Salmon Cakes from Leftover Salmon

If you ever make extra salmon for dinner I have a few ideas of what to do with it. These salmon cakes from leftover salmon make an easy and delicious dinner. With only a few ingredients you can make these patties in minutes. Not only are they gluten free and healthy but they are low carb too! Each has 1.2 grams net carbs and 16.3 grams of protein.

You might also like these keto crab cakes recipe.

I make salmon a couple times a month because my family really likes it. I usually buy a whole fresh salmon filet at Aldi so I can make recipes like these quick and easy salmon cakes from leftover salmon!

There are only a few ingredients that you need and pan frying gives the fish cakes lots of flavor. This is a great meal to add to your keto meal planning because you get two meals out one fish.

Even if you don’t have any leftover salmon, you can use canned salmon and still have a healthy, tasty seafood dinner or a low carb lunch.

Why I love this recipe.

• Salmon is very good for you. (see why)
• It’s great for using leftover salmon and only requires a few ingredients.
• You can have this on the table in 15 minutes.
• It’s healthy, high protein, gluten free and low carb and my family loves it.

Recipe ingredients I used and substitutions.

The simple ingredients I used to make these salmon patties were cooked leftover salmon, olive oil, onion, bell peppers, egg, mayonnaise, butter, salt and black pepper. I don’t use any bread crumbs, flour nor almond flour.

Leftover Cooked Salmon
I use fresh salmon and of course has to be cooked. But if you aren’t using leftovers you can use canned salmon or even frozen but it has to be cooked first. However you could also use this recipe with canned tuna fish if you wanted to or crab.

Onions and Peppers
I love the combination of sautéed onions and peppers with dishes like this because it adds a lot of flavor. I used regular yellow onions but you could use red, white or even green onions if you wanted.

And I only recommend sweet bell peppers. Green peppers can sometimes be too bitter but they would work too. If I was going to use a green pepper I would use a poblano or even a fresh jalapeno. I like their taste better than a green pepper but that is just my taste.

Egg and Mayonnaise
I don’t think you substitute anything for the egg because it holds the cakes together. You could try a flax egg if you are allergic to eggs but I have never tried it. And I like Helman’s or Duke’s mayo over the sweeter Miracle Whip but if you like that better you can use that as well.

Other things you can add to flavor these cakes. You can play around with the flavoring by adding herbs and spices. For instance you can add some fresh garlic, lime zest and cilantro for a Mexican flavor. Or basil, garlic and a bit of parmesan cheese for an Italian flavor.

Also if you want to add a bit of heat you can add hot pepper flakes, hot sauce or just use the fresh jalapeno with the ribs and seeds to get that spice. Herbs like fresh dill or, parsley or cilantro are always nice for a garnish along with wedges of lemons or even limes.

How to make salmon cakes from leftover salmon.

Step 1: Finely dice the peppers and onions. Heat up a small skillet over medium heat and add a bit of olive oil. Add the chopped bell peppers and onions and saute for a few minutes until softened. Take off the heat and let cool. 

Step 2: Get out a large mixing bowl and add the leftover cooked salmon. Use a fork and break up or shred the fish. Add the cooked and cooled veggies along with the mayonnaise, salt, black pepper and a beaten egg to the flaked salmon.

Step 3: Once you have the salmon mixture finished you want to shape the mixture into patties or cakes. The mixture will be soft and a bit delicate so I like to use these 3 inch rings to make uniform patties.

However you can just use your hands or even something like a mason jar lid ring.

Step 4: Next heat up a large nonstick skillet to medium high heat. Add a little butter and once it melts and sizzles, turn the heat down to medium heat. Gently add the fish cakes to the hot pan, frying the patties for a few minutes on each side.

Once they are done, you can transfer them to a plate and serve with some lemon wedges or garnish with fresh parsley. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Please scroll down to view the printable recipe card.

What to serve with these salmon cakes.

I like to serve these with a homemade tartar sauce, a simple steamed vegetable side dish and a green salad for a low carb meal. Another option is to serve this on top of a big salad and add a creamy dressing.

However if you would like something more substantial try this keto creamy cauliflower rice, low carb cheesy cauliflower or this keto zucchini and feta side dish.

Other things to make with leftover salmon.

I hope you enjoy these fish cakes as much as my family did. They are very easy and trust me they are tasty. Here are a few more ideas for your leftover salmon. 

You can make a salmon salad, cheese spread, top salads, use in pasta, or eat with keto bagels and cream cheese.

These keto crispy salmon cakes using leftover salmon is really a simple but tasty recipe. I like to keep it in the rotation for when we have a busy week. Enjoy!

The nutrition info for 1 patty is 210 calories / 15.1g fat / 1.6g carbs / 0.4g fiber / 16.3g protein = 1.2g net carbs