These crispy flaky Easy Baked Salmon Cakes with dill and lemon are simple enough for weeknight dinners yet special enough for guests! They require only 10 easy-to-find ingredients, can be made with canned salmon, and need only 10 minutes of hands-on time. Move over baked salmon patties, these salmon cakes have more texture and flavor! I promise that if you make them once, you’ll make them over and over again!
After making Easy Baked Crab Cakes for Mashed.com, I decided to try it with salmon! And boy am I glad I did. The flakiness of these cakes is truly the best way to eat canned salmon. You can also make them with leftover cooked salmon -- talk about a way to repurpose leftovers!
We made them for Friday night dinner guests and they were a hit! Here’s what they had to say about it:
Why you’ll love these Easy Baked Salmon Cakes
- salmon, dill, and lemon are a match made in heaven
- they have so much texture compared to a traditional salmon patty
- you’ll never believe they were made with canned salmon
- minimal filler and ingredients
- 10 minutes of hands-on time
- so crispy!
If that’s not enough to keep you reading, I’m not sure what will! One of our dinner guests made them for her own dinner party the next week, and they were a hit.
Let’s make Baked Salmon Cakes
Ingredients
Salmon
For this recipe, you can used canned salmon or fresh salmon.
If using canned salmon: My favorite brands are Wild Planet and Safe Catch, and they typically come in 5 or 6 ounce cans. You will need two standard cans for this recipe, and our measurements work well for either 10 or 12 ounces in total. Make sure your canned salmon does not have any added flavors and is boneless and skinless.
If using fresh salmon: You will want to bake the salmon first since our baking times and instructions are for cooked salmon only. You need about 1 ½ cups of salmon, broken into flaky chunks with a fork, and with skin and bones removed.
Binders and Flavorings
Salmon is the main event, but you'll need a few flavorings. Plus egg and mayonnaise to hold the cakes together. Here's the list:
- egg
- Worcestershire sauce (I used gluten-free)
- mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- dried dill
- ground black pepper
- melted butter (substitute avocado oil or canola oil for dairy-free, like I did)
- lemon wedges
Crushed Crackers
Salmon cakes always include either breadcrumbs or crushed crackers for texture. I found crackers made the crispiest cakes!
I used Glutino Gluten-Free Table Crackers. These are similar in flavor to Townhouse or Ritz table crackers for my non-gluten-free friends.
Instructions
The full instructions with measurements and step-by-step photos can be found in the recipe card below. Here's a rundown of how this recipe works:
How to make Baked Salmon Cakes:
- Mix the wet ingredients and spices together.
- Add salmon and crushed crackers to the mixture and combine.
- Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to overnight.
- Form cakes.
- Bake at 450 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the cakes before serving!
Frequently asked questions
What keeps the salmon patties from falling apart?
To keep salmon patties from falling apart, make sure to include egg and mayonnaise as a binder. Then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking to allow the ingredients to set. When you finally form the patties, gently scoop with a measuring cup and compact lightly with your hands.
Are salmon patties healthy?
With clean ingredients and minimal filler, salmon patties are almost as healthy as eating the fish by itself. Because of the mercury content in fish, the FDA recommends that you eat salmon 2-3 times per week.
What goes best with salmon patties?
Baked Salmon Cakes go best with roasted or grilled vegetables like asparagus and a baked potato. They are also fantastic in a sandwich with a bun, lettuce, mayonnaise, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a sprig of fresh dill.
Perfect Pairings:
Other Seafood recipes you'll love:
Easy Baked Salmon Cakes Recipe
PrintEasy Baked Salmon Cakes
Crispy Easy Baked Salmon Cakes recipe with minimal filler. These cakes are healthy and can be made gluten-free and dairy-free. Perfect for dinner guests. A great way to eat canned salmon.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Fish, Dinner, Meal
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried dill
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 10-12 ounces boneless skinless canned salmon, drained*
- ½ cup crushed table crackers
- 1 tablespoon melted butter**
- ½ lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, dill, and black pepper.
- Add the salmon and crackers: Top the mixture with lump canned salmon (drain thoroughly first). Then top with crushed crackers.
- Fold ingredients together: Gently fold the ingredients together with a spatula, breaking apart any large chunks of salmon. Cover the mixture and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight.
- Prep for baking: Preheat the oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with a silicone liner (or grease generously).
- Form salmon cakes: Gently pack a ⅓ cup measuring cup with salmon cake mixture. Then transfer the mixture to your hands and gently press together to form a cohesive mound. Place on the baking sheet, and repeat for three more salmon cakes.
- Bake: Gently brush the top of each mound with butter. Then bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the outside is golden brown and crisp.
- Serve: Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top just before serving. We also love adding a sprig of fresh dill!
Notes
*If using fresh salmon: You will want to bake the salmon first since our baking times and instructions are for cooked salmon only. You need about 1 ½ cups of salmon, broken into flaky chunks with a fork with skin and bones removed.
**For Dairy-Free: Substitute avocado oil or canola oil for the melted butter, like I did.
For Gluten-Free: I recommend Glutino Gluten-Free Table Crackers and French's Worcestershire Sauce.
Keywords: baked salmon patties, baked salmon burgers, baked salmon fish cakes, baked salmon patties without breadcrumbs, salmon patties, healthy baked salmon cakes, canned salmon recipes
You won’t believe how tasty these are! Enjoy the easy gourmet treat my friend.
xo, Jamie
Maria
Made these last night - the flavor and texture are terrific! I plan to make them again soon and double the recipe so I can take them for lunches this week!
★★★★★
Jacquie
Made this tonight and it went really well on top of a salad. My husband and I both e joyed it. Next time I may try to broil for a few seconds at the end of cooking to crisp it up a bit more ? thank you fir the recipe!
★★★★★
Jamie
That's such a good idea to broil at the end! Thank you for the review Jacquie 🙂
Katie
Tried this recipe for the first time and loved it! Really easy and quick to make the mixture, easy to follow instructions, and tasty salmon cakes with a lovely crisp outside as well.
★★★★★
Jared
Love that these are flaky and not mealy like the typical patties. Definitely making them again! We paired them with grilled asparagus.
★★★★★
Britney
I made this and your vodka pasta. really loving the pantry recipes!
★★★★★