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Salmon Patties Recipe is the from scratch dinner my Grandma made on busy weeknights, crispy golden on the outside, tender and flaky inside, with barely any filler so the salmon actually tastes like salmon. I still make these the way she taught me on a *slow Sunday afternoon* with Maddie standing on her stool to help shape the patties, and they pair perfectly with our easy cod piccata for a seafood night.
Pantry friendly canned salmon, a quick mix, a 30 minute chill, and a hot skillet turn out the best crispy salmon patties in about an hour.
Salmon Patties Recipe Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 50 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 8 patties
- ⚡ Calories: 106kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Savory, lightly briny, fresh from the scallions and a hit of Worcestershire
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our crispy southern fried shrimp
Quick Answer
Mash cooked or canned salmon in a bowl, then mix in plain breadcrumbs, an egg, sliced scallions, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Form into 8 patties and chill for at least 30 minutes so they hold together. Lightly dust the tops and bottoms with flour, then pan fry in a little oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Hardly any filler is the Grandma secret. Most salmon patties bury the fish under cups of crackers and mayo. Just a third cup of breadcrumbs binds these without drowning the salmon flavor, which is exactly why this was one of her most requested recipes.
- One egg is the glue. A single large egg sets as it cooks and locks the flaky salmon and breadcrumbs into a patty that flips without crumbling apart in the pan.
- The 30 minute chill is non negotiable. Resting the formed patties in the fridge firms up the binder so they hold their shape and develop a crispy crust instead of spreading out into mush.
- A light flour dusting builds the crust. Patting a thin coat of flour on the tops and bottoms right before frying pulls moisture from the surface so the patties brown into that craveable golden crust.
- Scallions and Worcestershire wake it up. Fresh sliced scallions and a splash of Worcestershire cut any canned fishiness and give the patties a savory, fresh from scratch taste.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pantry to plate in under an hour. A can of salmon and a few staples you already have turn into dinner with almost no shopping, the same weeknight magic as our easy avocado tuna salad.
- Grandma’s old fashioned flavor. This is the real deal southern style salmon patty, crispy edges and a tender flaky center, the way it has been made for generations.
- Budget friendly and freezer friendly. Canned salmon is cheap, the recipe makes 8 patties, and they reheat beautifully for lunches all week.
Key Ingredients
- Salmon: Use a 14.75 ounce can of salmon or leftover cooked salmon, with the skin and large bones removed. Canned is traditional and budget friendly, while fresh cooked salmon makes a slightly richer patty.
- Plain breadcrumbs: Just a third of a cup binds the patties without burying the fish. This is the low filler ratio that keeps the salmon front and center.
- Egg: One large egg holds everything together so the patties do not fall apart when you flip them.
- Scallions: Thinly sliced green onions add fresh oniony bite and color, with a little extra saved for garnish.
- Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and flour: Worcestershire and seasoning build the savory flavor, and a light dusting of all purpose flour right before frying creates the crispy golden crust.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Fresh salmon instead of canned. Use about 2 cups of flaked cooked salmon in place of the can. Leftover baked or our air fryer salmon works beautifully.
- Swap the binder. Crushed saltine crackers or panko both work in place of plain breadcrumbs for a slightly different crunch.
- Add Old Bay or Cajun. A half teaspoon of Old Bay or Cajun seasoning gives the patties a southern seafood boil vibe, like our blackened catfish.
- Bake or air fry. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or air fry at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, for a lighter version.
- Make them mini. Form into 16 small patties for salmon cake appetizers, perfect alongside our Maryland crab cakes.
How to Make Salmon Patties Recipe
- Place the salmon in a large bowl and mash it well to break up any clumps, removing any skin and large bones as you go.
- Add the breadcrumbs, egg, scallions, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Form into 8 even patties about a quarter inch thick, packing them together so they hold. Place on a plate or sheet tray and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom.
- Lightly dust the tops and bottoms of the salmon patties with the flour and pat it in.
- Gently add the patties to the hot skillet without crowding the pan, working in batches if needed. Cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes, then gently flip and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.
- Repeat with the remaining patties. Serve with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, parsley, and more scallions for garnish. Enjoy immediately.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Remove the skin and big bones. Pick through canned salmon and lift out the skin and any large bones. The soft tiny bones are fine to mash in for extra calcium.
- Do not skip the chill. Thirty minutes in the fridge is what keeps the patties from spreading and falling apart in the pan. Longer is even better.
