This Salmon Patties Recipe makes flaky, tender, and flavorful fritters with crisp edges and plenty of flaked salmon, the hallmark of the very best salmon patties. These are so easy to make with leftover cooked salmon or canned salmon and work great as an appetizer, side, or main dish.

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Each week, my whole family gathers at my mom’s house for Sunday night dinner, potluck style. I love to bring easy-to-transport appetizers and sides, like my Jalapeno Poppers, Stuffed Mushrooms, and Grape Jelly Meatballs, that make it easy for a crowd of people to feast!
These Salmon Patties are perfect for our family meals since they travel well, stay crispy, and can be served using just your fingers (ok, you could also use a serving utensil, but that’s extra dishes!).
Easy Salmon Patties Recipe
My whole family loves to eat these easy salmon patties, especially served with my Homemade Tartar Sauce, and I love how easy it is to make!
If you’re looking to start with fresh salmon, you’ll love our Salmon Cakes Recipe, but this recipe for salmon patties is a smart way to make a quick batch on busy weeknights with either leftover cooked salmon or well-drained, canned salmon (or even salmon packets) which you may already have in your pantry.
These are such a treat, and even folks who don’t usually like salmon enjoy this recipe. They always disappear fast and are even faster to make.

How to Make Salmon Patties
- Cook the Veggies – Saute the onion and bell pepper in a pan for 7-9 minutes and then remove from heat.
- Mix the Patties – Mix salmon, peppers and onions, bread crumbs, egg, mayo, Worcestershire, garlic salt, pepper, and parsley in a large bowl. Then, use a heaping Tablespoon to measure the mixture and your hands to form patties.
- Cook the Patties – Melt oil and butter in a clean skillet, and place the salmon patties into the skillet in one layer, sauteeing each side for 3-4 minutes until browned. Place cooked patties on a paper-towel-lined plate, and then serve, garnished with fresh parsley.

How to Serve Salmon Patties
You can also serve these salmon patties for lunch, dinner or appetizers – they are versatile and can even be served in Hamburger Buns as salmon burgers, simply form them a little larger in step 3. They also pair well with these dishes:
- Strawberry Salad with Honey Vinaigrette
- Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella Salad
- Macaroni Salad
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Smashed Potato Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Oven Roasted Broccoli

Make-Ahead
Cool any leftover salmon patties and store them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
- To Refrigerate: place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: freeze for up to 3 months
- To Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge. You can eat the patty cold or reheat in a skillet or air fryer until heated through

This recipe for Salmon Patties will soon become your favorite appetizer or main dish. The crispy outside and moist, flavorful inside work perfectly with my homemade tartar sauce. Try this easy recipe today!
More Easy Salmon Recipes
Once you have tried this Salmon Patties recipe, check out these other delicious Salmon Recipes.
- #1 of all-time baked salmon recipe
- Honey Glazed Salmon
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Tuscan Salmon
- Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Butter
Easy Salmon Patties Recipe

