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These salmon patties are flaky, tender and so flavorful. The crisp edges and big bites of flaked salmon are the hallmark of these salmon patties. They are the real deal! It’s no wonder these salmon cakes have been so popular (read the glowing reviews here).
This is an easy and excellent way to use leftover salmon and it is worth it to cook the salmon just for this (instructions below). For busy weeknights, you can substitute with well-drained canned salmon or the salmon in packets which you may already have in your pantry!
I hope you all love these salmon patties and the easy homemade tartar sauce that goes with them.
Watch How to Make Salmon Patties:
These salmon patties are such a treat and even folks who don’t normally like salmon enjoy this recipe. They always disappear fast!
P.S. Serve salmon cakes with this irresistible homemade tartar sauce. P.S. Once you try homemade and realize how easy it is, there’s just no going back to store-bought tartar sauce. It is so much better in every way!
⬇Print-Friendly Salmon Patties Recipe:
Salmon Patties Recipe (VIDEO)
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
These salmon patties are flaky, tender and so flavorful with crisp edges and big bites of flaked salmon. These salmon patties always disappear fast! Serve with homemade tartar sauce!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 40 minutes mins
Ingredients
Servings: 14 salmon patties
- 1 lb fresh salmon filet*
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp Garlic salt, I used Lawry's Brand, to taste
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper, or to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, 1 cup, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely minced
Instructions
Preheat Oven to 425˚F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner. Place salmon in the center, skin-side-down, drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic salt and black pepper. Bake uncovered for 10-15 min (depending on thickness), or just until cooked through. Remove from oven, cover with foil and rest 10 min. Flake salmon with 2 forks discarding skin and any bones then set aside and cool to room temp.
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add diced onion and bell pepper and saute until golden and softened (7-9 minutes) then remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, combined flaked salmon, sautéed pepper and onion, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 beaten eggs, 3 Tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Form into patties (about a heaping Tablespoonful each) and mold with your hands into 2" wide by 1/3 to 1/2" thick patties.**
In a clean non-stick pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter until hot then add salmon patties in a single layer. Saute 3 to 4 min per side or until golden brown and cooked through. If salmon patties brown too fast, reduce heat. Remove finished patties to a paper-towel lined plate and repeat with remaining oil, butter and salmon cakes.
Notes
*Substituting Salmon: If desired, you can substitute the first 4 ingredients listed with 15 oz of well-drained canned salmon or salmon in packets. Leftover salmon from dinner can also be used if available.
**Cook's Tip: If salmon mixture is too dry to hold a patty shape, add an extra tablespoon of mayo and if it is too moist, add more bread crumbs.
Nutrition Per Serving
145kcal Calories4g Carbs8g Protein10g Fat2g Saturated Fat48mg Cholesterol328mg Sodium205mg Potassium345IU Vitamin A7.4mg Vitamin C19mg Calcium0.7mg Iron
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Nutrition Facts
Salmon Patties Recipe (VIDEO)
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Salmon Patties
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
That pretty blue serving platter can be found here. I have these in different sizes and colors. I love their bold colors and how sturdy and chip resistant Fiestaware is – meant to last a lifetime.
You can serve these for lunch, dinner, appetizers – they are so versatile and these salmon patties can even be used in sandwiches as salmon burgers, just form them a little larger. And if you LOVE salmon recipes, don’t miss our #1 of all time baked salmon recipe!
Q: Have you tried these yet? Let me know what you thought of them in a comment below.
Have a memorable and happy 4th of July!! 🙂 The 4th just happens to be my husbands birthday so if you’re on Instagram that day, feel free to flood his page with happy birthday wishes. Thanks friends!
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
Balance The Binders With The Moisture
These usually include eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, cracker crumbs, ground flaxseed, and so on. Without these binders, the salmon has nothing to stick to, so you can't form patties.
What are the ingredients in salmon patties? ›
Salmon patties, or salmon cakes, are wonderfully easy to make. You make salmon patties with just a base of canned salmon, shredded bread (or breadcrumbs or even saltines), chopped onion, and egg to bind it all into patties. Then, these salmon cakes are quickly fried.
