These easy Paleo Salmon Cakes are loaded with flavor and can be pan-fried or baked in the oven. You can freeze the salmon cakes before or after cooking!
Paleo Salmon Cakes
Salmon Cakes are somewhat of a comfort food to me. Growing up, at least one lunch a week was either a salmon cake or a fish cake. Where we lived, this was commonplace and also something that my grandmother loved to eat for lunch and to feed to us.
While the childhood salmon cakes I remember were indeed made with canned salmon, that is probably where the similarities to my version end. These paleo salmon cakes take everything you love about this classic comfort food and turn it into a healthy dish you can enjoy guilt-free.
The salmon is mixed with sweet potato, plenty of herbs and spices, and even some hot sauce for a nice little kick, all pan-fried in coconut oil or Ghee to still give you that amazing crunchy exterior that we all love about traditional salmon cakes.
Salmon Cakes Ingredients
My Paleo Salmon Cakes do indeed use canned, wild salmon instead of fresh salmon, but have fresh herbs, spices, some sweet potato, eggs and a bit of almond flour to hold them together. They are cooked on the stovetop so that they have a nice crispy crust and in only enough fat to keep the insides nice and moist.
Here’s the full list of everything you’ll need:
- Cooked sweet potato
- Almond meal
- Chopped parsley
- Chopped onion
- Lemon juice
- Hot sauce
- Kosher salt
- Ground cumin
- Paprika
- Black pepper
- Eggs
- canned or cooked Wild Alaskan Salmon
- Organic coconut oil or ghee for cooking
How To Prepare Paleo Salmon Cakes
I like to call these weeknight salmon cakes because they don’t take much time and you can make them in advance. Additionally, you can make a double (or even triple!) batch and freeze a bunch of servings (uncooked) for later. Which is always a bonus when you are busy!
Wash sweet potato and use a fork to poke several fork-holes in it and microwave until soft. Let cool for a few minutes, remove potato flesh from skin and mash with a fork until the lumps are mostly gone. Toss into a large mixing bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients except salmon and cooking fat. Open the cans of wild salmon and drain most of the liquid out. Separate the salmon from the bones and skin. Using your hands, crush the canned salmon through your fingers into the mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
Line a baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper.
Use a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop out evenly sized salmon cakes. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes
Recipe Tips
- I like to buy the canned wild salmon in water with the skin and the bones. The only reason is cost. It is about $2.99 a 14.75-ounce can vs. $3 something for a MUCH smaller can without the skin and the bones. I like to remove the skin and bones but a lot of people don’t even bother and just crush it up along with the salmon. Alternately, if it’s too gross to deal with or you don’t care about the additional cost, just buy the skinless, boneless.
- I have tested this recipe with both almond meal (ground up raw almonds with their skins) as well as tried it with almond flour (ground blanched skinless almonds that is finer and more powder-like). I prefer the texture of the almond meal. If you don’t have it (Trader Joe’s sells it for about $4 per pound), just process some almonds in the food processor until they are almost powdery and like a meal but before the fat releases and it becomes almond butter. Or just use the Almond Flour or any other Flour (except Coconut) that you have.
- I have also made these with smoked paprika and they are awesome.
Check Out More Salmon Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
These easy Paleo Salmon Cakes are loaded with flavor and can be pan-fried or baked in the oven. You can freeze the salmon cakes before or after cooking!
- 1 large sweet potato about 10-ounces, cooked and mashed
- 2/3 cup almond meal
- 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley, packed
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce I like Frank's Red Hot for this recipe
- 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1.25 teaspoon paprika sweet OR smoked
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 14.75 ounce cans Wild Alaskan Salmon See NOTES about bones and skin
- 2 Tablespoons organic coconut oil or ghee for cooking divided
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Wash sweet potato and use a fork to poke several fork-holes in it. Wrap in a paper towel, place on a microwave safe plate and microwave until soft. My microwave has a "potato" setting. I think it's about 8 to 9 minutes long but check every couple minutes so you don't overcook it.
If you prefer not to use the microwave, you can cook the potato in advance in the oven or pressure cooker and keep it in the fridge (mashed and ready) for a couple of days.
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Let cool for a few minutes, remove potato flesh from skin and mash with a fork until the lumps are mostly gone. Toss into a large mixing bowl.
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Add almond meal, chopped parsley, onion, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, cumin, paprika, black pepper and eggs (Be sure not to put eggs directly on hot potato flesh or they can begin to cook!).
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Open the cans of wild salmon and drain most of the liquid out. I used Trader Joe's canned Wild Pink Alaskan Salmon that still has the skin and bones.
Take the canned salmon into your hand and look for the "split" where 2 or more pieces of salmon are pushed together into the can. This is the natural place to separate the salmon and where you will most likely find the majority of skin and bones. Use your hands to gently scrape the skin and bones off (or mix them right in!.
Separate the salmon again if there are more "splits" and do the same thing. Finally, using your hands, crush the canned salmon through your fingers into the mixing bowl.
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Stir until well combined. Line a baking sheet or large plate (that will fit in your fridge) with parchment paper.
