These quick and easy crispy salmon fish cakes come together in about 20 minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients. A quick shallow fry allows them to get deliciously crisp on the outside while staying tender on the inside.
You Will Love This
- While these salmon cakes are fried, they're also FILLED with fresh lemon and herb flavor, which makes them taste light instead of heavy. They're made with super simple ingredients which allows each one to shine without overpowering the others.
- If you love these crispy salmon cakes be sure to check out my Creamy Lemon Garlic Salmon Pasta, my Roasted Greek Salmon Bowls, or my Honey Mustard Sheet Pan Salmon.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Roasted Salmon - I highly recommend using my super easy Roasted Greek Salmon recipe for these salmon cakes! It's the most delicious, super simple, roasted salmon recipe you'll find and it's loaded with flavor! But you could also use any type of cooked fish or even (drained) canned salmon or tuna.
- Panko Breadcrumbs - You can use regular breadcrumbs or Italian seasoned breadcrumbs as well, but I prefer the texture that panko breadcrumbs offer.
- Eggs - The eggs are going to help to bind the salmon cakes together. Don't skip them!
- Lemon Zest - The lemon zest is a really delicious way to add fresh flavor which helps cut the richness of the fried salmon cake. Don't skip this ingredient!
- Mayonnaise - The mayonnaise in this recipe is going to help bind the cakes together and add some extra delicious flavor and fat to the recipe. Opt for full fat mayo for the best flavor and texture.
- Fresh Chives - You could also use thinly sliced green onions, but chives are going to give you a really classic flavor for these fish cakes.
- Fresh Dill - You could use dry dill in place of the fresh, but you'll want to use about ⅓ the amount of the dried dill as it has more concentrated flavor.
- Vegetable Oil - I prefer to use vegetable oil for these salmon fish cakes, but canola oil would work in its place.
Instructions
Add salmon, breadcrumbs, eggs, lemon zest, mayo, chives, dill, and a couple large pinches of Kosher salt to a large bowl.
Gently mix just until combined.
Gently form the salmon mixture into patties.
Fry in oil for about 2-3 minutes, then transfer cooked salmon cakes to a paper towel lined plate to absorb any extra grease. Serve salmon cakes with my quick and easy dill yogurt sauce and garnish with fresh dill and chives!
Tips
- As you flake your roasted salmon, be sure to check for pin bones! Pick them out and discard them as you flake the salmon into pieces. Some of the small bones can easily be chewed and digested, but it's best to remove as many as you can just to be safe.
- Oil the palms of your hands before forming the patties. The salmon mixture is going to be a bit sticky/tacky - which is good because it means the cakes will hold together when they're fried - so a thin layer of oil is going to help prevent the salmon mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Pack the salmon fish cakes firmly, but gently. This will ensure that they hold together well as they fry and cook all the way through. If you pack the patties too tightly, they won't cook through and will still be cold in the middle.
- Don't skip the Dill Yogurt Sauce! Herby fried salmon cakes pair best with a cool, lemon yogurt sauce. The contrast in temperature and texture is truly a delight for your taste buds. If you don't have 3 seconds to make homemade yogurt sauce, grab some tzatziki from the store!
FAQ
In this easy salmon cake recipe, the eggs and the breadcrumbs are going to work together to bind your fish cakes. They mayo in this salmon cakes will also help everything stick together. If your fish cakes are falling apart, try adding a bit more mayo and make sure you are packing the patties gently but firmly.
For this fish cakes recipe, I really prefer to use roasted salmon. You could use canned salmon if you're in a pinch, but I would not recommend using fresh salmon. Fresh salmon may not cook all the way through. Plus, I love that you can make this recipe to use up leftover fish from dinner last night!
The best part about this salmon patty recipe is that you are using roasted salmon, so you don't have to worry about the fish not be cooked all the way through! The salmon patties are cooked through when they're crispy on the outside and warmed through in the center.
Salmon Fish Cakes
These quick and easy crispy salmon fish cakes come together in about 20 minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients. They're the perfect way to use up that leftover roasted salmon in the fridge. A quick shallow fry allows them to get deliciously crisp on the outside while staying tender on the inside, and they're loaded with herby, lemon flavor!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: about 12-14 cakes 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 lb. roasted salmon (or about 3 cups flaked, cooked salmon)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup fresh chopped chives + more for garnish
- ¼ cup fresh chopped dill + more for garnish
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- vegetable oil for frying
Serve with:
- easy dill yogurt sauce
- butter lettuce
Instructions
- Flake roasted salmon into small pieces with two forks. Add salmon, breadcrumbs, eggs, lemon zest, mayo, chives, dill, and a couple large pinches of Kosher salt to a large bowl.
- Gently mix just until combined.
- Lightly oil the palms of your hands with vegetable oil and use a ¼ cup scoop to portion salmon mixture into patties. Remember to pack the patties firm, but gently.
- Add oil to a large saute pan until there's about ¼ of an inch of oil coating the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium heat.
- Add salmon patties in batches, cooking them for about 2-3 minutes per side or until a dark golden brown crust forms.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked salmon cakes onto a paper towel lined platter.
- Serve salmon cakes with my quick and easy dill yogurt sauce and garnish with fresh dill and chives!
Notes
- As you flake your roasted salmon, be sure to check for pin bones! Pick them out and discard them as you flake the salmon into pieces. Some of the small bones can easily be chewed and digested, but it's best to remove as many as you can just to be safe.
- Oil the palms of your hands before forming the patties. The salmon mixture is going to be a bit sticky/tacky - which is good because it means the cakes will hold together when they're fried - so a thin layer of oil is going to help prevent the salmon mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Pack the salmon fish cakes firmly, but gently. This will ensure that they hold together well as they fry and cook all the way through. If you pack the patties too tightly, they won't cook through and will still be cold in the middle.
- Don't skip the Dill Yogurt Sauce! Herby fried salmon cakes pair best with a cool, lemon yogurt sauce. The contrast in temperature and texture is truly a delight for your taste buds. If you don't have 3 seconds to make homemade yogurt sauce, grab some tzatziki from the store!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 112.5 mg
- Fat: 11.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.2 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 9.4 g
- Cholesterol: 44.4 mg
Keywords: salmon cake recipe, fish cakes recipe, fish cakes
Janet
Best fish cakes ever! I did use canned salmon with chopped smoked salmon added. Perfect! Lots of nice flavours. I liked the way they held together. Will be a regular go-to. Thank you.
★★★★★
Kylie
I love the mixture of canned and smoked salmon - such a brilliant idea! So glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Janet. Thanks for leaving a review! 🙂
Taylor
Just made salmon cakes for the first time ever with this recipe. Very easy to make and tasted delicious, can’t wait to make them again! Also the tip to oil your hands worked like a charm
★★★★★
Luke
Such a quick and easy fish cakes recipe! Our family loved this one!
★★★★★