Salmon Patties Recipe

Salmon Patties are soft, flaky, and so flavorful. Imagine biting into these salmon cakes with soft center, crispy edges on the outside, and delicious taste for dinner tonight. They are super easy to make with canned salmon any night of the week and you can serve them within 30 minutes. 

If you’ve been around my site for a while, you know how much I love salmon. Salmon patties are one of my favorites to make whether I’m using fresh salmon or canned salmon. You should also try my Salmon Patties with fresh salmon, you’ll love it.

SALMON PATTIES (AKA SALMON CAKES)

Some people call them salmon patties, some call them croquettes, and others call them salmon cakes. No matter what we call them really because we know that they are easy and delicious no matter the name. When using canned salmon, it only takes about 20-30 minutes and all you have to do is mix ingredients together. 

I’ve used fresh salmon, leftover cooked salmon, and canned salmon for my patties. Fresh salmon is really good, no question about it, but I mostly use it to make baked salmon and serve it with sides and salads. When I’m in a mood for salmon patties, I use canned salmon much more often. 

When it comes to canned salmon, I prefer sustainably caught, wild Alaskan salmon that is canned in water with no additives and no salt. Canned salmon is also good to use because it doesn’t loose most of it’s nutrients during the canning process. USDA studies actually found that canned salmon had comparable amounts of proteins and omega-3 fatty acids. Amounts of proteins and calcium also increases in salmon that was canned with bones. 

Can I use fresh salmon? 

You can absolutely use fresh salmon. I’ve made this recipe with leftover cooked salmon and even raw salmon before. You can find my recipe for using raw salmon in salmon patties right here. (The recipe is slightly different when using raw salmon.)

If you want to use leftover cooked salmon, simply flake apart cold salmon and use it the same way as canned in this recipe. 

Do I have to take salmon bones out?

Many people wonder if they can use canned salmon with skin and bones to make salmon patties and the short answer is “yes.”

It’s really a personal preference because the bones are very soft from the canning process and sitting in water for so long. It will be just fine if you mix it all together with salmon meat. If you don’t like the sight of the bones and skin, you can easily remove it from the meat and discard. 

HOW TO MAKE SALMON PATTIES

When choosing canned salmon, get salmon in water and preferably with no additional salt.

Drain off all the water from the cans first, before adding the meat to the mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and mix it all together. Easy as that!

Form the patties first, before adding them to the pan, that way you add them all to the pan at the same time. Place patties on a sheet of parchment paper so they don’t stick to the cutting board or other surface.

When cooking delicate things like salmon patties, vegetarian burgers, and other soft patties, it’s best to use non-stick pan or make sure the pan is completely clean and free of prior food debris. The less for patties to stick to, the better.

Preheat a large cooking pan, add oil, and place shaped patties into the pan. Cook them over medium heat for 5-8 minutes per side, depending on how thick you made the patties. 

Can I use an oven?

Yes! To make baked salmon patties, preheat it to 400° and line the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rub the foil with some oil and place patties in one even layer, so they are not touching each other. Bake for about 6-7 minutes, flip each patty and bake another 6-8 minutes. Exact time will depend on how thick you made the patties. 

You can use a meat thermometer to check if patties are ready. Insert it through the side of the salmon patty, towards the center. They should be cooked to 160°.

Can I use Air Fryer?

Absolutely! Make sure to grease the air fryer basket and place salmon patties on the prepared basket. Spray each patty with some cooking oil spray. Set the temperature to 400° and cook for about 10-12 minutes. Salmon patties are done when they reach 160° internal temperature.

Can I make them gluten free?

Absolutely! You can use gluten free bread for these salmon patties. You can also use gluten free bread crumbs if gluten free bread is not available. For bread crumbs, use 1/2 cup first and then if mixture is a little too thin, add another 1/4 cup.

HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE

Make sure to store cooked salmon patties in the refrigerator, in an air-tight food storage container. Properly stored, they will last up to 2 days in the refrigerator. 

You can also freeze salmon patties and you can freeze them cooked or uncooked. 

To freeze uncooked salmon patties: 

Place shaped patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place the sheet in the freezer. Freeze for 2 hours. Make sure to set the timer or you might forget them. 

Take frozen patties off the tray and stack them in twos with a square of parchment paper in between. Place stacks of patties into a freezer bag or divide them in portions among several smaller freezer bags. Get all the air out, seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. 

To freeze cooked salmon patties:

Place cooked and cooled salmon patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze them for 2 hours and make sure to set the timer so you don’t forget. Once frozen, place the patties into the freezer bags all together or in portions. Get all the air out, seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. 

To thaw:

Take the bag of frozen patties from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. 

WHAT SIDES TO SERVE WITH SALMON PATTIES

My absolute favorite thing to serve with salmon patties is rice but you can try many side dishes or even make them into burgers and sliders. All these delicious sides go well with salmon:

Mac and Cheese

Spanish Rice

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Cauliflower

Roasted Cauliflower

Cucumber Salad

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!

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