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My air fryer old-fashioned salmon patties are an easy and budget friendly recipe that fits perfectly into a busy week. The air fryer gives them a crisp finish while keeping the inside tender and flavorful. They come together quickly, taste great, and work well for meal prep. Air fryer salmon cakes are one of my favorite ways to use canned salmon, and I know you’ll love them too!
Wonderful, Summer!
– Reader
🛒 Old Fashioned Salmon Patties Air Fryer Ingredients
- 7½ ounces canned salmon (213g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried dill)
- 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 scallion, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- Cooking oil spray
Get a printable recipe card at the end of the post!
If you prefer air fryer salmon patties with flour, you can try substituting all-purpose flour for the breadcrumbs. Canned salmon is already cooked, so you do not need to worry about reaching a safe minimum internal temperature. Using salmon packed with the bones adds a natural source of calcium.
Keep a close eye on the patties the first time you make them. Air fryers vary, so you may need to adjust the cooking time. If you have a smaller basket, plan to cook the patties in batches.
🐟 How to Make Air Fryer Salmon Patties
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making air fryer salmon cakes (no mayo):
Drain the canned salmon and mash it in a medium bowl with a fork. Mix in the dill, breadcrumbs, egg, scallion, Old Bay, and lemon zest.
Lightly mist the air fryer basket or tray with cooking oil spray. With clean hands, shape the mixture into four small patties. Arrange them in a single, non-touching layer and spray the tops with oil.
Tip: Keeping the patties the same size helps them cook evenly. Mine were about 2½ inches wide (6.35 cm) and ½ inch thick (1.27 cm).
Air fry salmon patties for a total of 10-12 minutes at 400F (200C). Gently flip the patties and spray them with more oil after the first 5 minutes of air frying. (Use the top rack position if you are using an air fryer oven.)
Serve the salmon patties with lemon wedges and your favorite sauce.
How do you keep salmon patties from falling apart?
Salmon patties often fall apart when they do not have enough binders. Eggs, crushed pork rinds, breadcrumbs, panko, almond flour, mashed potatoes, and cornmeal are all effective options. Smaller patties also tend to hold together better than larger ones.
How to make salmon patties without egg?
Eggs help bind salmon cakes together, but you can use other binders if you prefer an egg free recipe. Vegan egg replacers are a popular choice.
Storage
Store leftover salmon patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. They can also be wrapped individually, placed in a freezer bag, and frozen.
Leftover salmon cakes can be eaten cold. To reheat them, warm them in a skillet, microwave them, or air fry them for 3 to 5 minutes at 375F (190C).
➕ How to Serve Salmon Patties
Here are some sauces and condiments that pair well with salmon patties:
- Tzatziki
- Remoulade sauce
- Dill sauce
- Tartar sauce
- Fresh lemon juice
- Cocktail sauce
- Dijon mustard
Watch How to Make It!
Old Fashioned Salmon Patties (Air Fryer Recipe)
Ingredients
- 7½ ounces canned salmon (213g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried dill)
- 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 scallion, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Drain the canned salmon and mash it in a medium bowl with a fork. Mix in the dill, breadcrumbs, egg, scallion, Old Bay, and lemon zest.
- Lightly mist the air fryer basket or tray with cooking oil spray. With clean hands, shape the mixture into four small patties. Arrange them in a single, non-touching layer and spray the tops with oil.
- Air fry salmon patties for a total of 10-12 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Gently flip the patties and spray them with more oil after the first 5 minutes of air frying. (Use the top rack position if you are using an air fryer oven.) Serve and enjoy.
Equipment
Notes
💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 2 recipe (transition or weight maintenance). Have you ever tried cooking salmon burgers in an air fryer? If not, this recipe is a simple way to give it a try, as the patties work well as sliders. Many types of seafood can be used to make air fried fish cakes, but salmon offers some unique advantages. White fish such as cod and tilapia are mild in flavor, count toward your weekly seafood intake, and are very low in calories. They are also among the leanest protein options. However, they contain far less of the omega 3s DHA and EPA than oily fish like salmon. If you want to increase your intake of omega 3 fats, higher fat fish can be helpful. Since these fish often have stronger flavors, salmon patties can be an approachable way to enjoy them. Using canned salmon with the bones also adds a natural source of dairy free calcium. Nutrition information is for one serving.
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
👩🏻🍳 More Canned Fish Recipes
- Canned Salmon Salad (No Mayo)
- Sardine Wrap Recipe
- Air Fryer Canned Sardine Cakes
- Baked Canned Sardines
You may also want to explore our other air fryer recipes while you’re here!
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
Can this recipe be used with Costco Salmon burgers?
Hi Paul! Are you planning to crumble the burgers and use them in the recipe? The Trident burgers are partially cooked and already seasoned, so you would need to cook them fully before using them, since canned salmon is precooked. The main concern is that the patties might not hold together as well, but I think it could be a fun and worthwhile experiment.
Wonderful, Summer! I love crab cakes, of course, but now I seek variations on the original theme.
Not only do you provide one, and a great one at that, but you do it up in a manner that avoids most of the oily add-ons fish cakes tend to bring with them. Nice job!
Thank you! These will definitely be making a semi-regular reappearance in our household. I was thinking the recipe would probably work well with other canned fish as well!