Oven-Fried Salmon Patties
Easy Salmon Cakes Recipe
These oven-fried salmon patties are super easy to make and so delicious! You can use canned salmon, which is budget-friendly, as well as other ingredients that you probably already have on hand. I’ve found the oven-fried version to be less messy … at least for me.

However, if you want to fry it on top of the stove, you can. You can also try my friend Julie’s recipe for salmon patties from her Back to My Southern Roots blog. You can actually make patties with almost any kind of seafood, from salmon and tuna to crab and lobster.
Ingredients
You can start with either cooked fresh salmon or canned salmon. I used the canned version because it is quicker, easier, and less expensive. However, if you have some leftover fresh salmon, use that.
Also, you’ll need some flour or Bisquick. I have to be gluten-free, so I use either almond flour or gluten-free Bisquick. Keep in mind that Bisquick has baking powder in it, so they’ll rise a little bit if you choose that over the flour.
Here is the full list of ingredients for this salmon recipe:
- Salmon (6 ounce can)
- Flour (almond flour, all-purpose flour, or Bisquick)
- Diced onion
- Egg
- Cooking oil
- Prepared mustard (yellow or dijon mustard)
- Old Bay seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper

I added a printable recipe card to the bottom of this post for your convenience.
Alternative Ingredients to Make Salmon Cakes
You can add a variety of other ingredients. Some that you might want to try include chopped celery, shredded carrots, spinach, bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, and cajun seasoning.
If you have fresh or canned crabmeat, you can make crab cakes using basically the same ingredients. I’ve done this often, and it always turns out great!
Directions
Since you’re using your oven, preheat it to 400 degrees F before you begin. If you use an iron skillet, add oil to it, and swirl it around to make sure the bottom is coated.

Stick your skillet in the oven to it can get sizzling hot before you add the salmon patties. I like to do this because it helps form a crunchy crust on the outside of the patties. While the oven heats up, combine all of the remaining ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix until everything is coated.

Next, form 4 equal sized patties from the mixture and set them aside. After the oven reaches 400 degrees and the skillet is hot, remove the skillet from the oven. Be super careful not to burn yourself on the handle. Then place the patties in the bottom of the skillet and return it to the oven.

After 10 minutes, turn the salmon cakes over and cook them another 10 minutes. Be careful when you flip the salmon because the hot oil might splash and burn you.

Remove them from the oven and set the skillet on a trivet or pad to protect your countertop. The total cooking time for these salmon cakes is 20 minutes.
When you remove them from the oven, you should see a beautiful golden crust on the outside. These salmon cakes should be delicious without anything on them.
However, if you like a little extra flavor, try this delicious homemade tartar sauce. When I was a child, my favorite sauce for salmon croquettes was ketchup right out of the bottle. Or you might prefer serving these with zesty cocktail sauce. We also enjoy them with plain ol’ ketchup.

Tips
Whether you fry on top of the stove or in your oven, these tips will help deliver the best and crispiest salmon patties. Here are the tips:
- Whether you used the canned or fresh version, start with the best quality salmon that you have access to.
- Use seasonings that you know your family will like. My family prefers the classic salmon patty with Old Bay seasoning.
- If you have an herb garden, look there for inspiration. There’s nothing like a homemade salmon patty with fresh herbs.
- Don’t overcook the salmon patties. The best way to get crispy on the outside without drying out the inside is to cook in a preheated skillet using high heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve never made salmon patties, you might be curious about a few things. Here are some common questions and answers.
How Do You Make Salmon Patties on Top of the Stove?
If you want to use the stovetop, that’s fine. The list of ingredients and first several steps are the same. The only thing you’ll need to add is more oil because the only exposure to the heat will be in the skillet. Heat the oil on medium-high. Add the salmon patties and turn the heat down to medium. Cook them for 10 minutes on each side. It may splatter, so be super careful.
How Long Can You Store Leftover Salmon Patties?
After you cook these leftover baked salmon patties, you can store them in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat them, heat them up in the microwave. Or you can put them in a skillet and heat them up on low heat.
If you’re not planning to eat them over the next couple of days, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Secure them in plastic wrap or put them in an airtight container before freezing them.

What to Serve with Salmon Patties
Most of the time, we enjoy a salad with any seafood meal. My husband loves this BLT salad, while I prefer this Greek olive salad. Both are delicious, so you really can’t go wrong with either of them.
We like a salmon patty with a side of creamy coleslaw. This is a wonderful but easy recipe. Or if you prefer, make this delicious zesty pasta salad.

