Meatless Friday: Salmon Patties

Salmon patties are a common Friday meal at my house. I know, I know. You ate them once and they were terrible. Or you heard that someone ate them once and they were terrible. But have you eaten them with your adult taste buds? Have you eaten them since you started buying the groceries?

Salmon patties have a bad reputation, but I can't for the life of me figure out why. They beat the pants off fish sticks, in my opinion. And canned salmon is an American product -- canned in Alaska. All canned salmon is wild salmon, which I definitely prefer. Wild salmon is much better for you, and the price of canned salmon is much less than a fresh filet (which may or may not be wild).

So, if you think you don't like salmon patties, or you didn't like them as a kid, try them again. And by the way, my kids don't have their adult taste buds yet, so a few of them don't eat them. But I loved them as a kid, and my brothers loved them, and my husband and I do. Just think "crab cake" without the big price tag.

Salmon Patties

2 (14.75 oz.) cans pink or red salmon*
2 eggs
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs, divided
3 T. finely diced onion (or a couple dashes of onion powder if you have onion detectives)
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. grapeseed or canola oil

Remove salmon from cans and separate "meat" from skin and bones
(You can leave in some tiny bones -- that's where the calcium in salmon comes from.).*
Add eggs, 6 T. bread crumbs, onion, and salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, breaking up salmon and small bones with your fingers. Form into patties (I usually get 6 medium patties from 2 cans).

Dip patties into remaining breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in pan.

Place patties in pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden browned on bottom. Flip and brown the other side.

Serve with ketchup if it tastes good to you -- that's how we eat them.

* If dealing with the skin and bones makes you squeamish
(I'll refrain from telling you to get a grip)
you can buy skinless, boneless salmon, but it's pricier.

You can find all our Meatless Friday featured recipes here.

Copyright 2015 Barbara Stein
Photo copyright 2015 Barbara Stein. All rights reserved.