Learning how to make Salmon Cakes is easy—and it’s a convenient and affordable way to serve healthy fish to a family. They can be made with pantry ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Serve over a salad for you and with simple sides for the kids. And don’t forget the dip!
I first served these fish cakes to my daughter when she was about 18 months old. I was surprised that she liked them (especially with ketchup). Now that she’s older, and I have two more kids at the table, we have them in our regular rotation.
These are a budget-friendly way to get a dose of the healthy fats in salmon. Almost every grocery store sells well-priced canned wild salmon that’s significantly less expensive than buying it fresh or frozen. Plus, you can stash a can in your pantry and whip out a dinner in no time at all.
Plus, instead of pan frying, which is messy and hard with kids around, these salmon cakes are baked in the oven.
This means that here’s hardly any clean up and you can put the pan into the oven and go do other things. I learned how to make salmon cakes this way and never went back because it’s so easy and reliable.
(You may also like my Salmon Bites, Fish Nuggets, Crispy Salmon Nuggets, Salmon for Babies, and Fish Sticks.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make this salmon cakes recipe, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go.
- Canned wild salmon, drained of liquid: I usually buy ones with bones since they crush so easily and add calcium. Canned salmon is much more affordable than fresh or frozen, which makes it a great option to use here.
- Egg: Egg helps the batter for the salmon patties hold together.
- Cornmeal: I like to add a little cornmeal to create a pleasant texture for the cakes.
- Shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese: A little cheese in the patties adds flavor and yumminess.
- Parmesan cheese: I use grated Parmesan cheese in the mixture to add flavor.
- Breadcrumbs: I like to use panko style breadcrumbs to add a nice crunch on the exterior, though regular bread crumbs will work, too.
TIP: To make these gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making homemade salmon cakes is super easy and is possible to do on a busy weeknight. Here’s what the process looks like so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full information.
- Drain the salmon and add it to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Combine with your hands into a uniform batter.
- Portion out patties, then flatten. Press into a small bowl of breadcrumbs.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
TIP: You can also mix the batter in a food processor if you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions
I buy canned wild salmon, which works well in this recipe. Look for the larger 14.5 ounce size can.
Sure. You can bake them ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm in a 375 degree oven to 8-10 minutes or until warmed through.
We like these with salad or with a grain, pasta, or as salmon burgers served on rolls.
Best Tips for Success
- To make ahead: Bake, let cool, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm in a 375 degree oven to 8-10 minutes or until warmed through.
- You can use canned tuna instead of salmon.
- Use a food processor to blend the mixture into a uniform batter that easily holds together.
- Leave any bones in the mixture to add calcium. (They blend right in.)
- Try topping them with a little mayo and a little ketchup. Maybe add in some pickles. The combination of flavors is seriously good!
- Serve with simple sides of a favorite grain, veggie, or fruit. Or serve on small rolls as salmon burgers.
- Use any canned wild salmon packed in water. You can opt for one without added salt to limit that if you want.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment and rate the recipe below!
Easy Baked Salmon Cakes (Salmon Patties)
Ingredients
- 14.5 ounce can wild salmon (drained of liquid)
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup cornmeal (or breadcrumbs)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or cheddar cheese)
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup Panko-style breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- Add all ingredients except the Panko breadcrumbs to a bowl. Use clean hands to work into a uniform batter. (The salmon will likely have bones. Just crush them up with your fingers as you mix the batter. They are very rich in calcium so you want to leave them in but they are not noticeable in the final cakes.) You can also mix this in a food processor if you prefer.
- Spread the Panko breadcrumbs onto a plate.
- Using ¼ cup of the batter at a time, form into patties. Press both sides into the breadcrumbs and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with relish, ketchup, or mayonnaise.
- (You can also pan fry in olive oil in a medium pan set over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes per side. Or air fry at 375 degrees F for about 12 minutes.)
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days and reheat for about 6-8 minutes in a 375 degree oven or for 15-30 seconds in the microwave.
Equipment
Notes
- To make ahead: Bake, let cool, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm in a 375 degree oven to 8-10 minutes or until warmed through.
- You can use canned tuna instead of salmon.
- Use a food processor to blend the mixture into a uniform batter that easily holds together. Or mash well with a fork or potato masher.
- Leave any bones in the mixture to add calcium. (They blend right in.)
- Try topping them with a little mayo and a little ketchup. Maybe add in some pickles. The combination of flavors is seriously good!
- Serve with simple sides of a favorite grain, veggie, or fruit. Or serve on small rolls as salmon burgers.
- Use any canned wild salmon packed in water. You can opt for one without added salt to limit that if you want.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
This recipe was first published March 2017.
So easy to make and delicious as always!
My 3 year old son loves them! I was out of eggs so I used 1 Tbsp of Mayo. He literally said “this is the best food ever” LOL🥰🥹
My lo loved this however they were hard when took from the oven. Any ideas what to do? Better frying maybe?
Hi Amy!
Just made these and they were awesome. I only had Italian breadcrumbs but I think next time I will def try the cornmeal and panko crumbs. Do you send them in a lunchbox? I wonder if it’s a no-no for lunches
I don’t think I would send them in a lunchbox because they might be fragrant but that’s my personal take!
Would a 10 month old be able to easily eat these or are they texturally better for toddlers?
Could I use fresh salmon? How would I go about preparing the fish, if so?
Can I use Fresh salmon?
I haven’t done that before and I think if you do, you’d want to use a food processor to get it to be a similar texture.
What can I use in place of cornmeal?
Breadcrumbs will work similarly.
Hi! If I use Italian breadcrumbs instead of cornmeal, would I keep it to the same 1/4 cup? And then also do the 1/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs? Thank you!
Can you fry this instead oven?
Sure! I would heat maybe 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then pan fry the patties for about 4 minutes on each side over medium or medium low heat. Enjoy!
I see it says don’t forget the dip, is that just mayo? Or ketchup like mentioned. Is there a homemade dip recipe that pairs with this?
Thanks for all these wonderful recipes. As a first time Mom, this is such a key resource for me! 🙂
We usually have it with either ketchup or Cucumber Sauce: https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/easy-cucumber-yogurt-sauce/
Sorry I missed that!
Hi, thank you for the recipe, my daughter loved it. Just a quick question, can I freeze already baked patties? 🙏
Yes, you can freeze them.
Can you freeze these?
Sure
LOVED by my little one. The only issue I had was that they were pretty crumbly when trying to make patties. I ended up making more of a nugget size and shaped them on the baking sheet. Baking them brought them together. I also subbed dairy free cheese and it worked fine.
Can you make the mixture ahead of time as prep and bake them on another day?
Sure, just put it into an airtight container or in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Is it possible to make these without cheese? Would a substitute be required?
For the same flavor and consistency you could use dairy-free cheese instead. I think you can also omit it and add a little salt to compensate for the flavor loss too and it should work similarly.