A quick, budget-friendly, and healthy weeknight dinner, salmon patties are an easy win. Delicious with golden crispy edges serve them on salad greens, with roasted veggies and crispy potatoes, or my kid's favorite, on a bun like a burger.
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Salmon patties have always been a favorite of mine and I was thrilled to discover my husband and kids love this recipe as much as me. They are super satisfying and the buttery but firm texture of salmon with its umami flavor makes it very family-friendly.
I make a double batch (makes 12 large patties) when I make this recipe and over 2 or 3 days, they all disappear. My husband pulls them out of the refrigerator and eats them cold for a snack. They are just the right size to fill him up and he loves anything high-protein that is "grab and go" ready. My teenage son (aka the eating machine) will scarf a salmon patty burger as soon as he walks in the door from school.
Serve salmon patties with tartar sauce or make my delicious homemade remoulade!
Why Salmon?
Salmon is a nutritional powerhouse. It's loaded with high-quality protein, which helps build and repair tissues. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon are excellent for heart health, reducing inflammation, and supporting brain function. It's also rich in vitamins B12 and D, which are essential for energy levels and bone health. I aim to feed my family seafood twice a week and salmon was the first fish both kids would eat even when they were small and very picky eaters.
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Salmon Patty Ingredients
- Salmon - canned or fresh
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Celery
- Bread crumbs - regular or gluten-free
- Eggs
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Mayonnaise - I like Duke's
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce - Frank's Red Hot is my favorite
- Old Bay seasoning
- Salt & pepper
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Remoulade Ingredients
- Mayonnaise
- Prepared horseradish
- Pickle juice
- Lemon juice
- Spicy brown mustard
- Hot sauce
- Paprika
- Old Bay seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Salt & pepper
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Saute onion, bell pepper, and celery in 1 tablespoon olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 additional minute. Set aside to cool.
- Step 2: While the aromatics cool slightly, whisk together all the remoulade ingredients until combined. Place remoulade in the refrigerator to chill until salmon patties are ready to serve.
- Step 3: Stir together salmon, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and bread crumbs.
- Step 4: Add eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, hot cause, lemon juice and seasonings. Mix until combined.
- Step 5: *Optional - cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Step 6: Form patties with a large scoop or measuring cup.
- Step 7: Brown patties in 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes per side over medium-high heat.
- Step 8: When golden brown on both sides, remove from heat and serve immediately.
Hint: I use a 5.4 tablespoon cookie scoop to make each patty but you can also use a ⅓ cup measuring cup. It's the same size, just not as easy as using a scoop with a handle to release the mixture.
Substitutions & Variations
- Salmon - Because this is a go-to weeknight meal in our house, I generally use canned salmon because it's fast and easy. I always have canned wild-caught Alaska pink salmon from Costco. It comes in 6-ounce cans and I don't have to dig bones out of it like in some 14.5-ounce canned salmon. When I have more time, I will roast 1.5 lbs. of fresh salmon with olive oil, salt, and pepper in the oven at 400° for about 15 minutes then chop it up and use in place of canned.
- Bread crumbs - there are a lot of ways you can go here! In the salmon patties of the 80's my mom used saltine crackers. Other options are gluten-free bread crumbs, Ritz crackers, panko bread crumbs, cornflakes or even leftover mashed potatoes can be used in place of bread crumbs. My preference is panko bread crumbs.
- Serving - These salmon patties are versatile and pair well with all kinds of sides. For a light and fresh option, serve them on a bed of mixed greens with remoulade as the dressing. If you’re in the mood for something more filling, pair them with roasted vegetables or your favorite grain or some crispy roasted potatoes. They also make a great sandwich—just pop one on a bun with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and tartar sauce or remoulade.
Equipment
You'll need a mixing bowl, a skillet, and a large (5.4 Tbsp) scoop or ⅓ cup measuring cup. I have said it before and I'll say it again, cast iron cookware is high maintenance but worth the effort. I use cast iron or carbon steel 99% of the time. If you heat it well before putting oil and food in the pan, both pans are just as non-stick as any chemically coated non-stick pan.
My two favorite pans are this Lodge cast iron skillet and this Matfer carbon steel pan. My favorite set of stainless steel mixing bowls is great because they have lids and a no-slip rubber bottom. Lastly, a good set of cookie scoops comes in handy for way more than just cookies.
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Storage
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze uncooked salmon patties for up to 3 months and cook them after thawing.
Top Tip
If you have the extra half hour, refrigerating the mixture before cooking the salmon patties does help them stay together better and the seasonings have more time to deepen the flavors.
FAQ
Yes! After forming the patties, chill them in the freezer for ten minutes. Preheat the air fryer to 380°, spray the patties with a fine mist of avocado or olive oil, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes flipping halfway through.
Absolutely! Tuna and crab work beautifully in this recipe. Steelhead trout and cod both work, too.
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Recipe
Salmon Patties with Remoulade
Ingredients
Salmon Patties
- 24 ounces canned, drained or fresh salmon, roasted *see post for fresh salmon cooking instructions
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup small-diced onion, one small onion or half a large onion
- ¾ cup small-diced red bell pepper, one bell pepper
- ¾ cup small-diced celery, 2 to 3 ribs celery
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup bread crumbs *see post for alternatives
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1.5 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce recommend Franks Red Hot
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt & pepper, more to taste
Remoulade
- ¾ cup mayonnaise recommend Duke's
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh
- 1.5 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce recommend Franks Red Hot
- 1 teaspoon pickle juice
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Step 1: Saute onion, bell pepper, and celery in 1 tablespoon olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 additional minute. Set aside to cool.
- Step 2: While the aromatics cool slightly, whisk together all the remoulade ingredients until combined. Place in refrigerator to chill while preparing salmon patties.
- Step 3: Stir together salmon, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and bread crumbs.
- Step 4: Add eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, seasonings, and stir until just combined.
- Step 5: *Optional - cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Step 6: Form patties with a large cookie scoop or ⅓ cup measuring cup.
- Step 7: Brown patties in 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes per side over medium-high heat.
- Step 8: When golden brown on both sides, remove from heat and serve immediately with a drizzle of remoulade.
Anonymous says
Love
Michael says
Remoulade? How delicious
Anonymous says
These are so tasty