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These salmon patties are flaky, tender and so flavorful. The crisp edges and big bites of flaked salmon are the hallmark of these salmon patties. They are the real deal! It’s no wonder these salmon cakes have been so popular (read the glowing reviews here).
This is an easy and excellent way to use leftover salmon and it is worth it to cook the salmon just for this (instructions below). For busy weeknights, you can substitute with well-drained canned salmon or the salmon in packets which you may already have in your pantry!
I hope you all love these salmon patties and the easy homemade tartar sauce that goes with them.
Watch How to Make Salmon Patties:
These salmon patties are such a treat and even folks who don’t normally like salmon enjoy this recipe. They always disappear fast!
P.S. Serve salmon cakes with this irresistible homemade tartar sauce. P.S. Once you try homemade and realize how easy it is, there’s just no going back to store-bought tartar sauce. It is so much better in every way!
⬇ Print-Friendly Salmon Patties Recipe:
Salmon Patties Recipe (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh salmon filet*
- 3 Tbsp Olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp Garlic salt, I used Lawry's Brand, to taste
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper, or to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, 1 cup, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely minced
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 425˚F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone liner. Place salmon in the center, skin-side-down, drizzle with olive oil, and season with garlic salt and black pepper. Bake uncovered for 10-15 min (depending on thickness), or just until cooked through. Remove from oven, cover with foil, and rest for 10 min. Flake salmon with 2 forks discarding skin and any bones then set aside and cool to room temp.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add diced onion and bell pepper and saute until golden and softened (7-9 minutes) then remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flaked salmon, sautéed pepper and onion, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 beaten eggs, 3 Tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Form into patties (about a heaping Tablespoonful each) and mold with your hands into 2" wide by 1/3 to 1/2" thick patties.**
- In a clean non-stick pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter until hot then add salmon patties in a single layer. Saute for 3 to 4 min per side or until golden brown and cooked through. If salmon patties brown too fast, reduce heat. Remove finished patties to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining oil, butter, and salmon cakes.
Notes
**Cook's Tip: If the salmon mixture is too dry to hold a patty shape, add an extra tablespoon of mayo and if it is too moist, add more bread crumbs. --Store Leftovers - Cool and place salmon patties in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and then eat cold, or reheat in a skillet or air fryer until warmed.
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
That pretty blue serving platter can be found here. I have these in different sizes and colors. I love their bold colors and how sturdy and chip resistant Fiestaware is – meant to last a lifetime.
You can serve these for lunch, dinner, appetizers – they are so versatile and these salmon patties can even be used in sandwiches as salmon burgers, just form them a little larger. And if you LOVE salmon recipes, don’t miss our #1 of all time baked salmon recipe!
Q: Have you tried these yet? Let me know what you thought of them in a comment below.
Have a memorable and happy 4th of July!! 🙂 The 4th just happens to be my husbands birthday so if you’re on Instagram that day, feel free to flood his page with happy birthday wishes. Thanks friends!
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I wonder if aquafaba (chick-pea juice), which is often used as an egg substitute, could be used instead of mayo. It might have to be whipped (which is used for meringue). I haven’t experimented with it yet, but there have been lots of write-ups.
Interesting! I haven’t tried that but sounds like it could work.
Can I use something instead of mayo allergic to it
Hi Virginia, I’m sorry to hear that :(. I honestly haven’t experimented with any substitutions. Something like sour cream may work, but I just haven’t tested it to make a good recommendation. You might also substitute with a little olive oil for extra moisture. I’ve also seen people sub mayo with mashed avocado for a healthier substitute, but again, I haven’t tested it in this recipe.
Grape seed Oil is better than mayo! Found in refrigerator section of good grocery stores, Whole Foods & Sprouts. Been using it for decades. Pricey but totally worth it. Vegan, gluten-free,dairy-free, non-gmo. Super delicious. It makes everything taste better!
Normally recipes are done using CAN salmon. I really want to try a fresh version. I am counting carbs. Is there an alternative to bread crumbs. I am Keto dieting…
Thank you so much for your reply
Hi Lynne, I honestly haven’t tried without the bread crumbs so I’m not sure. I think it is worth experimenting to sauté them without the crumbs.
If anyone else has a suggestion, please let us know and thanks in advance! 🙂
Making a white sauce with lemon pepper ( id you like it) in it instead of the Mayonnaise.
I never use mayo or bread crumbs…horseradish ( jarred) and an extra egg, if too dry.
