Easy Salmon Fish Cakes
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This version of salmon fishcakes lets you skip the hassle of creating a breadcrumb coating, as the patties will get a delicious crispy coating while pan-frying. This easy, tasty weeknight meal is ready in 30 minutes or less, making cooking during busy days even better. Give these tasty salmon patties a try!
Table of Contents
Why youโll love this recipe
- No messy bread crumbs- Traditional salmon fishcakes are made with an egg mixture and breadcrumbs coating for a crispier outside. Iโve skipped the breadcrumbs in this recipe to make it easier, quicker, and less messy!
- Quick to make โ These salmon fish cakes are ready in about 30 minutes (or less!).
- Make them your own- Easily customize the flavours of this recipe by using different sauces/seasonings in the patties.
- Family favorite โ This recipe is so good that you may even be able to convert seafood haters into seafood lovers!
Pair this yummy fish cake recipe with some healthy side dishes; Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli, The Best Roasted Parsnips and Creamed Cabbage
Tinned Salmon Vs Fresh Salmon
Tinned/canned salmon– I enjoy using canned salmon for this recipe, as it helps create the salmon fishcakes even quicker. It’s also more budget-friendly than purchasing fresh salmon fillets. I don’t find a huge difference between the flavours either, so I’m happy to go with tinned fish to cut down on cost and time.
Fresh salmon– if you have extra time and more wiggle room in your recipe budget you can use fresh. You’ll need to bake/cook them first. Then, remove the skin and shred/flake the salmon before following the recipe below. This option also allows you to better control the amount of salt used, as tinned salmon usually has some salt already added. This is also a great use of leftover cooked salmon.
Love salmon? Try these delicious recipes ; Salmon Tray bake with Asparagus, Air Fryer Salmon Bites and Viral Salmon Rice Bowl
Ingredients
Wild Pink Salmon โ I like using tinned wild pink salmon for these salmon fishcakes. However, you can also use leftover salmon from earlier in the week or other tinned fish.
Potatoes โ If you want to skip the time it takes to boil the potatoes, you can also use leftover mashed potatoes from earlier in the week or rehydrated instant mashed potatoes.
Courgette โ Other types of veg will also work in this salmon fish cakes recipe as a replacement for courgette, such as summer squash or zucchini.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Here are a few options for adjusting the salmon fishcake recipe to meet your taste preferences.
Gluten-free: use oat flour instead of regular flour.
Add some spice: you can also add some heat to the salmon fishcakes using chilli flakes or fresh chilli. Also sriarcha mayo or gochujang mayo is an amazing pairing as a dip.
Use fresh or leftover salmon. Or, try making this recipe with smoked salmon for a bolder flavour.
Make this recipe keto or whole 30: replace the white potato with cauliflower rice. You’ll need to really squeeze out the excess moisture from the cauliflower to make sure they aren’t too soggy. To help bind, add a handful of grated mozzarella.
Adapt these recipes by substituting the tuna with salmon; Creamy tuna pasta bake, Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice and Easy Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake
How to make salmon fishcakes
- Add the potatoes to heavily salted boiling water. Set a timer for 15 minutes and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender (Image 1).
- Add the grated courgette to a clean tea-towel and squeeze over a sink to remove the excess liquid (Image 2).
3. Add the drained potatoes to a bowl and mash with a potato masher (Image 3).
4. Season with salt and pepper, then add the courgette, salmon, spring onion, egg and chilli flakes (Image 4).
5. Then add the flour and mix together to combine (Image 5).
6. Start making up the fishcakes using a spoon to make up the round patties (Image 6).
7. Make 8 salmon fishcakes from the mixture and place onto a floured baking tray (Image 7).
8. Fry in a pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil and cook for 4 minutes (Image 8).
9. Rotate and cook for a further 4 minutes (Image 9).
10. Serve with sweet chilli sauce and enjoy! (Image 10).
Tips for the best results
- Use tinned salmon in water rather than in oil for these salmon fishcakes. The options that arrive in oil can throw off the moisture of the patties and make them feel too greasy.
- Squeeze out excess moisture from veggies– too much moisture can make the patties soggy. Whether you choose to use courgette or other veg, youโll need to squeeze out excess water/liquid before adding them to the patty mixture.
