Salmon Patties Recipe With Canned Salmon
Make crispy Salmon Patties with canned salmon, lemon zest and pantry spices. A quick pan-fry plus oven finish gives them crisp edges and tender centers.
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“My husband said they were the best! I will be making these again and again.”
—Nancy
“Made the salmon patties and sauce. Both were delicious!”
—Cathy
How To Make Salmon Patties With Canned Salmon
To make salmon patties with canned salmon, mix well-drained salmon with egg, breadcrumbs, sour cream, flour, bell pepper, lemon zest and spices. Form into patties and chill for 30 minutes, then pan-fry until golden and finish in the oven for 4 to 6 minutes.
If you’re looking for a classic salmon patties recipe, canned salmon is the secret to making it quick and weeknight-friendly. While salmon cakes made with fresh fish are wonderful when you have leftovers on hand, canned salmon is affordable, convenient and already cooked.
In this version, we lean on plenty of dried spices and fresh lemon zest to turn a humble pantry staple into something bright and flavorful. But the real trick is the two-step cooking method: pan-frying first gives the patties golden, crispy edges, while a short oven finish cooks the centers through evenly without over-browning the outside. That combination gives you crisp edges, tender centers and patties that hold together well enough to flip and serve without falling apart.
Heads up! This recipe was developed specifically for canned salmon. We have a separate recipe, developed and tested specifically for FRESH cooked salmon (or leftovers), as well as a dipping sauce that works with either version!
Why You Will Love This Salmon Patties Recipe
- Convenience. Canned salmon means you can make this salmon patties recipe anytime, no trip to the seafood counter required. If there’s a can in the pantry, dinner is basically halfway done.
- Big flavor from simple ingredients. Lemon zest and plenty of spices turn canned salmon into something bright, savory and genuinely craveable.
- Versatility. Enjoy these patties on their own, made into a sandwich, or on top of a salad.
Salmon Patties Recipe Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- canned salmon – the foundation of these patties. Drain well so the patties hold together properly.
- egg – acts as the binder that helps the salmon patties keep their shape.
- lemon zest – adds a bright citrus flavor.
- spices – we’ll be using onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, paprika, cayenne and ground black pepper to season the patties and give them lots of flavor.
- panko breadcrumbs – adds structure and helps create a crisp exterior.
- red bell pepper – adds sweetness and a little bit of color.
- sour cream – adds moisture so the patties stay tender instead of dry.
- flour – thickens and binds the patty mixture.
- olive oil – for frying the patties and giving them a crispy exterior.
How To Make Salmon Patties
- WHISK. In a large bowl, whisk the egg, lemon zest, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika, cayenne and black pepper until smooth.
- MIX. Add the drained canned salmon, panko breadcrumbs, red bell pepper, sour cream and flour. Gently mix with a fork just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- FORM AND CHILL. Line a small rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Form the salmon mixture into generous 1/4-cup patties, about 1/2-inch thick, and place them on the prepared pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so they firm up and hold together better during cooking.
- PAN-FRY. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, cook the salmon patties for 4 to 6 minutes total, turning once halfway through, until golden brown on both sides.
- FINISH IN THE OVEN. Transfer the browned patties to a small rimmed baking pan. You can reuse the pan from earlier after removing the parchment. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the centers reach 165°F. Serve with Sauce for Salmon Patties or tartar sauce, if desired.
Recipe For Salmon Patties Home Chef Tips
- Customize the flavor by substituting or adding herbs and spices. You can also use Old Bay seasoning in place of the spices.
- Don’t skip the chill. Refrigerating the formed patties for at least 30 minutes gives the breadcrumbs and flour time to hydrate and helps the patties firm up, which makes them much easier to flip without falling apart.
- Drain the salmon very well. Excess liquid makes the mixture softer and makes it harder for the patties to hold together.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet or the patties won’t crisp properly.
What Keeps Salmon Patties From Falling Apart?
Egg, panko breadcrumbs and flour work together to bind these salmon patties, but chilling the formed patties before cooking is just as important. The 30-minute rest helps them firm up so they’re easier to flip without breaking.
