Southern Fried Salmon Patties
Craving a taste of Southern comfort that’s as easy as it is nostalgic? These Southern Fried Salmon Patties—whipped up from pantry-staple canned pink salmon, zesty lemon, and crispy breadcrumbs—are my childhood fave, packed with more calcium than a glass of milk. Ready in just 30 minutes and fried to golden perfection.
Looking to spice up your dinner routine? Try our delicious southern fried salmon patties. These patties are a taste of the South I grew up in. Southern fried salmon patties consists of canned salmon, green onions, chopped celery and seasoned with lemon juice and fried in butter.
Growing up in the South, salmon patties were a regular on our dinner table—pure comfort food magic courtesy of my mom. I had no idea back then that two of these crispy beauties pack more calcium than a glass of milk, or that canned salmon is loaded with omega-3s and all kinds of good stuff. All I knew was they tasted incredible!
This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase we might receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Discover the secret to the most mouthwatering Southern fried salmon patties today. They’re more than just a Southern staple; they’re a healthy dish packed with calcium, seasoned to perfection, and cooked to golden perfection. Next time you forget to thaw meat for dinner, treat your family to this delightful dish that evokes homey comfort.
Southern Fried Salmon Patties Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2- 14.5 ounce cans pink salmon, drained and flaked
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups breads crumbs
- 3 green onions, sliced
- ½ cup celery, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons, butter
- Lemon Wedges, optional
Equipment Needed:
- Parchment Paper
- Sheet Pan
- Skillet
🥣 Recipe Tips
- Drain the salmon– After you open the can, really press the lid down hard (or use a fine-mesh strainer) to squeeze out every last drop of liquid. Too much moisture = soggy patties that fall apart in the pan. A dry mix holds together beautifully and gets that gorgeous crispy crust.
- Chill the patties for 10–15 minutes before frying – Once shaped, pop them on a plate or baking sheet and slide them in the fridge (or even the freezer for 5–7 minutes). The cold helps them firm up so they don’t break when you flip them—total game-changer for perfect golden rounds.
- Use a combo of butter + oil for frying – Heat 1–2 tablespoons butter with a little vegetable or canola oil in the skillet. The butter gives incredible flavor and that deep golden color, while the oil keeps the butter from burning. Medium heat is your friend—too hot and they’ll brown before the inside is warm!
How to make Southern Fried Salmon Patties:
- Start your salmon patties by opening both cans of salmon. Drain them well, then pick out the skin and any large bones (the little soft ones are totally edible and packed with calcium, but I usually remove most of them too—no judgment here!).
- Add the flaked salmon to a large mixing bowl along with the eggs, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, diced onion, celery, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until well combined. Scoop out about ½ cup of the mixture at a time and gently shape into patties (you’ll get 8 total).
- Place each salmon patty on a parchment-lined baking sheet that’s been lightly sprinkled with breadcrumbs. Gently press the patty down, then flip it over to coat both sides evenly.
- Heat 2–3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot and bubbling, carefully add 4 patties at a time (don’t crowd the pan!). Fry 3–4 minutes per side until they’re deep golden brown and crispy.
- Scoop them out with a spatula, let the excess butter drip off, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining patties, adding a little more butter if needed.
These croquettes will be crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. And you can serve these Southern fried salmon patties garnished with lemon slices or wedges and sprinkles parsley or thyme or see other great ways below. They’re not just good, they’re the BEST salmon patties.
Other ways to serve these Southern Salmon Patties
Classic Southern Plate
- Creamy grits or mashed potatoes
- Collard greens or turnip greens (with a splash of pepper vinegar)
- A big scoop of coleslaw on the side
- Tartar sauce or a squeeze of fresh lemon
Quick & Easy Ideas
- On a toasted bun as a salmon burger with lettuce, tomato, and remoulade
- Over a bed of rice with a side of steamed green beans
- With mac & cheese and a little hot sauce – comfort food heaven!
- Broken up over a crisp green salad with ranch or comeback sauce
Breakfast/Brunch Twist
- Topped with a poached egg and a dollop of hollandaise
- Served alongside cheesy scrambled eggs and biscuits
Dipping Sauces People Love
- Classic tartar sauce
- Remoulade (Cajun-style)
- Sriracha-mayo or bang-bang sauce
- Simple lemon-dill yogurt sauce
What’s your favorite way to eat salmon patties?
I love that I can keep a couple cans of pink salmon in the pantry and—boom—dinner’s ready in 30 minutes, no thawing required. Serve them hot alongside wild brown rice and steamed veggies, and you’ve got a wholesome, budget-friendly meal that still makes my inner child do a happy dance. Pure Southern deliciousness with a sneaky nutrition boost.
Other Down Home Recipes
🥣 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 14.75 ounce cans Pink Salmon drained and flaked
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups bread crumbs
- 3 green onions sliced
- ½ cup celery chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive olive
- lemon wedges optional
Instructions
- Open the cans of salmon and remove the skins and most of the bones and drain off the juice.
