• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Weekend Cook®
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ARTICLES
  • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ARTICLES
    • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home ~ Recipes ~ Sunday Dinner Recipes

    Easy Old Fashioned Salmon Patties Recipe

    LAST UPDATED: Nov 8, 2021 · PUBLISHED: Sep 6, 2021 · BY: Sydney · 1 Comment

    26 shares
    • Share
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    My classic Southern old fashioned salmon patties recipe is are made with canned salmon and fried in a cast iron skillet. Hands down, this is one of my favorite canned salmon recipes and is super easy to make. Ready in under 30 minutes this old-fashioned salmon Pattie’s recipe is a winner. Growing up with parents from the South this dish was served often.

    pan fried salmon paties on plate with lemon wedge. this Recipe

    Table of Contents
    • Main Ingredients and Variations
    • Recipe Directions
    • What to Serve with Salmon Patties
    • Cooking Tips
    • Tools Used
    • Storing Leftovers
    • FAQ's
    • Try these other classic comfort food recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Comments

    Main Ingredients and Variations

    • Canned Salmon: Red or Pink salmon both make great salmon patties.
    • Saltine Crackers: If you want to control salt use the low sodium or no salt version of the crackers. Bread crumbs also work well, however, the salmon Pattie’s made with crackers is my favorite way to prepare canned salmon patties.
    • Eggs: use the whole egg and lightly beat it before mixing it with salmon. Don't skip the egg as it acts as a binding agent to keep the salmon patties from falling apart.
    • Old Bay Seasoning: this is the best seasoning for salmon patties, if you want a milder flavor adjust the amount of seasoning to your taste.
    • Chives or Dill: I mix fresh or dried chives into the salmon, however, chopped chives mixed into sour cream is a tasty topping.

    See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.

    Recipe Directions

    Drain the liquid and empty the salmon into a medium bowl. Remove the skin and large bones, and use a fork to flake the salmon apart. The soft small bones are edible and don't need to be removed.

    canned salmon and seasoning mixed.

    Add in the bread crumbs, egg, and old bay season and mix well.

    canned salmon, saltine, seasoning and egg in yellow bowl.

    Divide the salmon mixture evenly into 4 balls.

    canned salmon rolled into four balls.

    Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat in a 12-inch heavy skillet or griddle.

    Pat the salmon into a round disc about ½ inch thick. Fry the patties in a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet, for about 5 minutes on each side.

    What to Serve with Salmon Patties

    • The classic sides are mashed potatoes and peas or green beans and potatoes.
    • Keep your meal light and serve the salmon with a simple spinach salad.
    • Add a dollop of tartar sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice on top of the salmon patties.
    • Break apart the salmon patties and serve over a spinach salad with a side of homemade cornbread.

    Cooking Tips

    • Don't make the patties too large or thick otherwise, they may fall apart when flipping. The smaller size will be similar to salmon croquettes.
    • The pan must be hot, a cast-iron skillet is great for pan-frying the salmon patties.
    • If cooking for yourself a full can of salmon might be more than you want. Patty up the salmon per the recipe and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and cover in foil and freeze.
    • Another option for those who don't want leftovers is to buy the small salmon pouches and scale back the other ingredients.

    Tools Used

    You don't need much to make these pan-fried salmon patties: a mixing bowl, a spatula, a large fork, and of course a skillet.

    Cast iron Skillet- If making one salmon patty then the small 7-inch is the perfect size.

    Storing Leftovers

    Leftovers should be wrapped or covered and refrigerated for 1-2 days.

    To freeze the uncooked patties, double wrap tightly in saran wrap and store for 2-3 months. If you don't want to fry up four or five patties at one-time, wrap three or four of the salmon patties as suggested above and freeze for later use.

    FAQ's

    Why are my salmon patties falling apart?

    If the salmon mixture is too wet the patties won't stick together properly. Make sure to use enough cracker crumbs. The egg acts as a binding agent to keep everything together, similar to how you use crumbs and eggs in my meatloaf recipe.

    What is the difference between canned red salmon and pink salmon?

    Canned pink salmon is usually made from Atlantic salmon, while canned red salmon is typically made from sockeye salmon. The taste and texture of canned salmon can also vary. For example, canned pink salmon is often considered to be milder in flavor than canned red salmon. In terms of texture, canned pink salmon is usually softer and flakier than canned red salmon.

