Panko-Crusted Salmon Cakes

My mouth is watering just thinking about these panko-crusted salmon cakes. It’s another nostalgic recipe from my childhood that tastes a lot like crab cakes. I wrote about my mom’s meatloaf a short time ago, and what I did to give her recipe a 5-star taste makeover. Another recipe she used to make that I actually liked a lot, though, was salmon cakes. I’ve searched high and low for it, but it must have been one she made from memory. Sigh. However, that stumbling block didn’t stop me from putting my own spin on salmon cakes.

These panko-crusted salmon cakes are easy to make. And, best of all, they’re full of flavor and short on fat. And, because they’re made in an air fryer, they’re infinitely healthier than pan-fried with a bunch of extra oil. No air fryer? No worries. You can bake them instead, with a thin layer of olive oil brushed over the top of the patties. See the notes section for tips on that method. If you’ve been searching for an air fryer, we bought this Emeril Lagasse Air Fryer a few months ago, and have been using it regularly ever since. I really like the fact that it’s easy to clean and doesn’t take up a lot of counter space.

A Few Tips

In this recipe, I use canned salmon. While I’m sure you could use cooked, flaked salmon, I’ve never made it that way, so I can’t attest to it. With canned salmon, you’ll want to drain it, mash it up in a bowl, and remove any skin or bones you may find. It’s common. Those tiny, round bones are hard to spot at first, but once you find one, you’ll find twenty more! And don’t fret if you don’t get them all. Just think of it as a little extra calcium in your diet. ? I also used yellow onion in this recipe for a mellower taste. However, if you like a sharper-tasting onion, white onion is fine. And if you don’t have panko, regular breadcrumbs, or even cornmeal, will work out just great, too. The seasoned salt amps up the flavor and the crushed red pepper gives these panko-crusted salmon cakes a little extra kick. If you don’t tolerate spice, go ahead and omit the crushed red pepper.

How to Make Panko-Crusted Salmon Cakes

If you’re a no-fuss, no-mess kind of cook (and who isn’t, really?), you’ll love the fact that you use just one bowl in this recipe. You’ll find the most time you’ll use in the preparation is picking out the salmon bones. And, the rest is just adding ingredients to the bowl and mixing it all together. I love that, don’t you? Also, I find using a half-cup size measuring cup is the perfect scoop for the salmon mixture, and it cuts down on the mess. From there, you just smash the salmon mixture into 1-inch cakes and they’re ready to cook.

Ingredients

• 1 14.75-ounce can of pink wild salmon
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely diced white or yellow onion
• 1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• A few twists of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup panko 

Directions

• Drain the salmon and mash in a large bowl, removing any leftover skin and bones. 

• Next, add the flour, onion, green pepper, egg, Worchestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Mix well until thoroughly combined. 

• Now, add the panko to a small separate plate and set it aside.
• Scoop the salmon up with a 1/2 cup size measuring cup and flatten the salmon to no higher than one-inch cakes.
• Carefully dredge in the panko and lightly brush the tops of the patties with olive oil.
• Place on air fryer sheets or in the basket and air fry at 390 degrees for 8 minutes. Then flip the cakes and air fry for another 4 minutes until they’re brown and crispy on the outside.

• Serve with tangy lemon wedges, your favorite tartar sauce, or Greek yogurt with fresh dill.

Notes

To bake instead of air fry, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Bake the salmon cakes on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then flip the salmon cakes over and bake for an additional 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!