These salmon cakes are a great way to repurpose leftover salmon filets! Everything comes together in one bowl and is lightly pan-fried to form these crisp on the outside, tender on the inside patties!

Salmon cakes served with a side of yogurt dip

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Salmon is rich in fatty acids and omega-3, making it a great source of protein for babies. They are a great handheld food with tender flakes of salmon in every bite!

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What You'll Need

Here is what you'll need to make these salmon cakes:

Ingredients to make salmon cakes. Specifics provided in recipe card.
  • Salmon Filet: I used a pre-cooked salmon filet in this recipe. My favorite way to quickly prepare salmon is to air fry it!
  • Panko Breadcrumbs: Be sure to use plain Panko breadcrumbs as some varieties contain added salt.
  • Eggs: Used as a binder to hold the salmon cakes together.
  • Onions/Peppers: For added flavor and texture.
  • Butter/Oil: For pan-frying.

Step By Step Instructions

  1. Shred the cooked salmon and add it to a bowl.
  2. Finely chop the onions and peppers and it to the bowl with the salmon.
  3. Add in the breadcrumbs, and one egg and mix until combined.
  4. Scoop out some of the mixture and form it into a patty shape.
  5. Whisk the second egg and dip the patty into the egg. 
  6. Dip the patty into breadcrumbs to coat. Lightly press the breadcrumbs into the patty so that they stick.
  7. Heat a pan with a little butter or oil and pan fry for a few minutes per side until golden brown.
Steps to make salmon cakes. Specifics provided in recipe card.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Eggs: For an egg-free version, substitute the egg in the mixture with a flax egg by mixing one tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water and letting it sit in the fridge for 15 minutes to set and thicken. Substitute the egg for dipping with melted butter or oil before dipping into the breadcrumbs to coat.
  • Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs in this recipe, but for a gluten-free version, replace the breadcrumbs with ⅓ cup of almond flour.
Salmon cakes served with a side of yogurt dip

Storage Instructions

Once cooled, the salmon cakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. To store, individually wrap each salmon cake in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container. They can also be frozen for 2-3 months. Alternatively, you can prepare the mixture, form it into patties, and freeze the patties between layers of parchment paper. Once you are ready to cook, you can thaw the patties and then dip them into the egg and breadcrumb mixture to coat and cook.

Salmon cakes stacked one on top of the other

Recipe Notes

  • Finely chop the onions and peppers are small as you can so that there aren't too many large chunks in the mixture. If you prefer a more subtle taste, you can saute them beforehand and add them to the salmon mixture once cooled.
  • The salmon cakes can also be made in an air fryer! If you are cooking them in an air fryer, make sure to spray the patties with a cooking spray so that they have enough moisture to brown well while air frying.
  • I use a pre-cooked salmon filet in this recipe. My favorite way to quickly cook salmon is to air fry it! Check out this post on air-fryer salmon!
  • This recipe makes 3-5 salmon cakes depending on the size you form the patties. Double the recipe if you would like to make a larger batch.
Salmon cakes plates with a side of side of yogurt dip

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📖 Recipe

Salmon cakes served with a side of yogurt dip

Salmon Cakes

These salmon cakes are a great way to repurpose leftover salmon filets! Everything comes together in one bowl and is lightly pan-fried to form these crisp on the outside, tender on the inside patties!
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 small cakes
Author: Lily Payen

Ingredients 

  • 1 pre-cooked salmon filet
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (half to stir into the mixture and half to dip the cakes into)
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup finely chopped peppers and onions
  • butter/oil for pan frying

Instructions

  • Shred the cooked salmon and add it to a bowl.
  • Finely chop the onions and peppers and add them to the bowl with the salmon.
  • Add in ¼ cup of breadcrumbs, and one egg and mix until combined.
  • Scoop out some of the mixture and form it into a patty shape.
  • Whisk the second egg and dip the patty into the egg.
  • Dip the patty into the remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs to coat. Lightly press the breadcrumbs into the patty so that they stick.
  • Heat a pan with a little butter or oil and pan fry for a few minutes per side until golden brown.

Notes

  • Finely chop the onions and peppers are small as you can so that there aren't too many large chunks in the mixture. If you prefer a more subtle taste, you can saute them beforehand and add them to the salmon mixture once cooled.
  • The salmon cakes can also be made in an air fryer! If you are cooking them in an air fryer, make sure to spray the patties with a cooking spray so that they have enough moisture to brown well while air frying.
  • I use a pre-cooked salmon filet in this recipe. My favorite way to quickly cook salmon is to air fry it! Check out this post on air-fryer salmon!
  • This recipe makes 3-5 salmon cakes depending on the size you form the patties. Double the recipe if you would like to make a larger batch.

Nutrition

Calories: 130.9kcalCarbohydrates: 7.54gProtein: 12.69gFat: 5.26gSaturated Fat: 1.21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.69gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.78gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 105.22mgSodium: 111.79mgPotassium: 284.66mgFiber: 0.93gSugar: 0.55gVitamin A: 886.67IUVitamin C: 1.54mgCalcium: 34.84mgIron: 1.23mg
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Recipe Rating




18 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are so delicious, my 8mo old looooved them! Lily hits home runs every time - we’ve made so many of her recipes and this one is definitely being added to the rotation! I served one salmon cake with mashed avocado and ricotta (two of my baby’s current loves), and she went for the salmon cake first! A huge winner. 🙂

    1. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, I'm so glad you loved these salmon cakes, Marissa!😊

  2. 5 stars
    These were SO good! I was trying to come up with a quick and easy meal for my daughter based on what i had available in my pantry, and this recipe takes the (salmon) cake—she gobbled it right up! I used canned salmon, sautéed peppers and onions, some salt-free seasoning, and nutritional yeast. Super easy and quick to make. Thank you!

    1. I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed these! Thanks for sharing your great feedback, Daniella!😊

  3. 5 stars
    I have made these and they are in the freezer after being coated and cooked.
    Do they need defrosted to cook? And how long in the oven roughly please?

    1. Hi Lisa, you can thaw the patties when ready to cook and bake for around 18-20 minutes (or until they start to brown). If you are baking, I would suggest spraying them with an oil spray to help the coating brown and crisp up when cooked.

    1. Yes, you can definitely use canned salmon, I would just make sure to drain it well so that there isn't any extra liquid. I hope that you like them if you try them out!😊

  4. Hi thank you for sharing the recipe. Would u plz let us know what temp and how much should we bake them in the air fryer?
    Many thanks

    1. Hi Maryam! I haven't tested out making these salmon cakes in the air fryer, but I would suggest air frying them at 350 F for around 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. I would also coat them generously with a cooking oil spray to ensure they obtain that golden brown color while air frying. I hope that helps!