Chef John's Salmon Cakes

For those who had complaints or were disappointed in this recipe I urge you to always watch the attached videos when available. Invariably Chef John will add hints and instructions that aren't listed in the short printed directions. In this video he points out that this is a VERY basic recipe and he expects us to add things to our taste preferences-Onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce soy sauce, ginger, Teriyaki, etc. This recipe will give you a basis from which to proceed. Remember, his favorite phrase is, "You're in charge of your gravy!". So play with your food and make it your own.

I love reading all of the reviews. They give hints on how everyone makes them. I like reading positive reviews even when they are not enjoyed. They tell how to improve or or keep exact or even if they did not think it was good. I do not like reading sermons on heath facts. If I want them , I will go to health sites, which I do. Stick to the recipes, pease. Those are worthwhile.

This was my favorite salmon cake recipe by far. I did add Old Bay instead of cayenne and some grated onion in the mix, as well as Panko, since I did not have saltine crackers. I thought it might be too runny with two eggs, but I refrigerated the cakes for a couple of hours before I cooked them and they were sublime! A keeper.

Fresh (wild) salmon is the healthier choice. Canned foods are typically ridden with bpa. Bread crumbs are also healthier than saltines. Most Saltines contain hydrogenated soybean oil and high fructose corn syrup. Not to mention loads of refined white salt.

I love Chef John's recipes, and I'm sure this version of salmon cakes is great. I've been making salmon patties for 30 years, as it's my husband's favorite. I would just say that you don't have to take the bones out of the canned salmon. The bones are soft and just disappear when you mash the salmon. The bones add calcium to the meal making it even more nutritious; I do remove as much of the skin as possible. Thanks for the great recipies!

Just tried this recipe. Husband and I both loved it! I think more on the bread crumbs and the oil and butter. Great and easy, even for the fish challenged.

Excellent recipe I only used one egg and added some mayo and onion. I also added old bay. I am from the east coast so everything is better with old bay!

Easy and delicious. We used leftover copper river salmon, gluten free breadcrumbs from our local GF bakery, and alderwood smoked sea salt. Very tasty!

Really liked this recipe. But then all of Chef John's recipes are spot on :) I did add diced onion and celery and used panko in place of saltines. Will make this again for sure.

I love salmon cakes. I think this is the best I've ever had. I think without the capers it would have needed a little onion and dill. I was skeptical about the 1/2 tsp of cayenne, but I followed the recipe, and it was great. Thank you, thank you, thank you Chef John. Once again you've hit it out of the park.

My Mom fixed salmon patties and I use her recipe which is quite similar to this one. Only difference is I use 1 egg and 1/4 cup milk instead of 2 eggs. I also use 1/2 cup all purpose flour instead of bread crumbs which makes them very crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Celery seed is also a great addition for flavor.

Just tried this recipe. Husband and I both loved it! I think more on the bread crumbs and the oil and butter. Great and easy, even for the fish challenged.

This is my second time with this recipe! We love it. Very easy delicious too!

Awesome!!!! I am a native of the Pacific Northwest so canned salmon wasn't going to suit our tastes so I bought a beautiful,fresh Copper River salmon filet. I grilled it with your seasoning salt and then flaked the cooled salmon as directed. I served it with your tarragon aioli. Perfect balance of flavors. My spousal unit said this will be a repeat very soon. Thanks for sharing another stellar recipe Chef John.

I have been making salmon cakes for over 60 years - I also add about 2 teaspoons of Coleman dry mustard to the mix as well as some grated onion, to your taste. My son, a Chef loves these cakes, baked or lightly fried. tks, Mary

Another favourite by Chef John! I followed directions pretty much as stated but added a little green onion and chives to the mixture. Also, as I didn't have any Saltines on hand, I used Carr's table water cracked pepper crackers instead.

It is a very basic salmon cake recipe that has been around for decades. Take what you enjoy from your favorite recipe and make it your own...