Why won t my salmon patties stay together? ›
If you add too much egg, for instance, or the canned fish isn't properly drained, the mixture will be too wet and the cakes will fall apart. Too many breadcrumbs, on the other hand, will make your cakes dry and crumbly.
What can I use as a binder instead of eggs in salmon patties? ›
You can use wheat flour, oat flour or mashed potatoes egg substitute for binder in salmon patties. Replace each egg with 1/3 cup of flour or mashed potato.
How do I get my salmon patties to stick together? ›
Crushed Saltine crackers or Ritz crackers work great. You can use a mixture of cornmeal and breadcrumbs for great texture. If you need a gluten free option, almond flour or hazelnut meal make a great substitution. I've always used eggs as a binder to hold the salmon mixture together.
What can I substitute for breadcrumbs in salmon patties? ›
The almond flour is the perfect substitution for breadcrumbs, and binds the salmon patties together perfectly. Add enough liquid to 3/4 cup almond flour to make it wet and mushy, allow to sit for 5 minutes so the flour hydrates, then add it to the salmon patty mixture.
What is the difference between salmon patties and salmon burgers? ›
The main difference between my Salmon Patties and this salmon burger is the quantity of ingredients in the filling and the use of binder ingredients.
Are canned salmon patties good for you? ›
Canned salmon is full of protein, B vitamins, vitamin D and heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, making it an excellent pantry staple. Unlike fresh salmon, canned salmon's “sell by date” is a couple of years, not a couple of days, giving you a healthy option for a last-minute pantry meal.
Why are my salmon patties mushy? ›
Overmixing can break down the structure. Allowing the salmon mixture to rest before shaping the patties is crucial. Cooking the salmon patties at too high a temperature or for too short a time can result in a mushy interior.
How do you get the fishy taste out of salmon patties? ›
You can also lessen salmon's strong flavor by soaking it in a milk bath for 20 minutes and then draining it and patting it dry before cooking. The casein in milk binds to the TMA, and when drained away, it takes the culprit that causes fishy odor with it.
Overcooked Salmon Is Dry
Salmon goes from moist and silky to tough and dry when it's overcooked, even by just a minute or two. This can happen whether you're grilling it, baking it, broiling it, or cooking it on the stovetop, although some methods of preparation are better suited for salmon than others.
Can you use milk as a binder instead of eggs? ›
Milk. If you're making something fairly dense, such as a chocolate cake, use ¼ cup milk of your choice instead of the egg.
Can I use mayonnaise instead of eggs as a binder? ›
There are more than a few reasons why mayo makes sense as a substitute for egg wash. Since they both share the same main ingredient (eggs), they function in very similar ways. Much like egg wash acts as a binding agent to help seasonings and breadcrumbs stick to meat, creamy mayonnaise also manages to do the same.
How do you bind without eggs? ›
Chia seeds
Just like with flaxseeds, you can mix chia seeds and water to make an egg-like binding agent. Add 1 tablespoon of organic chia seeds to 2.5 tablespoons of water, then leave for 15 minutes until it has a consistency similar to jelly.
How to keep salmon from falling apart while cooking? ›
Grill salmon flesh side down FIRST, then flip over once.
Place the salmon fillets on the grill flesh side down first (so the skin is facing you). Raw salmon is relatively firm, so starting it off with the flesh facing down is a great way to get some nice grill marks on the salmon without it falling apart.
How to cook salmon without falling apart? ›
Use Salmon WITH the Skin On
Keeping the skin on salmon makes it easier to flip, as the salmon is less likely to fall apart (also recommended for Instant Pot Salmon). Making pan seared salmon with skin insulates it and makes it more difficult to overcook.
How do you keep patties together? ›
You can use a binder in burgers to help hold them together. Common binders include eggs, breadcrumbs, or ground flaxseed mixed with water. These ingredients help to bind the meat, seasonings, and other ingredients together, making the patty more stable and easier to handle while cooking or grilling.
Why do my homemade patties fall apart? ›
Go easy on the shaping. When you're making your burgers, try not to manhandle them too much or else you'll end up breaking the meat into smaller pieces than you have to. We recommend simply shaping the beef into a vague burger shape with the least amount handling as possible.
