Salmon Patties
327 Comments
Jan 02, 2024
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Flaky, moist, and full of flavor, these salmon patties (salmon cakes) are the ideal weeknight dinner. Serve them with a side of your favorite vegetables, and dollops of my creamy lemon dill sauce for a wonderfully light and fresh meal.
Simple baked salmon (or air fryer salmon) will always be a staple in my house for an easy and healthy dinner. But one of my all-time favorite recipes from my childhood is salmon patties. They’re similar to tuna patties (it’s just a fish swap), a bit smaller than salmon burgers which means you can serve them up for dinner or appetizers, and a great way to use leftover cooked salmon. Here’s why I love this recipe:
- No breadcrumbs are needed: Instead, I use a small amount of almond flour. It adds a lovely nuttiness, and doesn’t overpower the salmon flavor the way breadcrumbs can often do. If I’m making salmon patties, I surely want them to taste like salmon and not bread!
- It’s elevated with fresh salmon: Although you can swap in canned salmon, I’m using oven-baked salmon for patties that taste incredibly fresh, with a tantalizing, robust flavor.
- Perfect for meal prep: If you want a healthy salmon meal at your fingertips, these salmon patties are perfect! They’re freezer-friendly and easily reheatable.
Salmon Patties Ingredients
- Fresh Salmon: I’m using fresh, wild-caught salmon – and I feel the flavor enhancement is worth the splurge. But I also understand substituting canned salmon if it’s a weeknight and you want a quick, healthy meal to throw together. For more details, I’ve got tips below!
- Vegetables: A simple mix of onion, bell pepper, and garlic add a crunchy bite and fresh flavor.
- Binders: The dry and wet ingredients you’ll need are almond flour, eggs, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard.
- Fresh Herbs: I love a lot of fresh parsley and dill. They’re the perfect herbaceous pairing with seafood.
- Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce: Although this is optional, I highly recommend it! It’s a great alternative to tartar sauce or garlic aioli. Just stir together mayonnaise, fresh dill, lemon juice and zest, salt, and black pepper.
How To Make Salmon Patties
Bake the salmon. Drizzle oil over your salmon and season generously with salt and black pepper. Then, bake your salmon filet for 10 to 13 minutes at 425°F.
While that’s baking, cook the veggies. Dice an onion and red bell pepper, then sauté both in a little olive oil until translucent and tender. Once the salmon is done baking, pop it back into the refrigerator for about 10 to 15 minutes to let it cool.
Make the patties. Once your salmon, onion, and bell pepper have fully cooled, add them to a bowl with the almond flour, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, eggs, fresh parsley, and fresh dill. Use your hands to mix everything and form little patties about ½-inch thick. Don’t form too big of a patty as they’ll be harder to flip and will break apart.
Cook the patties. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and cook them in batches for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. The outsides should be nicely golden.
Make the lemon dill sauce. Stir together the mayonnaise, chopped dill, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper, to serve alongside the salmon patties. This combo is my favorite for a refreshing, herby pairing!
Common Questions
When I first made this recipe I used king salmon, and oh my word, it was so moist, tender, and buttery smooth. But I’d probably recommend using coho or sockeye salmon for a standard home-cooked dinner. It’s a bit cheaper, but still flavorful, flaky, and packed with tons of healthy Omega-3 benefits.
Yes, you can bake individual filets instead if you have those on hand. But you may need to slightly adjust the cooking time. They’re done when they easily flake with a fork.
If you opt for canned salmon, I recommend looking for wild Alaskan salmon. My favorite brand of canned salmon is Wild Planet and it’s sustainably caught in Alaskan waters. As for how much, there’s one pound of salmon in the recipe (which is 16 ounces), and most cans are 6 ounces, so you’ll need three cans. Note: Canned Salmon can be dryer than using fresh salmon. You may want to double the amount of mayonnaise to 1/4 cup to keep your salmon patties nice and moist.
Yes! Place parchment paper on a baking sheet, or spray it with olive oil. Then bake the patties at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes on each side, for a total of around 20 minutes.
I love pairing salmon with some sort of vegetable side dish. For a warm side, roasted broccoli, sauteed green beans, or sauteed cabbage taste great. For something refreshing, toss together a quick side salad with your favorite leafy greens, sliced red onions, sliced cucumbers, and a lemon vinaigrette.
Storage Instructions
- To store for the week: Any leftover patties can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Perfect to enjoy throughout the week.
- To freeze for later: I love how freezer-friendly these are, so I always make a second batch. Just make sure to let them cool completely before storing them away in the freezer. Note: Make sure to put parchment paper in between each patty to prevent them from sticking.
- Tips for reheating: Salmon can dry out a bit when reheated. But you can splash a bit of water on the patties or cover with a damp paper towel when reheating in the microwave.
