Yep! We went and said it – these are the best salmon patties! And the magic green sauce is like the cherry on top! It’s such a tasty combo and super easy to make (I mean isn’t that kind of the best part?!). Delicious and easy pretty much always wins at our house. This recipe for the best salmon patties is both Paleo and Whole30 compliant, and honestly you can probably sneak them past your kids and husbands as just another delicious meal!
Why They’re The Best Salmon Patties
Let’s just get it over with in case you’re wondering. What makes these the best salmon patties, you might ask? Well, really it’s all the goodies that get combined with the salmon that make them super tasty (fresh herbs, shallot, garlic, lemon, etc.) and then pan frying them on the stove to get the crispy outer layer really gives them an amazing texture! Add the magic green sauce on top, and you’ve got a delightful combo of savory, creamy and refreshing flavors.
The Magic Green Sauce
You might just start making this green sauce to put on all your bowls and salads! It’s super tasty and has a delicious creamy texture from the avocado. The lemon juice and parsley add a refreshing and bright flavor. And the best part….it’s SUPER easy to make! Just throw all the sauce ingredients in a blender and mix it up!
Canned Salmon – Not All Are Equal
Do yourself a favor and find a canned wild salmon that is not only high quality (canned with no preservatives, oils, etc.) but is also skin and bone-free. We like the brand Safe Catch because their products are all ethically sourced, low in mercury and minimally processed. They are also the only brand that tests every single fish for mercury. Impressive, right?! You can learn more about Safe Catch products here. Their canned salmon makes throwing this recipe together a breeze! You just add all of the patty ingredients into a bowl, combine them and form patties. You’ll be enjoying the best salmon patties in no time!
Some Other Quick + Easy Recipes To Try
Your Turn To Try The Best Salmon Patties With Magic Green Sauce
Go ahead and pick up some Safe Catch canned salmon, and make the best salmon patties! You’ll love the refreshing and creamy magic green sauce, too! Let us know how it goes by leaving a comment below. Also, take a photo and tag us on Instagram @realsimplegood, so we can check it out! Do you follow us on Instagram yet? If not, be sure to give us a follow!
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The Best Salmon Patties with Magic Green Sauce (Paleo, Whole30 + Keto)
Ingredients
For the salmon cakes:
- 4 cans wild salmon, (6oz cans) (if not Safe Catch brand drain the excess liquid.)
- 2 tbsp arrowroot flour
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp parsley, finely diced
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
For the sauce:
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To prepare the sauce, place all sauce ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add more water if desired depending on the consistency you want. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as desired. Set aside.
- For the salmon cakes, chop shallot, garlic and parsley as noted. Add all of the ingredients for the salmon cakes through the pepper to a medium size bowl. Mash everything together with a large fork or your hands. Form the salmon mixture into 4 patties.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp avocado oil.
- Once the skillet is hot, place the salmon cakes in the skillet to cook. Cook, without disturbing, for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown on the outside.
- Drizzle some of the sauce over the salmon patties and enjoy.
Notes
The flavors are great. I did add an egg after reading comments – wished I had added 2.
Everything about this recipe is a homerun!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, we really appreciate it 🙂
These salmon patties were so delicious and they held together through flipping them over. I had tried other AIP-compliant recipes for salmon patties using gelatin as an egg-replacement and the patties would just fall apart. I am very happy that I tried this recipe and I will definitely be making it again!
Happy to hear that Mary! Thanks for coming back to leave a rating and review, we appreciate it 🙂
Used organic apple cider vinegar and eliminated the parsley which I don’t care for and we thought it was a delicious healthy substitute for lots of less healthy options.
I made these tonight and used an egg to help bind it, then accidentally only used half the salmon your recipe called for. ( I realized it after I sent the recipe to my sisters, raving about it) Nevertheless, it was amazing and my husband and I loved it. The sauce is wonderful, I made that as your recipe directs…thank you! I served it with roasted asparagus, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
AMAZING! The green sauce makes them even better!
Look, the salmon patties are really good. Totally good. I’ve made them several times and they always come out perfect. But that magic green sauce? I’ve been doubling the recipe and putting that on EVERYTHING! Even makes a great salad dressing.
Love it!
Made these for lunch today and they are fantastic! The sauce was amazing!
Thanks Sam! Glad you enjoyed the salmon patties and sauce 🙂
These salmon patties are SO good! Extremely easy to make and good on literally anything. The recipe is easy to follow, and I love the tip about forming the patties right before cooking – it helped keep the mix moist, yet they stayed together. We used both the arrowroot and the egg, so our patties didn’t fall apart at all! I’ve never purchased canned salmon, so I appreciated the guidance about which options are recommended to purchase. Although my husband and I made a slightly different sauce, I can confidently say I’m sure the green sauce is super delicious.
This is greatness! The salmon patties are delicious and the magic green sauce is AMAZING. I use the sauce on chicken, salads, pork, and I might have even taken a bite from a spoon.
Yes, that sauce can go on about anything :).
These are SO good! I have tried several other recipes, but these have definitely been the best. The key is making a tight patty so it doesn’t fall a part when you flip.
And the green sauce is a MUST! I made extra so we could dip our sweet potato fries in it too ? thanks!!
Thanks Kristina, so glad you enjoyed the recipe and the sauce :).
You can also use avocado mayonnaise for a binding agent
These look really good! Could you sub lemon or lime juice for the white vinegar in the sauce?
Sure, that should work! Enjoy 🙂
Can I use almond or coconut flour instead of arrowroot?
We haven’t tried it, but it should work. You might have to play with the amount a bit since they absorb liquids differently. Aim for a texture that feels like it binds together a bit. Let us know how it goes!
I added an egg to hold the mixture together. Very tasty!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and share! 🙂
They are tasty but they fell apart.
They can vary a little with the different kinds of canned salmon. You could also try adding an egg to help them bind better! Hope you’ll try them again!
This sauce is magic!! My patties fell apart a bit but were delicious. I won’t if an egg would help. I’m putting this sauce on everything!
An egg would help to bind the patties if you want to try that next time. Glad you love the sauce 🙂
I’m surprised with all the positive comments. Mine fell apart because the recipe omits a binding agent – egg???
Sorry to hear that yours fell apart. You have to pack them tightly with your hands and flip them carefully and they turn out as pictured.
I’m looking forward to making these for brunch this weekend! What are your thoughts on using fresh salmon versus canned for this recipe?
We haven’t done this, but if you use fresh salmon you’ll have to cook it in advance. You’ll need it in small, flaky chunks in order to be able to form it into patties. Just roast the salmon at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, let is cool and flake it with a fork. That should give you a similar texture to canned salmon. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
How long does the green sauce last, in the refrigerator? How much green sauce is made with this recipe?
It will definitely last a few days, probably up to 4-5 days max. You’ll have some leftovers but how much depends on how much sauce you like to put on your patties. We tend to be a little sauce heavy, so we only had a little leftover. Hope that helps and hope you give it a try!
Can you freeze the salmon patties?
We haven’t frozen them before so we can’t say for sure. However, they would probably be fine frozen. I’d recommend making the patties just up to the cooking step and freezing them. Then you’d just have to thaw them completely and cook as noted in the recipe. Let us know how it goes if you try it!