My Make-Ahead Paleo Lunches
Although I work from home, I prepare my weekday lunches in large batches to avoid a mid-day cooking session. For the last few months, my lunches primarily consist of one the following:
- A cauliflower rice or parsnip rice “grain” bowl, with variations on quickly sautéed veggies and the protein. I make the veggie rice and protein ahead of time.
- A blended vegetable soup, with collagen protein, slow-cooked meat, and coconut cream added.
- A salad with Primal Kitchen’s new paleo dressing, alongside broiled fish or hard-boiled eggs. And also a coconut flour muffin or two!
Recently, I’ve been enjoying these make-ahead salmon cakes as an addition to my veggie bowl, soup or salad. One batch keeps in the fridge for a few days. Ready to serve within minutes, I simply brown a couple of cakes in a sauté pan to warm through and create a golden crust.
I enjoy these salmon cakes served with lemon wedges and Primal Kitchen’s Avocado Mayo. I mention the brand because it’s the best mayo I’ve tasted, and it uses healthy avocado oil instead of vegetable oils like safflower, canola, or sunflower oil. I’ve collaborated with Thrive Market to give you a free jar of it here, with your first Thrive order.
- 2 6oz. cans wild salmon (such as this brand), liquid drained off
- ¼ cup sweet potato or butternut squash puree (canned or fresh)
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbs. coconut flour, available here
- ¼ cup finely sliced scallions
- 2 tsp. coconut aminos, available here
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
- 2 Tbs ghee or coconut oil
- Mayonnaise (I like Primal Kitchen's Mayo)
- Fresh lemon
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350.
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients with a fork. Form into 6-7 patties on the baking sheet.
- Bake patties until firm, about 30 minutes.
- If making these ahead, let the baked salmon cakes cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a few days. The salmon cakes can be browned immediately after baking or after being made ahead and stored in the fridge.
- When ready to serve, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the salmon cakes in batches until browned and hot, a couple minutes per side.
Do you have the nutritional breakdown on this recipe I am on a low sodium low cholesterol diet and these sound delicious
is this RAW? shouldn’t we use smoked salmon or cooked?
The canned salmon is already cooked.
can I use fresh salmon
I made 2 batches of these, they’re SO delicious!! I used almond flour instead because I thought the coconut flour would have too much of a sweet flavor and it worked well! Love them!
Can you freeze them? Just baked a batch and turned out beautifully! Thanks for sharing recipe
I’m wondering about freezing too, like before browning? Anyone tried it?
I froze some and they were perfect! I froze them before cooking in the pan.
There are so many pretty colors. But I love the Ruby Red and it would match my kitchen!
Oops wrong blog. I am looking forward to trying this recipe though. 🙂
Hi Lauren,
These sound delicious but I am having trouble with coconut now (and almonds)… Could you recommend an alternative please?
I suppose you could try it with cassava flour, but I can’t guarantee results.
AMAZING!!! I just found your site a few days ago and I am in love with it…….I can’t stop reading and in love with your oh-so-healthy recipes. These salmon cakes are the first recipe I have tried. I didn’t think I would like fish with squash mixed in (I substituted canned pumpkin), but since I am diabetic, it looked like it should be a good choice so that I wouldn’t get sick, so I made it, but not really thrilled about it..
All I can say is, OH MY GOSH!! I used to go salmon fishing every summer for 20 years and made salmon everyway I thought possible. One of the things I really loved were the salmon cakes that I made. Well, this recipe throws my salmon cakes out of the water. It is JUST DELICIOUS!!! It is one of the very best recipes ever, on my Paleo diet. I just now made them, in the middle of eating my third one, but made myself stop to tell you these are really wonderful! So many Paleo recipes I make that have ” healthy flours” in them, taste like baked sawdust but this one is moist, flavorful yet had that sautéed golden-brown taste on the outside. You have a new fan and I can hardly wait to try out many more of your recipes.
I have watched some of your videos, read some of your articles, including the letter from my body and I truly think you are inspired. I know you have studied greatly, but now I feel that your messages come from a very deep and honest place; an innate connection that comes from beyond you and so I trust you and really know your recipes and solutions are healthy. I think I will get better now.
Thank you so very much, Lauren for all the time and effort you have put in. I hope that your own health journey is getting better and better. You are an angel. The very best, Dianne
PS, I forgot to mention that I didn’t use canned salmon because I didn’t have it so I used frozen that I had in the refrigerator also I mixed in 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil; think it made it more moist.. Also your idea of a squeeze of lemon on each one really finished it off, made it taste gourmet. Didn’t use the mayo; it was fabulous as it is.
Do you have a clean version of dijon mustard you use?
There is nothing to change in this recipe for me. Delicious!!!! Usually first time recipes I might alter but not this one. Thanks