More Salmon Recipes
- Salmon Salad: The next best thing after tuna salad!
- Salmon Tacos: The best combo of grilled salmon, cabbage, and salsa verde.
- Poached Salmon: A simple way to cook salmon infused with a lemony herb poaching liquid.
- Or these other delicious salmon recipes!
I hope you love these salmon patties as much as I do! If you make them, I’d love to hear how they turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Salmon Patties
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh salmon
- ⅓ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
Lemon Dill Mayonnaise (optional)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced (about 1 ½ tablespoons juice)
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Bake the salmon. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle the salmon with a tablespoon of olive oil and generously season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 10 to 13 minutes, or until just cooked through. Then, remove the salmon from the oven and cool completely in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cook the vegetables. While the salmon is cooling, add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large pan and sauté the onion and bell pepper for 6 to 8 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Make the patties. Use your hands to flake the cooled salmon (removing the skin) into a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, bell pepper, dill, parsley, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic, almond flour, and eggs. Combine all ingredients with your hands until well-mixed. Then, form the salmon mixture into small patties with your hands and place them to the side. Pro Tip: I like to place the formed patties on a parchment lined baking tray to easily move them to the stove.
- Cook the patties. Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan on medium heat and cook the salmon patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the salmon patties to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Make the lemon dill sauce. Add the mayonnaise, chopped dill, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper to a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Serve. Serve the salmon patties with the lemon dill sauce.
Lisa’s Tips
- To bake these in the oven rather than pan fry: spray a baking sheet with oil spray (my favorite is avocado oil) and bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes on each side.
- King Salmon has a high oil content and is naturally a more moist fish. You may only need one beaten egg if using King Salmon.
- Canned Salmon can be dryer than using fresh salmon. You may want to double the amount of mayonnaise, to 1/4 cup, to keep your salmon patties nice and moist.
- I’ve made a large batch of these for meal prep and they’re delicious. They freeze and reheat beautifully.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted November 2017, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
These look so good. Would ground salmon work for this recipe?
If you opt for canned salmon, look for wild Alaskan salmon and avoid Atlantic Salmon!
Hi Lisa.
Haven’t tried recipe yet. Isn’t red bell pepper listed as nightshade vegetable?
I absolutely love these. I used a heart shaped cookie cutter to mold the cakes. They turned out so good. I froze them and was concerned about what they would be like reheating but they were perfect, still delicious and moist.
These look so good! I get the frozen bulk bits and pieces of boneless/skinless king salmon from Vital Choice Seafood (comes in 8 oz packages). Would I use the same cooking method in your recipe for a whole piece of salmon or would I need to adjust the cooking time a bit since they are in pieces?
Thank you! Can’t wait to give this recipe a try! :)
Hi Amy – you would need to reduce the cooking time of the salmon if it’s smaller pieces. Enjoy!
Thank you for your reply, Lisa! I’m hoping to make these tonight! Can you give me an idea of the cooking time for the salmon cut in pieces? Would it be 1/2 the time in your recipe?
Hi Lisa, thank you for this delicious recipe! I’m following you from Hungary, Europe and cooked a lot of your recipes already, they’re all so good! Thank you for sharing them with us! I’m also looking forward to your cookbook, hope that it will be published in Hugary too! Have a nice day!
If I freeze them for later, how would you suggest heating them up with Out drying them out or sacrificing the crispy outside
You can try microwaving it with a damp paper towel over the patties.
These are absolutely the best salmon cakes I have ever made! Made them appetizer size for gatherings on two consecutive nights and received requests for the recipe at both. I used canned wild red salmon, gluten free bread crumbs that I already had on hand instead of the almond flour, and plain greek yogurt instead of the mayo for the dip. Highly recommend this recipe.
Yay, I’m so happy you (and your friends) loved the salmon patties Cathy!
Hi – If you using canned salmon – How many cans meaning what is oz size of cans and quantity needed? And then do not cook the salmon if it is from a can before you make the pattys? Correct?
There’s 1 pound of salmon in the recipe (which is 16 oz). And most cans are 6oz, so that would be 2.7 cans of salmon. And no, you don’t need to cook canned salmon!
Really enjoyed this recipe !! We made a Cajun, Creole style remoulade to go with them.
Delicious! Glad you enjoyed these salmon patties Erika.
If wanting to bake the patties, is the info correct that they should be baked for 10-12 minutes on each side? This amounts to 24 minutes at 400* –seems too long to me, resulting in dried-out patties.
Thanks! I can’t wait to make these.
It should be about right, but you can try baking for less time (6 to 10 minutes) and see if they’re cooked all the way through in the end!
Best salmon cakes I’ve ever had. Messy to make, but worth it. It turned out fine with store bought mayonnaise.