    Try these other classic comfort food recipes

    • Baked chicken divan with serving spoon in small baking dish on wooden board.
      Easy Chicken Divan Recipe for One
    • Serving of cottage pie with salad, wine and flowers in background.
      Individual Cottage Pie Recipe
    • Pan fried ham steak drizzled with brown sugar glaze.
      Brown Sugar Glazed Ham Steak for One
    • Bowl of french onion soup on striped napkin with candlestick in background.
      Easy French Onion Soup Recipe for One

    Did you make this recipe? I would love it if you left a comment or review! Be sure to sign up for the email list and follow "A Weekend Cook" on Pinterest and my Facebook page.

    📖 Recipe

    pan fried salmon paties on plate with lemon wedge.

    Southern Fried Salmon Patties

    The best old-fashioned pan-fried salmon patties you ever tasted. Canned salmon never tasted so great!
    4.58 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 22 minutes
    Servings: 4 patties
    Calories: 180kcal
    Author:Sydney Dawes

    Ingredients

    • 1 (14.75-ounce) can Red or Pink Salmon
    • 1 large egg l lightly beaten
    • 12 saltines crumbled fine
    • 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
    • 1 tablespoon chives chopped
    • 1 Lemon sliced into wedges

    Instructions

    • Drain the liquid and empty the salmon into a bowl.
    • Remove the large bones and skin. Use a fork to flake the salmon apart.
    • crumble up the saltine and place in a ziploc bag. Use a rolling pin to crush into a fine crumb. Add in the cracker crumbs, egg, and old bay season and mix well.
    • Heat about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat-high heat.
    • Evenly divide the salmon mixture into 4 round balls and pat into a disc shape about ½ inch thick.
    • Pan fry the patties for about 5-6 minutes on each side.

    Notes

    • Don't make the patties too large or thick otherwise, they may fall apart when flipping.
    • The pan must be hot, a cast-iron skillet is great for pan-frying the salmon patties.
    • If cooking for yourself a full can of salmon might be more than you want. Patty up the salmon per the recipe and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and cover in foil and freeze.
    • Another option for those who don't want leftovers is to buy the small salmon pouches and scale back the other ingredients.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1patty | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 444mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

    More Sunday Dinner Recipes

    • small tri tip roast and baby potatoes on round white plate.
      3-Quart Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Roast Recipe for Two
    • chicken parm over pasta
      Easy Mozzarella Chicken Parm Recipe for Two
    • Vanilla cake with berries on top.
      Chicken Cacciatore Recipe in a Dutch Oven
    • bowl of beef stew with peas, carrots, and potatoes with bread in background.
      Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe for One

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think or share a tip. Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Penny

      August 25, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      3 stars
      sounds great --- but where and when do the chives go in ????

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Cooking scrumptious small batch recipes for one and sometimes for two are created in my small 1960’s kitchen. I learned to cook Shepherds Pie in England and Classic Marinara while living in Italy. Born in Southern California and raised in the Midwest, my cooking represents the best of both regions with an added touch of Southern hospitality.

    More about me →

    Looking for stew recipes? This is the place for all-season recipes! Stews aren't just a cold-weather dish.


    popular post

    • 1 pound meatloaf in small white baking dish.
      Simple 1-Pound Mom's Meatloaf Recipe
    • Serving of cottage pie with salad, wine and flowers in background.
      Individual Cottage Pie Recipe
    • Succulent Rib Roast and potatoes in a dutch oven
      Dutch Oven Boneless Rib Roast Recipe
    • bowl of tempura dipping sauce
      Easy Tempura Dipping Sauce Recipe
    • bowl of beef stew with peas, carrots, and potatoes with bread in background.
      Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe for One
    • Stuffed green bellpepper with rice and salad on white plate.
      Single Serving Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipe

    Best Food Podcasts

    The Splendid Table

    Stir the Pot

    The Crumb - Bake From Scratch

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Disclosures

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Statement
    • Accessibility Policy

    Contact

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Contact A Weekend Cook

    Browse

    • Recipes
    • About
    • Web Stories

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 A Weekend Cook, LLC