What to serve with salmon patties:
I serve salmon patties with a fast tartar sauce, wedges of lemon and my healthy coleslaw for a really satisfying meal. But, served on a bun with a side of fries is also great.
Side dishes for salmon patties might include steamed veggies or a side salad for a really healthy meal. You might want to serve with a cold German potato salad or macaroni salad in the summer.
When it comes to drinks, what goes good with salmon patties? A cold beer or a glass of crisp white wine would do the trick.
Options for preparing salmon patties:
You can always used canned salmon for this. You won’t hurt my feelings but you definitely get a fresher taste from freshly cooked salmon. You decide. If you decide on canned salmon, you’ll need two 5-oz. cans for this recipe.
If you don’t have or don’t want to use panko, you can make salmon patties with crackers. How to make salmon patties with crackers you ask? Simple. Saltines, Ritz butter crackers and any whole grain cracker crushed in the food processor would work. Just use equal amounts as outlined in the recipe.
Want gluten-free salmon patties? Just use gluten-free crackers or gluten-free bread pulsed in a blender to create bread crumbs. You could use fresh or stale crumbs.
Do you like spice? To make spicy salmon patties, you can add cayenne pepper to the mix. 1/4 Tsp. – 1 Tsp. would work based on your tolerance for heat. Another option would be to serve a hot sauce on the side. This would allow you to make the recipe as is, and offer the heat to your guests that want it.
To get started on this old fashioned salmon patties recipe, season your raw salmon fillets with salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning. A light sprinkling of all will do it. Spray your non-stick skillet with cooking spray and put it over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Don’t over cook the fish. Remember, it will be cooked a second time when it is turned into a patty.
Let the fish cool completely.
You can store the fish overnight if you like and then just work with it when you are ready to make the patties. If I’m cooking salmon, I’ll often cook extra and save half for this recipe. Cook once and make two meals works for me! Once you are ready to make the salmon patties, add the cooked, chilled salmon to a bowl and flake with a fork.
Chop up your veggies and add to a small skillet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook over medium-high heat for about two minutes until softened. Let the veggies cool before adding to the bowl with flaked salmon.
While everything cools, make your easy tartar sauce. Note, I’ve made tartar sauces with capers and lemon juice, salt and pepper, maybe a little hot sauce and some parsley and/or chives too. But, this is a super easy, two-ingredient sauce that has great taste. I keep it simple during the week. Mix the mayo and relish in a small bowl and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Slice up your lemons too.
It is now time to mix the salmon patties ingredients. In the bowl with the flaked salmon and cooled, cooked veggies, add the panko breadcrumbs, Old Bay seasoning, a large pinch of salt and pepper, mayo and a beaten egg. Mix it all together gently keeping the flaked salmon in large pieces.
Note, if you don’t have the Japanese mayo, feel free to use regular mayonnaise or light mayonnaise. Both work just fine.
Divide the mixture evenly into four patties. Shape them with your hands. Place them on a plate and put in the freezer for about 20 minutes to set up. This mixture is delicate and can fall apart when cooking so by chilling it and getting it slightly frozen, they will stay together better when cooking. Be gentle with them and be careful when flipping. NOTE: You can freeze your salmon patties and put them in resealable plastic bags. Store in the freezer for a month until ready to use. To cook, take the frozen salmon patties out of the freezer and let sit for about 20 minutes before cooking. Add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time on each side.
Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Add a little olive oil and let the pan get really hot. (not smoking). Add the patties and cook on each side for about five minutes per side. Be sure you are careful when flipping the patties. Be gentle. Cook until golden grown on each side.
Let them drain on paper towel lined plates then serve with the tartar sauce and lemon. These are also great served on a bun with a side of fries to get that summer feeling!
Like this recipe? Try some of my other favorite salmon recipes:
Salmon with Bourbon and Peaches
Lime, Ginger and Blackberry Salmon Rice Bowl
Old Fashioned Salmon Patties
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
SALMON
- 2 5- Oz. Salmon filets
- Kosher Salt and fresh ground black pepper
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Cooking Spray
SALMON PATTIES
- Cooked Salmon see above
- 1 Small Celery stalk finely chopped
- ¼ Red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 Green onions white and light green finely chopped
- 1 Egg
- ½ Cup Panko
- 2 Tbsp. Japanese Mayo
- 1 Tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
EASY TARTAR SAUCE
- 2 Tbsp. Light mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp. Sweet pickle relish
- Lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Season the salmon fillets with salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning.
- Spray a skillet with cooking spray and put it on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook for 3 minutes on one side and gently flip and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. Let cool completely.
- In a small skillet sprayed with cooking spray, add the chopped onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook over medium-high heat for about two minutes until softened. Take off the heat and let cool.
- While the fish and veggies cool, make the easy tartar sauce. Mix the mayo and relish in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a medium bowl, add the cooled, cooked fish. Break it up with a fork. Add the cooled, cooked veggies, panko, Old Bay, a large pinch of salt and pepper, and the egg. Mix everything together. Add the mayonnaise and stir everything together. Divide the mixture into four equal portions.
- Form each portion into a patty. Place them on a plate or baking sheet. When all four patties are made, put in the freezer for about 20 minutes to set up.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet. When hot, but not smoking, add the salmon patties carefully. Let cook for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Carefully flip them over. Be gentle as they can fall apart around the edges. Cook for another five minutes.
- Remove to a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil. Serve on a plate or platter with the tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