- In a large bowl combine salmon, eggs, 1 cup of the breadcrumbs, green onions, celery, lemon juice, salt, and pepper
- Sprinkle ¼ cup of breadcrumbs onto a parchment lined sheet pan
- Scoop up ½ cup of the fish mixture and form into a patty, place patty on the pan and turn to coat both sides with breadcrumbs
- Repeat until 8 patties are made
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat cook 4 of the patties in 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil for 8-10 minutes until golden brown, turning once.
- Serve garnished with lemon wedges and parsley or thyme, optional
Nutrition
Click HERE to save these Salmon Patties to Pinterest
Looks delicious and healthy, Evelyn 🙂 Pinned to make soon !
Those look delicious! I love salmon, especially if I can get every single little speck of bone out of it. 🙂
These patties look awesome. I haven't had one in years. My mother used to fry these in her iron skillet and they were just tremendous. I've got to make some now.
Angel
I love salmon patties. This recipe is a bit different, Pinning to try 🙂
Love Salmon, so I will be trying this and they sound easy. I'm all about easy these days. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Pinned!
Hugs,
Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile
I love salmon patties, thanks for linking these up at The Southern Special.
Dawn
Spatulas On Parade
My hubs makes salmon patties (a family fav), recipe is slightly different. He doesn't put celery or onions in his…but I think he should.
Pinning it to get him to make, hehe
Thanks for sharing!
These look delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Simple Supper Tuesday.
Have you grilled these? Mine aren't quite thick enough to hold together on the grill, but I think that would be SO good!
Yum! I'm going to get some salmon today! Cheers from Carole's Chatter
I love these sound of these, yum tasty 🙂
Can you believe that considering all the seafood we eat, I've never had salmon patties…or any fish patties for that matter. They look so light and fresh with the lemon juice and celery.
Thank you for sharing, Evelyn.
Do you think you could freeze these ahead of time and cook later?
I have loved salmon patties all my life. I make them just a little differently. Instead of scallion I grate about 1/2 large onion and a carrot into the mixture and add in about 1/2 fresh copped parsley. I alternate using matzoh meal or cracker meal instead of bread crumbs.
That sounds delicious also. We will have to try it!
I have just got to add one thing to your delicious sounding recipe that will make them even better. I learned this from growing up on salmon patties also. When you open the cake, drain off the oil (or water) into a small bowl. Stir in 1 T. of baking powder with a fork andlet it set till you get everything mixed together. Before you roll them into patties, pour in your mixture and mix well. Then proceed as usual. I have found that this makes them crispy (even without the bread crumbs).
Made these last night, they were very good. I had to use panko, and maybe that made me have to add some extra water so they would hold together. But the panko made the outsides extra crunchy along with the celery. I made a fast aioli to go along with them. And still good and fairly crunchy the next day! Thanks very much!
Thanks so much for letting us know. Love the idea of aioli to go with them. We must try it also!
I love salmon patties along with a very simple mayo and yellow mustard. Delicious.
A delicious sauce is yellow mustard mixed in mayo. So simple but fantastic!
Oh, that does sound good. Thanks for the suggestion.
I leave out onions and celery, add dill weed and lemon juice, crush the salmon bones take off the skin and drain. 1 egg per can and bread crumbs. Frying in butter does sound better. Thanks.
That does sound good also!
My husband loves salmon patties. I make a cream sauce with peas to put over the top of the patties.
That sounds very good!
The bones in the salmon are edible and a good source of calcium.
Yes you are very correct. I just have always removed them but I do know so many people that crush them up in the mixture. Thanks
I made these last night. I grew up eating these and loved my mom’s cooking but she never added a little lemon juice to hers. I loved it with the lemon juice added! Will definitely make these again!
Oh, that makes my heart happy. I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for the sweet comments
How long and at what temp could these be baked at? Curious to try it that way.
These came out super good btw!
Thanks so much for you kind comment. I’ve never tried baking them but if you do please let us know.
I’ve always baked mine at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes depending on thickness of patty. Can’t wait to try this recipe this week.
Oh! Yum! What a great recipe. Mom always made salmon loaf which we loved. I love everything crispy so I made patties for my family. My recipe is little different but I am making these for supper tonight. Love the idea of the lemon juice in them. I usually squeeze it on when I eat them. Thank you so much for this yummy recipe.
You are so welcome and thank you for your kind comments. So glad you enjoyed this
Hello! If using canned salmon without bones and skin, would you use three 5 oz. cans? I made it tonight with just two 5 oz. cans and it was tasty but didn’t stick together quite as well as I’d hoped. Thanks for the recipe!
Yes, I used two 14 oz cans of salmon (without the bones and skins) for this recipe. So sorry yours didn’t stick together like it should have.
@Evelyn, Thanks so much for the response and information!
You are very welcome, wish I could have been more help. Hugs Evelyn
Can you freeze these patties?
I’m never tried to freeze them. But if you do please let us know how it works for you. Thank you