Crispy baked salmon layered with smashed sweet potato cubes all finished off with a lemony feta parsley dill yogurt: these Smashed Sweet Potato Salmon Skewers with Parsley Dill Sauce are an all time favorite recipe!
Jump to RecipeSo, my sister’s coming home tonight from college… and, let me tell you, she’s seriously craving a home-cooked meal. Yes, college food can be made good, but it’s never going to be the same as a freshly cooked family dinner — especially for someone like my sister, who’s seriously obsessed with fresh, healthy flavors. Hence, for her homecoming, I knew I had to make something extra “katie.” Instantly, what jumped to mind was something with crispy salmon, a ton of to-die-for sauce, and something that could easily be thrown over a bowl or salad. Hence, these Smashed Sweet Potato Salmon Skewers with Parsley Dill Sauce were created. And, well, they were gobbled up in a matter of seconds!!
the breakdown…
These Smashed Sweet Potato Salmon Skewers with Parsley Dill Sauce are honestly super simple, despite looking so impressive. I mean, there’s just something about a skewer that makes everything seem a bit more over-the-top… ya know? I promise you, though, with just a few steps, these skewers come together so quickly.
Speaking of “quickly,” my trick to making this recipe come together quickly is to start off with frozen sweet potatoes. Yes, frozen. If you’ve read my blog before, you know I’m a big fan of frozen veggies. They’re nutrient packed, super easy, and a great way to par-cook everything when you’re in a hurry. Plus, less chopping for relatively cheap prices is always a win, at least in my book. So, for this Smashed Sweet Potato Salmon Skewers with Parsley Dill Sauce recipe, I simply microwave those sweet potatoes to get them nice and softened before smashing them up. With the back of a sheet pan, or really any other heavy object, this is truly so much easier than it sounds. There’s no need to individually smash each sweet potato when you’ve got something like a sheet pan… nobody’s got time for that!
onto the salmon…
Once your sweet potato cubes are relatively smushed (but not complete pancakes), it’s time to move onto the salmon. I usually go for a wild-caught salmon from behind the counter, then I ask the fish-monger to slice off the skin for me. Honestly, you can do it yourself, but it’s much easier to get them to slice it off if they’re willing. Then, go in with a sharp knife and chop up that salmon into 1-2 inch bites. Not too big that they’ll fall off the skewer, but not too small that you’ll be stringing it onto skewers for hours.
Toss those bites with all the seasonings, and you’ll get the most perfect spiced crispy exterior. This is almost like a blackening seasoning, but a bit different. I aimed to give this that nice blackening crust, but with more of a Greek/Middle Eastern taste. Yes, you’ve got to throw a lot of spices and herbs into this mix… but that’s what gives this salmon that amazing texture and flavor! I mean, you’ve got tangy sumac, parsley and dill to carry over from the sauce, and paprika and cumin to bring in some mediterranean flair. It’s truly so good.
get those skewers going!
Next up, you’ve got to string all of those salmon pieces onto your skewers. Alternating with a few pieces of the smashed sweet potato, this really isn’t all that hard. Then, line up your skewers on a wire-racked baking sheet with some lemons and send everything to the oven! If you don’t have a wire rack, don’t worry. I definitely recommend getting one, as I use it all the time to cook meatballs and smaller bites evenly… but you could still totally do this recipe without it. Plus, with those lemons surrounding the salmon skewers, you still get that amazing lemony crisp on your salmon that’s truly amazing. You could even squeeze a little lemon over top at the end, if you would like. Lemon and salmon is a match made in heaven, if you ask me!
While that salmon is crisping up in the oven, go ahead and make that parsley dill sauce. This one is seriously so easy, as you just have to throw a bunch of goodness into a blender. You’ve got that parsley and dill for some fresh mediterranean flavor, but you’ve also got that lemon and apple cider vinegar to pack a punch. Then, with some salt, feta, yogurt, and honey to balance everything out, this sauce is seriously liquid gold. Don’t skip it!
how to serve them up…
These Smashed Sweet Potato Salmon Skewers with Parsley Dill Sauce are truly one of the best salmon recipes. I usually serve them two ways. First, you could set them out for more of a dinner party or buffet style bite on a nice platter with a drizzle of that sauce. Maybe with some Greek Style Bruschetta, Harissa Roasted Cauliflower, and some homemade naan? Alternatively, you could serve these up for a simple weeknight dinner. I love to serve these skewers in the form of a “build-your-own” mediterranean bowl type of situation. Set out some feta, lightly dressed arugula, couscous (or any grain), cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled onions, etc… everyone loves a good bowl, at least in my house.
However you serve these up, however, I hope you love these Smashed Sweet Potato Salmon Skewers with Parsley Dill Sauce as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))
Smashed Sweet Potato Salmon Skewers with Parsley Dill Sauce
Course: Main Course, SkewerCuisine: American, MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes10
minutes35
minutesCrispy baked salmon layered with smashed sweet potato cubes and finished off with a lemony parsley dill yogurt: these Smashed Sweet Potato Salmon Skewers with Parsley Dill Sauce are an all time favorite recipe!
Ingredients
- skewers:
8-10 skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes*
16 oz frozen sweet potato cubes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp sumac
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried dill weed
½ tsp salt
1.5 lb salmon, skin removed diced into 1-2 inch cubes
Olive oil or olive oil spray, as needed
3 lemons, wedged
- parsley dill sauce:
1 large bunch flat leaf parsley
0.5 oz dill, lightly packed
¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
½ cup plain greek yogurt
¼ cup feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
2 tbsp nut or seed of choice, optional*
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
Salt and pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and a greased wire baking rack.
- In a shallow bowl, microwave the frozen sweet potatoes until cooked through and softened. Pat dry with a paper towel to get rid of any excess water. Spread the sweet potatoes out on a smooth surface. Using the bottom of a sheet pan, gently smash the sweet potato cubes until they are flattened.
- In a small bowl, whisk the paprika, garlic powder, sumac, dried parsley, cumin, dried dill weed, and salt. In a large bowl, toss the cubed salmon with the spices.
- String a piece of salmon onto each skewer, followed by 2-3 pieces of smashed sweet potato. Repeat until each skewer is ⅔ way covered. Line each skewer up on the wire rack, then generously spray or brush each with olive oil. Arrange the lemon wedges around/under the skewers on the baking sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Then, switch the oven to broil and bake for another 2 minutes.
- While the skewers are cooking, combine all herb sauce ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor.
- Serve each skewer with some of the parsley dill sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- It’s very important that you soak your skewers prior to putting them in the oven, as this will ensure that they do not burn in the oven and that they will not splinter into the salmon.
- I like to add 2 tbsp of walnuts, pistachios, or almonds to the sauce to give it a thicker, grittier texture. This can easily be omitted though.