Salmon Patties
374 Comments
Updated May 23, 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!
should I freeze before frying or baking or after?
thank you!
Hi Stacey – I recommend freezing after baking.
I’m using many of your methods for cooking, especially poached eggs since quarantine. Made salmon cakes with Pantry remains: wild pink salmon in pouches; tapioca flour. Consistency good but I didn’t notice your recipe calls for twenty cakes (10 servings/2 per serving) I made six. Aside from nutrition alterations, what do you think?
Hi Eileen – I’m not sure why you would end up with far fewer salmon patties. Did you change any of the ratios?
thanks for response. Are these normal size (2″ ) patties (Jewish style) or are they really salmon balls?
More so patties :)
Thought I followed it to a T, but wet. Used Costco Thawed salmon. Did pan and then did baked. Should I have kept adding almond flour until better consistency?
Taste was great, with corn on cob & zucchini/cucumber/tomato arugula salad.
Hi Krista – It may have just been due to the type of salmon that you used. But yes, you can always add a little more almond flour (or coconut flour) to absorb the extra moisture. Glad you loved the flavor!
Fantastic recipe!!! Made this and put over butter lettuce. Yum!!
Salmon patties over lettuce is the best summer combo! Glad you enjoyed this recipe Wendy.
Hi! I tried this recipe and chose to add 3 eggs instead of two. The result was a very wet patty that fell apart as soon as I tried to flip it. I put 3 eggs because my eggs looked small, but I suppose that made the substance too wet. What are your thoughts?
Hi Virginia – yes, three eggs would definitely make your mixture too wet for this recipe. But you could salvage by turning it into more of a salmon patty hash and stir fry it!
Hi Lisa,
I have a question. If you can’t eat eggs what can I replace it with?
Thanks,
Diantha
Hi Diantha – you could try a flax egg or chia egg in this recipe.
Just made these for my husband and kids, they all LOVE them! Excellent recipe for paleo diet.
Hi there- Wonderful! Glad everyone got to enjoy these salmon patties.
Very delicious! I subbed green bell pepper for red. It’s my new favorite way to eat salmon.
Hi Lisa- Wonderful! Happy to hear you found a new way to eat salmon :)
Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing; I’ve made this in past with eggs but I’ve since changed my diet. Do you think I can sub chia egg for egg? And what suggestions do you have for limiting oil. Thanks so much:)
Hi Dana – unfortunately, I haven’t tried this recipe with any egg substitutes but you’re welcome to give it a try. And you can bake these on parchment paper without oil as well.
Absolutely delicious! Followed the recipe exactly. Thank you!
Excellent, I can’t wait to try the salmon patties.
This is the best recipe I’ve ever made. I even used canned salmon. 🙈🙈🙈
Hi Beth- Happy to hear you loved these salmon patties! Canned or fresh salmon work great.
If you are using canned salmon do you use 16oz? Do you cook the canned salon or just mix it all together and then cook the patty?
This recipe is A.MA.ZING !! My mom is very sceptical of any new recipes and she LOVED it !! We paired it with tartare sauce and some roasted broccolis, so good ! 100% would recommend, Lisa you’ve done it again !!
Hi Lauranne- Glad to hear your mom enjoyed this recipe, for someone who is skeptical of new recipes! Sounds great with roasted broccoli as well :)
I made this using fire roasted poblano peppers and cilantro instead of bell peppers, dill and parsley. They were amazing!! Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Hi Rachel- Adding peppers and cilantro sounds great! Definitely will add a hint of spice and freshness :)
Hey, this recipe is PHENOMENAL. It is absolutely one of my go-to’s as a college student who has a lot of canned salmon (my grandparents were like, “ah yes, canned salmon, this is what she needs a boatload of before moving into her own apartment haha.) It makes at least a couple nights of dinner for me and is wonderful paired with roasted veggies. I also use corn flour instead of almond, works just great! My tummy is full of salmon and stoked, so thank you :)
Hi Clara- Thrilled to hear you love this recipe! It definitely is a great and delicious way to use up your canned salmon, plus it freezes well :)
One of my favorite Downshiftology recipes! The flavor is amazing! I baked my patties and made them with canned wild caught salmon, yet they still came out moist and delicious. I recommend eating them taco style with lettuce or large spinach leafs, as it really balances the savory taste.
