Salmon Patties
Crispy on the outside and flaky and tender inside, these baked salmon patties skip the deep fryer without losing any of the crunch.
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 small onion (or 1/2 large), grated
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 400 g / 14 oz cooked fresh salmon or canned red or pink salmon, drained
- 2 shallots/scallions/green onions, finely sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried herbs of choice)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated or shredded
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for the tray
- oil spray
- Preheat your oven to a hot 220°C/430°F (200°C fan) — this high heat is what gives the patties their deeply golden, crisp exterior once they hit the tray.
- Place the panko breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl. Grate the onion directly over the bowl so all of its juices fall in along with the pulp, then stir the onion thoroughly into the breadcrumbs until every crumb looks evenly moistened — this brief soak is what keeps the finished patties tender rather than dense.
- Add the minced garlic, sliced scallions, chopped dill, eggs, grated parmesan, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix everything together well until you have a cohesive, well-seasoned base.
- Add the cooked salmon to the bowl and fold it in gently with a spatula or your hands, working just enough to distribute it evenly without breaking it down into fine shreds. You want to still see distinct flakes of salmon running through the mixture, since that's what gives the patties their juicy, chunky texture rather than a dense paste.
- Scoop the mixture into level, packed 1/4-cup portions and shape each one into a round patty about 1.5 cm (2/3 inch) thick, setting them aside on a plate or tray as you go. You should end up with 12 patties total from the full batch.
- Drizzle the vegetable oil all over a large baking tray and slide it into the hot oven for about 2 minutes, just until the oil is shimmering and hot — tilt the tray gently partway through if needed to help the oil spread evenly across the surface.
- Carefully place the patties onto the hot, oiled tray, leaving them as they are without pressing down, since flattening them at this stage tends to make them stick. Give the tops a light spray with oil spray to help them crisp and brown evenly in the oven.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply golden, then carefully flip each patty with a thin spatula. Spray the newly exposed tops with a little more oil and return the tray to the oven for another 5 minutes, until both sides are crisp and golden brown.
- Serve the patties warm, with a dollop of sour cream or plain yoghurt on the side for dipping and a scattering of extra fresh dill if you'd like a brighter finish.
Chef's Note: Soaking the panko in grated onion and its juices before adding anything else is a small trick that pays off in the final texture — it keeps the crumbs from drying the patties out, the same way a panade works in a good meatball. Folding the salmon in gently at the very end, rather than mixing it thoroughly with everything else, is just as important: you want to still see distinct flakes running through each patty rather than a dense, uniform paste, and that's also what keeps them tender once baked.
These patties work equally well with fresh cooked salmon or canned red or pink salmon, so feel free to use whichever you have on hand or find more convenient. For a lower-carb or gluten-free version, swap the panko for raw cauliflower rice or crushed rice crackers in equal measure, without changing anything else in the recipe. Serve them with extra fresh dill and a good dollop of sour cream or plain yoghurt on the side for dipping.
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