How To Serve This Salmon Patties Recipe With Canned Salmon
These patties are incredibly versatile. In addition to being served on their own with side dishes as a meal, they can be served in a number of other ways:
- SANDWICH – Serve them on slider buns or English muffins with lettuce, tomato and my Tartar Sauce Recipe.
- SALAD – Serve them over a bed of fresh greens tossed with Citrus Salad Dressing for a light and satisfying salad.
- APPETIZER – Serve them as a party bite! If you do this, feel free to form the patties smaller to make them more bite-sized. You’ll need to reduce cooking time if you do this.
Storage And Reheating
- Refrigerate: If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, or bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Freeze: Chill and then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Salmon Patties Recipe With Canned Salmon FAQs
Yes. In fact, most classic salmon patties recipes use canned salmon because it is affordable, convenient and already cooked.
To prevent patties from falling apart, make sure the mixture has the right balance of binding ingredients like breadcrumbs and egg (follow the recipe below carefully). Also, do not skip the step of chilling the patties after they are formed, as this helps them hold their shape during cooking.
While the salmon mixture for both dishes is likely very similar, the difference is in the presentation. Salmon Burgers are larger and served on buns, whereas patties are usually a bit smaller and served as a main dish or appetizer.
Yes, canned salmon is pre-cooked during the canning process.
This is rare using canned salmon, but any white stuff is coagulated protein from the salmon called albumin. It’s completely safe to eat and doesn’t affect the taste of the easy salmon patties.
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Salmon Patties Recipe With Canned Salmon
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Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 can salmon, drained 14.75 ounces
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup minced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil for frying
- 1 batch Sauce for Salmon Patties OR
- 1 batch Homemade Tartar Sauce for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Place egg, lemon zest, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper in large bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add salmon, breadcrumbs, red pepper, sour cream and flour and gently mix with fork until just combined.
- Line small rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Form salmon mixture into generous 1/4-cupful patties that about 1/2-inch thick. Place on prepared pan and chill at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. In batches if necessary, add patties and cook 4 to 6 to minutes or until golden brown, turning once halfway through cooking.
- Transfer patties to small rimmed baking pan (you can use the one from earlier, just remove the parchment) and transfer to oven. Bake 4 to 6 minutes or until patties reach 165 degrees F in the center. Serve with Sauce for Salmon Patties, if desired.
you tell all ingredients but you dont say how much of each ingredients to put in ive never made salmon patties before it sounds yummy
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of the post.
Actually I thought it was a lot of work. 🤣
I’m used to my mother’s easy recipe.
Fair enough, sometimes mom’s is best!
Made these tonight, and they are the best salmon burgers from canned salmon that I have made. I have been trying lots of recipes and my family said this was the best.
What an honor! I am so glad to hear that, Sharon!
I made this last night. I didn’t have lemons, used Persian Lime instead. All I could get from 1 lime was 3/4 teaspoon of zest. The taste was very good! Next batch I will plan ahead and use lemon. I usually have lemons but I ran out and really wanted to try this recipe. I plan to double the recipe for the lemons. Very easy recipe, very tasty results. Heated the left over patties in the microwave for 30 seconds, 2 patties, were not dried out. My cat lapped up all the salmon juices, nothing was wasted.
I’m so glad to hear you liked it, Hilda!
My husband said they were the best! I will be making these again and again.
I’m so glad to hear that, Nancy! Thanks for sharing.
Made the salmon patties and sauce. Both were delicious!
I’m so glad to hear that, Cathy. Thanks for sharing!
I noticed the canned salmon has bones in it…..I found a boneless canned brand….will this affect dryness or the recipe in general ?
Hi Sean – this shouldn’t affect the recipe at all. Enjoy!
Would of liked to have measurements or amount of flour pako crumbs
Hi Maria – Exact amounts of each ingredient are in the recipe card.
These salmon patties are delish. They were a huge hit with our daughter as well. Salmon is front and center. Breadcrumbs just right. Veggies add a kick.