Salmon and Sweet Potato Mash

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 One-Pan Chicken and Potato Gratin, 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.

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.

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

How to serve?

Most important tip: serve immediately.

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 Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes.

• Or make some Roasted Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts.

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