Salmon Patties with Cucumber Sauce

These salmon patties trade the skillet for the microwave, which sounds questionable and turns out to be a genuine weeknight winner. Canned salmon mixed with crumbled bread, egg, milk, and lemon juice bakes into tender patties in seven minutes at 70% power, no splatter, no cleanup, no oil.

The microwave technique works because it steams the patties rather than frying them. You lose the crispy golden exterior, but you gain a lighter patty with fewer calories and almost no fat beyond what is already in the salmon. The paper towel cover is there to trap steam around the patties so they cook evenly; without it, the edges dry out before the center sets.

The yogurt-cucumber sauce is non-negotiable. Plain steamed salmon patties are on the bland side, and the cool, tangy sauce with finely chopped cucumber, scallion, and dill is exactly what wakes them up. Think of it as a Greek tzatziki that landed on a salmon patty instead of a gyro.

Kitchen Tips

• Pick through the flaked salmon carefully and remove any remaining bones and skin. Canned salmon is sold bone-in and the smaller bones are edible, but larger pieces catch people off guard.
• Use non-fat Greek yogurt for a thicker, more clingy sauce. Regular yogurt works but the sauce will pool on the plate rather than sit on the patty.
• Rotate the dish once during microwaving as the recipe specifies. Microwaves have hot spots, and rotation is the easiest way to avoid uneven cooking.
• Seed the cucumber with a spoon before chopping. The seeds are mostly water and will thin out the sauce as it sits.

Variations

• Swap the canned salmon for a can of tuna or two cups of flaked cooked salmon for a fresher flavor.
• Stir a teaspoon of horseradish into the yogurt sauce for extra bite that plays beautifully with salmon.
• Pan-sear the finished patties in a tablespoon of olive oil for two minutes a side if you want the crispy exterior the microwave cannot deliver.