How to make salmon patties with flour

Southern Salmon Patties are an inexpensive meal and an easy recipe to make, so would you believe the recipe costs less than five dollars? Plus, it is quick to get on the table.

This deep south salmon patty recipe is made with breadcrumbs and fries up fast. 

So, if you’re looking for a quick and easy meal, this is it.

Fried Salmon Patties

My mom loved salmon patties (also known as a salmon cake recipe) and as a matter of fact, I remember her cooking them quite a bit as a kid. She’d whip them up lickety-split and have them on the table ready to go in no time.

My husband requested Southern Salmon Patties the other night and I got a can of pink salmon from Aldi’s grocery store and got to work. 

You can find canned salmon at just about any grocery store and it was very inexpensive at Aldi’s.

With the exception of the canned salmon, I had all of the ingredients here at the house, which helped make it a very inexpensive main dish.

Furthermore, I didn’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen, so I made this recipe as easy as possible.

Need some sides? Try one of these delicious recipes with your salmon patties.

How To Make Salmon Patties

  • Drain the juice out of the salmon patty can (reserve the juice in case it is needed).
  • Check for bones. But, you can also leave them in, if you’d like, because they are soft.
  • Add the onion, breadcrumbs, eggs, lemon, salt, and pepper and mix together.
  • Shape into patties.
  • Fry in vegetable oil for approximately five minutes on each side.

What Ingredients Do I Need For This Old Fashioned Salmon Patties Recipe?

Full printable instructions with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card

  • Canned pink salmon
  • Onion (chopped)
  • Eggs
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt
  • Ground pepper

Step-By-Step Instructions for Easy Salmon Patties

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Firstly, drain the juice off of the salmon can. I just used my hands and pressed against the salmon in the can as it drained off, so be sure to save the juice just in case the patties are a little dry after adding all of the ingredients. 

Add the can of pink salmon to a bowl. There shouldn’t be any bones, but I did find a few small ones. I sort of squished the salmon between my fingers to find anything hard and removed it.

At this point, it’s going to be rare if you find any hard bones. They’ve been in the can so long that they will be soft–and it’s ok to leave them in.

A friend of mine said she always picked out the bones and ate them when she was a little girl while her mom was preparing the meal. 

Secondly, add the chopped onions. I used my chopper for the onions. It’s a quick way to make them nice and small for the recipe. 

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Thirdly, add the eggs. 

How Do You Make Salmon Patties Stick Together?

  • Drain the liquid off of the can of pink salmon
  • Add breadcrumbs, panko, or crushed saltine crackers to the salmon, along with the eggs. This will help the salmon patties stick together.
  • If the patties are too dry, add a little bit of salmon juice back into the mixture.
  • Shape the southern salmon patties in your hands to fry or bake.

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Fourthly, add the breadcrumbs.

You can use breadcrumbs, cornmeal, crushed Saltine crackers, or panko breadcrumbs for this recipe. Panko breadcrumbs will add a crunchier texture to the patties.

A lot of people like salmon patties with crackers, and were brought up eating them that way. Plus, it’s a very inexpensive item to add to the meal.

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Fifthly, add the lemon juice. 

Lemon juice helps get rid of some of the fish smell and adds a little flavor to the Southern salmon Patties recipe.

We live near the beach and decided to go for a walk near the marina last night. When we parked and stepped out of the car we were hit with that fish smell. Somehow the beach smells a lot prettier (unless it’s red tide), but the marina, not so much. 

We need a big jar of lemon juice to pour in the marina – ha! 

The lemon juice won’t totally take away the smell, but it will help. Burning a candle after you eat will help, too. It’s not always easy to get the fish smell out of the kitchen afterward, but, these easy salmon patties are worth it. 

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Finally, add the salt and pepper. 

Mix everything together well. I used my hands, so don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty with this recipe. 

Shape the mixture into patties. 

Note: If they seem too dry, add a little of the salmon juice back into the mixture and reshape. 

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Heat up some vegetable oil in a skillet. 

I filled the skillet up with enough oil that it would cover half of the patties. 

I made my fried salmon patties kind of thick. It yielded about six large patties. But, you can certainly make them smaller. 

My husband ate two patties and that was plenty. He ate one between two slices of bread and one without and loved it both ways. 

Tip: Add a side of mayo to the Southern Salmon Patties for some extra flavor.

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Fry the southern salmon patties until they are browned. Flip them over and fry the other side until they are browned. 

How Long Do Salmon Patties Take To Cook?

  • Once shaped, salmon patties generally take about ten minutes to fry. The patties can be fried for approximately five minutes on each side until the patties are browned.

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

What Do You Eat With Salmon Patties?

Add a side of moist Jiffy Cornbread to your table along with the Southern Salmon Patties, as well as some Crock Pot corn on the cob, oven baked potato wedges, or mashed potato cakes.

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Continue to Content

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Salmon Patties

Yield: 5-8 patties

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Southern Salmon Patties are an inexpensive meal and an easy recipe to make. The canned recipe costs less than five dollars and is quick to get on the table. This Deep South dish is made with breadcrumbs and fries up fast. 

Print

Ingredients

  • 1 - 14.75 oz. can pink salmon
  • 1/2 onion (chopped)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground pepper

Instructions

Add vegetable oil to a skillet and preheat medium to medium-high. Add enough oil to cover half of the salmon patty.

  1. Drain the juice off the can of salmon. (Save in case the juice is needed later)
  2. Check for bones.
  3. Add the chopped onions, eggs, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
  4. Mix together and shape into patties.
  5. Fry in vegetable oil for approximately five minutes on each side, or until each side is browned.
  6. Place on a paper towel to soak up the grease.

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  • How to make salmon patties with flour
    How to make salmon patties with flour

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    How to make salmon patties with flour

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  • How to make salmon patties with flour
    How to make salmon patties with flour

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Nutrition Information:Yield: 8 patties Serving Size: 1 patty
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 138Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1.3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 552mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0.6gSugar: 1gProtein: 14g

Did you make this recipe?

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© Julie Pollitt

Cuisine: Southern / Category: Dinners Under $10

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

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How to make salmon patties with flour
How to make salmon patties with flour

Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn

Check out more delicious recipes at Julia’s Simply Southern, South Your Mouth, and Southern Home Express

How do you keep salmon patties from falling apart?

How Do You Make Salmon Patties Stick Together? Add breadcrumbs, panko, or crushed saltine crackers to the salmon, along with the eggs. This will help the salmon patties stick together. If the patties are too dry, add a little bit of salmon juice back into the mixture.

What can I substitute for an egg in salmon patties?

Flax Seed: I used flaxseed eggs in this because my daughter is allergic to eggs, but If you don't have any food restrictions you can substitute for 2 regular eggs. Salmon: I prefer using leftover fresh salmon, but rarely do I have any, so using canned salmon is totally okay.

Do you put egg in salmon patties?

Drain and reserve liquid from canned salmon; place salmon in a medium bowl. Add bread crumbs, onion, and egg; mix well to combine. Shape mixture into patties, adding reserved liquid from salmon if the mixture is too dry.

What starch goes with salmon patties?

15 salmon patties side dishes.
Baked sweet potato fries..
Sauteed okra..
Roasted carrots..
Creamy red potato salad..
Rice pilaf..
Sauteed green beans..
Asian slaw..
Blackened broccoli..