Salmon cakes are very satisfying when done right. I like them to be a little crunchy, zesty and light.
I prefer salmon to other fish in fishcakes as it is distinct in flavour, colour and texture, holding its shape and making its presence known amongst the other ingredients.
There’s lots of good salmon around this time of year, and I plan to make as many fish cakes with them as possible!
I’ve tried not to include too many ingredients to make it as simple as possible whilst still giving full flavour.
You might also like my salmon relish recipe which has a a chunky tomato herb relish with a hint of pomegranate molasses.
It’s a hidden gem in the archive and one salmon lovers must try.
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Ingredients
Getting a good piece of salmon is very important, try and get one from your local fishmonger.
Next you must not overcook the salmon too much or the fishcakes will be dry.
I’ve lightly pan fried the salmon in a tiny bit of mild olive oil with a tiny pinch of turmeric and paprika.
You will also need:
- egg for binding
- herbs for freshness – you can use dill, cilantro (fresh coriander), parsley or even chives
- floury potato for holding everything together – boil, drain and mash these separately
- a squeeze of lemon juice for zestiness
- mustard for that savoury earthiness
- panko breadcrumbs for crunch (optional)
I prefer to mash the potato with a fork as I want the potato to retain a little texture and not become too gluey if that makes sense.
Use any potato for boiling – I’ve used Maris Piper here in the UK which is versatile and is perfect for mashing and bouling.
You can use those small waxy potatoes too but make sure they are not hard as no one wants a lump of undone potato ruining their fishcake experience.
Instructions
When you bring the ingredients together you want them to be combined but not totally squished together.
I don’t want a uniform texture but a more varied interesting one so you want to be able to see a flake of salmon or green onion here and there.
- Lightly pan fry the salmon. Set aside.
- Boil the potatoes, add the herbs, egg and seasoning. Combine.
- shape into patties and lightly press into panko breadcrumbs. Refrigerate.
- Shallow fry the fish cakes until golden. Eat whilst warm!
Variations
This is a basic salmon cake recipe and it can be adjusted with different flavours to reflect different culinary traditions:
- Thai – add freshly chopped coriander (cilantro) and a dash of soy sauce
- Indian – add finely minced ginger and garlic, with a teaspoon of Indian spices such as garam masala or tandoori
- European – add chopped dill, parsley and a teaspoon of mayonnaise
- North African – add a little harissa and cumin
Top Tips
If I didn’t have salmon I would probably then use cod as a substitute.
Refrigerating the salmon cakes before you cook them will help them hold their shape better and make it easier to fry.
Before you shape the patties, taste the mixture and adjust the salt and pepper as necessary.
You could dip them again in a beaten egg before you dip them in the breadcrumbs if you like a good layer of crunchiness.
You will need a wide pan suitable for frying. Shallow frying means you add a thin layer of oil, heat it up then add the fishcakes and cook on medium heat.
You could freeze the salmon cakes in freeze bags, just make sure you allow enough space between them and they don’t get squished in the freezer.
📖 Recipe
Easy Salmon cakes (salmon patties)
Light and crunchy salmon cakes
Ingredients
-
2
salmon fillets
around 250g -
4
medium boiling potatoes -
2
spring onions
scallions -
few sprigs of cilantro
fresh coriander - squeeze of lemon juice
-
1
egg
lightly beaten
Spices
-
¼
teaspoon
of mustard -
¼
teaspoon
turmeric -
½
teasoooon pepper -
¼
teaspoon
7 spice -
¼
teaspoon
dried coriander -
¼
teaspoon
sumac
Other
- salt to taste
- vegetable oil for frying
- panko breadcrumbs for dipping
Instructions
-
Boil the potatoes until well done (test by inserting a knife that easily goes through the potato). Drain, peel and mash with a fork. Add to a bowl
-
In a wide pan, shallow fry the salmon in a tiny bit of mild olive oil with a tiny pinch of turmeric and paprika foraround five minutes until just cooked. Add to the bowl
To make the mixture
-
Finely chop the spring onion (scallions) and the cilantro, add to the bowl along with the mustard, spices, small squeeze of lemon juice, salt and lightly beaten egg. Taste a tiny bit to check for seasoning and adjust as necessary
-
Combine the ingredients until they just come together. Prepare a plate of panko breadcrumbs for dipping
-
Roll a small ball of the mixture in your hand and lightly press into the breadcrumbs each side then transfer to a plate to make a patty. Chill the fishcakes for around half an hour before frying
To fry the salmon cakes
-
In a wide pan (you can use the same one as before) add a thin layer of vegetable oil and heat up on medium heat for around five minutes. Pan fry the salmon cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side until nice and golden.
-
You can serve with a few lemon wedges, green salad or even an aioli if you know how to make one!
Recipe Notes
You can substitute the cilantro with parsley and the spring onions with chives
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