Salmon patties, tuna salad, catfish, and fish sticks were my first introduction to world of eating fish. And I thoroughly enjoy them. Yet, it was like a revelation to me when I was visiting two of my dearest college friends on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts that salmon and tuna are not just chunks of meat in a can, but are quite large, living, gill-breathing fish.

I’d seen the kinds of fish you can catch in the Midwest. I’d seen small, white, mild-tasting fish cooked. But I chuckled at myself as an early twenty-something looking at the largeness of a hunk of salmon. Why had I not fully realized they were fish- big fish?!

Was it before salmon became a mainstay on restaurant menus? Or had I just eaten out so rarely and not been on the lookout that I had missed it? Was it because I’d learned to look for the dolphin safe image on the cans and had barely glanced at the image of the salmon? Regardless of why- I loved eating them, so fresh and robust with flavor, light yet hearty, and truly delicious!

As much as I enjoyed eating a hunk of fresh salmon, I never lost my zeal for salmon patties. As a busy mom, I love them not just for the taste, but for the ease of making them. Last night, when I was bone tired from a homeschooling convention this weekend and realized I hadn’t even begun meal planning for the week, I walked to the pantry and grabbed the can of salmon I always try to keep on hand. Easy, quick, and delightful- I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Savory Salmon Patties

• Servings: 5-6
• Time: 30mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

An easy, savory dish for those days that you need something quick, easy, and delightful.

Savory Sage Of the recipes I’ve perused and used off the Internet for years, I’ve never run across one that called for what I believe is the most important spice you could put in there. Sage brings out the flavor of salmon like nothing else I’ve ever used in a patty. Try it, and see if you can tell the difference!

Caramelized Onions Also, I had a Brazilian student who was a dear friend that taught me that whenever you use onions in recipes, you want to caramelize them first. Cooking them first brings out the flavor for your recipe. 

Keep the Juice I had a dear student and friend from Germany take me to a very nice restaurant in Indianapolis once. My order there was some of the most melt-in-your-mouth salmon patties I’d ever tasted. They were so juicy- not dry! From then on, I’ve tried the “reserve the juice and add as needed” thing to no avail. I think it’s better just to have it all. With that, though, you may need to play around with how many cracker crumbs you put in so that they are moist but hold together enough to cook.

Easy Cracker Crumbs I feel cracker crumbs taste better than bread crumbs. I didn’t have any cracker crumbs when I made them last night, so I just used the bread crumbs I keep on hand. However, if you’ve got some Ritz crackers or other crackers you like the taste of, put them in a Ziploc and roll them with a rolling pin. Voilà! Super easy, no mess cracker crumbs!

Ingredients

• 1 can of salmon (DO NOT drain)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup cracker crumbs (or bread crumbs) + some extra for coating
• 1 onion
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 Tablespoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder (or 2 tsp mustard)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Brown the onion in the butter. Add the garlic during the last 30 seconds of cooking. Let cool.
2. Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil. I like to mash any small bones in the salmon as I mix. Start with 1/2 cup cracker crumbs.
3. Form into patties. If they are too wet to form, add a few more cracker crumbs.
4. Coat the patties in cracker crumbs and cook in the Olive oil. I cook on medium low approximately 5 minutes per side with a cover on.
5. Enjoy! 

I love them in sandwiches with mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce and tomato!

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Here on Sip Life Slowly and Enjoy It, you will find resources to help you embrace God with all you are, to engage in the relationships you care about with a fresh face erupting from a fresh heart- full and whole, celebrating the intricate good in your life.

I share recipes that our family enjoys in hopes that it adds health and flavor to your life. My prayer is that you can enjoy what you eat and enjoy it with those you love around conversations that draw you closer.   If you enjoy this recipe please like this blog and follow me below. You can also find siplifeslowly on whatever social media you like best Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr. If you liked this, you might like:

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