Settling on a cooking show, I watched as some bright-eyed and cheery cooks made this delicious and easy salmon patties recipe with canned salmon and I longed to be as awake and chipper as they were. I also wondered how long it would be until I slept through the night again.
Jump to:
And although I have never been the biggest fan of canned salmon and I was exhausted beyond words, this recipe for salmon patties using canned salmon, looked so good that I actually got up, nursing baby in tow, to search for a pen and paper to write down the recipe. True story. It wasn't as simple as searching it up on google back then.
Back then, my daily goals were simple: try to eat and nap. So, I made this delicious can salmon patties recipe.
🥘 Ingredients
For this recipe, you'll need:
- bread crumbs (fine)
- canned salmon
- eggs
- green onions
- water chestnuts
- fresh cilantro
- olive oil
- minced ginger
- minced garlic
- yogurt (I use non-fat Greek yogurt)
- mayonnaise (I use Hellman's ½ the fat)
- sesame seeds
- soy sauce
- lime juice (fresh is best)
📖 Variations & Substitutions
If you've been following me for a while, you'll know I'm the queen of substitutions. It's very rare that I'll run out for an ingredient. If I can't make my own ingredient, I'll find a substitute. Here are my suggestions:
- Bread crumbs: Make your own! I take my bread ends, throw them in the freezer, then when I have enough, I run them through the food processor. I store them in a Ziplock freezer bag, in the freezer, as they'll last longer.
- Fresh Cilantro: I grow my own in a pot on the deck in the summer, but if I don't have it in the winter, I'll use dried. You need half the amount of dried for this recipe.
- Fresh Ginger: Do NOT use dried for this recipe! Instead, keep your ginger in the freezer, peel it with a vegetable peeler and grate it as needed (frozen) directly into food. It's actually easier to work with when it's frozen.
- Lime Juice: substitute half the amount of lime juice from concentrate
- Water Chestnuts: These are canned so it's easy to keep a couple of cans in the pantry. But if you find yourself out, you can substitute chopped celery. Although the taste is not the same, it's the texture you are going for in this case.
🥗 Side dishes
Although these fried salmon cakes can be served on their own as an appetizer or lunch, they can also be a main dinner dish. Here are a few suggestions to serve them with, if you serve them as a main dish:
- 3 Ingredient Onion Baked Potatoes in Foil
- Quick Cucumber Kimchi (shown below)
- Skinny Coleslaw Recipe
- frozen mixed vegetables
- Strawberry Pecan Spinach Salad
- garden salad
🌡️Storing
I wouldn't make these more than a day in advance, nor would I want to eat them more than a day after making them. Salmon, even canned, does not make for the best leftovers! Either way, be sure to store them in a sealed container in the fridge. And if you want to push the boundaries, you could safely eat them up to 3 days after making them (they just may not taste that great!)
💭 Top tip
I wasn't a big fan of canned salmon as a kid, mostly because of the skin and bones. If you're in the same boat, make sure you look for boneless and skinless canned salmon (affiliate link) to make this recipe!
Unfortunately, after 2 children that were only 22 months apart, it would be quite a while before I slept through the night and many more years before that was the normal. I am just grateful for the hope that carried me through each day - the hope that tonight just might be the night that I slept.
I recall dragging myself into work day after day during those early years and savoring the encouraging words of other sympathetic parents beyond the stage I was at. "There is a light at the end of the tunnel," they said, "keep going towards the light...." I clung to that belief. Because really, what other choice did I have?
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel! I am happy to report that a few years back I finally reached the end of the tunnel. And now, aside from the many nights I'm cursed with middle-aged insomnia, I sleep. And I never take it for granted. And although many days I look back at the baby/toddler days with tearful nostalgia, I never forget how tired and shitty I felt most of the time.
....And now I pay it forward. I have become that fellow parent at work that gives false hope to other new parents. Because, I know that is what will carry them through their darkest days in that tunnel.
So, for all the sleep-deprived and/or busy parents out there hoping that tonight is the night, knowing that a quick, economical, easy and healthy dinner is a godsend, these salmon patties are for you! This is the best canned salmon recipe I know of (even if you're not a fan of canned salmon) and it's a great cheap meal option. Most importantly, I wish you sleep!
⭐ REVIEWS
Did you make this recipe? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!
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📋 Pan Fried Salmon Patties with Creamy Ginger Lime sauce recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine bread crumbs
- 2 cans salmon 15-ounce, drained, skin and bones removed
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup green onions, chopped chopped
- 1 can sliced water chestnuts 220 ml, finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 teaspoon olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Creamy Ginger Lime Sauce:
- ½ cup non-fat yogurt
- 2 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Garnish
- additional sesame seeds
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Add the egg, bread crumbs, water chestnuts, cilantro, green onions , ginger, garlic and drained salmon and mix well. Shape the mixture into 12 patties.
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 ½ teaspoons of olive oil over a medium heat. Add 6 patties and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the cooked patties to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil to the pan, and cook the rest of the salmon cakes, 5 minutes on each side.
- Serve salmon cakes with the sauce and limes for garnish
- Place yogurt into a small bowl. Add mayonnaise, ginger, garlic, lime juice, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. Whisk until smooth.
- Garnish with additional sesame seeds and lime wedges, if desired.
joyce
These look really delicious! Definitely want to try it out!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Joyce- I hope you enjoy them. So quick and simple to make, not to mention economical!
Ginni
That's a wonderful recipe and love the chilli lime flavours. Hope you get to catch up on some sleep too and admire your dedication to the blog, considering. Love your post, as I can relate to it!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Ginni. Yes, I neglected to mention that my blog baby is indeed responsible for some lost sleep these days! 🙂 Glad you can relate...
Charlotte
Made this tonight, we really enjoyed it. Will make this again soon.
Terri Gilson
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!