These salmon cakes are a great way to convince picky eaters that salmon is delish, and an awesome way use up leftover cooked salmon!
I’m a huge fan of salmon, both for its delicious flavor and health benefits, so I’m always looking for ways to do something creative and keep it from getting monotonous. Everyone in my family, with the exception of my dad hates salmon, so I didn’t grow up eating it. Me on the other hand, I’ve loved salmon since my first taste as a young adult. I can definitely thank my dad for having an adventurous palate. He’s always encouraged me to try new things, because you’ll never know if you like something otherwise!
These salmon cakes are a great way to use up leftover cooked salmon or even canned salmon. The key is to make sure you’re using cooked, and not fresh salmon. Just flake up the cooked salmon, mix with some bright veggies, fresh herbs and spices, and you’re well on your way to a delicious meal. These salmon cakes are bursting with salmon flavor, and aren’t packed with fillers like some other recipes. It’s important to refrigerate them before cooking, as it allows the flavors to combine, and the breadcrumbs to do their magical binding thing so that they don’t fall apart when cooking.
I make a tangy, creamy mustard sauce to go along with these is bursting with fresh flavor, and compliments the salmon perfectly. Salmon cakes are perfect for quick weeknight meals, just freeze the salmon patties on a parchment lined baking sheet, then pop into a freezer bag. When you’re ready to make them, just saute or bake them for a scrumptious seafood dinner.
These reheat wonderfully for lunch the next day, and are perfect with a side salad and some yellow rice, or you can even pop these salmon cakes into a sandwich, crabcake style. I’ve even made these intoa salmon eggs benedict by swapping out the English muffins and placing poached eggs on top of the crispy salmon cakes. Can you say, DELISH!?
Salmon Cakes with Creamy Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
Salmon Cakes
- 1 pound cooked salmon flaked
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 3/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley minced
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce Recommended: Tobasco
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning Recommended: Old Bay Reduced Sodium
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 eggs
- Canola oil for sauteeing
Creamy Mustard Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh chives minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
Instructions
For the Creamy Mustard Sauce
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Combine all the ingredients, and stir to combine.
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Chill for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
For the Salmon Cakes
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Heat a small frying pan on medium heat, then add 2 teaspoons canola oil.
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Saute the chopped onion, celery and red bell pepper over medium heat, until the veggies are soft but not browned.
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Remove the cooked veggies from the heat and cool to room temperature.
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Combine the salmon, cooked veggies, parsley, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, seafood seasoning, panko breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest and eggs.
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Use a standard ice cream scoop to portion the mixture into 12 equal sized salmon cakes. Use your hands to form these into patties, like you would do when making hamburgers.
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Chill the uncooked salmon cakes in the fridge for 15-20 minutes, so they firm up (or freeze them for later use).
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Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
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In batches, saute the salmon cakes for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown on both sides.
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Serve with the creamy mustard dipping sauce.
21 Responses
You can also try making a sauce with yogurt or sour cream as the base, and adding in herbs, spices, or other flavorings to suit your taste.
Salmon is a delicious and healthy way to enjoy fish, and many different sauces can be served with them to add flavor and moisture.
I made these tonight with some salmon filets I smoked yesterday and some seasoned keto bread crumbs I like to make & keep on hand for when I need a little breading. I only made a few minor substitutions, and the cakes & sauce turned out awesome. I didn’t bother (OK remember) to sauté the onions & bell peppers but they got cooked enough in the skillet as part of the patties, so I’ll skip that step again next time. I will definitely be making these again, great recipe!
The best ever! I used leftover salmon & will be making these often, maybe the only way to use leftover salmon. It usually goes in the fridge & then thrown away. Nothing was overwhelming, a hint of lemon, a little heat & the mustard sauce was over the top. I followed the recipe exactly, sautéing, cooling & chilling. Served on baby spinach & arugula with a glass of sauvignon blanc.
Made these tonight and they were great! Didn’t make the sauce cause my family prefers plain mustard and tartar sauce. I also added in some fresh dill and used dried dill (by 1/2 than what was called for) cause I didn’t have any fresh. Thanks for the recipe!
What are your recommendations for baking them, i.e. oven temperature, timing? Also, would spraying the exposed sides with olive oil help make a little crust on top, or would that not make a difference? Thanks for the great recipe!
I would try 400F for 10-15 minutes. Definitely spray the pan and top of the crab cakes to promote browning.
My husband said AMAZING! Better than lump crab cakes! We loved this recipe! Used a chipotle mayo for dipping sauce.
These look great, I’d like to use canned salmon. Approximately how much should I use instead of the 1 pound of cooked salmon?
16 ounces of canned salmon equals one pound.
These were very flavorful! Friends wanted the recipe too. I didn’t make the mustard sauce only because my husband just made some tartar sauce. A definite keeper recipe! Thank you!
Thank you!
The best!! Do you have the nutritional information?
How long can you leave in freezer before using
Up to 1 month.
I made and froze the salmon cakes — should I let them thaw completely before cooking them now?
You should defrost them before cooking.
Thank you!
My husband and I made these tonight and they completely fell apart. When I hadn’t mixed everything together it seemed like the mixture was too wet. The “patties” were more like globs and when we tried pan frying them the fell apart. Any suggestions?
Hi Jess, popping them in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes will definitely help
You can also try adding some additional breadcrumbs or if you’re using extra large or jumbo eggs that would explain the additional moisture, so perhaps cut back on one egg.