These Salmon Sweet Potato Fritters are a delicious high iron meal for starting solids with baby using a Baby Led Weaning (BLW) approach.
If you’re a new mom and you’ve been following my baby led weaning adventures on Instagram, you’ll be happy to know that I’m going to be sharing a lot more of my BLW recipes here on Abbey’s Kitchen. If you’re just getting started with BLW, I recommend you check this out first. Now, let’s make some great baby foods like these salmon sweet potato fritters.
Why Salmon Sweet Potato Fritters for Baby Led Weaning (BLW)
So we know how important omega 3’s are for brain development, and salmon is one of the absolute best sources there is. When I started out with BLW, I was slightly worried about just handing over a hunk of salmon filet JUST IN CASE there was a bone in there. But if you flake it all up then it’s very hard for a little new eater without proper pincer skills to be able to pick it up. Want to know my secret to easy BLW? Make everything a fritter – and a log shaped fritter, if possible. The long shape is easy for baby to pick up, and a fritter is a great way to combine literally anything you have in the house.
These salmon sweet potato fritters are great because they combine protein, omega 3s, iron and vitamin C (which helps enhance the absorption of the iron). They’re also a great way to sneak in veggies like spinach, plus some additional fats from the frying oil. In one of my other BLW fritter recipes I was asked if you can bake them. Definitely you can! However, I like to try to get these nice and golden.
Salmon Sweet Potato Fritters
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb salmon skin and bones removed and roughly chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato cooked
- 1 omega 3 egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil plus more for cooking
- 1/2 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- 1 1/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal
- 2 cups baby spinach minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- To a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Saute for 2-3 minutes until soft then add to a food processor.
- Return the pan to the heat and add in the spinach. Cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Set aside
- To the food processor, add the salmon, egg, cooked sweet potato flesh (discarding the skins), onion, garlic, ginger and oat flour. Pulse until the mixture comes together, then add in the spinach. Pulse just until you see it mixed through.
- Oil your hands and add another coating of oil to the pan. Roll the mixture into finger like fritters and pan-fry until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet. Continue with the remaining fritters, then finish in the oven until cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F, about another 10 minutes. Serve at room temperature or warm.
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian, an avid food writer and blogger, a cookbook author and the founder of Abbey’s Kitchen Inc.
Gila says
Can you use porridge oats or rolled oats instead of quick cooking oats?
Abbey Sharp says
If you purée them enough to soften / break them up then yes!
Anna, BLW recipes blog says
They look delicious! I love fritters, I think they are great for BLW, but I’ve usually made it in a sweet way (fruit, sweet potato, carrot) with homemade date paste. I will definately try your recipe, thanks for sharing it 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
Amazing, enjoy!
Vanessa says
Just made these and they taste great! I’ve noticed the inside is a bit mushy- like almost seems uncooked or like mashed potatoes but it was cooked to 145. Is that right? Maybe my sweet potato was too big
Abbey Sharp says
Could be because of the large sweet potato. I would cook a little longer if using larger potatoes.
Kyleen says
Do you cook the salmon first or put raw into the food processor with everything else?
Melissa says
Would these work with canned salmon instead of fresh?
Abbey Sharp says
Yes I would just choose a no salt added one if possible
Kyleen says
Do you use raw salmon or do you have to cook it first before combining with the rest of the ingredients?
Abbey Sharp says
Raw salmon
Jessica says
Cooking this right now for my 8 month old. Smells so good already. Do you add the egg in the food processor with the first batch of ingredients? It looks like you’ve skipped that part.
Abbey Sharp says
oh yes ill update that now, sorry about that!!
Jan says
I love your recipes, so does my 9-month-old baby! This is the second recipe I tried, and he ate three of these in one sitting. Thank you for great, healthy recipes!
Abbey Sharp says
amazing! So happy to hear
Abbey Sharp says
Yes, sorry. Add to the food processor. Enjoy!
Jessica says
Thanks!!
Heather Johnstone says
Hi, these sound lovely! Are these good to batch cook and freeze for a later date too? Thanks
Abbey Sharp says
Definitely!
Jennifer says
Getting ready to make for my son. It says to add the egg with the ingredients and then again to add the egg with the spinach. Which one is correct? Thanks!
Abbey Sharp says
Sorry about that. Add the egg with the first ingredients (salmon, potato..).
Angela Cardamone @marathonsandmotivation.com says
Yum! This is a unique combo that I can not wait to try. I am pinning it for later…thank you!!! 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
Yayy enjoy Angela!
Kim says
Have you tried freezing these?
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
These sound soooo good! Love that the babies get fish this way. Def reading up on BLW for the twins
Abbey Sharp says
Amazing! Do it 🙂
Deborah Brooks says
Never would have thought to combine sweet potato and salmon in this way. Very creative!
Abbey Sharp says
Works really well! Thanks love
Jennifer says
You say to use quick cooking oats and then oat flour. Which one, please?
Abbey Sharp says
I turn the cooking oats into oat flour by pulsing the oats in a food processor.