Love the idea of eating them taco style! Haven’t done that yet, so need to try soon :)
Delicious and filling! This yielded about 16 patties for me which will be great to freeze and enjoy later. I did have a little trouble with the patties staying together – I used frozen, dethawed salmon and baked for 13 min. and yielded a very wet salmon still. I think next time I will try cooking the salmon a bit longer and also dicing the pepper and onions even more finely so that it’s not such a wet patty and more easily comes together during frying.
I served these over mixed greens with the mayo dill dip drizzled over the top. Yum!
Hi Leah- Ah yes, make sure to remove as much moisture from the dethawed salmon before creating your patties and that should do the trick! But, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe overall :)
Oh my did i love this recipe!! It is time consuming to make so i made 4 pounds of salmon and then made it all up. I have 4 college age boys and it made enough for leftovers. I think i like them just as good cold. Needless to say they were gone the next day. Did not even last 24 hour. This recipe is going in the recipe box for sure!!
Hi Trudy – Wow! I’m so glad everyone loved these salmon patties. Definitely sounds like they were a hit with your boys. I would recommend to make extra next time and store in the freezer :) I always have a batch in the freezer for a quick and easy meal.
My son and I made this tonight. It was delicious! Thank you for what you do!
Hi Rena- Wonderful! Happy to hear both of you enjoyed these patties :)
Hi Lisa, made these for lunch today, I used canned wild Alaskan salmon and Arrowroot Flour as I had no Almond, they were delicious and moist. Can I freeze the leftovers? These are the best Salmon Patties I have ever made, thank you Lisa.
Hi Priscilla – So glad to hear you enjoyed these salmon patties! And yes, you can always freeze the leftovers. I always keep a batch in my freezer :)
Hi, love your recipes and site. What would you recommend as a substitute for mayonnaise and how much? Thank you.
Hi Susie – I haven’t tried this, but I’ve heard some use a little mashed potato and an egg. Hope that works!
I did the canned version for convenience. I normally love fresh salmon ! But wow these were still delicious!
Yes! You can definitely still use canned salmon for this recipe :) Glad you enjoyed it!
Love this recipe! So flavorful! And my daughter and I always enjoy the leftover patties the next morning topped with a poached eggs.
Hi Mary – That sounds amazing with a poached egg on top! :)
Dear Lisa,
thank you for this great recipe. I made this last week and hoped my son will like it since he is eating GF and also salmon is not his favorite. It took some time for him to try but then he ate 2:) The rest I left in the freezer and I had one for lunch:)
Hi Danijela – I’m glad your son ended up enjoying these, especially since he doesn’t like salmon :)
I have made this recipe twice,but first time I baked them amd today I fried them.This recipe makes the most delicious salmon patties that I have ever tried or attempted to make.They even taste delicious cold
Hi Maysa – They’re definitely a freezer staple in my house, so I’m glad you enjoyed this :)
How much canned salmon and are other ingredients quantities the same/proportionate?
Thank you kindly —
Hi Teri – Canned Salmon can be dryer than using fresh salmon, so you’ll want to double the amount of mayonnaise, to 1/4 cup, to keep your salmon patties nice and moist :)
What is the best way to reheat the patties?
Hi Kathi – I just re-heat in the microwave for about a minute. But you could use the oven or a toaster oven as well.
This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try! I have a sensitivity to almond flour- is there a substitue for it?
Hi Dolores – you could certainly try another flour, but as I haven’t done so I’m not sure what the impact on the texture would be. If you try something and like it, be sure to let us know how it turned out. :)
I tried this recipe this week. Due to the availability of ingredients, I replaced dill and parsley with coriander and spring onion. Super delicious and satisfying. I made a small batch to share with a friend. Have been asked to make it again! Thank you Lisa for coming up with healthy and wholesome recipes. Love all the way from Sarawak (Borneo), Malaysia!
Hi Caren – I’m glad this recipe still tasted great with the coriander and spring onion :) I hope you and your friends continue to enjoy my recipes!
These salmon patties are so delicious. The whole family loves them. They have become an almost weekly dinner and lunch in our house, especially while we are doing a Whole30.
Hi Sarah – So glad to hear you and your family enjoyed these salmon patties! It’s such a great meal to freeze as well if you have leftovers :)
I made these for meal prep and only had time to use canned salmon. They were so perfect, easy and delicious!!! My kids loved them too! I served mine on top of some garlic mashed potato and sautéed spinach the first night and then used the leftovers for lunches.
Hi Danielle – These patties sound delicious on top of mashed potato and spinach :) Definitely a great recipe to freeze for leftovers as well!