Great suggestion Betsey, thanks for sharing!
you could make bread crumbs from Lavish Bread – cuts the carbs down drastically !!
Great suggestion Holly, thanks for sharing!
Lynne,
I’ve used a little bit of ground flax seed or almond flour in my low carb recipes instead of breadcrumbs. I’ve never used a cup though. I’d try it without the filler or with just a few tablespoons of flax and/or almond flour. Good Luck.
Thank you, I will try it.
I use ground pork rinds. just pulse them in your food processor until they resemble Panko.
Since I track my calories and nutritional values, do you have a breakdown on how much is a serving, and what the values are? Thank you!
We are working on adding nutrition labels and metric measurements on all of our recipes. It’s a slow process since it is one recipe at a time. Until all of the recipes are updated, check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you David!
I made these but with one sub I used real garlic .garlic salt is very bad for your health.
Hi Albert, I think that would be a great substitution. Thanks for sharing!
Could you tell me how many carbs would be in a patty? My mom is diabetic & has to count carbs. Thank. You
Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you Joan!
For those old folks that are computer illiterate, you can also get a carb counter book and do it old school by hand. I do this all the time.
I made these but substituted almond meal for the breadcrumbs. This lowers the carb count for each patty from 6.3 total carbs to 3.6 total carbs. So both ways would work for diabetics. You just get to eat more of them using the almond meal
Made these three time, delicious. I added celery and shedded carrots.
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Juanita! Thanks for sharing your review!
Thank you for this 🙂 I added some grated carrots and spring onion. Tastes great!
My pleasure Karol! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
I made these and they were excellent. Next time I think I’ll chop my ingredients a little finer. And w/ the latter batches I’m going to chill the cakes before frying.
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Linda! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Made these Salmon Patties absolutely delicious but made a big mess with splatter when frying them – has anyone cooked them in the oven
Hi Joanne, I’m so glad you liked the recipe! One of my readers reported good results baking but I haven’t heard back with the details on bake time and temperature. If you test it out that way, let me know how you like them baked. I have found that it helps to control splatter when I sauté things in my dutch oven since it has tall walls and contains the oils 🙂
Perfectly delicious! Better than any gourmet restaurant!
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe so much Bonnie! Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE these but my patties fall apart when I cook them. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Stephanie, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Make sure to use the same proportions of ingredients as in the recipe so it doesn’t get too dry. Also, a good non-stick, well oiled pan helps and add them to a hot pan to keep them from sticking. If they aren’t sticking to the pan, they will be easier to flip.
Can these be made with canned salmon?
Hi Caitlin. Yes! Please see the “notes” section in the print-friendly recipe for info on that. Enjoy!
I made these last night, family loved them, WILL definitely make them again.
I’m glad to hear your family enjoys the recipe as much as mine does! Thanks for sharing your great review!
I made these last nite. Followed recipe to the T… My family liked em but that they were bland. Missing something,maybe lemon flavor,hmmm not sure. But A pretty darn recipe. I got about 17 patties out of a lb. Of salmon. Still will try again.
Hi Lisa, I’m glad your family liked the recipe :). It can vary based on how the salmon was seasoned before it was baked. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is nice, but we always serve these with tartar sauce which I think completes these 🙂
Try some fresh dill…
Natasha,
I would like to know if I can make the patties larger, so I can finishing frying them quicker. Can you also post recipe for tartare sauce.
Love your recipes and made lots of them.
Thank you, Judith
Hi Judith, yes you can definitely make them larger, just keep them the same thickness. You just have to be a little more careful in flipping them if they are very large.
What is the dipping sauce here
Hi Donna! We used this recipe here for the dipping sauce.
Just made these and they are delicious,, I will definitely make them again!!!!
I’m glad you love the recipe Annie! Thanks for sharing!
How do you heat up salmon patties
Hi Linda, I reheat them on a skillet to crisp up the edges a bit. One of my readers reported good results with baking to reheat.
I just tried this recipe. It was very good!! Thank you!
You’re welcome Susan! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe so much. Thanks for sharing!
Privet Natasha
Can I freeze the patties bore frying and also how long could I keep them in the fridge prior frying please ?
Hi Anthony, I imagine cooked patties would freeze well but I’m not sure if the patties would fall apart or not if they are frozen before cooking. If you experiment, let me know how it goes 🙂
Thanks Natasha yes probably best first cooked – I made them yesterday and tried a couple – fantastic – the rest are to accompany aperitifs tomorrow evening ! spasibo