Salmon Patties, made from wild caught canned salmon, are an easy to make dinner time favorite in our house and are the best salmon cake recipe ever!
Why this recipe works:
This recipe is one of my most popular recipes and has been viewed almost 2 Million times.
It has also always been my family's favorite dinner. When I ask the kids what they want for dinner on their birthday, they say salmon patties.
Other than the taste, I love this recipe because it's an easy dinner that comes from the pantry. How many times have you gone to make dinner and realized that the only meat you have on hand is completely frozen?
Because this recipe uses canned salmon, it's easily available and is one of my favorite options for a quick and easy dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
How to make them:
- If using canned salmon with bones and skin, decide whether you want to separate the meat or just mix everything together (photo 1).
- Mix the canned salmon with egg (it binds all of the ingredients together), along with bread crumbs, green onions, parmesan, and lime juice (photo 2).
- Form the salmon patties by hand and place them in screaming hot oil in a frying pan (photo 3). The screaming hot part is necessary to get that nice crispy outside.
- Once they are crispy and golden brown on the bottom, flip them once to get crispy on the other side (photo 4). Once done, serve hot with your favorite sides.
More about canned salmon:
If you've never used canned salmon, I feel it is my duty to educate you first. And based on the sheer number of reader comments this recipe has gotten, people are very passionate about this subject.
- Canned salmon comes in two variations: with and without the skin and bones.
- If you buy canned salmon without the skin and bones, it is very similar to canned tuna. You only need to drain it and follow the recipe.
- If you buy canned salmon with the skin and bones, it's basically a chunk of the whole animal (minus the organs) that has been pressure cooked in an aluminum can. You can choose to eat everything in the can (skin, bones, spine, fat, etc.) or you can carefully pick them out and discard to separate the meat.
- The bones are really soft because they've been soaking in liquid under pressure. The lightest squeeze in between your fingers crushes them. The bones, the skin, and the darker grey meat are full of nutrients.
- Me? I pick through that canned salmon like I'm a surgeon and it is my patient.
Bottom line: you can eat the skin/bones/fat or you can leave them out. They are completely edible and it is 100% a matter of preference.
Salmon patty recipe variations:
Throughout the years I've been constantly changing this recipe to add variation. My readers have made some really great suggestions too!
- Instead of using panko bread crumbs, try making salmon patties with cornmeal. I've done this before (but used a mixture of cornmeal and breadcrumbs) and it gave my salmon cakes a great texture. You can also make them with crushed crackers.
- Ever try salmon patties with mayonnaise? It makes them so moist with tons of added flavor.
- I get asked all the time if these can be made with fresh salmon. My answer is yes - you can make these with fresh salmon if you want to cook the fresh salmon first, but because this recipe is based on what my mom made growing up, I will always recommend using canned salmon.
- How about a salmon patty sauce? I think a basil garlic aioli or an easy remoulade would be amazing with these salmon cakes!
What to serve with salmon cakes:
The outside of my salmon patties is oh-so-perfectly crispy. The inside is moist and delicious.
We usually serve these up with a starch like rice or potatoes as well as a green vegetable such as a salad or wilted spinach. I also love eating them cold and leftover when they're mixed into a green salad with some delicious avocado. Sooooo good! That's why I always double or even triple the recipe.
Other favorite salmon recipes:
Although this recipe has become a regular favorite in our house, we also like to mix it up a bit and make Crispy Southern Salmon Patties and Lemon Basil Salmon Patties, along with lots of other variations to keep things interesting!
I cook with salmon all the time. From fresh Pacific Northwest wild caught fillets cooked on a cedar plank to smoked salmon whipped up into an smoked salmon dip or creamy salmon pasta, our appetite craves the omega 3 filled goodness that salmon brings to the table.
Recipe video below!
Did you make this recipe? Please leave me a comment below to let me know what you think! I also love hearing of the different variations you all recommend!
Salmon Patties Recipe
CLICK TO PLAY RECIPE VIDEO
Ingredients
- 18 ounces canned salmon (3-8oz cans with no skin/bones or 2-14.75 cans with skin/bones, drained, red or pink salmon)
- 2 eggs
- 6 green onions (minced)
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil (or sub with olive oil)
Instructions
- Drain salmon and pick out all of the good meat you want to use. I'm sure all of it can be used, but I like to discard any bone and skin because I think its gross. Personal preference.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine salmon meat, eggs, green onions, panko bread crumbs, parmesan, and lime juice. Use hands to combine and then form into 8 patties that are no more than one inch thick.
- Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot enough to bubble when a bread crumb gets tossed in, add your salmon patties. Be sure to leave enough room to have a good inch in between each patty, so you may need to cook them in two batches. Cook until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes, then flip and cook until golden brown on other side.
- Serve warm. They also taste excellent cold on top of salad.
Notes
- Recipe easily doubles or triples if you want leftovers, however you may need to cook in batches to ensure they crisp properly.
- Popular reader variations/add-ins include lemon juice, crushed crackers, sauteed yellow onion, corn meal, fresh dill
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This recipe was originally published in June 2015 and has been updated with process photos, helpful information and cooking tips. Don't worry - I didn't change the recipe!
lil
my husband loved to fish, he said never use pink salmon to make salmon patties ,good salmon is the red salmo
lil
marion
I have always used the skin and bones...the bones are the most nutritious part of the salmon..they are soft and easily digested..I can agree about the skin being gross looking..but the bones are so very healthy.
Ruth Long
I never take the bones or skin out of the canned salmon. Another great way to add to your salmon is to used crunched up potato chips instead of Panko Crumbs or crackers when mixing the salmon to prepare for frying. They are so much crispier and delicious. We love fried Salmon Patties at our house!
Mare
Never made them or tasted them before. Concerned about the salt....is it from the crackers or is the salmon salty?. I don't care for salmon but hope I like the patties. My husband and I are loosing our taste buds and nothing tastes good to us any more!!! Trying to find new things to eat.... We both have high blood pressure..that's why the concern for the salt someone mentioned! Help! 🙂
Krissy
Hi Mare, I know you can find canned salmon without salt. That would definitely help bring down the sodium. Hope you can try it!
Jacque Herron
I was also raised on Salmon Patties, and love them. I always used canned Salmon, as my mother did, that is until I tried them with fresh Salmon. Trust me, once you make them with fresh you will love the upgrade, and never use canned again. Just sayin'.....
Linus Taylor
I tried your receipe and I loved it.
My mom made salmon patties and I have always loved them.
These are awesome and now my go to for the dish.
DumbFarmKid
Eat what you want. If you want to pick, pick. If you want to eat it, eat it. Who cares what other people think? They can all go pound sand if they don't like it. I say do what pleases you and tell everyone else to go to hell.
Barbara
Thank you for this nice variation to an old recipe. When I was a kid, and mom was making her salmon patties, I would actually beg for the bones....still love them!!!!
Kathy Morgan
I have made these for many years and always used self rising flour instead of bread crumbs. You can always add some instant mashed potato flakes. I use lemon juice also.
Linda Stietz
I'm with Barb, I never took the skin or bones out,and I've bern making them for years. Eat them cold out of the fridge too! I'm really looking forward to making your variation.
My mom made them for years, and I loved them! She had a totally different recipe.
Thanks! I love your recipes!
Natalie Ceja
Can't do the parmesan.....Is there a substitute I can use, or should I just leave it out?
Krissy
You can definitely leave it out. I've used ground hazelnuts and they brown up nicely which is what the parm does. If you can have nuts, try that!
Joyce D
Hi Krissy, Found you while looking for salmon patty recipes. My dinner entertainment was reading all the comments. LOL I don't mind bones in canned salmon and like the crunch. But then, I like, beef tongue, heart, liver, etc. It's how I grew up. This is a great recipe! Yum! The lime gives acidity and parmesan gives some salt. Since I had a jar of home canned salmon that my son in law caught-with no bones or skin, who was I to argue? And...don't think I could BUY skin and bones somewhere. Ha ha. I really enjoyed this and will make again. I did add one extra egg and some crushed saltine crackers-just because I could.
Krissy
Glad you enjoyed the comments. 🙂 Beef tongue? I still can't do it.
Dale
I like to use almond flour instead of bread crumbs to keep the carb count near zero for my wife. Works really well.
Krissy
Great recommendation! I've used hazelnut meal too and it fries up beautifully.
Carolyn
I love salmon patties and your version looks wonderful. Whether or not you keep the skin in is up to you, I guess! 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
These sound absolutely delicious, will definitely be giving them a try with my children!
Shashi at SavorySpin
We love salmon patties here - such a good 6-ingredient recipe!
Danielle
I love making these for my daughter. The great thing is, you can add so many different flavours to them
Helene
I haven't used canned salmon before either but we don't get fresh salmon here right now, so this was helpful!
Robin Gagnon
The recipe makes lovely salmon patties. (I take out the bones too)
Sandhya Hariharan
Homemade Patties are the best any day!!! Having favourite healthy food at dinner time can be the best thing to happen for the little ones!!
Ginny
Those patties look perfect and only 7 ingredients. Thanks for the recipe.