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These salmon cakes are crisp on the outside with tasty bites of flaked salmon – YUMM!! It’s mostly salmon which makes every bite such a treat! These salmon cakes always disappear fast and are well loved by the kids and grown ups in our family. I love that there isn’t a hint of fishiness in them.
It’s a smart way to use up leftover cooked salmon, but it’s worth the extra 10 minutes it takes to roast salmon just for this recipe. These salmon patties are THAT GOOD! p.s. You can also use well-drained packaged or canned salmon if that’s what you have on hand.
Make sure to serve with this homemade tartar sauce – it’s the easiest sauce to make, keeps well in the fridge, and once you try homemade, there’s just no going back to the store-bought muck. The same goes for these salmon cakes – they are truly delicious!
Ingredients for Salmon Cakes:
1 lb fresh salmon filet*
Garlic Salt – I use Lawry’s brand
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
1 medium onion (1 cup finely diced)
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 cup Panko bread crumbs (Japanese Style crumbs)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp mayo
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

*Note: Fresh salmon is best, but it can be substituted with leftover cooked salmon, or 14-15 oz of well-drained canned salmon, or three 5 oz salmon packets. If mixture is too moist to hold the patty shape, add more bread crumbs and if it is too dry, add an extra Tablespoon of mayo.
Watch How To Make Salmon Patties:
How To Make Salmon Cakes (Salmon Patties):
1. Preheat Oven to 425˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Place salmon skin-side down, brush with olive oil and season with garlic salt and black pepper.
Bake uncovered for 10-15 min or just until cooked through (my thinner cut wild salmon was closer to 10 minutes). Remove from oven, cover with foil and rest ten minutes. Discard skin, flake salmon with forks, remove any bones, and cool to room temp while prepping remaining ingredients.

2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp butter and finely diced onion and bell pepper. Saute until softened and golden (7-9 minutes) then remove from heat.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled flaked salmon, sautéed onion and pepper, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 beaten eggs, 3 Tbsp mayo, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup fresh parsley. Stir to combine then form into 13-14 patties. I find it’s easiest to portion the patties using a flat ice cream scoop then pressing them into 1/3 to 1/2″ thick patties.


4. Heat 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat and once butter is done sizzling, add half of the salmon cakes and sauté 3 1/2 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.
If salmon cakes brown too quickly, reduce heat. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter and repeat cooking remaining salmon cakes.


I can’t get enough of those big flakes of salmon! Major Cravings for salmon cakes with homemade tartar sauce right now. Hands down, these are the best salmon cakes I’ve ever tried and they are so easy!

P.S. If you love this recipe and salmon in general, our famous baked salmon is a must try!
Salmon Cakes Recipe (Salmon Patties)

Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh salmon filet*
- Garlic Salt - I use Lawry's brand
- Black Pepper
- olive oil
- 1 medium onion, 1 cup finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs, Japanese Style crumbs
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 425˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Place salmon skin-side down, brush with olive oil and season with garlic salt and black pepper. Bake uncovered for 10-15 min or just until cooked through (my thinner cut salmon was closer to 10 min). Remove from oven, cover with foil and rest ten minutes. Discard skin, flake salmon with forks, remove any bones, and cool to room temp.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp butter and finely diced onion and bell pepper. Saute until softened and golden (7-9 minutes) then remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled flaked salmon, sautéed onion and pepper, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 beaten eggs, 3 Tbsp mayo, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup fresh parsley. Stir to combine then form into 13-14 patties. It's easy to portion patties using a flat ice cream scoop then pressing them into 1/3 to 1/2" thick patties.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat and once butter is done sizzling, add half of the salmon cakes and sauté 3 1/2 to 4 min per side or until golden brown and cooked through. If salmon cakes brown too quickly, reduce heat. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter and repeat cooking remaining salmon cakes.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen






Love this recipe! My absolute go to for salmon patties!
The best salmon cakes. Easy bite size for single people or great for company as appetizers. I make it 3 times a week
Wow, that’s so great! I’m so glad you found a favorite on my blog, Martine!
I made these exactly as written and they came out great….Like the best salmon cakes I have ever had great! This goes into my folder, “Things I made and liked”.
That’s wonderful to hear, John! So glad you loved it.
Oh my goodness! I ate them all!!!! Thank you for the recipe. I also made the meatloaf-baking tomorrow. Can’t wait. Thanks so much for making cooking easier with your site.
You’re so welcome, Sandy! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This is hands down the most flavorful salmon patty recipe I’ve ever had. My husband and son-in-law caught salmon in Lake Michigan this past fall so I used fresh/ frozen fillets. Curious if I can make these a day ahead (but fry them the day of)?
Hi Beth! Yes, you can refrigerate them for a day or so, or freeze for longer storage. I would cook the salmon to form the patties and keep them in an airtight container separated by parchment paper.
Sooooo Good!!! I can’t have gluten, so I used 1/4 c. of coconut flour and 3/4 c. of tiger nut flour b/c that’s what I had on hand. These came out wonderfully nutty-tasting (no nuts involved, though). Hands down the best salmon cake recipe, and I’ve made a few.
Thank you for sharing, Chante! I’m glad using coconut flour worked well too!
Hi, they sound good. I have fresh cooked salmon in the fridge but other plans for the few days. Should I freeze the salmon as is or make them into cakes then freeze.?
Hi Sandy! Yes, these can be made ahead, and frozen until ready to cook. I would cook the salmon to form the patties and then freeze them before cooking the patties. We keep them in an airtight container separated by parchment paper.
Hey Natasha! How many adults would this serve?
Hi Shelley! It makes about 13-14 salmon cakes. If you’re serving this as one of the main sides, I would aim for 2-3 per person.
Love it! I made them for the first time yesterday. The recipe was easy to follow. Next time I’ll cook my salmon for 8 minutes. I used a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop up the mix and make equal portions. I added some Orange Dry Rub that I have for extra flavor. I also whipped up a garlic lemon aioli for dipping.
Thank you for sharing that with me, Laura! I’m so glad you loved it.
Very good. I would like to add a little bit more seasonings next time, though. Maybe add some Johnny’s Seasoning.
Thank you for sharing that with me, Lara. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Made these for the first time for a luncheon. Was nervous, but could not find my usual recipe. Wow, it was so delicious! Got a lot of compliments! This is my new go to recipe!!
I’m so glad to hear it was a hit, Kristine!
Great recipe and I learned about oil and butter and when the butter stops popping and it is time to start cooking patties.
I need to use the panko and not bread crumbs. It was too dry for my husband. If I do use the bread crumbs I will not use as much. Make the patties more moist.
Keep up the good work Natasha
Thank you for trying this recipe, Gloria.