Crusted salmon and sweet potato mash served with peas. Baked salmon topped with a delicious chili lime crust and served with two delectable and easy-to-make side dishes.
This chili lime salmon with sweet potato mash and peas makes a quick and healthy meal, perfect for any busy evening of the week.
The flaky, buttery salmon fillets covered with the flavorful breadcrumb crust and the combinations of flavors, colors, and textures make this dish impressive enough to entertain your guests or serve on holiday.
And if you like this kind of all-in-one recipe meal, check out the Spicy Drumsticks with Sweet Potatoes, the Scalloped Potatoes with Chicken, the Baked Pork Chops and Potatoes, or the Meatballs and Rice. Or try another fish recipe, for instance, the Stewed Fish or the Skillet White Fish in Tomato Sauce.
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Recipe ingredients
Salmon:
- Filets without skin, about 125 g/ 4.4 oz each.
- Fresh salmon would be perfect, but frozen salmon tastes great as well.
- If using frozen, defrost it in the fridge overnight; this slow defrosting method is best for fish.
Breadcrumbs:
- Fresh breadcrumbs are needed. To make the fresh breadcrumbs, remove the crust from 1-2 slices of bread (depending on their size) and process them in the food processor to obtain crumbs.
- Panko breadcrumbs are also good.
Lime:
- Preferably organic and unwaxed, as you will also need the zest of it.
- Wash it with hot water and dry it well before zesting.
Sweet potatoes:
- Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, not to be confused with yams. Yams are a completely different thing.
How to make salmon with sweet potato mash?
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Start with the sweet potato mash. While the potatoes are cooking, you can make the crusted salmon and cook the peas.
Mashed sweet potatoes
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes, place them in a saucepan and cover them with boiling water from a kettle (to speed up things).
- Bring to a boil again and cook on medium heat until soft.
- Meanwhile, start with the fish and the peas.
- Once tender, drain the sweet potatoes (1).
- Return them to the pot, and add the butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes roughly or finely, according to your liking (2).
- Add the finely chopped leaves of a few sprigs of thyme if using.
Crusted salmon
- Dry the salmon filets with kitchen towels. Place them in a lightly buttered baking tin in a single layer (3).
- Breadcrumbs: Remove the crust of 1 or 2 bread slices (depending on size) and process them to crumbs in a food processor.
- Wash the lime with hot water, dry it well and zest it. You will need the zest for the crust and the rest of the lime for roasting the fish.
- Combine breadcrumbs with lime zest, 2 tablespoons of very soft butter, chili, and roughly ground black pepper.
- Bread salmon: Divide this mixture between the 4 salmon filets and press it down on each piece (4).
- Assemble: Cut the lime into wedges. Arrange them in the tin between the fish filets (5).
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the breadcrumb mixture turns golden and the fish is cooked through (6). Don’t overcook the fish.
Peas
- In the meantime, cook the peas in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.
- Drain, refresh under cold water, and stir gently with the butter and chopped mint.
Expert Tips
Time management
- If using frozen salmon, remember to defrost it in time.
- Also, ensure that the oven is preheated on time.
- To speed up the cooking process, boil water in the kettle to cook the sweet potatoes and the peas.
- Start with the sweet potato mash, as they will need slightly more time than the fish.
- Once the salmon and the sweet potato mash are almost done, cook the peas.
- Peas: Cook the peas just before serving.
- Once cooked, drain, and refresh them in cold water to help them retain their bright green color. However, hold them briefly under running water, so they don’t get too cool before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Sure. Try firm-fleshed white fish like cod, halibut, pollock, or hake.
The salmon is best served immediately; it will dry up if reheated. However, you can still reheat and enjoy the leftovers. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
Refrigerate the sweet potato mash in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or a small pan on the stovetop. Add a small splash of milk or a little butter when reheating, and stir often.
Refrigerate the peas in an airtight container and reheat them in the microwave.
How to serve?
The chili lime salmon with sweet potato mash is a complete meal; you will not need anything else.
- However, you can serve other veggies instead of peas. Try roasted or steamed broccoli, or cauliflower, or French-style Green Beans.
- Instead of sweet potato mash, you can make regular potato mash, Roasted Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Cauliflower and Potato Mash, Creamy Spinach Potato Mash, Creamy Carrot and Swede Mash, Air Fryer Potato Wedges, or Fingerling Garlic Smashed Potatoes.
- Or make some Roasted Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts.
More salmon recipes
Salmon and Sweet Potato Mash
Equipment
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 baking dish
Ingredients
Sweet potato mash:
- 500 g sweet potatoes 1 lb
- 1 tablespoon butter
- fine sea salt and black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme optional
Salmon:
- 4 salmon filets without skin, about 125 g/ 4.4 oz each
- 1 lime Note 1
- 4 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs Note 2
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter very soft
- roughly ground black pepper
Peas:
- 300 g frozen peas 10.5 oz
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint chopped
- 1 teaspoon butter
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sweet potato mash:
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes, place them in a saucepan, and cover them with boiling water from a kettle (to speed up things). Bring to a boil again and cook until fork tender; it will take about 15 minutes but check.
- Meanwhile, start with the fish and the peas.
- Mash: Once tender, drain the sweet potatoes. Return them to the pot, and add the butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes roughly or finely, according to your liking.
- Add the finely chopped leaves of a few sprigs of thyme if using.
Crusted salmon:
- Dry the salmon filets with kitchen towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Place them in a lightly buttered baking tin.
- Breadcrumbs: Remove the crust of 1 or 2 bread slices (depending on size) and process them to crumbs in a food processor.
- Wash, dry, and zest the lime.
- Combine breadcrumbs with lime zest, 2 tablespoons of very soft butter, chili, and roughly ground black pepper.
- Bread salmon: Divide this mixture between the 4 salmon filets and press it down on each piece.
- Assemble: Cut the lime into wedges. Arrange them in the tin between the fish filets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the breadcrumb mixture turns golden, and the fish is cooked through. Don’t overcook the fish.
Peas:
- Cook peas: In the meantime, place the peas in a small saucepan and cover them with boiling water from a kettle. Add some salt, bring to a boil, and cook the peas gently for 3-4 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water.
- Season: Place in a bowl, mix in a small knob of butter, salt and pepper, and sprinkle with chopped mint.
- Serve immediately. Squeeze the roasted limes over the fish filets for extra flavor.
Notes
- Preferably an organic, unwaxed lime, as you will also use the zest.
- Depending on their size, you will need 1 or 2 crustless slices of bread.
Adina says
Thank you. 🙂 I love the colors too!
mjskit says
What a beautiful meal! So much color and textures. Your salmon with the lime crust looks simply delicious!
Adina says
Thank you, Judith. It makes me really happy to hear that. 🙂
Judith Bakers says
With your recipes you give me a lot of inspirations, Adina.I've already prepared some of your fatastic recipes, and my familiy were always exited♥.Thank you so much!!
Adina says
Thank you, Mike.
Mike@TheIronYou says
What a great looking salmon. Perfectly cooked and flaky, just as I like it. Great job!