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This easy Salmon Patties Recipe, also known as salmon cakes, is the simplest weeknight dinner. They come together in just 20 minutes using 10 ingredients, including convenient and affordable canned salmon. They’re great to make-ahead for dinner or meal prep during a busy week!
When it comes to whipping up an easy dinner that tastes gourmet, this Salmon Patties Recipe is one of my go-tos. I make this recipe at least once a month—usually when my refrigerator is looking pretty sparse and I need to whip something up using mostly pantry ingredients.
Salmon patties are made with canned salmon, herbs and aromatics, a couple common condiments, and an egg to bind it all together. They’re delicious on top of a salad, with a side of potatoes, rice or greens, or even as a sandwich.
Many salmon patties use breadcrumbs, but we chose to leave them out of this version. An egg and a dollop of mayo are all you need to keep these salmon cakes together.
Reader Review
I made this at the last minute tonight so I only had dried herbs on hand and they still turned out fantastic. Thank you for a great recipe!
– Jen
Reader Review
These are ridiculously good. Even without dill they were quite tasty. I let the mixture sit in the fridge for about 30 mins before forming and frying. They held together perfectly. Thanks!
– Tammy
Ingredient Notes
- Canned wild salmon: you’ll need one large (14.5-ounce) can of salmon or three small (6-ounce) cans. I recommend buying high-quality canned wild salmon—Wild Planet or Redhead are two great options.
- Large egg: an egg is important for binding these cakes together. Use a large or extra-large egg.
- Shallot: this adds a lovely oniony/garlicky flavor! You’ll need one small shallot.
- Lemon juice: fresh lemon juice brightens up these cakes and balances out all the savory flavors.
- Mayonnaise: just a tablespoon of mayonnaise is needed for a bit of fat, flavor and binding these cakes together.
- Herbs: fresh chives, dill and parsley add a trio of fresh flavors. Any can be left out or swapped for dried.
- Dijon mustard: a teaspoon of Dijon really punches up the flavor of these cakes.
- Cayenne pepper: for a mild rounded bit of heat, add a pinch of cayenne.
Lauren’s Pro Tip
When using canned salmon, pick through for any large bones before using. If you find soft bones, don’t worry they are safe to eat. So if you don’t mind some added crunch, go ahead and keep them in!
How to Make this Salmon Patties Recipe
- Drain the canned salmon. Remove and discard any bones or cartilage. Transfer the canned fish to a medium bowl and flake into small chunks using a fork.
- Mix the patty mixture together. Add the egg, shallot, lemon juice, mayonnaise, chives, dill, parsley, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne and mix until combined.
- Scoop the salmon mixture into patties. Using ¼ cup measure, scoop the mixture and form into 1/2-inch thick patties.
- Preheat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat until just shimmering. Place half of the patties into the skillet and cook, without moving, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
It’s important to cook in batches so the patties cook evenly and brown. If the pan is over-crowded the patties won’t brown as well and they will be hard to flip.
Carefully flip the patties and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the patties to a wire rack until ready to serve. - Repeat with the next batch of patties. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and repeat the cooking process with the remaining tablespoon of oil and patties.
- Serve as desired—I like to top them with a lemony and herby tartar sauce.
Expert Tips
- Add an Egg. For these easy salmon cakes, instead of using breadcrumbs, we chose to use an egg for binding and adding structure. The egg is incredibly important when making patties with canned fish.
- Add mix-ins that are not wet in texture. We recommend fresh or dried herbs, spices, and aromatics like grated shallot. If you add wet ingredients, like sauces, this will cause the salmon patties to fall apart.
- Use a nonstick or cast iron skillet over high heat. This will give your salmon patties a lovely golden brown crust and they also won’t stick to the pan.
- To keep the patties warm, I will sometimes set the wire rack inside a baking sheet and place it in a 200ºF oven. This will keep them warm without further cooking them.
What to Serve with Salmon Cakes
- Make a salmon cake Nicoise salad—something different from the traditional but just as satisfying.
- Serve them on a bun with some mayo, dijon and a simple slaw.
- Or my favorite, make it as simple as can be and pair these with some crusty bread and a simple vegetable side dish like a 3-ingredient sautéed broccoli or cast-iron skillet blackened corn.
Storage and Reheating
This salmon cakes recipe is best served immediately after frying in the skillet. Here are some tips for storing leftovers or prepping ahead.
Place cooked and completely cooled salmon cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, freeze the cooked and cooled patties by wrapping them individually in plastic or parchment and placing them in a zipper-lock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Thaw completely in the fridge overnight before reheating gently on the stove top or in a 300ºF oven (you can also zap them in the microwave).
Prepped but uncooked patties will last in the fridge for up to 1 day. Arrange them on a plate, cover with plastic and keep in the fridge.
FAQs
Yes, this recipe will also work with fresh fish. Make my Broiled Salmon, let it cool, then use the cooked salmon in the cakes. Easy and delicious!
It is recommended to cook the patties from fresh for texture. If the patties are frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for an hour or so until completely thawed.
This is because there wasn’t enough binder in the recipe. In this recipe we use egg, but breadcrumbs can also be used.
Yes, this recipe hasn’t been tested in the air fryer but this is what I would do: Preheat the machine to 400ºF, coat the air fryer basket with nonstick spray and cook the patties for 8 minutes. Flip, then cook for about 4 minutes more or until the patties are nicely browned.
Yes, eggs are used to bind the patties together in this recipe. If you don’t use eggs, then you will need to use something like breadcrumbs to keep them from falling apart.
Easy Salmon Patties Recipe (Salmon Cakes)
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Ingredients
- 1 (14.75 ounce) can wild salmon
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons grated shallot
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and cracked pepper
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Drain salmon then remove and discard any bones or cartilage. Transfer salmon to a medium bowl and flake salmon into small chunks using a fork.
- Add 1 egg, 2 tablespoons grated shallot, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon chives, 1 tablespoon dill, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 teaspoon Dijon, ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and pinch cayenne to salmon and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Using a ¼ cup measure, scoop level amount of salmon mixture and form into a patty 2½-inches in diameter and ½-inch thick; transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining mixture.
- Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat just until shimmering. Place half of salmon patties in skillet and cook, without moving, until golden brown, 2–2½ minutes. Carefully flip patties and cook until second side is golden brown, 2–2½ minutes. Transfer patties to a wire rack.
- Wipe out skillet with a paper towel and repeat cooking process with remaining tablespoon oil and salmon patties.
- Serve as desired, we like to top them with tartar sauce.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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I made these using leftover baked salmon. I had no lemon juice, so I used apple cider vinegar. They were delicious! Will make them again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these Patty!
This was my first time ever making salmon patties and OMG these will definitely be a staple in my house. Thank you for sharing this gem❤️
These were delicious! I will make this my go to recipe as the dill and lemon juice really adds a wonderful taste!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed these Ruth! Thanks for the comment!
Great recipe!! Thanks.
Hi Linda, so happy to hear you enjoy these!