Fresh Salmon Cakes

Looking for an easy fresh salmon cakes recipe? These fish patties are fresh, simple, and delicious – perfect for a quick weeknight meal!

Salmon cakes, also known as salmon patties or salmon croquettes, are a popular dish made with fresh or canned salmon. This recipe is easy to follow and results in moist and delicious salmon cakes. Serve these fish cakes with a side of tartar sauce and fresh lemon wedges or your favourite dipping sauce for a restaurant-quality meal you can make at home!

Growing up my mom would often make us salmon patties using leftover mashed potatoes and canned salmon. It was a good, economical meal but I was not a fan of them as a kid. These salmon patties though? They are bursting with flavour and texture, and my kids absolutely love them.

Fresh salmon cakes are a delicious, easy-to-make way to cook up fresh salmon. Making salmon cakes is also a great way to use up leftover salmon.

This easy salmon patties recipe is simple to make and can be tailored to your taste. You can add in any herbs or spices you like, or keep it simple with just salt and pepper. The resulting patties are moist and flavorful, with a nice crispy crust. They are more akin to elegant crab cakes than to the salmon patties we had as kids.

Salmon cakes are perfect for a quick weeknight meal. They are also a great choice for entertaining – they can be prepared ahead of time and then quickly reheated before serving. Plus, these salmon cakes are packed with flavor and sure to please even the pickiest of eaters!

Give this salmon patty recipe a try next time you’re looking for something new to cook up in your kitchen. You won’t be disappointed!

Why You Will LOVE These Fresh Salmon Patties

• Not made with canned salmon like the ones you grew up on
• Loads of moist and flavourful chunks of salmon
• Crisp outsides and soft inside
• Quick and easy weeknight dinner
• Kid-friendly meal, my picky eaters love them!
• They freeze well so you can make big batches to have on hand

Can I Use Canned Salmon Instead of Fresh?

Fresh uncooked salmon is best, and frozen uncooked salmon fillets are a close second, but it can be substituted with well-drained canned salmon if that is all you have on hand. You can also use leftover cooked salmon.

The texture and flavour is a lot better though when you start with raw fresh salmon. Using cooked salmon can make the patties a bit drier so you may need to add a little additional mayonnaise or an egg.

How do I Keep my Salmon Patties from Falling Apart?

If your salmon patties are falling apart, there are a couple of things that might be happening.

1. You might be flipping them too often. You should only flip them once. They cook and brown quickly.

2. Your salmon mixture might be too wet and not binding well together. Add some more bread crumbs to help bind the patties together.

3. The salmon mixture might be too dry and not binding well together. Add more mayonnaise until the patties hold together better. You can also add an egg if desired instead of more mayonnaise, but the egg really is not necessary to bind the salmon cakes.

4. You might not be cooking them long enough. Make sure to cook them for at least 4 minutes per side, or until they’re golden brown and crispy.

How to Store Leftover Salmon Patties

If you have leftover salmon patties, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container.

You can also freeze them for up to 2 months, Just place the completely cooled and cooked patties in an airtight container or freezer bag and make sure to label them with the date.

When you’re ready to eat them, just thaw them in the fridge overnight and then reheat them in the oven or microwave.

About the Ingredients for Pan Fried Fresh Salmon Cakes

Salmon – Fresh uncooked salmon is best, frozen salmon fillets work well too. Read above for more details. Wild salmon and Atlantic salmon are both great choices as they offer good flavour and are typically sustainably sourced.

Breadcrumbs – Panko bread crumbs give the best texture and flavour. I have made these with regular unseasoned breadcrumbs too and that works well too. They are just better overall when made with panko though.

Shallot – You can substitute with half of a medium sweet onion or a quarter of red onion if needed.

Lemon – We just need the zest, you can omit if you like or replace with a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Celery – The celery adds a bit of texture inside the patty which I really like. You can substitute with red pepper if you like, or just add in an equal amount of diced red bell pepper to the mix.

Parsley – Feel free to substitute with fresh herbs of your choosing. Fresh dill or fresh cilantro works well here.

Mayonnaise – Use REAL mayonnaise for the best flavour and results. If you prefer a whipped dressing, feel free to substitute with that.

Oil – For frying use a neutral flavoured oil appropriate for frying like olive oil, avocado oil, or canola oil.

What’s Good to Serve with Salmon Patties?

• Fresh green salad or my Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
• Coleslaw
• Roasted Vegetables like my Roasted Butternut Squash
• A simple pasta salad like my Calabrese Pasta Salad
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Roasted Potatoes, try my Crispy Roasted Garlic Parmesan Baby Potatoes
• Soft dinner rolls, my Coconut Hawaiian Rolls are perfect
• Fresh loaf of bread like my Green Chile & Cheddar Bread
• Don’t forget homemade tartar sauce or a creamy dill sauce.

Looking for More Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes?

This easy Mexican ground beef casserole recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal! It’s a hearty, comforting, and delicious casserole.

Cook these Shrimp Boil Foil Packets over a campfire, on the grill or in your oven for an easy family dinner with almost no cleanup!

This Baked Feta Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes recipe is inspired by the TikTok famous cherry tomato pasta recipe. It’s easy and delicious!

How to Make Fresh Salmon Cakes

Yields: 4 Servings | Prep time: 15 Minutes | Cook time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (454 g) Salmon fillets, skinless
• 1 Cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 Shallot, diced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 Celery stalk, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil

Directions:

Dice the salmon fillets into 1/4 inch cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the salmon, breadcrumbs, shallot, lemon zest, celery, parsley, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.

Shape the salmon mixture into 12 small patties, about 1/2 inch thick,

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon oil, then half of the patties.

Cook until the patties are golden-brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side.

If salmon cakes brown too quickly, reduce heat. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Pour in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then repeat cooking the rest of the patties.