These are absolutely delicious and I used canned premium salmon. My husband liked them even though he never eats salmon. I will be making these again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Hi Sarah – So glad you and the hubby loved these salmon patties :)
Tried one your recipes for the first time and totally loved it. Was a hit with my hubby who got bored of eating plain sautéed fish. To my surprise even my 3.5 year old relished it. I’m so going to try more of your recipes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. XO
Hi Shalini – Amazing! When the hubby likes it, you know it’s a good recipe :) Can’t wait to see which recipe you try next!
I just made these. Amazing! A party in my mouth! Thanks Lisa!
Hi Renata – Amazing! Thrilled to hear you loved these salmon patties :)
What about freezing these after sautéing them? Would this work do you think?
Thank you
Stacey Rae
Hi Stacey – Yes! You can definitely freeze these salmon patties :) I always do and get excited when I come across these in the freezer.
OMG, I made these for the second time on m air fryer, beyond delicious, my 18year old son said (again) that they are amazingly tasty! I used canned salmon and am just glad I made a double batch, we all know how teenagers eat!!
Hi Annette – I’m so glad this was a winner with your son! You know you’ve got a winning recipe when that happens :)
How long did you air fry them? Thinking of using this method.
These were great! I baked mine and then froze some for later. What temperature and for how long should I cook frozen patties in the oven?
Hi Trista – I usually reheat mine in the microwave, but in the oven I’d probably reheat them at 350 F for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Clearly a new favorite! I used coconut flour as I didn’t have almond flour on hand (about 3 tbsp) and the patties were perfect!
Hi Rosalie – I’m glad your patties came out perfectly!
This recipe is a staple for me. I’ve made it multiple times and it’s so easy and yummy. I make a batch and they last me all week and I eat them over a bed of greens, topped with tarter sauce. I’m horrible at frying so I bake them at 425 for 15 or so minutes. I also don’t cook the onion or bell peppers before hand. I just chop everything up and form the patties. I accidentally forget to cook the onions and bell peppers one time and it turned out to good I just don’t do it anymore. It gives it a nice crunch which I like.
Hi Kristin – I’m glad these worked out for you after baking! That definitely will give it a nice crispy exterior :)
My husband said this is one of his favorite things I’ve ever made! So yummy, quick, and nutritious. My three year old even gobbled them up!
Hi Whitney – Looks like you found a winning recipe with the family! Happy to hear you all enjoyed this :)
To be honest, I was skeptical when i made the patties. I was not patient enough to wait for the salmon to cool completely. My patties were wet. However i was amazed by the end product. They are so delicious, full of flavors. Defiantly making this again. Lisa, you are so talented.
Hi Xiaoyi – I’m so glad you enjoyed these salmon patties :) Can’t wait for you to whip up another batch!
These are delicious. Made them cause the kids always complain about fish. They were a hit. Thanks for the great recipes.
Hi Jayne – You know it’s a winner if the kids love it :)
One of my favorite recipes. Stress free and so yummy. Always have some extra in the freezer for an easy and quick lunch of diner. I make the sauce with coconut yoghurt instead of mayonaise which is also very delicious.
Hi Babette – This is also one of my favorite freezer friendly meals :) And coconut yogurt sounds like a great substitution.
Hi, can I use a good quality canned salmon in place of the fresh salmon? Thanks and I love your site!
Hi Sue – Yes! You can use canned salmon if you’d like :)
Hi Lisa,
I love your recipes! I want to try this salmon patty recipe, but I already have a 7.5oz. can of wild salmon. Is one can enough or do I need 2? Thank you.
Hi Wendi – I think you might need two cans for this recipe as it requires about 1 pound of salmon :) Enjoy the recipe!
This is literally the best recipe on the face of the earth!!! Ive made this many times swamping out the fish for different types such as sea bass and cod. My absolute favorite!!
Hi Dena – You and I both! I always have a batch frozen in my freezer :)
What can I use instead of red peppers
Hi Michele – You can exclude the peppers in this recipe if you’d like :)
These are fantastic! My favorite Downshiftology recipe ever. Making them with fresh wild salmon is such a treat, but they are still good with my canned wild salmon. They’re a staple in our house, thank you!
Hi Kelly – These are one of my favorites as well! Glad you enjoyed them :)
I make these often! Delicious!
Hi Lyn – I also make these quite often! Definitely a staple that you can eat all year round :)
Very good way to enjoy salmon! I have used canned salmon but I am sure fresh is even better!
Hi Lisa – it sure is! One of my favorite salmon recipes for sure. I’m happy you loved it as well!