Salmon Patties – quick to prepare, golden and crispy on the outside, moist and savoury on the inside with lovely big flakes of salmon! A very easy salmon cakes recipe that can be made with either canned salmon OR fresh salmon. These are Can’t-Stop-Eating-Them good!
This canned salmon recipe will make you realise you CAN make incredible dishes using canned fish!
Salmon Patties
Good quality fresh salmon is not cheap. So if I buy fresh salmon, I like to cook it whole rather than mixing it up with other ingredients for things like salmon patties. My go-to quick salmon fillet recipes are Honey Garlic Salmon and Lemon Glazed Salmon 🙂
So I’ve always used canned salmon to make salmon cakes.
But one bite of these Salmon Patties, and any thought of compromising by using canned salmon instead of fresh will fly out the window. These taste SO GOOD!! Serve these up to anyone who has wrinkled their nose in distaste at the thought of canned salmon, and I bet you’ll change their mind.
These salmon cakes are SO GOOD whether made with canned salmon OR fresh salmon!
They’re moreish, beautifully seasoned, juicy and tender, studded with flakes of salmon, and a hint of herby freshness from dill.
These are so tasty, I’d proudly serve them up as an appetiser at a gathering! (And to all my friends reading this, don’t be surprised if that happens the next time you come over!)
BAKED Salmon Patties!
These babies are so golden and crispy on the outside, it’s almost hard to believe they’re baked. But they are, they really are.
The trick to the golden crust is to preheat the tray. This makes a difference when baking things that are low in fat, like these salmon patties.
This canned salmon recipe will make you realise you CAN make incredibly delicious food using canned fish!
Making Salmon Patties
The mixture for the Salmon Patties is pretty straight forward. I start with my usual trick to make extra tender, extra tasty patties / meatballs – grating onion over breadcrumbs. This serves two purposes –
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the onion juices soaks the breadcrumbs which then expand while cooking, creating little air pockets which makes the patties more tender; and
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avoids the need to precook the onion, which you have to do if you use chopped onion otherwise you end up with raw bits of onion in the patties.
Then toss in egg to bind it, parmesan for umami (food nerd word for savouriness, the 5th taste sensation), shallots / green onions / scallions (global food language inconsistencies = 🤯), garlic, dill (or other herb, dried or fresh) and canned salmon.
Give it a mix, and this is what you end up with. I know the mixture looks loose and you wonder how on earth the patties will hold together, but they do, they really do.
The egg in this recipe keeps the salmon patties from falling apart while cooking. Also, because these are baked rather than pan fried, they are handled less so this also helps.
I’ve never had Salmon Patties fall apart on me.
How to Serve Salmon Patties
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As a meal – try a side of Yoghurt Slaw and Cauliflower Puree (low carb!), I’ve popped these recipes in the notes. You get freshness from the Yoghurt Slaw and low-carb creaminess from the Cauliflower Puree that’s made for smearing over each bite of the Salmon Patties.
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Starter – pile onto platters with dipping sauce and pass around to share!
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Burgers – make giant ones and make salmon burgers
Super tasty dinner, made from a can of salmon. Who would have though, eh?? ❤️ – Nagi x
PS You can, of course, make this with fresh salmon if you happen to be blessed with an abundant supply of them. Tell me all about it, and make me green with envy.
More patties and fritters (I love them!)
Salmon Patties recipe
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Salmon Patties
Ingredients
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (Note 1 for subs)
- 1 small onion (or 1/2 large), grated
- 1 garlic clove , finely minced
- 400 g/ 14 oz cooked fresh salmon OR canned red or pink salmon , drained (Note 2)
- 2 shallots / scallions / green onions , finely sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh dill , roughly chopped (or 1 tsp dried herbs of choice)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup parmesan , grated or shredded
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
Cooking:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220C/430F standard (200C fan)
- Place breadcrumbs in a bowl. Grate over onion, including juices. Mix onion into breadcrumbs, ensuring all breadcrumbs are soaked. (Note 3)
- Add remaining ingredients except salmon. Mix well.
- Add salmon. Stir through gently, leaving flakes of salmon (rather than vigorously mixing salmon into tiny pieces).
- Scoop up 1/4 cup mixture (level, packed standard ice cream scoop, see Video). Form round patties about 1.5 cm/ 2/3" thick and set aside.
- Drizzle oil all over tray. Place in oven for 2 minutes until hot - oil will spread over tray. Tilt tray to spread if needed.
