notes

gluten-free | dairy-free | sugar-free | vegan | egg-free | soy-free
 
Nutritional value based on 1 cup

Nutrition

Calories: 700kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 75g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 905IU | Vitamin C: 19.3mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1.6mg
cuisine: American, Italian
course: Condiment

Filed Under: