With simple ingredients (that I had never measured before sharing this recipe), these simple salmon patties are a great make ahead meal for your kiddos. They also make for a simple summer dinner.
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Why you should make these now!
Using pantry ingredients makes getting dinner on the table so much easier. The ingredients in this recipe are ones you likely already have on hand. If not, they are items I suggest you add to your pantry staples list. Serve the salmon patties with a caramelized onion and goat cheese tart, or some simple potato bourekas and you'll feel so good about using ingredients you have on hand.
Canned salmon is key to making this a simple weeknight dinner. Salmon is a great lean protein and buying it canned saves a ton of time! I like to buy the already deboned version from Costco, but if you don't mind cleaning up the fish, any canned salmon you find in the grocery store will work.
Ingredients
A few notes on the ingredients:
- Canned Salmon: One of the best discoveries I have made is the Costco brand canned salmon. It comes in a stack of 6 - 6oz cans and is already deboned, deskinned, de-everything, so all you need to do is drain it and dump it into the bowl for this recipe.
- Crispy fried onions: First and foremost is that you must use crispy fried onions. Traditionally, I use French’s Crispy Fried Onions. Yes, you know the ones. They are classic and can be found in almost every grocery store. I also successfully use the store brand and Trader Joe's version of these.
How to make the salmon patties
You drain the salmon, put everything into a bowl and mix well to combine.
Then with a cookie scoop or a regular spoon, scoop the mixture into your hand and form the patties.
Fry in olive oil until golden brown and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
I typically served salmon patties with pasta. I lightly butter them and let my kiddos do the rest. Sometimes they get marinara sauce from a jar, sometimes they get cinnamon and sugar, sometimes they get a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. It’s really whatever floats your boat.
And because this is a meal full of nostalgia, the vegetable that often goes with them is a can of LeSeur Peas. However, roasted broccoli or summer sweet corn are also yummy accompaniments.
Absolutely! Let them cool down all the way and then store in any airtight container or zip top bag you like. They last up to 3 months in the freezer. To rewarm them a few at at time, I just pop them into the toaster oven for a few minutes and enjoy. To rewarm a whole bunch, line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and lay out the patties in a single layer. Warm at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Yes they can be adapted to fit different dietary restrictions.
Dairy-free? This simple salmon patty recipe is inherently dairy free. Which is great if you have a dairy allergy or just need a great parve lunch idea.
Gluten-free? Simply substitute a gluten free bread crumb for the regular bread crumbs and gluten free crispy fried onions. Both are readily available on Amazon and likely can be found at your local market as well.
Nut-free? This recipe is inherently nut-free, making this a great recipe to send with your kiddos for lunch if their school is a nut free zone.
One more simple tip.
If you want to make part of this recipe ahead of time you can.
Mix up all the ingredients in a glass bowl, cover tightly with saran wrap and pop into the refrigerator. I make the mix either the night before or in the morning while the kids eat breakfast.
Then just fry the salmon patties while your sides are cooking and it’s even simpler to get dinner on the table.
Looking for other dishes that would go well with these simple salmon patties? Try these:
When you try this recipe and love it 😍 let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
Salmon Patties - a family classic
Ingredients
- 24 oz canned salmon i use 6 oz cans and use four of them
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup crispy fried onions
- ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- black pepper to taste I typically use about ¼ tsp, but it's optional
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Open and drain cans of salmon well.
- Put drained salmon and all other ingredients into a medium sized bowl.
- Mix until well combined.
- To a medium skillet over medium heat, add olive oil (about 2-3 TBSP, or enough to just cover bottom of the pan).
- Scoop with cookie scoop or regular spoon the salmon patty mixture into your hand to flatten out, and then place in pan. Each patty should be about the size of your palm (not including your fingers)
- Fry about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Only flip one time.
- Once browned on both sides, place on a plate or sheet pan lined with paper towel to drain
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a large cookie scoop to make even size patties
- Slice up about ½ an onion and add it to the oil for a little something extra. The crunchy onion bits that embed themselves in the salmon patties are some of my favorite parts
- Pan fry these in olive oil and watch the temperature. You don’t want to burn the oil or the salmon patties, just want them to be golden brown and cooked through.
Nutrition
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This is a new one for me, never heard of salmon cakes with fried onions! Will have to give them a go!
It's a really good addition to an already delicious food...Let me know what you think when you make them.