- Place patties on tray - DO NOT press down (makes them stick on tray). Spray surface with oil spray.
- Bake 15 minutes. Flip, spray surface with oil spray, bake 5 minutes.
- Serve with sour cream or yoghurt on the side for dipping / dolloping, and extra fresh dill if desired.
- I served mine with cauliflower puree and Yoghurt Slaw - healthy side options! (Note 3)
Recipe Notes:
- Low carb - 1 cup of raw cauliflower rice
- Guten free - 1 cup crushed rice crackers or almond meal in place of the breadcrumbs.
Nutrition Information:
Salmon Patties originally published February 2019, updated for housekeeping matters in March 2019. No change to recipe.
LIFE OF DOZER
In my pre-Dozer life, I was hooning around in a little 2 seater convertible. I had to give up my little zippy car not only because he grew out of it, but also because he didn’t like the wind in his eyes.🙄
So I reluctantly upsized to a 4WD. Then he grew even more – his head smooshes on the ceiling of the car, smearing it with filth.
I am not getting another damn car for this damn dog. 😖
Delicious recipe 🤤. Thanks Nagi! I’ve been a huge fan of your website for awhile, and rave about it to friends and family. Your recipes never disappoint!
Thank you so very much. I’ve tried so many of your amazing creations. I feel that I have a personal instructor and cannot say enough about how much you’ve taught me. In this recipe I used fresh salmon… thawed. 😯Served with garlic mashed, Homemade bread and butter pickles, and good old USA frozen mixed vegetables. Wish I could share a photo. Thx Nagi!
I think I’ll eat the whole batch myself
You go for it!! N x
So yummy!
OMG These are the best salmon patties ever! My husband (aka Matt Preston, might as well be sooooooo fussy) loved them. I made them with fresh salmon fillets, and followed recipe to a T. So moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. Thanks Nagi xx
Ha ha!! So glad he enjoyed them! N x
When I made these they looked a bit too browned (probably my fan-forced oven too hot). I don’t eat fishcakes, so when I served them to my husband I said ‘this was a new recipe…tell me what you think…you don’t need to eat them’. He is very honest and he was a fan of them, so thanks again, Nagi, for a great recipe. I might just have my oven temperature slightly lower next time…
I am glad he enjoyed them…yes ovens vary so try it a bit lower and see how you go! N x
They worked! I don’t love fish so have been trying to find ways to incorporate fish without too much fishiness. Crunchy, tasty, will make again..
These are delicious! Thank you!
I just have a question: I’m not sure, should I cook fresh salmon before mixing?
Thanks
These look great. I don’t eat dairy. Can I use flaky yeast for the umami? How much? Thank you
Made these tonight and they’re so delicious.
Can we freeze them? I have 6 leftover.
Hi Nagi
Can I make the mix ahead of time and leave it in the fridge? or is it better to do just before cooking
Delicious – as usual. My 13 yo daughter and I made these for dinner for the family and they were great. So much nicer than the usual ones held together with mashed potato.
I made these as per recipe tinned red salmon will be making them again and again they were delicious thank you Nagi
I’ve made these quite a few times and love the flavour but I’m obviously doing something wrong because they fall apart every time, even when I put them on the pan to cook them. Yes I use an ice cream scoop.
Hi Judy! You’re definitely using 2 eggs?? Eggs are the ultimate food glue. When they cook, they should absolutely hold together! Try packing it into the ice cream scoop a bit firmer, perhaps? N x
Hi Nagi, yes I’m definitely using two eggs. I’ll try packing them a bit firmer. They taste great, just don’t look the best lol!
I really squeeze the mixture hard between my hands while shaping. I mix the breadcrumbs really well with the grated onion and leave it for around 30mins to let it really soak in.
We are locked down here in Auckland and I thought this would be a good lockdown lunch for a rainy day for my 4 primary schoolers. My 6 year old twin boys helped me make them, and great fun was had by all! Imagine my distress when the boys and their big sisters hoovered them up so quickly that there was only one patty left for me! Even with the twins’ “help”, this was super easy! Love that they are baked!
Delicious recipe thanks. We had the cauliflower purée and yogurt slaw with the patties and it was perfect.
Very easy recipe to follow. I also always find your notes very useful.
My granddaughter (20 years old) and I love to cook together. we made the salmon recipe with left over salmon , We really loved the cauliflower puree. it was so delicious and so different from anything else we have made. Delicious and healthy….what a great combination!
Delicious!
Tasted good . Recommended.