Hi! Came across your recipe while looking for a good way to use my leftover salmon from dinner tonight. Sounds delicious and I’m definitely down to give it a try!
Any recommendations on substitution for the Dijon? Have to avoid mustard due to an allergy. Thanks in advance for your expertise! 😊
Hi Rachel – you can follow my best baked salmon recipe instead for a lemon, garlic, and butter topping :)
Hello,
I’m currently cooking my first batch. And I’m not a patient woman so I’ve already eat one. It’s so good!! Thank you for this great recipe.
I loved salmon patties as a kid and these salmon patties brought back happy taste memories. But these days, I have to watch my egg consumption and I have a husband who dislikes dill. I adapted your recipe, using 1/2 avocado instead of 2 eggs and subbed thyme for the dill. Worked out very well and pleased all tastes!
Two questions: My husband dislikes peppers, what substitution can I use? Using can salmon any additinal seasoning and frying time the same?
Want to see the recipe and ingredients that goes in it. I would like to make them.
You can always find the full list of ingredients and instructions written towards the bottom of the post in the recipe card Peggy!
Excellent! My husband and I really enjoyed this recipe. Turned out beautiful and delicious.
OMG these were da’bomb!! Seriously THE best salmon patties I have ever made and ( I have made MANY) I had these for breakfast for the Whole 30 this morning paired with a side of fresh sweet cherry tomatoes and a couple of artichoke hearts.
Bless you and your healthy dish-lish-ous recipes Lisa!
xo
Jennifer
A big hit. Delicious!!!
These were delicious 🤤 the patties didn’t form well for me though. Any tips?
I added extra egg and almond flour and that helped them form up better. I think my lemon was crazy juicy.
What side dishes would you recommend? I am horrible with pairing things. Love your website/YouTube channel! So helpful!
Anything will work really! You can make roasted broccoli, sauteed cabbage, or even a simple side salad such as my massaged kale salad.
Thank you for this recipe and so many others. You are my go-to Whole 30 recipe woman : )
I wanted to share that I tried this recipe twice now. Once following your pan-fried directions and then again today baked. They turned out great both times!
Happy to hear you’re loving these salmon patties Sarah!
I just made/ate these tonight. They turned out really great. I am loving all your recipes. They’re really helping my husband and I eat a more healthy diet, without being bored. Thanks for all you do <3
Happy to hear you and your husband are enjoying these salmon patties Sally!
Since I had left over kind salmon, I only used one egg, Although I questioned using the the almond flour, it definitely worked in making nice patties. I then opted to bake to again cut down on the oil. The resulting patties browned perfectly and their flavor was so good we nibbled away at the extrasvinhad planned on freezing!
I’d like to make these. Can you do them in an air fryer as opposed to pan frying?
I haven’t tried these in an air fryer, but if you do, please let me know how it turns out!
Made these salmon patties today, everyone loved them! Since my family has a ton of allergies I substituted one avocado blended for the mayonnaise, and 2 flaxseed eggs. The came out great , this will be a recipe I will be making again. Thanks for posting it.
Glad this worked out great for the whole family to enjoy Don :)
Love your innovative recipes and easy to follow videos. My only comment is when you turn items over on the pan in the oven you do not remove the pan from the oven first which prevents oven cool down and unnecessary chance of burns on the person.
Hi Esther – happy you love my recipes! But not quite sure what you’re referring to as these salmon patties are not turned over in the oven, they’re done on the stovetop.
My family loved these! I baked the salmon on the gas grill instead of in the oven. I substituted 1 whole Hatch Chile for half of the red pepper
Awesome! So glad the family enjoyed them. :)
Hi Lisa!
Thanks for your delicious recipes.
Wondering if I’m using canned salmon, do you also cook it on the oven first?
If I skip that step, does it taste different? Or the texture is different?
Greetings from Mexico
Linda
Yes, you will need to bake the salmon first before flaking into patties. But if you have canned salmon, you can use that as well!
We love these! I just tried these in the air fryer recently and they were wonderful, too!
At present, our family is GF, dairy-free, egg-free and almond free. What would you suggest to replace the almond flour?
Thank you!
Hi Allison – so happy you love them! You could probably use any flour to replace the almond flour. :)
Does anyone know if I can substitute rice flour for the almond flour?
I’m looking forward to trying these and would like to use what I have on hand.
Thanks!
Hi Carrie – you shouldn’t have any issues with that. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This had the perfect flavor. I used 3, 16oz canned tuna from Costco. I sautéed yellow peppers and shallots (didn’t have onions), I used dried dill and parsley, I pulsed the eggs first, then added the crumbled salmon meat. I add the cooled shallots and peppers and then added the rest of ingredients and processed on low for 15-25 seconds. I did add 2 more tablespoon of Mayo and then it got too wet so I added more almond flour. Make sure to make small patties. I started to large. Still tasted good just not very pretty!
Glad these turned out great Katie! Did you end up using canned tuna or canned salmon by chance?
What are the equivalents from fresh to dried dill and parsley please?
Delicious! I make these word for word following the recipe and they always come out so flavorful and satisfying. It’s become a family staple, added to our monthly meal rotation. Even my 9 month old loves these patties!
Happy to hear these have now become a staple Lisa :)
Made in food processor with canned salmon, spooned mixture into cast iron pan like pancakes. Everyone said they were yummy. ❤️
Glad these turned out perfectly in the food processor Lisa :)
Wow
It is awesome. I appreciate your intelligently healthy recipe. I also enjoy your youtube channel. Thank you.
Thanks so much Eunmi!
When I see fresh quality wild caught salmon “on sale” my mind goes straight to this recipe. It is a huge hit for our entire family.
On a broader comment: Finding this site a year ago when I was researching “healthy nutrition recipes” for a high school nutrition unit that I teach quickly became the single most impactful resource in my personal health as well as my families. I am the cook in our home and I keep trying new healthy recipes weekly. Thank you for sharing your passion and expertise!
So glad to hear I’ve been able to make a positive impact when it comes to healthy eating and vibrant living!
Do you ever use frozen salmon for this recipe? {Salmon Patties}
You can if you’d like!
These were so good tonight. My husband commented on it’s a keeper
Glad to hear this was a keeper Diane!
Thank you so much for this recipe!!!!! I used it tonight when I was tired of just eating plain salmon and wanted to spice it up. My whole family loved it! Thank you thank you
Glad this recipe gave you new inspo for an exciting way to cook salmon :)
Hi, can you freeze these before frying or should I freeze after cooking them?
Thank you
I recommend freezing them after cooking. They’re easy to reheat that way!
A wonderful salmon recipe that will be served on repeat in our house! We love fish cakes that don’t have a lot of bread crumb filling. Your recipe was perfect in flavor, texture, and eye appeal.
Glad these salmon patties were a success Marian!
This is an mazing recipe both the salmon cakes and lemon/dill aioli. I used a 4″ ring mold to press the salmon mixture into on top of disposable burger patty papers. They make it a lot easier to lift/flip the loose patties into the pan. I yielded six patties. I also let the patties sit for several hours in the fridge under plastic wrap to keep them moist. That helped to set the patties a bit more firm before frying. Doing that didn’t seem to bother the filing still becoming cooked through and hot. Nice and golden on the outside. I used a pound of fresh Norwegian salmon and fried in Madhava avocado oil. This is a superb recipe! Thank you!
Happy to hear this recipe was a success Mark!
Made these for the first time. I used wild caught canned Salmon and they were DELICIOUS! I didn’t have high expectations with canned salmon but these were great. Even my husband (who doesn’t like salmon) liked them!
Hi! How many, and what size/ounce canned salmon would you use for this recipe? Also, how many salmon patties does this recipe make?
These look amazing, I’m so excited to try a new salmon recipe! I’m not a fan of mayonnaise, though, and I’m trying to cook with what I have on hand. Plain greek yogurt seems like it would work well in the patties, but do you have any recommendations for a dipping sauce? Thank you so much.
Hi Abby – you can use yogurt instead if you’d like! I might also recommend by chipotle sauce for something extra flavorful and spiced. Or, I have a garlic aioli recipe in my sweet potato curly fries post as well :)
Hi Lisa, I love these salmon patties. They are so easy to make and also to store. You’re tipps and receipies are the best! Many thanks, Anne
So glad you love these salmon patties Anne!
I tried this recipe for the first time and it TASTES AMAZING!!!! I made at least 5times so far and I am planning to do it again this week! This is the perfect breakfast/lunch/dinner for me and perfect for meal prep. I keep them in the freezer and eat it whenever I want, I eat it with veggie, egg or toast! Thank you for your recipe! I absolutely love it 😊
Amazing! Happy to hear you enjoy these salmon patties so much Sherly!
FAVORITE! So so easy and so so yummy. I always make extra to freeze and have for dinner later in the week. Have shared this recipe with so many people because it’s become a classic for me. Highly recommend.
Thanks so much for passing along this recipe! Thrilled to hear this has become a favorite :)
These are sinfully delicious.
They I froze some for two weeks later and they were just as good then as they were out of the oven.
Been making it over and over again.
The perfect freezer meal prep recipe! Glad you love this recipe Samira.
I have been wanting to try salmon cakes and need to be gluten free. This is a treasure of a recipe!! I want more!! So delicious with the lemon dill mayo!!! That’s all we had for our meal!! Going for more Salmon today to have in freezer to make these weekly!! Thank you! My first experience eating salmon cakes…the best!!
Yay! Glad you found a winning salmon patty recipe :)