Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It Now- What Are Salmon Patties?
- Ingredients In Salmon Patties
- How To Make Salmon Patties
- Are Salmon Patties Healthy?
- How To Store & Reheat Keto Salmon Patties
- Tools To Make Low Carb Salmon Patties
- How To Serve Keto Salmon Patties
- Low Carb Keto Salmon Patties Recipe (Salmon Cakes) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
These keto salmon patties (sometimes called keto salmon cakes) make a wholesome and healthy seafood meal, without breaking the bank – or even a trip to the grocery store. If you need a recipe that makes do with what you have, low carb salmon patties are probably it. They are super quick to make (15 minutes, seriously!), because they’re made with canned salmon, meaning no need to cook the salmon separately. And, you need just 8 common pantry ingredients total, which you probably already have at home.
Serve this keto salmon patty recipe with a slice of lemon and an easy veggie side (and find more ideas for serving further down below). Perfect for a simple last-minute dinner, or even an appetizer.
What Are Salmon Patties?
Salmon patties are kind of like salmon burgers, with plenty of seasonings added, along with egg and breadcrumbs to hold it all together.
To keep the recipe keto friendly, we make a simple swap by making these low carb salmon patties with pork rinds. They are very similar to keto crab cakes.
Ingredients In Salmon Patties
This keto salmon cake recipe is made with just 8 pantry-staple ingredients:
- Yellow onion – Grating the onion is key, so that the low carb salmon patties don’t have big chunks of onion.
- Canned salmon – Can’t make the best salmon cake recipe without the salmon. 😉
- Eggs and mayonnaise – These act as a binder for the keto salmon patty recipe.
- Crushed pork rinds (these are my favorite!) – Instead of the typical breadcrumbs, we’re using pork rinds as a low carb alternative. You can also replace the pork rinds with almond flour if you like, though the texture is a bit different.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning and smoked paprika add flavor to the salmon keto cakes.
- Olive oil – This is used to fry the low carb canned salmon patties.
Which canned salmon is best for salmon cakes?
Any canned salmon will work for this low carb salmon cake recipe, as long as it’s boneless, but I recommend wild caught for the nutritional value.
This canned wild Alaskan salmon is great quality, sustainable wild-caught, and affordable. Triple-win.
Is canned salmon already cooked?
Yes, canned salmon is already cooked. That’s one of the reasons this keto salmon patty recipe comes together so fast.
How To Make Salmon Patties
Making low carb salmon patties is super quick, with just a few easy steps:
- Grate onion. As I mentioned above, we’re grating the onion instead of dicing it so that there aren’t big onion chunks.
- Mix keto salmon cakes mixture. In a medium bowl, combine onion, salmon, egg, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Form low carb salmon patties. Using your hands, form mixture into 6 patties and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let mixture stiffen.
- Cook salmon patties. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and cook patties for 3-4 minutes per side.
How do you know when salmon patties are done?
Salmon patties are done when they are golden brown on both sides. As long as you have heat on medium, they will cook through inside by the time they are golden brown on the outside.
Are Salmon Patties Healthy?
Yes, this keto salmon patty recipe is very healthy! In addition to being a great source of omega-3 fatty acids (also known as healthy fats!), these salmon patties are a great source of protein and very low in carbs.
Are salmon patties low carb?
Traditional salmon patties contain bread crumbs, so they are not low carb.
But these salmon patties have just 1g net carb per patty! The full nutrition stats can be found below the recipe card.
How To Store & Reheat Keto Salmon Patties
Can you make salmon patties ahead?
Yes, you can definitely prepare salmon cakes up to 1-2 days in advance. Store the uncooked patties in the fridge until you’re ready to fry them.
How to store salmon cakes
Store these keto friendly salmon patties in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in a hot skillet for best results.
Can salmon patties be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze this keto salmon patty recipe. Store in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a hot skillet, until heated through.
Tools To Make Low Carb Salmon Patties
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Folding Grater – This grater folds down on itself, which can save you major space in the kitchen.
- Hard Anodized Frying Pan – Your keto salmon cakes won’t stick to these pans! I use these in my kitchen almost daily.
How To Serve Keto Salmon Patties
Serving salmon patties doesn’t need anything fancy. Here are some basic ideas:
- Serve plain, over leaf lettuce. A lemon wedge, plus a side of sour cream or Greek yogurt goes nicely.
- Wrap patties in a lettuce wrap. Smear with some extra mayo or aioli inside.
- Make keto salmon sliders. I actually like to use keto dinner rolls. (I also have another burger bun recipe in my Easy Keto Cookbook.)
What goes with salmon patties?
