Delicate, crisp, and fresh salmon cakes are simple to prepare and full of flavor. These Old Bay–seasoned salmon cakes feature bite-sized flakes of fresh salmon and work perfectly for lunch, dinner, appetizers, or a snack. If you enjoy this, try the lemon garlic, herb, and parmesan crispy tuna cakes.
Fresh salmon cakes taste brighter and more vibrant than cakes made with canned salmon. I grew up eating canned salmon cakes but never loved them. The first time I tried salmon cakes made with fresh salmon I was converted — at a restaurant a friend convinced me to taste her dish, and I ended up buying one to go. Since then I’ve been searching for a recipe that comes close to that restaurant version; Ina Garten’s recipe is a very good match.
These patties are easy to make and pair well with a simple salad, rice, potatoes, or asparagus. They’re also delicious with a sauce — below I include a few quick sauce options. Here’s a short overview of the method:
- Bake the salmon until just cooked through, then cool and chill it.
- Sauté the vegetables with seasonings until soft, then cool to room temperature.
- Toast breadcrumbs briefly in the oven.
- Flake the chilled salmon and combine with the breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, and the cooled vegetable mixture. Chill the mixture before shaping.
- Form into 10 patties (about 2 1/2–3 ounces each). Optionally dust with cornmeal or flour for extra crispness.
- Pan-fry the patties until golden and cooked through. Serve hot with your preferred sauce.
I prefer pan-frying these salmon cakes so they develop a delicate interior and a crisp exterior. The mixture of red onion, sweet bell peppers, and celery adds bright flavor and a pleasant texture. I usually serve them with a squeeze of fresh lemon and mayonnaise, Thai chili sauce, or a Thai chili mayonnaise — all are excellent options. Below is the full recipe adapted from Ina Garten with a few of my notes.
INA GARTEN FRESH SALMON CAKES
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten
Delicate, crisp fresh salmon patties are easy to make and perfect for lunch, dinner, or a snack. These small cakes are packed with flavor and flecks of fresh salmon.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb fresh salmon
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 3/4 cup small-diced red onion (about 1 small onion)
- 1/2 cup small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
- 1/2 cup small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
- 1/4 tsp good quality olive oil (plus extra for brushing salmon)
- 1 tbsp capers, drained
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp celery, diced small (about 3 stalks)
- 1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (3 slices of bread, crusts removed and processed)
- 1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/8 cup cornmeal (optional, for coating)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the salmon on a sheet pan skin-side down, brush with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15–20 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, let rest 10 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator until cold.
- While the salmon cooks, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low. Add the red onion, bell peppers, celery, parsley, capers, Old Bay, cayenne, hot sauce, Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook gently until the vegetables are soft, about 15–20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
- Spread the breadcrumbs on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes until lightly browned, tossing once or twice.
- Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl, then add the toasted breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and beaten eggs. Add the cooled vegetable mixture and mix gently but thoroughly. Cover and chill the mixture for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Shape the chilled mixture into 10 patties (about 2 1/2–3 ounces each). Optionally dust both sides with cornmeal for extra crunch.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the patties 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot with your favorite sauce.
Sauce Suggestions
Remoulade: Mix 4 tbsp + 1/2 tsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp pickle juice (optional), and a few pinches of Cajun seasoning. Adjust to taste.
Thai Chili Mayonnaise: Mix 4 tbsp mayonnaise with 2 tbsp Thai chili sauce (homemade or good quality store-bought). Add more chili sauce to taste.
Simple Lemon Mayo: Mix 4 tbsp mayonnaise with 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Adjust lemon to taste.
Notes
Inactive chilling time for the recipe is about 30 minutes.
Freezer instructions: Shape patties but do not cook. Place on a baking sheet until slightly firm, then wrap each patty in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking according to the recipe.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE SEAFOOD RECIPES:
SOUTHERN FRIED FISH (WHITING FISH RECIPE)
SALMON WITH RHUBARB SWEET CHILI SAUCE
SHRIMP LETTUCE WRAPS
LEMON PARMESAN SHRIMP
PARMESAN FISH WITH BROCCOLI, CORN AND TOMATO SALSA