Chef John's Salmon Cakes' Haiku: "Not very impressed. 5-star reviews added things. Maybe I should too?" Followed the recipe exactly, other than not having capers, and found the lemon to be overpowering, and the mixture too wet (resulting in fall-apartey patties) despite refridgerating it for the recommended 24 hrs. Perusing reviews finds me seeing many folks swapping saltines for panko, or adding onions, celery, mayo and a variety of other mix-ins. I usually use panko, along w/ onions, and only 1 egg, in salmon patties, so maybe I should've stuck to our traditional method, but CJ's recipes are usually spot-on. Sorry, this one just wasn't to our liking.

I am a huge fan of Chef John recipes! I am trying out his cheese soufflé this weekend!! These were great. I didn't have saltines so I used breadcrumbs in the cakes and used Panko on the outside. Added a little mayo and Dijon too and old bay but they were delicious!

I have been making salmon cakes since for years, like my mother before me. I use canned salmon but leave in the skin and bones for calcium and added flavor. In addition to the egg I add chopped onion and celery and some Old Bay seasoning. I use dried bread crumbs and cook in solid shortening. I am sure this is good but I just made mine two nights ago and they are a big hit with my family. Need the extra flavors.

I make patties using canned salmon .I use left over mashed potatoes instead of crumbs as per a scots suggestion delicious.

Chef John's recipe is very healthy indeed, but when I make these salmon cakes, I mince or finely chop up red and green bell peppers and onions to add a little more flavor. Enjoy!!!!!

Extremely good!! I didn't change anything

I made this recipe everyone who had them asked me where are the salomon cakes that I usually make. It was kind of funny cause a few people thought I was trying to prank them. Cause I am the Salomon Cake Queen. I promise you will be hooked. RRW

I have made this recipe several times and it is a definite keeper for me. My husband and I really love the taste of these salmon cakes. I know it seems too wet with when you first mix it, but even leaving it in the fridge for just 30 minutes, it definatly holds together enough to make a good firm cake. I didn't have capers the first time I tried it--but I like it better now that I have made gotten capers and add them. I have used crushed townhouse crackers when I didn't have saltines and also subbed Old Bay for the cayenne last time. There wasn't much difference in taste with either of those subs. I do use cornmeal fish breading (because I have some open) instead of the bread crumbs for the breading. Last time, I made them into mini-cakes for an appetizer to bring to a party and they were well-received. I serve them with the lemon sauce for fish cakes from this site.

These cakes were really yummy, however, I found the 1 TBSP of capers were a bit too much for my liking. I will make this again with 1/2 TBSP chopped capers and I think it will be perfect! This is a nice way to use canned salmon!

Loved them and sent two to my neighbors. They were demolished! A hit with everyone.

Just made and ate this. Excellent. I used wild salmon that I canned myself, otherwise followed the recipe. I might add a little more lemon, but maybe not - I did add a little too much cayenne because it was the last in the jar and I like spicy anyway :) Thanks again, Chef John.

Delish! I loved it as is, although my husband thought it was a little on the spicy side so may use a tiny bit less cayenne next time, but will definitely make again :) the capers were a nice flavour in there, enjoyed.

Great for left over salmon! I had just enough salmon to make these. I used panko breadcrumbs for the outside which gave it a nice crunch. Next time I think I would like to add some scallions. Definitely a keeper.

Excellent! I grew up eating salmon cakes for breakfast at least once a week. I made as instructed but added minced green onions. I served these for dinner with Chef John's tarragon aioli. Thanks Chef John:)

Too fishy with the canned salmon ...probably won't make it again

This was delicious. I didn't do the breaking and didn't miss it. Had it the first night with roasted nuggets potatoes and kale salad. The leftovers as burgers. Easy , Love it.

Very good recipe. I adjusted herb and spice for my family's tastes. YUMM-O! Pay no attention to people referring to "refined white salt", etc. There is no such thing.

For a novice chef like me, I thought this recipe was particularly easy to follow. I made the recipe exactly as instructed and it turned out really well. I paired it with steamed broccoli and rye bread -- delicious.

This was REyALLY good. Even my picky eater son loved it. Definitely going to make this often!