I love serving this low carb salmon patty recipe with a slice of lemon and a low carb veggie side or salad. Here are a few ideas:
- Roasted Asparagus – With its bright flavors, it’s the perfect pairing.
- Sautéed Garlic Mushrooms – These mushrooms make a tasty side to keto salmon cakes.
- Cauliflower Potato Salad – An easy side dish to make ahead, great in the summer especially. If you have family members who aren’t low carb, make them regular potato salad.
- Roasted Whole Cauliflower – Let the cauliflower roast while you fry up the best salmon patty recipe!
- Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad – Fresh, vibrant, and so beautifully simple.
Low Carb Keto Salmon Patties Recipe (Salmon Cakes)
Low carb keto salmon patties (a.k.a. salmon cakes) are ready in 15 minutes, with simple pantry ingredients. This keto salmon patty recipe is a budget-friendly way to enjoy healthy fish.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
-
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except olive oil. Mix until just combined, but don't over mix.
-
Using your hands, form mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) patties and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Patties will feel wet and sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
-
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add salmon patties to the skillet without touching each other, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip patties and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until browned on the other side.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 salmon patty
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We'd LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
139 Comments
Martin
0Wow! Excellent recipe on all counts. Very easy. Clear instructions. Delicious! I used almond and coconut flour since I didn’t have pork rinds, but it worked great anyway. Thank you!
Francie
0Can I use fresh raw salmon in the recipe or do I need to cook it first ? I have made this recipe with fresh salmon that I had cooked the day prior in the past and it was AMAZING. Salmon cooks pretty quickly, any reason I couldn’t use the fresh uncooked stuff I have in the fridge ?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Francie, I would recommend cooking your salmon before making this recipe. I have never made salmon patties with raw salmon but if you do let me know how it turns out!
Kathy
0Could this recipe be used for salmon loaf?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kathy, I have not tested that, but the recipe itself should work fine in a loaf style. Please let us know how it turns out if you decide to give it a try!
Nikki
0Yummy, and faster,
I substituted almond flour for the pork rinds because I do not eat pork.
This is really good, and I did not know that I could save the uncooked mix (refrigerated in a glass bowl)to cook the next day.
A lovely Sunday dinner. Easy and yummy and I can eat healthy.
Thank you!
CW
0In the recipe it says to use olive oil, but in the video it shows avocado oil. Which do you prefer? I have been liking the avocado oil,as you can get it hotter. I’m patiently waiting for the 30 minute rest in the refrigerator time. I added a little chopped celery. I used avocado mayo too.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi CW, You can use either oil you prefer, but avocado does hold up better to hotter temperatures.
BJ
0Love these patties. We used leftover baked fresh salmon.
Mery
0I’m making this tonight but it looks tasty and easy to prepare!
Catherine
0Hi. I love salmon patties. I have a favorite recipe but it calls for flour and cornmeal. YOUR salmon patty(cake) recipe is very good. I never would have thought Italian seasoning would be good with salmon.
I made 1 change only added 1/2 tsp salt. We try not to use a lot of salt. We really enjoyed these patties a lot. My only issue is it didn’t have that fishy(salmon )taste. Don’t get me wrong they are delicious I ate 3. My can salmon was a 14.5 oz ,got an extra patty.
THIS is a Keeper.
Thank you for your time and recipes!
Looking forward to trying more recipes!
Beatriz Ferrer-Quiles
0Greetings! The salmon patties turned out well and look amazing, but turned out too salty. 🙁 going to have to reduce the amount of salt next time….
Carol Guyette
0Thank you for this recipe. My son is on the keto diet he loved this recipe. We will make this often.
Shelbel
0Thank you for this recipe. I made this for dinner last night – quick and easy to make, moist and delicious! I loved the addition of the smoked paprika. I did skip the sea salt since the salmon is already salty.
I did make the following substitutions: Instead of pork rinds I mixed 1/4C almond flour combined with 1 oz hard parmesan cheese hand-grated added directly to salmon. This added very little of a cheesy taste to the patties where I was concerned that using cheese whisps would definitely give it more of a cheesy taste. I also wanted to use my leeks so I precooked 1/4C chopped leeks (instead of the onions). The can of “pink” salmon I used was 14.5 oz. This made 5 nice sized patties (I felt making 6 patties was making them too small for a dinner portion).
Looking forward to these as leftovers tonight!
Laura
0These sound perfect! Unfortunately, I saw the pork rinds at Costco today but did not pick them up. But I am gonna gamble and try these with some smashed Whisps, kinda like pork rinds?! We shall see. Thanks for the delicious recipe minus the onions —- not a fan or those and paprika is a no, due to nightshade issues.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Laura, I have not tried them this way, but they should work. Let us know how they turn out!