- Let the pan pre-heat before frying– dince there is no breadcrumb coating, itโs essential to make sure the pan is properly heated before frying up the patties. This step ensures you get a lovely golden-brown colour on the outside of the fishcakes, and they gain a nice crisp.
- Use damp hands to shape into patties- this will stop the mixture from sticking to your hands.
Need inspiration for some main meal recipes? Try my ; Walnut Romesco Gnocchi, Simple Cod Curry and Spicy Tomato Rice topped with Halloumi and Coriander
What to serve with Salmon Fishcakes
These salmon fish cakes can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner, or even breakfast! Here are some different pairings to suit your mood.
Keep it light- veggie side dishes:
– Roasted Vegetables
– Halloumi salad
– Tenderstem broccoli
– Airfryer frozen green beans
For a more substantial meal/dinner:
– Easy rice with chicken broth
– Frozen chips in the air fryer
– Parmentier potatoes
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Make ahead instructions :You can shorten the prep time on the day of when making these salmon fishcakes. For one, you can assemble the fishcakes and refrigerate them as-is, then pan-fry for 8 minutes when you’re ready to eat them. You can also fully cook the fishcakes, let them cool, and store them in the fridge until you want to eat them. Simply reheat them in the microwave, air fryer, or oven.
Refrigerate: These easy salmon fishcakes will last in the fridge for up to two days.
Freezer instructions: If you have quite a few leftovers you know you won’t be able to eat in the next few days, you can freeze them. Be sure to wait until they cool fully after cooking, then store them in an airtight container and freeze for up to one month.
To reheat: I recommend reheating this salmon fishcakes recipe in an air fryer for 4-5 minutes at 350ยฐF (180ยฐC). If youโre reheating from frozen, allow the fish cakes to thaw overnight in the fridge first. See additional information for the Best Way To Reheat Salmon
FAQs
Yes, you can make these salmon fishcakes with any type of fish. This recipe works with canned or fresh fish (sans skin). Just be sure to use shredded and deboned fish for the best results.
The best way to prevent fish cakes from falling apart is by using a binder. This salmon fish cake recipe calls for an egg. Itโs important to ensure the fish cakes are not too wet or dry, as that will also cause them to fall apart.
Typically, if the fishcakes turn out mushy, there’s too much moisture in the patties. You can remove excess moisture by pressing the patties with a paper towel. Avoid overdrying them out, or theyโll fall apart while cooking.
You can make substitute eggs by adding a handful of grated mozzarella. This will melt and mind the ingredients together.
Definitely! Swap out the flour with rice or almond flour. Then be sure to get a GF dipping sauce.
Yes! Place them on a foil-lined baking tray, sprayed with oil. Add spritz of oil on top of the patties too, then bake at 200ยฐC/ 405ยฐF for 20-25 minutes.
If you tried this Salmon Fishcakes recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys ๐ Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
ย
Easy Salmon Fish cakes
Ingredients
- 2 large potatoes, approx 350g (12.5 oz), peeled and sliced in half (ยฃ0.35)
- 1 courgette, coarsely grated (ยฃ0.45)
- 200 g tin wild pink salmon (ยฃ1.70)
- 1 egg (ยฃ1.50/6)=(ยฃ0.25)
- 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, to serve (ยฃ2.00/2)=(1.00)
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped (ยฃ0.59)
Cupboard Essentials
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Add the potatoes to heavily salted boiling water. Set a timer for 15 minutes and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender.
- Add the grated courgette to a clean tea-towel and squeeze over a sink to remove the excess liquid.
- Add the drained potatoes to a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper, then add the courgette, salmon, spring onion, egg, chilli flakes and flour together. Mix to combine.
- Make up 8 salmon fishcakes from the mixture and fry in a pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook for 4 minutes, then rotate and cook for a further 4 minutes.
- Serve with sweet chilli sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- Opt for tinned salmon in water over oil to avoid excessive greasiness in the fishcakes.
- Ensure to squeeze out any excess water to prevent soggy fishcakes.
- Achieve a golden-brown crisp by pre-heating the pan before frying the fishcakes, especially since there's no breadcrumb coating.
Nutrition
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