- Drain canned salmon well. Press out the extra liquid so the mixture is not too wet, otherwise the patties will be soft and hard to flip.
- Keep the heat at medium. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside warms through. Medium gives you that even golden crust.
- Do not crowd the pan. Fry in batches so the patties brown instead of steam. A crowded pan drops the oil temperature.
- Drain on paper towels. Rest the fried patties on a paper towel lined plate for a minute to keep the crust crisp.
- Serve with tartar sauce. A squeeze of lemon and a dollop of tartar sauce is the classic finish for these salmon patties.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Salmon patties are a southern supper classic, so serve them the way Grandma did with a squeeze of lemon, a scoop of tartar sauce, and a couple of homey sides. Our southern collard greens and a batch of southern fried okra turn these into a full plate.
For a lighter meal, tuck a warm patty into a bun with lettuce and tartar sauce for a salmon burger, or break one over a big green salad. They are just as good cold the next day, the same lunchbox trick we use with our avocado tuna salad.
Hosting a seafood night? Plate these salmon patties next to our crispy southern fried shrimp and a platter of classic southern fried catfish for a fish fry spread the whole family will dig into.
Salmon Patties Recipe FAQs
Both work great for this salmon patties recipe. A 14.75 ounce can of pink or red salmon is the traditional budget friendly choice, while leftover cooked fresh salmon makes a slightly richer patty. Either way, remove the skin and large bones and drain off the extra liquid before mashing.
Salmon patties fall apart when the mixture is too wet, there is not enough binder, or they were not chilled. Drain the salmon well, use the egg and breadcrumbs to bind, pack the patties together firmly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before frying so they hold their shape.
Yes, canned salmon is the classic way to make these salmon patties. Use one 14.75 ounce can, drain it well, and pick out the skin and any large bones. The soft small bones can be mashed right in for an extra calcium boost.
To keep salmon patties from tasting too fishy, add fresh scallions and a splash of Worcestershire sauce to the mix and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Using a quality can of salmon and draining it well also makes a big difference in the final flavor.
Yes. To bake salmon patties, place them on a greased sheet pan at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway. To air fry, cook at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and heated through. Both are lighter than pan frying.
Store leftover salmon patties in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes to bring back the crisp. They also freeze well for up to 2 months, thawed overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Other Recommended Seafood Recipes
If this Salmon Patties Recipe brought back a little Grandma’s kitchen nostalgia, drop a star rating and tell us how your family liked them. Snapshots of your crispy patties on Pinterest always make our day.
Keep the seafood night going with our easy cod piccata recipe, flaky cod fillets in a bright lemon butter and caper sauce that comes together in about 20 minutes.
For a crowd pleasing appetizer, our Maryland lump crab cake sandwich stacks jumbo lump crab with Old Bay and a quick remoulade on a toasted bun.
And for the classic fish fry plate, our crispy panko fried shrimp delivers extra crunchy shrimp ready for dunking in cocktail or tartar sauce.
Keep the quick seafood dinners rolling with a skillet of creamy lemon shrimp.
Salmon Patties Recipe
Ingredients
- 14.75 ounces cooked or canned salmon skin and bones removed
- 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 scallions thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- vegetable oil for cooking
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Tartar sauce for serving optional
- Lemon wedges for serving optional
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Place the salmon in a large bowl and mash it to break up any clumps.14.75 ounces cooked or canned salmon
- Add the breadcrumbs, egg, scallions, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Mix well.1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 2 scallions, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Form into 8 even patties about 1/4th inch thick, try to pack them together so they don’t fall apart. Place them on a plate or sheet tray and put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or longer if you can, to firm up.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the skillet.vegetable oil
- Lightly dust the tops and bottoms of the salmon patties with the flour and pat it in.1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Gently add salmon patties to the hot skillet, do not crowd the pan, you may need to do this in batches. Cook until golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Gently flip them over and continue to cook for 4-5 more minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining salmon patties. Serve with tartar sauce, lemon wedges, parsley, and more scallions for garnish if using. Enjoy immediately.Tartar sauce for serving, Lemon wedges for serving, Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Notes
- This recipe can be customized to your taste.
- Using freshly cooked or canned salmon makes this recipe versatile.
- They go great with a variety of sauces, see my tips above on that.
- They can be frozen, see above on how to store them.
- Being in our family for years, this is a tried and true recipe.
Nutrition
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