Yummy Salmon Patties
Submitted by angie2002
Pan-fried salmon patties with double-coated crispy crust: bread crumbs in the mix and crushed saltines on the outside. Lemon-bright, golden, and ready in 25 minutes from canned or cooked salmon.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
10 minREADY
45 minYummy salmon patties are the freezer-pantry-fridge dinner that turns canned or leftover cooked salmon into something genuinely worth eating. The double coating, soft bread crumbs in the mix and crushed saltine cracker crumbs on the outside, gives you patties with a tender interior and an irresistibly crisp golden crust.
The 15-minute fridge rest before forming patties is the small detail that makes a big structural difference. The bread crumbs absorb the milk and egg, the salmon proteins relax, and the mixture becomes properly moldable. Skip the rest and the patties fall apart in the pan; with the rest, they hold tight through the flip.
Using two eggs, one in the patty mix and one in a beaten egg wash for dipping, is the technique that creates the dual coating. The egg wash acts as glue, helping the saltine crumbs adhere to the patties so they don’t fall off in the hot oil. Skip the egg wash and the saltines slough off into a sad pile in the pan.
Fresh lemon juice in the patty mix is non-negotiable. It cuts the natural fattiness of salmon and brightens the seasoning so the patties taste fresh, not muddy.
Fry in hot oil, not lukewarm. Lukewarm oil soaks into the patties and you end up with greasy fish cakes; properly hot oil sears the surface immediately and locks the moisture inside. A drop of water flicked into the oil should sizzle aggressively.
Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing and tartar sauce for dipping, alongside coleslaw or roasted potatoes.
Pro Tips
- Use canned pink or red salmon for budget-friendly patties; remove any large bones (small ones can be mashed in for calcium).
- Crush saltines slightly chunky, not powdery, for the crispiest texture.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Cook in batches so each patty has space and the oil stays hot.
- Drain on a wire rack rather than paper towels to keep the bottoms crisp.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Combine salmon, egg, bread crumbs, milk, lemon juice, pepper and salt together in a bowl. Mix well until salmon mixture can be molded. Let stand in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
Remove from refrigerator and form patties from salmon mixture. Dip patties into beaten egg and then into crushed saltine cracker crumbs. Fry in hot oil until browned.
Sprinkle with paprika for color and serve with lemon wedges.
Comments