I love Chef John! His recipes, thus far, have been a hit with my family and I. The only thing I did differently with this recipe was omit the cayenne pepper since children were also going to be eating them, and I added a little minced garlic, since I love garlic. However, I used French's Dijon mustard made with Chardonnay to top my own salmon cakes for that extra kick. They are awesome to just grab and go at room temp, and they were a great match warm with a pasta salad I made. Thank you Chef John for this recipe! I will make again and again. Oh, and I was very leery about the capers, but I went along with it anyway.....tasty!

Did not make any changes, but I wouldn't make it again!!!

The recipe was the best one I've ever tried. I only added some dried dill, garlic granules and onion granules to the seasonings. Otherwise, they cooked up superbly and very, very tasty.

Great recipe. I changed it up a little. I used Garlic Croutons and Tony Chachere's BOLD Creole Seasoning. Wonderful flavor, and then topped with homemade tartar sauce from Mayo, lemon juice, Apple Cider Vinegar and ChowChow canned from yellow squash. WOW...

Made it exact to the recipe. It was OK, but VERY salty. I'm not someone who uses a whole lot of salt while cooking, so the combination of the salt in the recipe, the capers, and the salmon itself made the dish incredibly salty. If I did it again - which I might - I'd cut all of the salty ingredients in half. That said, the patties held together very well, and the texture was great! Crispy outside, tender inside, like seafood cakes should be.

These turned out as they should, but they were deinitely not a hit with the kids. I thought they were okay, but probably would have been better served on a bun with some cheese and mayo or tartar sauce and a bit of lettuce. Won't make them again.

Really loved these salmon cakes! I had them with mashed rosemary potatoes and green beans with garlic, and they were AMAZING. They were a bit on the spicy side, which is fine by me (LOVE spicy food) but my fiance was less enthused.

I made as directed with one addition, i stalk of green onion, chopped. I let sit for two hours in the refrigerator, and fried them up I made 8 small ones instead of 4 large. So so good. I will make them again tonight.

Delicious! I made these with all breadcrumbs (homemade) instead of crackers. The flavor of capers and hint of a kick from the cayenne is great! Served with a sour cream and caper tartar sauce.

My husband and I did not like these crab cakes at all. I gave the leftovers to the cats. I followed the recipe exactly as written.

Way too spicy for my family. Needed way more bread crumbs than called for. Good flavor though.

Really flavorful, I sub crushed rice cakes for the saltine crackers and gf bread crumbs for the regular but kept everything else the same. I can't wait to make this again!

My wife and I made this and it was terrific. We used canned Pink salmon as that's what we had, and it made 4 patties that gave us two dinners as we only ate one each per meal. We used dill weed in place of capers (capers are too salty for us) as well as salt free soda crackers, and followed the instruction carefully. It all turned out great except that our gas stove seemed too hot at the medium setting for the cooking time of 4 minutes per side, so I overcooked one side and used 3 minutes for the second. Two nights later I reheated them in he microwave and they were perfect. Thanks Chef John! I don't know why some others had problems, and we did not find this to taste fishy either which was a bonus, so we will make them again, and there's no need to use fresh salmon or a more expense type of canned salmon as we had no complaints!

Great recipe. I halved the recipe. I substituted the olive oil and pepper for olive oil mayonnaise with black pepper (1 Tbls.). Used 12 saltine crackers. Substituted Cajun seasoning for salt and cayenne. I dried about a 1/4 medium onion and mixed in as well. Also, I didn't use bread crumbs. Rolled into balls and placed in hot oil and flattened in skillet. Turned out fantastic!

Hubby said he liked these, but I didn't like them at all. They were way too salty. The canned salmon grossed me out because of the bones, skin and fat I had to pick out, then the mixture was too goopy. I think 1 egg would have been plenty for the diminished amount of salmon I had left after weeding out the bad stuff. I added some minced onion for added flavor but ended up not tasting it at all, and I didn't taste the capers much either so maybe they can be left out and that would cut down on the salt taste. However, I won't be making these again.

We tried this last night and it was delicious. Will definitely be a 'keeper' recipe for us.

For those who are cooking gluten free crushed rice cheks are a wonderful tasty substitute for the crackers. I'm not on a gluten free diet but after tasting salmon cakes made this way by a friend who is - I'll never look back. Of course she dolls hers up by adding green onion, and so forth. I would also think Panko would work for this.

These are easy to make and tasty. I used half of the black and cayenne pepper and it was good, not too spicy. I served with homemade tartar sauce. Next time I'm planning to add a little minced onion and some dill to the salmon mixture plus some salt and pepper to the bread crumbs before frying to add just a little more complexity.

I did not see Chef John's other salmon cakes recipe with fresh salmon or I would have tried it. I wanted a loaf so once I put this together I put it in a loaf pan and covered it with foil so it wouldn't dry out, then browned the top. I used left over baked salmon. I added a cup of minced onion, a cup of finely chopped celery, a tablespoon of dill weed. I only put in 1/4 tea of cayenne and did not use capers. I served it with a white sauce with lemon juice and dill weed in it. Absolutely perfect!

Yummy! Because of what was on hand, used yogurt to replace one of the eggs; breadcrumbs in place of saltines (1/2 cup) and panko in place of breadcrumbs for crisping. Love spicy, but for DH's sake will use half the amount next time. Thank you for sharing!

Wonderful flavor, moist inside, yet a bit of crunch on the outside. I added a tsp. of mayo, substituted panko breadcrumbs for the saltines and used Old Bay instead of cayenne. Served with fresh steamed asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce (Chef John's recipe).

Added old bay and onions , used breadcrumbs in filling , pattied with house autry spicy breader and corn meal, OK, needs a sauce

This was delicious! I will probably use fresh salmon next time, more for simplicity than anything else. Like other reviewers, I added some chopped onion (about 1/4-1/2 cup) and a sprinkle of old bay; I also added a touch of dried dill, dried parsley, and garlic powder. Used a breadcrumb/panko blend, and served the cakes with Home-made tartar sauce. Will definitely repeat - might make smaller parties, too.

Only 4 stars because there is no need to remove the skin and bones, just mush them up and add to the mix. Removing them also removes important calcium and omega-3 and omega-6 oils.

I’ve been making and loving salmon patties for as long as I can remember. How is it that this recipe turns the cot

Had no capers used ¼ cup finely diced red onion. Excellent made two meals out of one batch. Made a Remoulade sauce for me and a Mary Rose for my wife to go with it.

Better the next day

It really doesn't taste like the bulk of this came out of a can! It also came together really well and was easy to make. Had it with some tartar sauce and it was pretty good.

It was OK but prefer my own receipe

I have made these dozens of times. Best recipe ever for Salmon Cakes. I don't do capers but everything else. Love the spice of red peppers to give it some zing.

Followed the recipe but my patties fell apart when pressing the bread crumbs in and while in the pan. Didn't care for the sourness from the capers and lemon juice. Always happy to try a new recipe.

I only had one can of salmon so halved the recipe. Cooking for 5 min was too long or maybe I could have used lower flame. But like the crispy top. Also, could a sauce be included in the recipe? I wasn't sure what one to use and the orangish one looked the best but couldn't find it easily. Is this a romaleid-type sauce.

I always make this recipe as is. It's a great recipe as is. I also make the tarragon aioli with a mortar and pestle. I've said I'd never try to improve on it. Though like a delicious crab cake, I don't use bread crumbs for pan frying. Just butter. THANK YOU CHEF JOHN!!! Tim

Honestly nothing wrong with this recipe - just wasn't anything extraordinary. For a simple solid meal, a good option!

We love these lemony salmon patties. We now substitute ingredients: Oatmeal instead of saltines; dill rather than parsley; packets of salmon instead of canned. And, we bake them in a 400-degree oven on parchment paper (10 minutes each side). Great with mozzarella cheese and grainy mustard on top!

Loved this recipe. Served with creamy garlic sauce and it was fantastic.1/4 cup mayonnaise. 1 to 2 garlic cloves, shaved on a microplane, pressed through a garlic press, or very finely minced.1 tablespoon lemon juice. Heavy cream, to thin, if needed. Salt to taste.

Great recipe. I added 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and half chopped small onion. Delicious!!! My husband loved it. I will definitely make this over and over again.

Excellent, best ever and followed the recipe. Served with Chef John's Remoulade Sauce. Will make again but will try Chef John's other Remoulade Sause 2.0

Very simple recipe, added diced green onion, minced fresh ginger and garlic. Made a burger and used AR's tartar sauce.

no changes. It was the best. Will never use canned salmo again.

The best Salmon Cakes I've ever had.

I would add eggs so it would hold together. The flavor was great and I’ll make it again. I used fresh salmon that had been grilled And was leftover.

We always had them growing up. Its really simple and I too use old bay. If you don't like to pick out the bones and skin. Chicken of Sea make a smaller can of 6 oz. Boneless, skinless. I started several years back when salmon went so high. I use one small can of the boneless skinless salmon and 1 can white albacore tuna worked out great.

Easy and delish, I will make it again

Doubled the recipe so we could take them for lunch the next day. These are so delicious! I left off the cayenne and used a little dill pickle instead of capers. Made a sour cream, cucumber, cilantro, lemon and garlic creamy dip to go with it and everyone loved it!

Love, love, loved it! I was getting tired of my old salmon patty recipe and thought I would give this one a try. This one is a keeper for sure! I didn't change a thing, it's perfect the way it is.

I've been making this for years. The bones are very soft and will mash into almost nothing, adding calcium to each serving. I don't notice any difference in taste

It was okayish. I'm from Maryland so maybe my idea of seafood is different. I'll make it again eventually but it's basically a glorified tuna melt

Yum. This recipe is a keeper. Easy to make and very tasty.

Actually, you can crush the bone and skin into the salmon. More calcium ans omega oil. As the reviews show, you can so almost anything with this recipe, and it's great. I serve with a cheese sauce made with a little mayo, some milk, and cheddar cheese. Always a hit.

This is the best salmon patty recipe that I have ever made. Highly recommend that you try it. Very easy and quick.

Followed recipe and it was wonderful. My grandson loved them and requested that they be made again. Great recipe and will definitely make again.

I use the entire can, including liquid, bones and skin (minus a bit to the cats - they insist !) It adds waaaay more salmony flavor. Simply crush the bones with a fork or fingers. Then add more crackers (or dry oatmeal - my fav) to compensate.

Oh, these are just like my Mom made 65 years ago when I was a child. She served with mashed potatoes and peas. Actually, she always made whipped potatoes.

I now use this recipe, I add zest of one lemon, then follow the ingredient list....mix everything and let it sit for 12-24 hours....these are the best salmon cakes I have made and the only recipe I use

No changes and I have made it twice and we love it! The 2nd time I added scallions because both our Moms' added onion and we like the extra flavor.

Used Ritz veggie crackers because we didn't have regular saltines and leftover salmon. Delicious! Definitely going to repeat. Thanks for the recipe!

5 stars easy! Salmon patties come out picture perfect and delicious. I like to cut the recipe in half and use a 6 ounce vacuum packet of salmon. As other reviewers have commented, this is a basic recipe. Once you have the basic recipe, embellish to suit your taste.

Easy to make. Delicious.

This is a good recipe. I don't like capers very well and I thought it was to much egg. 1 egg worked fine. I have been making mine with parsley flakes, 2 slices of bread crumbled and an egg, salt & pepper, an a bash of old bay. Fry in veg. oil. You can also use a can of jack mackerel in these recipes. It's about half the cost of a can of salmon, tastes pretty similar.

I absolutely love this recipe I did Donny own thing a little and baked salmon early in the day and used fresh instead of canned . Everything els I did exactly. I also made his Aioli sauce ! It took an hour lol since I never made it , my mom and fiancé devoured it . My mom said it was wonderful and would easily pay 25$ for the dinner in a restaurant . She's very proud of me :) and I'm proud of myself as well! Thank you chef John ! Another dinner accomplished ! He makes everything so easy to do and if there's a video to watch it makes it even easier !

I've made this many times. Quite often there is markdown salmon in the store. I make these up and have some for dinner and some for the freezer. Good with chipotle mayo.

Excellent. I served it with a white sauce with chopped hard-boiled eggs.