Easy Salmon Patties (Salmon Cakes!)

Here’s how to make the BEST salmon patty recipe, aka salmon patties! Canned Salmon makes them quick and easy. Serve with a tartar dip.

Here’s a delicious lunch or dinner idea that has found its way into our regular rotation: Salmon Patties! Also known as salmon cake, these babies are like crab cakes, but they use canned salmon instead. Using canned makes them quick and easy to prepare – and cheaper than using fresh salmon (like our salmon burgers). Pair them with tartar sauce or tartar sauce and the contrast of the crispy, herb-scented patties with the creamy sauce is unreal. It was a great success in our house, above all with our 4 year old. Who knew salmon cakes were perfect for kids?

Ingredients for this recipe for salmon patties, also known as salmon patties

What are salmon pies? Also called salmon cakes, they look like crab cakes but are made from canned salmon. Ingredients usually include breadcrumbs, or sometimes eggs, as a binder, and herbs and spices for flavor. The mixture is then formed into patties and pan fried until crispy. How is it different from salmon burgers? Salmon burgers are often made with fresh salmon: they are larger and served on a bun. (But you could definitely make 4 big burgers too!) Here’s what you need to make this salmon patty recipe:

• canned salmon (boneless, skinless)
• fresh parsley
• capers
• Old Bay, onion powder and salt
• Dijon mustard
• mayonnaise
• egg
• Olive oil, for the pan

Can you use leftover salmon for salmon patties? Yes! Just use leftover cooked salmon flakes instead of canned salmon. In the recipe below, 18 ounces of canned salmon = 2 ½ cups of cooked flaked salmon.

Learn more about canned salmon

What is canned salmon? This is a fairly new product for us compared to canned tuna, which is a pantry staple. But canned salmon is also worth stocking up on in your pantry! Here are some points to consider:

• Canned salmon is a lot cheaper than fresh! Buying canned is a great way to get a shelf-stable fish protein that is much more economical than a fresh fillet of salmon.
• Look for boneless, skinless canned salmon. Unlike tuna, you can easily find canned salmon that has edible skin and bones. Try to find a bone and skinless brand here for the best results.
• Substitute tuna to make a salmon salad. Canned salmon is great for salmon salad: substitute it in this classic tuna salad recipe! Or try it in this Tuna Pasta Salad.

How to make salmon patties

The salmon patties are easy to make: the only part that requires a bit of technique is flipping! Here are the main steps to preparing salmon patties (or see the recipe below for more details):

• To mix together: Drain the salmon and shred with a fork. Mix it with the other ingredients (parsley, capers, spices, panko, Dijon mustard and mayonnaise).
• Shape and cool: Shape the dough into 8 patties about 1.5 cm thick. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set texture. At this point, you can also keep them in the fridge for about 1 day before cooking them.
• Frying pan: Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Be sure to turn them over very gently.

Panko vs. Breadcrumbs and how to make them gluten-free

Panko, or breadcrumbs, are an important ingredient in salmon patties. This gives them just the right texture to shape cakes (otherwise they fall apart easily). We like to use Panko because it’s easy to use and very stable. But here are a few more options — and some gluten-free ideas:

• Panko is a Japanese-style mix of breadcrumbs which is airier and lighter than conventional breadcrumbs. It’s easy to keep on hand and makes a great addition to many recipes (like pistachio-crusted salmon, pecan-crusted salmon, or stuffed portobello mushrooms).
• Coarse breadcrumbs work too! Be sure to search impolite because regular store-bought breadcrumbs are very fine (almost like the texture of sand). Or use homemade breadcrumbs.
• Try the gluten free or homemade panko. For gluten-free dishes these days, it’s easy to find gluten-free panko online or at your local grocery store. Or use gluten-free bread or crackers to make homemade breadcrumbs.

Old Bay Seasoning and Why It’s Necessary!

Old Bay spice is that perfect Seasoning for seafood like salmon patties! Here’s what you need to know about its use:

• Old Bay is an American spice blend invented in Maryland and used to flavor shrimp, crab, clam chowder, and other seafood dishes. The main ingredients in Old Bay are paprika, sea salt, celery, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
• Where can I find the old bay? In the United States, you can find Old Bay in the condiment section of your grocery store. Or you can buy Old Bay online or make Old Bay homemade!

Serve the salmon patties with tartar sauce or tartar sauce!

The best thing about salmon patties? Dunk them in! The better Fish sauces include tartare sauce and tartar sauce. What is the difference? Here’s what they are, and a few other options you can try as well:

• Tartar sauce is a mayonnaise-based cold sauce that originated in France in the 17th century and is popular in Cajun and American Creole cuisine.
• Tartar sauce is similar to tartar sauce; It is a mayo-based seafood sauce with cucumber, capers, and herbs popular in the US, UK, Australia, South Africa, and other countries.
• Chipotle Ranch Dressing is another fun option; it packs some heat with the adobo sauce.
• Creamy Cilantro Sauce is a great mayonnaise-free sauce: it’s dairy-free and made with blended cashews!
• The dill sauce is creamy and herbaceous

What to serve with salmon patties

How do you make salmon patties in one meal? We recently served this to Alex’s mum and our 4 year old as a simple lunch and they gobbled it up! It’s also a great healthy dinner idea, served over green vegetables with quinoa or rice. Here are some ideas of what to serve with salmon patties:

This recipe for salmon patties / salmon patties is …

Pescetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free with gluten-free panko.