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Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside Canned Salmon Patties make the perfect high protein appetizer or main dish. Made with fresh ingredients for the best flavor, and gluten-free options available.
Looking for a fresh, easy, and affordable appetizer (or main dish) that is nourishing, easy to make, and positively delicious?
These easy Canned Salmon Patties check all of the boxes! When paired with my Crab Cake Sauce, you’re looking at a restaurant-quality experience!
Using canned salmon rather than fresh salmon saves time and money and still generates an amazing result!
The way I see it, this versatile recipe is an all-around solid option for fish and seafood lovers. It’s perfect for those who enjoy crab cakes, all salmon lovers, and those who love a fish option to replace classic hamburgers.
Plus, quality canned salmon is very easy to find, as most grocery stores carry it. This is a big win for those who have trouble finding quality crab meat but want a crab cake-adjacent appetizer.
Ingredients for Canned Salmon Patties:
Canned Salmon: The main ingredient around which this recipe is centered! I use Wild Planet canned salmon, which is wild-caught. I prefer using canned salmon over canned tuna because it tends to be much lower in mercury content and is a great source for omega-3 fatty acids.
Eggs: Here to help bind all of the ingredients together so that the salmon cakes hold together during the cooking process.
Flour or Bread Crumbs: Choose regular all-purpose flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, Panko bread crumbs, or gluten-free bread crumbs. When using flour, the texture turns out soft and dense, whereas breadcrumbs results in a lighter, crispier texture, similar to classic crab cakes.
I use gluten-free all-purpose flour because I like the dense texture it brings (similar to salmon burgers), and the fact that it helps hold the patties together nicely. You can also use cracker crumbs like saltine crackers or Ritz crackers.
Mayonnaise: Brings moisture and richness to the salmon patties. For less fat, you can add Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Dijon Mustard: Here for flavor! I find mustard and salmon are a magical pair, as mustard adds a big tangy flavor and an unmistakable flavor that is difficult to mimic using any other ingredient.
Fresh Garlic and Fresh Chives: Garlic and chives add a big pop of flavor, adding to the savory profile and giving garden fresh vibes. You can also add fresh dill or green onions if you’d like.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the patties to taste using sea salt and black pepper.
How to Make Canned Salmon Patties:
Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl until well beaten. Add the drained canned salmon, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped chives, sea salt, and black pepper (everything but the flour) and mix everything until well combined.
Mix in the flour (or bread crumbs) until everything is well combined.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stove top with 2-3 tablespoons of avocado oil. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes until it is sizzling hot.
Measure out ¼ cup of the salmon mixture and carefully place it on the hot skillet. The mixture will be very gooey – this is normal. It will hold together in the skillet easily if you used flour, or will require some delicate handling if you used bread crumbs.
Repeat for the rest of the salmon mixture, cooking 4 to 6 patties at a time in a single layer. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook the patties in two batches.
Sear for 3-4 minutes, until the patties are deeply golden brown, then carefully flip to the other side and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the patties are fully cooked.
Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the patties. They are ready when they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter.
Serve salmon patties with my Crab Cake Sauce, a drizzle of fresh lemon juice, homemade tarter sauce, or your choice of dipping sauce, and enjoy! I find these easy salmon patties go great with Potato Salad and Broccoli Slaw.
Store leftover salmon patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Baking Instructions:
Want to make baked salmon patties rather than pan frying them? No problem. Here is what you do.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Follow the instructions above, making the salmon patties recipe and measuring out 1/4 cup scoops of the mixture.
- Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Because the mixture will be very wet, I recommend shaping the mounds of patty mixture so that they look like flat patties.
- Bake for 15 minutes, flip, then bake for another 5-7 minutes, until cooked through. Insert a digital thermometer into the center of a patty. They are ready once they’ve reached 165 degrees F on the inside.
Air Fryer Instructions:
Place your raw patties in a single layer inside your air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, or until the salmon cakes reach an internal temp of 165 degrees F.
Recipe Tips:
- Play with the Texture: For a lighter and crispier texture, use Panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free bread crumbs in this recipe. For a denser, softer texture with patties that hold together nicely, use regular all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Enhance the Flavor: Add ingredients like hot sauce, chopped onions, more mustard, sun-dried tomatoes, or kalamata olives to change up the flavor of the salmon patties.
And there you have it! Your next appetizer or main dish that is extra quick and easy to prepare and so tasty!
If you enjoy appetizer recipes like this, I also recommend you try some of my other personal favorites.
More Appetizer Recipes:
Canned Salmon Patties Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 (3.75-oz) cans salmon, drained
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp chives, finely chopped
- ½ tsp sea salt, to taste
- Pinch black pepper
- ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour , or 1 cup breadcrumbs
For Serving:
- Crab Cake Sauce
- Lemon Wedges
Instructions
- Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl until well beaten. Add the rest of the ingredients for the salmon patties and mix everything until well combined.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stove top with 2-3 tablespoons of avocado oil. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes until it is sizzling hot.
- Measure out ¼ cup of the salmon mixture and carefully place it on the hot skillet. The mixture will be very gooey – this is normal. It will hold together in the skillet easily if you used flour, or will require some delicate handling if you used bread crumbs.
- Repeat for the rest of the salmon mixture, cooking 4 to 6 patties at a time in a single layer. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook the patties in two batches. Sear for 3-4 minutes, until the patties are deeply golden brown, then carefully flip to the other side and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the patties are fully cooked. Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the patties. They are ready when they have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter.
- Serve salmon patties with my Crab Cake Sauce, a drizzle of fresh lemon juice, homemade tarter sauce, or your choice of dipping sauce, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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