Old Fashioned Salmon Patties Recipe

These old fashioned salmon patties are so good you'd never be able to guess they're made with only 4 ingredients! This recipe creates deliciously savory salmon cakes that are lightly fried to crispy golden brown perfection. After one bite, you'll be hooked!

The Best Salmon Patties Recipe

If you love salmon as much as I do, then just wait until you take a bite of these flavorful Southern salmon patties. They're an inexpensive way to enjoy salmon and easy to whip up for dinner on busy weeknights.

Now, this old fashioned salmon patties recipe has an irresistible combination of flavors and textures that is just to die for. The patties almost taste like salmon croquettes with a crispy fried texture on the outside. And instead of being served with a dipping sauce, I like to sandwich the salmon cake between buttery hamburger buns with an assortment of fixin-ins to make a hearty and healthy dinner.

Plus, not only are these fried salmon patties delicious, but they're really easy to make too.  You literally just mix the ingredients, form them into patties, and then cook for a few minutes until the salmon is pan fried to perfection.

That's all there is to it!

By the way, since making this classic salmon patties recipe is so easy, you'll have plenty of time to work on some sides to serve with 'em. If you're looking for what to serve with salmon patties, I think these crockpot cheesy potatoes, Martha White cornbread, and McDonald's French fries are delicious choices.

INGREDIENTS

As I mentioned earlier, the ingredient list for these salmon patties is beyond simple. Honestly, you probably have most - if not all - of the ingredients you'll need to make them on hand already!

Anyway, here's everything you'll need to make salmon patties:

• 12oz. canned salmon, packed in water
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoon milk
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup cracker crumbs
• Oil, for frying

And here are some serving ideas for salmon patties:

• Buns with fresh lettuce, ketchup, or hot sauce

Not too shabby, eh?

By the way, if you're looking for more canned salmon recipes, then I definitely suggest you check out this salmon casserole recipe next!

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

Now, while I always make these salmon patties with the ingredients listed above, there's definitely some wiggle room to switch things up depending on what you have on hand.

For instance, if you don't have cracker crumbs, then you could also use bread crumbs. The texture will be slightly different, but the salmon patties will still crisp up just the same.

When it comes to adding ingredients, I like to keep it simple since you can easily switch up the toppings to change the flavor. That said, if you wanted to add flavor to the salmon fish cakes, then you could use garlic powder, lemon juice, or fresh dill.

HOW TO MAKE SALMON PATTIES

I can't stress enough how easy it is to make these salmon patties. As I mentioned earlier, you basically just combine the ingredients, fry up the patties, then assemble the sandwiches.

Really, it's that easy.

So, with that said, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

STEP 1: MAKE THE SALMON MIXTURE

First, you'll want to open the canned salmon, drain the liquid from it, and remove any bones or skin. Then you can flake the salmon with a fork into a bowl.

Next, take out a large mixing bowl and beat the egg with the milk, salt, and pepper. Then you can add in the canned fish and crushed saltine crackers. Now give all of the ingredients a good mix until everything fully combines.

STEP 2: FRY THE SALMON PATTIES

Once you have a paste-like consistency, shape the salmon patty mixture into 4-equal sized patties.

Then, you can heat ½ inch of vegetable oil or olive oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. As soon as the oil heats up, you'll want to add the salmon patties to the hot oil and cook 'em for a few minutes on each side until they're golden brown and crispy. 

STEP 3: SERVE

Finally, when you've cooked all of your salmon patties to perfection, serve them alone or in buns with fresh lettuce and ketchup or whatever toppings and sauce you want.

Enjoy!

HOW TO STORE OLD FASHIONED SALMON PATTIES

This recipe for old fashioned salmon patties makes 4 salmon patties, so it should be perfect for a family dinner or lunch for two with leftovers.

Speaking of leftovers, you can store the cooked salmon patties in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days.

And if you want to keep 'em for longer, you can freeze the salmon patties in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 6 months.

HOW TO REHEAT SALMON PATTIES

Whenever you're ready to eat salmon patties again, they're really good cold and reheated. If you want to reheat them, the best way is to use the oven or stovetop.

For the oven, put the leftover patties on a baking dish lined with parchment paper and heat them up at 375°F for about 12 minutes or until warm, stopping halfway through to flip them over.

For the stovetop, you'll want to heat a skillet over medium heat and add a little oil to it. Then you can add the patty and cook it for 3-4 minutes, flipping it halfway through.

And if you're starting from frozen, either thaw the patties in the fridge overnight or add some more cooking time.

FAQS ABOUT THIS OLD FASHIONED SALMON PATTIES RECIPE

HOW DO I KEEP MY SALMON PATTIES FROM FALLING APART?

The best way to keep your salmon patties from falling apart is to use egg and cracker crumbs or breadcrumbs to bind the salmon. This will help turn the salmon mixture into a cohesive patty that won't fall apart while you cooking. 

WHAT CAN I SUBSTITUTE FOR BREAD CRUMBS IN SALMON PATTIES?

If you don't have bread crumbs, then you can use crushed saltine crackers or Ritz crackers, ground corn chips, corn meal, or even quick oats. All of these things will bind the salmon patties together.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SALMON PATTY AND A SALMON CROQUETTE?

The biggest difference between a salmon patty and a salmon croquette is that a croquette is made by grinding the salmon into a paste, whereas patties are made with already cooked salmon that's shaped with cracker crumbs and egg into a patty.

WHAT GOES GOOD ON TOP OF SALMON PATTIES?

When it comes to what to put on top of salmon patties, the opportunities are endless! You can serve 'em plain with a remoulade sauce, ketchup, hot sauce, tartar sauce, dill sauce, or mustard for dipping. Or you can put the patty on a bun or wrap it and top it with anything that you'd put on a burger, like lettuce, tomato, and onion.

WRAPPING IT UP

Well, that's how to make salmon patties!

These fried salmon patties really are some of the best you'll ever make. I mean, they're so crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and have one delicious flavor.

And this is a budget-friendly meal that is totally kid-approved, so everyone at the dinner table will love it!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this salmon patties recipe as much as me and my family do.

As always, if you give it a try, then be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went!

More Salmon Recipes

If this Southern salmon patties recipe has you craving more easy salmon recipes, you're in luck because we have a ton more on the blog for you to try next!

Here are some reader favorites:

• Miso salmon
• Salmon bites
• Creamy salmon pasta
• Deep fried salmon
• Salmon rice bowl
• Salmon sushi bake
• Salmon with cream cheese

Oh, and as always, make sure to check us out on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube. We post new recipes on them every day.