Crispy Salmon Patties

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 36 minutes
Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

These easy Salmon Patties are one of our favorite ways to enjoy a quick seafood dinner that the entire family loves. These veggie-and-protein-packed salmon cakes are ready in 20 minutes and are packed with flavor!

Plate of salmon patties.

Want to save this recipe?

We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

What I Love About This Salmon Patty Recipe

Salmon patties, also called salmon cakes, are lighter than your typical salmon burger – they’re more like a crab cake. They’re made up of salmon pieces (use leftovers if you have them!), an assortment of chopped vegetables, and spices/seasonings. If you have children or picky eaters in the house, salmon patties can be a fuss-free way to introduce them to seafood flavors. Here’s what makes this salmon patties recipe the very best:

  • Quick and Easy: Forming them will take you just 20 minutes, and then you’ll need 15 more or so to cook them.
  • Flavorful: Flaked salmon is mixed in with sautéed peppers, onions, and celery, and seasoned with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.
  • Summery: WhileI make these salmon patties all year long (one of the many perks of living in Florida), they’re especially delicious during the summer.
  • Versatile: Serve them as an appetizer or as an entree with a side salad. There are plenty of ways to plate these patties!

Enjoy more of the very best easy salmon recipes like balsamic salmon, teriyaki salmon, and air fryer salmon.

Ingredients for salmon patties recipe, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, garlic, eggs, celery, onions, salmon, red bell pepper, worcestershire sauce, fresh parsley.

Key Ingredients

Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this recipe for salmon patties. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!

  • Salmon: You’ll need 1 pound of cooked salmon with the skin removed and flaked into pieces.
  • Olive Oil: Avocado oil also works well.
  • Sautéed Vegetables: Mix up minced yellow onion, minced celery, and minced red bell pepper. Another color of bell pepper will also work just fine if preferred.
  • Mayonnaise: This adds moisture to the patties.
  • Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed is the way to go!
  • Dijon Mustard: This adds a nice touch of spice. You can swap it with plain yellow mustard if you want, but the flavor will be different.
  • Hot Sauce: This is optional. I love it! Use whatever your favorite brand is.
  • Breadcrumbs: Any kind will work – I like Panko.
  • Eggs: You won’t taste them. They’re just used to bind the patties together.
Chopped peppers, onion, and celery.

How to Make Salmon Patties

This salmon patty recipe comes together with just a few easy to follow steps! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.

  • Sauté the vegetables: Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Combine the ingredients: Place all ingredients including the sautéed onion mixture in a large bowl and mix until well combined using a spatula.
  • Form the patties: Scoop out about 1/3 cup of the mixture and form into patties using your hands. Place patties on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Cook: Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the same skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties in batches for about 4 minutes per side until golden brown.
Fried salmon patties on a plate.

Chef’s Tips & Variations

  • Check for bones: If you’re using fresh salmon, check for any small bones that could have been missed before starting. Even if you are using canned salmon it’s never a bad idea to do a quick check.
  • If it’s too dry: Don’t add water – add a little more mayonnaise instead!
  • You can bake them: I recommend 18-20 minutes at 375°F. Flip the salmon patties halfway through to make sure both sides cook evenly.
  • Canned salmon: You can use 14-16 ounces of canned salmon (that’s been drained) as a substitute for the pound of cooked salmon filet.

What to Serve with Salmon Patties

Inside view of a salmon patty.
Plate of salmon patties.
4.3 from 12 votes
Print Pin Recipe
Yield: 6 servings

Salmon Patties

On the lookout for an easy seafood recipe? Check out these Salmon Patties! Veggie-and-protein-packed salmon cakes are made in about half an hour, and they're sure to become a spring/summertime dinner favorite in your household!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Total Time36 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cooked salmon, skin removed and flaked into pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • ¾ cup minced yellow onion
  • ¾ cup minced celery
  • ½ cup minced red bell pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Lemon wedges for serving

Want to save this recipe?

We’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

Instructions 

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Place all ingredients including the sautéed onion mixture in a large bowl and mix until well combined using a spatula.
  • Scoop out about 1/3 cup of the mixture and form into patties using your hands. Place patties on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the same skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties in batches for about 4 minutes per side until golden brown.
  • Enjoy warm with lemon wedges and additional chopped parsley for garnish.

Video

Notes

Storing: Store leftover salmon patties in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Reheating: Warm them up in a pan on low heat on the stovetop, with a little bit of olive oil. You can also reheat them in the oven at 375°F for about 8-10 minutes if you prefer to skip the oil.
Freezing: I recommend freezing them before you cook them. To do this, place the salmon cakes on a lined baking sheet that will fit into your freezer and then freeze them in a single layer for 1-2 hours. Once they are frozen through, wrap each patty in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight, freezer safe container. These will keep for 3 months. When you are ready to eat the patties, let them thaw overnight in the fridge. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe above, cooking them as if you had just formed the patties.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 380kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 122mg, Sodium: 672mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g

Categories:

More of the Best Seafood Recipes

Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Related Posts

Comments

We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here and don’t forget to leave a rating! Click the icon below to upload a pic of your creation!

Recipe Rating:




14 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Can canned salmon be used in this recipe? How many cans would equal to 1 pound fresh and cooked salmon? It looks delicious. Thanks.
Fran

4 stars
Great recipe. Didn’t change a thing. Nice flavour. Will definitely make again.

Can I add an extra egg instead of mayonnaise, if not I will try the sour cream, but if possible. Maybe someone out there can make new ingredient that I can add, I know one thing , this recipe is making me Hungry…..Lol. thanks to all for suggestions

Great recipe! I did not sauté the vegetables before adding to the salmon. I just chopped it up real small and put it in with the salmon. Everything else I followed! Turned out really really good

could i substitute crab instead of salmon

Good recipe. Love all of the different seasonings. I used canned salmon and drained the juice off. Next time I’ll keep the juice and possibly cut the bread crumbs a little. My husband liked them but thought they were a little dry. Will definitely make again.

Made this tonight with drained canned salmon. I baked some and fried the rest. Neither held together. Don’t know where I went wrong. I followed the recipe exactly but it was super moist and fell apart when flipped.

Do you have a version w/o mayo?

I made this recipe today for lunch. It is amazing! Thank you for sharing with us. I encourage your readers to make this!

Thank You For Being Here!

Jessica
For the past 15 years, Jorge & Jessica have loved getting to share their families' favorite recipes with all of you. They live in Florida with their 3 kids.