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Use a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop out evenly sized salmon cakes (flatten bottoms) until you have 12 patties (sometimes you will have 13 or even 14).
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Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or all day (this is also the point you would freeze any that are not going to be cooked in the next 12 to 24 hours).
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Heat a large frying pan (big enough to hold six patties) over medium high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon coconut oil or Ghee per six patties.
Let fat completely melt and get very hot.
Slowly add patties and cook for 4 minutes.
Gently flip and cook for an additional 4 minutes on the other side.
Serve hot and Enjoy!
Recipe Video
- I like to buy canned wild salmon in water with the skin and the bones. The only reason is cost. It is about $2.99 a 14.75-ounce can vs. $3 something for a MUCH smaller can without the skin and the bones. I like to remove the skin and bones but a lot of people don't even bother and just crush it up along with the salmon. Alternately, if it's too gross to deal with or you don't care about the additional cost, just buy the skinless, boneless.
- I have tested this recipe with both almond meal (ground up raw almonds with their skins) as well as tried it with almond flour (ground blanched skinless almonds that is finer and more powder like). I prefer the texture of the almond meal. If you don't have it (Trader Joe's sells it for about $4 per pound), just process some almonds in the food processor until they are almost powdery and like a meal but before the fat releases and it becomes almond butter. Or just use the Almond Flour or any other Flour (except Coconut) that you have.
- I have also made these with smoked paprika and they are awesome.
- If you are going to use Ghee, I recommend making homemade Ghee as it is much cheaper and you can use better quality butter as a base.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
UPDATE NOTES: This post was originally published in April 2013 and updated in June 2019 with new photos, better instructions, and more helpful recipe information.
Adapted From: No-Fuss Salmon Cakes from “It All Starts With Food”
I am on day 11 of whole 30 and bored with my menu, I thought about salmon cakes and did a search. Your recipe is what it came up with and I am so glad! I made them exactly as you outline other than I didn’t have hot sauce so used cayenne instead and they were fantastic! Thanks so much for this recipe!
I served mine over a bed of spring mix lettuce and a bit of homemade balsamic vinagarette.
Hi Heidi! So happy to hear you loved them! I have an entire Whole30 section if you still need more ideas. Good Luck!
After reading all the comments I can’t wait to try these! Not a sweet potato fan but I’m excited to try and then try again with butternut squash. If buying the skinless, boneless salmon, what size cans? I have some in my cupboard.
You need about 28 to 30 ounces total so I usually use two of the large cans (I think they are 14 or 15oz each). Hope you love them Sheri!
Have you ever tried baking these in muffin tins? Any reason you chose to fry instead of bake? Different flavor?
Hi Susan! Nope, I like the crispy edges and have also found them to be a lot more bland when baking. Some readers do like it though. I think it depends on your preferences 🙂
Hello,
Take the skin off, but always crush up the bones it is a good source of Calcium. It crunchs up nice, I never throw it away..
My mom does the same!
I’m looking forward to trying these but wondering why remove the bones? We buy calcium pills made from bones and these little pieces are just raw calcium in my opinion. It doesn’t deter from the taste. Eat what nature gives you in that little can.
Most people agree with you and that is how they make them! My mom and grandmother always left the bones in too.
I also felt that the cakes held together much better if dredged slightly in almond meal prior to frying.
I served them as appetizers by making very small salmon cakes to serve at a dinner party. Went over quite well.
My son likes salmon patties best dredged in almond meal prior to frying – would that be before the 30-min chill time, or after?
I would dredge them right before frying so the almond flour doesn’t get soggy!
Made half of the recipe to try it out. Put them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Had one for lunch and a salad and they were delicious! Love the fact that they are healthy. Couldn’t taste the sweet potato or the almond meal. I have the rest in the freezer and will use my FoodSaver to store them individually and have them on hand whenever I want one.
Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Awesome Sonia! LOVE the idea of using the FoodSaver to store them individually.
Thank you for your recipe! I was wondering if you can leave out the sweet potato, but everything else?
Hi Luisa – A lot of readers have had success swapping white sweet potato or regular russet potatoes! It acts as a binder. I’ve tried it without potato and the cakes tend to fall apart.
Do you think substituting butternut squash for the sweet potatoe would work as well?
Hi Sheila!
You know I am not sure. Butternut squash is a lot more watery and has less starch so it may not work as well. If you try it, come back and let me know how it works out!
You can definitely use butternut squash in place of the sweet potato. It should be mashed or puréed before mixing with the salmon. It’s delicious.
so glad to know this about the squash. I don’t have a sweet potato in the house, and the squash is already in the oven before I read this helpful comment. Nice to know since company is coming!
Hi
Love this recipe, making for the second time. I use fresh arctic char (I live north of the arctic circle), or fresh whitefish either way, makes a FABULOUS burger/fish cake. And yes, as one of the other readers mentioned….using fresh fish means you need to add a bit more almond meal. Cheers, and thanks again.
Hi Deirdre! Thanks so much for the feedback. It’ll be helpful to let other readers know that this works with Arctic Char and fresh Whitefish. So glad you love it 🙂