Ingredients
- 14-15 oz canned salmon or salmon in packets, well drained
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, 1 cup, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise*
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic salt, or sub with 1/2 tsp fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp garlic powder, or season to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely minced
Instructions
- Set 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, bread crumbs, beaten eggs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, black pepper, and 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 patties.
Ms. Natasha ~ Not only is this recipe delicious, but the simplicity of how to cook and season the salmon is a game-changer for me. I typically use an air fryer with too many seasonings to name (LOL) which results in an “OK” texture and taste, but has never been quite there. The seasoning and cook time on your recipe is spot on. Thanks from a 70 year-old, who is excited to learn new approaches.
This recipe for salmon patties was delicious and I love it 😋 Thank you for such a wonderful recipe 💖
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Brenda!
We call these salmon “croquettes” .
They can be done in patties like burgers or small meatball like pieces and lightly fried/ sauteed. Simple, quick, delicious- served with many possible sides
I can’t wait to try this recipe, but the only question I have is can I bake instead of frying?
Hi Brenda! Here is what one of my viewers said, “I baked them in the oven at 425 for 25-to 20 min. I will certainly make this again!”
This is my family’s new favorite! Thanks Natasha’s kitchen. I definitely recommend this recipe.
First let me say Natasha, your recipes and videos are simply the best! I have made these salmon cakes over and over again! And I have shared this recipe with so many friends! Sockeye, Coho or Spring salmon turns out perfect every time.
My daughter and I make these all the time! So delicious with the homemade tartar sauce! I would like to freeze some….precook or freeze uncooked?
Hi Joyce, I have prepared and refrigerated them but we always run out before I could attempt freezing them. Here is what one of my viewers shared: “I make salmon cakes in large batches frequently and they are usually a close version to this recipe. I patty them up, pre-freeze on a cookie sheet, then vacuum seal them before storing them in the freezer. They are great and you can cook from frozen the same as fresh. I always cook mine on a greased cookie sheet at 400-425.” I hope that helps!
I make these if en and they are so delicious! I’m not a big fan of salmon but I really like these patties! 😊
I’m so glad you gave these a try and loved them, Cheryl! That’s so great!
Hey lady, this recipe was a hit!!! My friends really enjoyed it! This recipe was a bit unconventional for me but I’m glad I tried it! I almost always enjoy something new, and this was definitely a showstopper! Once all of those flavors married it was delicious!!
Can the patties be made a few hours early and kept in the refrigerator before frying?
Hi Kathy! Yes, you can pre-mold them and refrigerate them to make later in the day.
Salmon cakes were delicious! I used Dill as one of my herbs and the taste (for me) for superb! The only difference I made was to bake them in the oven at 425 for 25-to 20 min. I will certainly make this again!
I made these salmon cakes tonight and my husband said they were better than a 5 star restaurant!
Easy to make and delicious. I followed your recipe with the exception of substituting almond flour for the Panko breadcrumbs 1:1 (my preference, but my wife wanted fewer carbs). The result of using almond flour was that it made for a sweeter and slightly grainy taste/consistency, but was still tasty.
Thank you for sharing that with us.
These were delicious! I had a little trouble with the first batch being too crumbly. I added more mayo and the rest came out perfect. It was a lot for two people. I think I’m going to make tacos out of the leftovers, which were mostly the crumbly ones. I added jalapeños, but made no other changes. I used some leftover smoked salmon, so they were super flavorful.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Catherine!
Very good
Thank you so much for the recipe! Sounds great! But, what can I use as a substitute for the mayonnaise?
Hello Meriam! You can try plain Greek yogurt!
Delicious tho crumbly. It didn’t matter because we ate them too quickly. Saving this recipe for sure!
These are scrumptious! I had some delicious cooked salmon in my freezer from another meal and I made 7 good sized burgers with them! I also mixed some homemade pesto with mayonnaise and served them on a warm brioche bun with tomato and relish. Can’t wait to have them again tomorrow. Sooo good! Thanks Natasha!
I just ordered your cookbook and after looking at this salmon patty recipe wonder if if it may have been a mistake. I am a single male and do most of my cooking with cast iron. What the heck am I supposed to do with 14 salmon patties? I would hope your cookbook recipes are more reasonable in the size for smaller portions. If not I will return it as a bad investment.
Hi Ken, thank you for your comments and feedback.The serving size for this recipe is really 14 patties. In this recipe on my website, you may click on the number of servings, side it to the left to adjust the serving size and ingredients. But please take not that the instructions aren’t autmatialy adjusted, just the ingredients size.
They are the best! Grew up in the NW where I enjoyed lots of fresh salmon. I used the leftover Sockeye I had baked for dinner a couple of nights ago. EXCELLENT ingredients!
Hello can I use ground salmon if so do I cook it first? I would really love to try this recipe
Hi Germinia, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Natasha, they came out great! They are a hit with my husband and kids! Thank you for the recipe, the ground salmon worked fabulously
That’s so great, Germinia! I’m so glad this was a hit with your family!
These are the bomb! Not a fan of salmon, but this recipe is so delicious. My husband lives salmon, so I cook it for him, then take the leftover salmon, shred it up, and make patties with the leftovers. Freezes well, too.
Hey Bonnie, thank you for your good comments and feedback! I’m happy to know that you both enjoy this recipe!
Delicious! I followed your recipe except that I made the patties dinner size. My husband loved this dish. I paired it with veg fried rice. Thanks so much for your wonderful collection of recipes!
You’re very welcome, Bonnie!