Tammy
0Delicious. I didn’t have pork rinds, so I used herb seasoning peppridge farms dressing for breading
Shelley
0Could you fry this in lard?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Shelby, Yes! Lard will work just fine here. Enjoy!
Kattie B.
0I failed to see the use of pork rinds.Do you crush them and put them in the mixture,or do you batter the pattie as if using panko?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kattie, The pork rinds are crushed and act as a replacement for bread crumbs. It helps to hold the salmon mixture together. I hope this helps!
Tessa Johnson Fugate
0Me and my family love this recipe. My father in law said this was the best salmon patty he has ever eaten.
Rich Catlin
0Substituted almond flour for crushed pork loins as suggested. Substituted srirachi ranch for mayonnaise. No Italian dressing. So many subtle flavors! Served with roasted cauliflower and asparagus!!!
Peggy
0I used 2 – 7oz cans of salmon and used same ingredients as shown however the pork rinds with the added salt made these patties too salty. Also the pork rinds added the fatty residue taste in my mouth. Do you think I could cut back on the pork rinds? These held together very nicely so I’m thinking if I reduce the pork rind by 1/4 cup and maybe added some lemon juice it might help to reduce that fatty taste. We did eat all of them but I found them a bit too salty for my liking. Any suggestions?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Peggy, Feel free to reduce the amount of pork rinds and replace it with almond flour. They won’t turn out quite as crisp on the outside, but it will reduce the saltiness. Lemon juice will also work in the recipe. Enjoy!
Arlene
0These were delicious!
I left out the Italian seasoning and fries then in ghee since I was out of olive oil.
Will be adding this to my favorites.
Thank you!!
Michelle Calicchio
0I have ton of left over salmon that I pan fried. Is there any reason I couldn’t flake up the salmon fillets and use that in place of the canned salmon?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Michelle, I have not personally tried doing anything like this, but it should work in the recipe.
Judy
0Based on the comments I added personal touches: green onions instead of yellow, salt free McCormicks seafood seasoning, 1 teaspoon of seasoning salt instead of 1.5 tsp of salt. I used the pork rinds and the salmon croquettes were beautiful, crispy and delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Shanae
0I used almond flour instead of pork rinds as well as sautéed my onions before adding to mixture. With this recipe they taste as if they’re regular salmon cakes. GREAT RECIPE.
Tammy
0This is so very good! Omg! But, I do feel like it could use less salt. Other than that they were moist and flavorful! Thanks!
Mary Arndt
0Awesome thank you so much
Linda
0Tried this and loved it. This is easy and delish. Thanks for sharing.
R L
0What can I use in place of the pork rinds?
I don’t eat pork.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi RL, Feel free to use almond flour in place of the pork rinds.
Dana
0Hi. Can this be done with fresh salmon?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Dana, Yes, but if you have fresh salmon fillets, you may want to try one of these recipes instead – Garlic Baked Salmon or Baked Basil Pesto Salmon.
Ruth Butcher
0I made this recipe for 2 friends I was staying with and they both loved it so much they asked for the recipe. How encouraging is that. Thanks Maya. I also tried your meatloaf with pork
rinds and it was sooo good too. Something about pork rinds gives a very good flaovor.
emmyjoyful
0I made these for lunch today. We found 2 cakes each to be plenty. I added some dehydrated swiss chard, and used more italian seasoning than the recipe asked for. I also used almond flour .. about 1.5 cups .. instead of pork rinds, as my husband doesn’t eat pork They were delicious. We had home-pickled green beans on the side as well as a fresh cranberry salad left from Christmas. I also used some (not hotdog style) hot mustard on my salmon cakes. They were delicious. Hubs had his beloved rice with it. I think next time I will try adding the pickled beans or pickled garlic or whatever pickle is open at the time, right into the patty mix and a bit of pickle juice .. maybe a tablespoon, if that, in this size recipe. A small amount of pickle juice really brightens a lot of recipes, giving it just that little extra zing. This is a nice recipe as is, and can handle some personal touches as well.
Janet Henry
0I found that the crispier you get them, the better they taste! Will definitely make them again.
Jill Madigan
0I’m sorry that you made no comment on the difference between the flavor of canned pink salmon (‘fishy’ tasting) and more tasty and pricey red sockeye salmon.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jill, My recommendation is linked in the recipe card, but feel free to use the salmon you prefer in the recipe.
peggy belasco
0They were bland and tastless!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Peggy, I am sorry this recipe didn’t suit your taste. Feel free to experiment with the seasonings if you wish to try the recipe again, or maybe pre-seasoned pork rinds.
Karen
0I loved this recipe! The only change I made was substituting 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning for the salt. The pork rinds give a hint of balcony flavor. So good!
cindy
0Can the patties be baked in the oven?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cindy, Baking these in the oven won’t get the crispy exterior. These salmon patties are best pan-fried.
