These easy salmon patties are made with canned salmon, yogurt, breadcrumbs, and a few easy-to-find seasonings. Serve them with a quick and easy mustard sauce!
I love making fish cakes.
They're the focus of one of my go-to meals. It's a meal I can make without much thought, without much measuring, and it always makes me happy.
A lot of times I go with sardines, and make mini sardine fish cakes, sardine fish balls (which are basically round fish cakes), and even stuffed jalapeño popper sardine fish cakes! But recently I've been crushing on another fish.
Salmon.
These easy salmon patties are made with canned salmon, mixed with a fork, shaped by hand, and broiled until they're golden and crisp.
Easy. Peasy.
What Kind of Salmon Should I Use?
I use canned pink salmon or canned red (Sockeye) salmon for these fish cakes.
Both types work perfectly and are delicious.
I recommend trying these easy salmon patties with both kinds of salmon, and seeing which you prefer!
Not sure what the difference is between pink salmon and Sockeye salmon? Read more about the different types of salmon.
Can I Cook These on a Stove-Top Instead of a Broiler?
Yes!
If you prefer, sear the salmon cakes in a hot pan for about 4 minutes per side, or until both the top and bottom are golden.
Can I Make These Easy Salmon Patties Ahead of Time?
YES.
In fact, they're one of my favorite make-ahead meals.
Simply cook them, wrap them in wax paper (or plastic wrap, or foil), and store them in a freezer-safe bag.
Make sure to label the salmon patties so that you know what they are and when you made them!
When you're ready to reheat, simply let them thaw a few minutes and then cook them again.
Serve these easy salmon patties along with the yogurt sauce, and enjoy them as a quick lunch or dinner!
Looking for a side dish to serve with your salmon patties? Try these sautéed green beans and peas from Rhubarbarians.
Easy Salmon Patties
Ingredients
Salmon Patties:
- 1 can salmon (~7.5oz) Pink or Red (Sockeye) Salmon
- ½ cup plain yogurt (whole milk)
- ⅔ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 twigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 egg
Mustard Yogurt Sauce:
- ½ cup plain yogurt (whole milk)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ¼ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Drain any juice from the salmon can.Gently mix all the salmon patty ingredients together with a fork. Mix until incorporated, and then stop. (Do not use a blender or food processor for this step, because you don’t want to purée the fish.)
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts, and then use your hands to form 4 patties.Chill the patties in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
- While fish cakes chill, mix together all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce. Put sauce in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve.
- Move oven rack to the top 3rd of the oven (or about 6″ from the broiler) and turn on your oven's broiler. Broil salmon patties 6 minutes, flip, and broil 3-4 minutes more, until fish cakes are dark and golden.Remove cakes from pan (and residual oil) immediately. Serve while still hot with the yogurt sauce.
- Leftovers:Store leftover patties in the fridge, and use within 1-2 days. Use the sauce within a week.Make Ahead + Freeze: Let salmon patties cool, and then wrap individually and tightly with wax paper, plastic wrap, or foil. Store in an air-tight container in the freezer, and use within three months. To reheat, simply unwrap the patties and cook again. Cook until golden. Patties may take 2-3 minutes longer to cook from frozen.Sauce should not be frozen.
Lauren @ A Nerd Cooks says
These salmon patties are such a great (and delicious) way to make use of pantry staples! I really love that they can be made ahead and frozen, too.
Cynthia says
My whole family loves these salmon patties! They’re super easy to make. Easy, delicious, and nutritious— can’t go wrong!
Sarah says
Salmon for the win! Glad you loved!
Fran says
Temp to set oven not stated in recipe..
Sarah Trenalone says
Hi Fran! These patties are broiled, so just turn on your oven's broiler. (If the broiler has 2 settings, use high.) I hope that helps!