Do you like potatoes or rice? If you prefer potatoes, make these amazing honey mustard roasted potatoes.

But if you like rice, make this super quick and easy onion-seasoned rice. It goes perfectly with any seafood or meat.

Another favorite at our house is this classic baked mac and cheese casserole. It’s especially comforting at the end of a long day.
Easy and Affordable Salmon Patty Dinner
After you see how easy these salmon patties are to make, you’ll certainly want to add them to your dinner rotation. Although canned salmon is inexpensive compared to other meats, I recommend stocking up when it goes on sale.
Oven-Fried Salmon Cakes Recipe

Salmon cakes are a delicious main dish that your family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- One 6-ounce can of salmon, drained
- 2 tablespoons of flour (regular or almond) or Bisquick (regular or gluten-free)
- 1/4 cup of diced onion
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon of mustard
- 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour the cooking oil into a 10” cast iron skillet and swirl it around to coat the bottom.
- Place the skillet in the oven to get the bottom sizzling hot.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Form 4 equal patties and place them on the skillet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through.
Notes
- If you don’t have an iron skillet, you may use a baking pan instead.
- You may add other finely chopped vegetables to the mixture, such as celery, carrots, or spinach.
- If you use Bisquick instead of flour, the salmon cakes will rise a little more than if you use flour.
- You may use either regular yellow mustard or Dijon for an extra punch of flavor.
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 387Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 22gCholesterol 147mgSodium 506mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 23g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.
We love salmon patties. I can’t wait to try them this way!
Hey Carlee! They’re so easy to cook in the oven! I hope you enjoy them!
These look delicious! Pinned.
Would this work with canned crab too? Sounds so easy and not a mess!
Hi Sharon. I haven’t used this recipe with canned crab yet, but I think I will. It should be just as good as the salmon. Thanks for mentioning it!
Could you do these in the air fryer? If so, time and temp info please. Love salmon. Thanks
Hi Renee. I’m pretty sure you can make them in an air fryer, but I haven’t tried it yet. I’d probably start with 10 minutes on 375 and then check to see if they’re done. I got my air fryer about a week and a half ago, and I totally love it!
Thanks so much for the answer! Burning hot here in Texas – don’t want to use oven! Air Fryer to the rescue!
Anytime I used canned salmon there was shin and a bony part. By the time I removed all of that there was hardly any salmon left. Maybe it’s the brand. Did you find this to be a problem?
Hi Mari. If the bone is soft, it’s okay to eat it. In fact, it’s actually good for you. However, I wouldn’t eat it if it’s hard and sharp. The brand I bought for the recipe here is from Costco, and there weren’t any bones in it. Maybe you can try that.
Do you mean a 16 oz. can of salmon
Hi Rosemary. I used a 6-ounce can of salmon to make 4 patties, since it’s just for my husband and me. However, you can get a larger can of salmon and double or triple the other ingredients, depending on how much salmon there is. The salmon I got is from Costco, and it’s extremely good. However, I’ve purchased large 12-ounce cans from other grocery stores, and they’ve been delicious too!
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Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
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I try not to use oil of any kind,due to heart condition. Can these be made in an air fryer ?
Hi Ken. I’ve never made these in an air fryer, but I think you should be able to do it. If you want to try that, I recommend using the air fryer liners (sort of like parchment paper with holes in it) to keep any of the salmon from falling. Please let me know how they turn out. I think they’ll probably be good.
These are fantastic! I’ve tried numerous recipes with bread crumbs, and they almost always fall apart. These held together beautifully. Because my leftover salmon was a bit dry, I did add 1 tsp mayo to the mix. Excellent recipe!
Hi Emily. Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed the recipe. It’s one of our favorites, and it’s nice to hear from other people who like it too!
Tried this salmon patties recipe this evening and loved the taste and ease of making them.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the salmon patties. I love easy cooking!
I made this recipe for my husband and I last night. I usually dread the process of making salmon patties but I won’t dread it anymore. I doubled the recipe because I used bone in with skin. I removed bone and skin and followed the directions. I also used pillsbury gluten free all purpose flour blend.
I plated a layer of baby spinach with a bit of balsamic vinegar then hot Jasmine rice over the top and put salmon patty on top then drizzled butter on top of salmon with a bit of soy sauce around rim of plate. I impressed myself. Lol! Thanks for such a simple low budget recipe. Gonna make more today for my friend. She loves salmon patties
I also used a 16” black iron skillet. PERFECT & easy clean up.
Hi Kelly! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for letting me know. By the way, I love the way you served it. I’ll have to try that next time I make them.