Tina Pederson
0I have never liked Salmon, but this recipe changed my mind. Love these patties so did hubby will be making these over and over again they are so good
Kathryn Pierce
0This recipe is so good and easy to make. I would give it 10 stars if I could. The only problem is it takes all my will power not to eat them all up. Thank You
Beth
0I somehow ended up with a lot of canned salmon so I asked a question on the Wholesome Yum Facebook page for ideas to use the canned salmon up. I had several really good suggestions, of which was to use this recipe for salmon patties. I am so glad I did! This was such an easy recipe, using ingredients that I had in my pantry. And the best part is that it was over the top delicious! In fact, we ate them before I was able to get a picture of the amazingly good salmon patty. The best part is that my husband really liked them too and said he would definitely eat them again so I knew this was a home run! I will definitely be making these again! Thank you Maya!
Susan
0Finally,
DION
0Delicious! Easy!
Ashley
0Hi! I just noticed it does not say when to add the pork rinds? Do they go in the mix or on the outside? Thanks! Your recipes are great and so helpful! Thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ashley, The crushed pork rinds are added to the mix at the beginning of the recipe. Enjoy!
payme
0It’s in the recipe card .. the first item says to put everything in a bowl except the olive oil and mix. You are right, in the pre-amble instructions closer to the beginning, pork rind instructions are omitted.
Ginger
0Thank you for the recipe. I was looking for a replacement for cracker crumbs and that will work nicely. I was surprised that you specified no bones. Why? The bones add no carbs. I have cans of salmon with bones and the labels show zero carbs.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ginger, The bones don’t affect the carb count, but it can change the consistency of the mixture if they aren’t soft enough. Feel free to use what you have on hand, but my preference is boneless.
Cindy
0Love this recipe, very easy and tastes much more high end.
emmyjoyful
0I just mash the bones in with the salmon and they pretty much disappear. Sometimes I eat them before mashing. Never discard the bones. They are excellent calcium.
Wendy
0Hi, at the end you drizzle something on the top of the patties, I assume it’s lemon juice? If not, could you elaborate. These are DELISH!! 😉 Thanks –
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Wendy, Yes, it’s lemon juice! Enjoy.
Maribel W.
0These were delicious, my kids devour them. The only thing that I would change is the salt. The pork rinds are salty enough in my opinion. Definitely a keeper! Thank you for a great recipe!
Jannine
0The Salmon Cakes recipe in the video uses Avocado Oil and the recipe reads Olive Oil. Which is recommended?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jannine, Either will work great. Use whichever you prefer the flavor of.
Tami
0Can I air fry these?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Tami, I have not tested this, but I think they could be air fried. They would not brown as much. Please let us know if you decide to try it!
Cheryl Dabney
0I made these for Breakfast for my family! They had grits as well. They enjoyed them a lot and was surprised that I used pork rinds instead of flour. Full disclosure: the ones I made for my family, I put a dusting of cornmeal on them before I fried them to get the crispy crunch they like. For their 4 patties, I used about a tablespoon cornmeal total to dust the patties; for my two l left as is. Very good recipe
Audrey
0Do you have a sub for pork rinds?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Audrey, You can use 1 cup of almond flour in place of the pork rinds.
Susan
0I didn’t get the pork rinds at the store because I thought I had some at home. 😕And I can’t eat almonds due to the salicylic acid or paprika due to the nightshade family.
So I’m going to try coconut flour and fry them in coconut oil and butter for flavor. I save my oilve oil for salads!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Susan, You can try that, but you’ll want to reduce the amount of coconut flour (probably by 2/3 or 3/4), as it’s much more absorbent than almond flour. I’m still unsure if it would work, so let me know how it goes!
Catherine
0Was looking forward to this recipe for dinner. Sadly I can’t have pork. I’m going to try another filler like nutritional yeast and parmesan with small amount of almond flour.
Kevin Hall
0I love pork rinds but do they not make these a little salty ?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kevin, I don’t think so, but if you are sensitive to salt then please feel free to scale the amount back the amount.
Jen
0No one in my house will ever say NO to pork rinds. Wholesome yum for the win (again!).
Alison
0YES, PLEASE. Love salmon cakes and especially now-at-days having to get crafty with pantry items. These look so moist and delish!
Marlynn
0These are so flavorful, and I love that we can make them in advance!
Abigail Raines
0So perfect for our Fish Friday menu! Love that in minutes I have a tasty and delicious dish!
Anita
0These are so good, especially with the addition of pork rinds. I don’t always have pork rinds at home, but I’m guessing crispy bacon should be able to do replace pork rinds.