Easy Salmon Fish Cakes for Babies
My whole family loves these fish cakes for babies. It’s a go-to when I have leftover baked potato and canned salmon in the pantry or leftover salmon fillet.
It can be hard to find fish recipes for kids that they’ll actually eat. These are a great way to serve salmon, even for those who aren’t big fans, as the flavour is mild when mixed with the potatoes.
Is fish healthy for babies?
There are lots of nutrition benefits of salmon. Oily fish is high in omega-3 fats, which are important for brain development. It’s a great source of protein and also contains some iron too, which is the most important nutrient for babies to get from solids. Salmon is also a low-mercury fish. If you’re able to buy wild, it’s lower in contaminants like PCBs that might be higher in farm-raised salmon. But all salmon will be beneficial, I don’t want to scare you away from any of it. Canned salmon is cheaper and already cooked, so easiest to use. Just make sure there’s not a lot of added salt if any.
What about allergies to fish?
Fish is one of the common food allergens. In the unlikely case your baby is allergic, you will likely notice a rash, which is the most common sign of allergies in babies.
It’s recommended to introduce allergens early after starting solids, rather than later. This may promote tolerance to the allergy and actually prevent allergies!
When introducing allergens, you can wait 3-5 days before introducing another high-risk allergen (like dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, cow’s milk, eggs and wheat). You don’t have to do this with most foods, but can with these specific foods.
When can babies eat fish?
When your baby has a pincer grasp and can pick up smaller pieces of food between their forefinger and thumb, you can offer them chunks of salmon. It can even be canned if it’s low in sodium. But this homemade fish cake recipe for babies is a great starter solid food for beginning self-feeders. They are large enough to pick up with a palmer grasp and are nice and tender so they’re easy to chew and not a choking hazard. And is a great healthy meal for the entire family. Your baby can eat fish or fish cakes as soon as they start solids, around 6 months of age.
What to serve on the side
Serve the fish cakes to your baby with a side of cooked vegetables like a piece of steamed broccoli, kale chips or avocado slices. They already contain mashed potatoes, but you could also offer them with a grain if you like, such as a strip of toast with butter or a sticky rice ball.
And offer a slice of lemon too! Your baby will get to suck on the lemon and you can see if they enjoy the sour taste. Or at least laugh at the funny faces they make.
Want to check out my top 12 starter foods for Baby-led Weaning? Head over to this post.
Salmon Fish Cakes
Equipment
- non stick skillet
Ingredients
- 213 g salmon, drained, skin and large bones removed 1 can or leftover cooked salmon
- 1 cup mashed potatoes
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- salt & pepper
- non-stick spray
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine salmon, potatoes, green onion, red pepper, dill and milk.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently stir in egg.
- Form mixture into four 3⁄4-inch (2 cm) thick cakes.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight to let flavor develop.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray.
- Add fish cakes and cook for about 2 minutes per side or until browned on both sides and hot in the center.
Notes
Jennifer House is a Registered Dietitian, author & mom of 3. From Baby-led weaning to picky eating and meal planning, she helps you to make feeding your family easier.
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