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. 😖
Love these salmon patties. First time I have done patties in the oven – will definitely cook them again. I found grating the onion difficult and ended up using a dicer that made it very fine and it seemed to work.
Nagi, these salmon patties are amazing!! I thought I had a great recipe but OMG these are on another level altogether!
We LOVE your work!! Thank you.
Fellow Golden Retriever lovers,
Jenny and Clive XX
I always come here for new recipes, and you never disappoint. 😁 These salmon patties are positively delectable! I served them with a garlic dipping sauce and your caesar salad. Perfect supper. Thanks again Nagi. ❤
Hi Nagi! LOVE your recipes! Will these patties hold their shape without onion? Onions are a migraine trigger for me.
Super tasty, yum!!! Made these GF with crushed up brown rice crackers and with Tuna – perfect for one of those “use the pantry” kinda dinners! Thank-you again Nagi!
These are a household favourite! My 11 month old really loves them too. I serve them with roasted asparagus, mashed potato, and my own sour cream sauce. They taste amazing cold the next day too! They’ve never fallen apart on me, they’re quick and easy. Highly recommend!
I made these tonight and although they were delicious I felt they were a little dry . I think next time I will add some of the salmon juice or not some much breadcrumbs
Another of my go-to recipes for workday lunches, I love the flavours. One tip, I use a quarter measuring cup and pack it quite full, they hold their shape much better.
I think the ingredients were nice, but the cooking temperature was too high and time too long. My patties came out very dry. Next time, I’ll just do a pan fry.
A keeper! I was in a hurry so I pan fried them. My husband doesn’t like canned salmon and thought my other recipes for other canned salmon patties (Old Bay, Spicy, 5 spice, Creole, Asian) were “meh” but he said these were the BEST and said I actually don’t mind eating these, they’re pretty good!” Can I use 1 Tbsp of Onion powder in lieu of grating the onion?
I never thought I’d like salmon patties as much as I like these. This is a fantastic recipe. They are bomb! I made the garlic cream sauce from another of the salmon recipes and it is so delicious with the patties. The patties on their own are bomb but a sauce takes it up a notch. Thanks for this recipe.
I cooked mine in the air fryer with the hot plate attachment, I halved the recipe and mine weren’t a hit with hubby, I didn’t mind but compared to my usual recipe they were dry too, I didn’t follow Nagis way of cooking them but they did stay together
Absolutely fantastic, I used the frozen cauliflower rice as an option. I’ve struggled in the past with them falling apart but not this time Thanks eh
Love these patties. So easy to make and yet so tasty. We eat a fair bit of seafood so it nice to add this bit of variety to our list of things we love.
Another delicious recipe. I’m cooking so many of your recipes Nagi. And they’re all wonderful. My family love them too.
Hi. i think this has been asked before but I cant find it anywhere. Would these freeze well, and would it be before or after cooking? Cant wait for your cookbook to hit the US!!!!
I freeze them, they’re fine.
Hi Nagi I absolutely love your recipes , however I have trouble deciphering 0.17 tbsp or any fraction cups or spoons. Is it me or is it a simple process.
I love these patties, I’ve made them with salmon and tuna – delicious! Has any tried zapping the onion in a food processor? Grating the onion is so sore on my eyes (not to mention my knuckles!)
I’ve also used the mini processor which worked very well. Made sure that the onion was well and truly processed – almost but not quite a paste.
I whizzed my onions and garlic tonight in the food processor rather than grating, didn’t notice any difference, still turned out fab!
Hi there. I throw my onion in the food processor and whir until wet. Works great. I dislike grating the onion also.
This is amazing! Such an easy recipe – my patties came out looking just like yours! And so tasty – thank you!
Can thee be frozen?
I am so keen to try this recipe, but I am just wondering if the onion can be substituted?