Ingredients
- 1.25 pounds fresh salmon
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 tbsp celery, finely diced
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Canola oil
Cook the Veggies First
Heat ~1 tablespoon canola oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for ~5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
Toss in the capers and cook another minute. Pull off the heat and let cool – hot veggies will start cooking the eggs when you mix everything.
Prep the Salmon
Peel off any skin if it’s still on. Cut the salmon into chunks.
Use a sharp knife to chop the salmon until it looks like coarse ground meat. You want pieces about the size of peas – not a paste. The texture matters here.
Mix the Cakes
In a large bowl, combine the chopped salmon, cooled veggies, garlic powder, eggs, mayo, Dijon, Worcestershire, Old Bay, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Add just 1/2 cup of the panko. Mix with a spoon until everything’s combined but don’t overmix – you’ll make them tough.
Chill (Optional but Worth It)
Cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge for 1-2 hours. This helps them hold together when you fry them. Skip if you’re in a hurry but they might fall apart easier.
Form and Coat
Put the remaining 1/4 cup panko in a shallow dish.
Divide the salmon mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each into a patty about 1 inch thick – like a thick burger patty.
Press both sides gently into the panko. Set on a plate.
Fry Them Up
Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. The oil should shimmer and move freely.
Carefully add the patties. They should sizzle immediately.
Fry for ~3 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook ~3 minutes on the other side.
The outside should be crispy and the inside just cooked through – still moist, not dry.
Serve
Transfer to plates and serve immediately while they’re hot and crispy.
These are great with tartar sauce, a squeeze of lemon, or just on their own. Also killer on a bun like a burger.
Salmon Cakes
Ingredients
- 1.25 pounds fresh salmon
- 1/4 cup yellow onion finely diced
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper finely diced
- 2 tbsp celery finely diced
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Canola oil
Instructions
- Sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery in oil 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add capers, cook 1 minute more. Let cool.
- Chop skinless salmon into pea-sized pieces.
- Mix salmon, cooled vegetables, garlic powder, eggs, mayo, Dijon, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup panko.
- Chill mixture 1-2 hours.
- Form into 4 one-inch thick patties.
- Coat patties in remaining panko.
- Heat oil in skillet over high heat until shimmering.
- Fry patties 3 minutes per side until golden brown and just cooked through.
- Serve immediately while hot and crispy.
