Golden and crispy, these air fryer salmon patties cut down on the oil and deliver big on flavor! Made with canned salmon, they are a great way to cook from your pantry.
The air fryer is such a great way to get crispy food while cutting back on oil. From air fryer chicken wings to french fries and these salmon patties, there are so many delicious possibilities!
These air fryer salmon patties are golden, crispy and so flavorful! I love that they are made with canned salmon, yet jazzed up with fresh lemon zest and dill. I think you're going to love them!
Reasons you’ll ♡ air fryer salmon patties
- they're made with canned salmon but deliver big on flavor
- they're golden and crispy yet made with a fraction of the oil as pan-fried salmon patties
- you can prep them up to 24 hours ahead, making dinner easy peasy
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see how simple it is to prep. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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Ingredient notes
- salmon- canned salmon makes these patties affordable and is a great way to cook from your pantry; we are using three 125 g/4.4 oz cans. Some people prefer to remove the bones and skin to improve the texture, though they are a great source of calcium and other nutrients.
- eggs- essential to bind the patties together; egg alternatives have not been tested
- breadcrumbs- provide structure and make the patties easier to handle. I've used regular breadcrumbs, but Panko may work as well.
- mayonnaise- adds flavor and moisture to the salmon patties; I use avocado mayo, but regular would work as well.
- dill- while I've used fresh dill in these photos, dried dill will work as well
- lemon- we are just using the zest of the lemon to add bright citrus flavor; you may want to purchase organic lemons when using the skin
Step by step directions
Scroll to the recipe card for ingredient quantities.
- Mix ingredients together- in a large bowl, use a spatula to mix together the salmon (drained, mashed, and skin/bones removed if you'd like), eggs, mayo, salt, breadcrumbs, lemon zest and dill.
- Measure out patties- using a ½ cup measuring cup, firmly pack the mixture into the cup, then tap it out into the palm of your hand.
- Form patties- pat gently to form a patty that is no more than 1 inch thick and is of equal thickness across the patty.
- Cook the patties- heat air fryer to 390°F. Spray the basket with oil, then add patties into the basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may be able to cook 2-4 patties at a time. Spray the tops of the salmon patties. Cook for a total of 8 minutes (no need to flip).
Recipe notes
Form equal sized patties
In order to get these salmon patties to cook through at the same time, it's important to form equal-sized patties. I like using a measuring cup to do this, as it's more consistent than eye balling it.
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You also want to make sure that the patties are of equal thickness all the way across. Use your hands to gently tap them into the shape you want.
Do not overcrowd
It’s crucial that you do not overcrowd your salmon patties in the air fryer, as this would block air circulation and prevent them from crisping up. For the crispiest salmon patties, ensure that there is space between each and that they are not touching. This means that, depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.
Use high heat
When testing this recipe, I found that lower temperatures resulted in dryer and less crispy salmon patties. When using the highest temperature on my air fryer (200°C/390°F), the outside crisped up beautifully while the inside was still tender and delicious.
Spray twice for extra crisp
Another tip for crispy salmon patties? Spray the patties with oil at the start of the cook time (helps them to not stick to the basket and get golden while cooking), and another time during the last 1-2 minutes of cook time. This boost of oil restores a bit of moisture to the exterior of the patty and helps them get even more golden brown.
Basket vs oven air fryers
This recipe was tested in both a basket-style Phillips air fryer (similar to this one), and an Instant Pot vortex air fryer oven, and the cook times were very similar in each.
- basket air fryer- 8 minutes, no flipping
- air fryer oven- 8 minutes, rotating trays half way
Keep an eye on the salmon patties in the air fryer oven, as depending on the position in the oven, they may cook through in slightly different amounts of time.
Meal prep + storage
Cook ahead
Note that after cooking, storing and reheating, the salmon patties do loose a bit of moisture.
- Cool completely, then store in an air tight meal prep container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Heat air fryer to 350°F, then put salmon patties into the basket. Spray with oil. You may want to do a second spray just before serving.
- Heat for 5 or so minutes, until warmed through. Enjoy!
Find my favorite meal prep containers here!
Form patties + store
My favorite method to prep these ahead is to store before cooking. This way, when you cook, it's for the first time and the patties are just as tasty as if they were cooked right after forming them.
- fridge- form the patties, and arrange in a large meal prep container. If you stack them, place pieces of wax paper between them. Store for up to 48 hours, then cook as directed in the recipe card. If patties are cold when you place in the air fryer, add an extra minute onto the cook time.
- freezer- form the patties, and arrange on a parchment- lined baking sheet. Freeze for 2 hours, until frozen solid, then transfer to a meal prep container or freezer bag, placing wax paper between the patties. Squeeze out as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, then cook as directed in the recipe card.
Find my favorite freezer containers here!
Serve it with
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower
- Apple, Fennel, Brussels Sprouts Slaw
- Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic Butter
- Perfect, Fluffy Rice
More air fryer recipes
- Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Golden Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
- Seriously Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi
- Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Crispy Balsamic Air Fryer Broccoli
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Air Fryer Salmon Patties (Golden + Crispy)
Ingredients
- 12 oz canned salmon (or 3 125 g cans); drained, mashed, skin and bones removed if desired
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup mayo
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- lemon zested
- ½ teaspoon dried dill or 2 teaspoons fresh
serving suggestions
- fresh dill
- yogurt or tzatziki
- lemon wedges
- fresh cucumber
Instructions
- Mix ingredients together- in a large bowl, use a spatula to mix together the salmon (drained, mashed, and skin/bones removed if you’d like), eggs, mayo, salt, breadcrumbs, lemon zest and dill.
- Measure out patties– using a ½ cup measuring cup, firmly pack the mixture into the cup, then tap it out into the palm of your hand.
- Form patties- pat gently to form a patty that is no more than 1 inch thick and is of equal thickness across the patty.
- Cook the patties- heat air fryer to 390°F. Spray the basket with oil, then add patties into the basket. Spray the tops of the salmon patties. Cook for a total of 8 minutes. Spray a second time 1-2 minutes before the patties are cooked through. See note 1 for differences between oven and basket air fryers.
- Serve- top the patties with the serving suggestions, and enjoy!
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Tips:
- fridge- form the patties, and arrange in a large meal prep container. If you stack them, place pieces of wax paper between them. Store for up to 48 hours, then cook as directed in the recipe card.
- freezer- form the patties, and arrange on a parchment- lined baking sheet. Freeze for 2 hours, until frozen solid, then transfer to a meal prep container or freezer bag, placing wax paper between the patties. Squeeze out as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, then cook as directed above in the recipe card.
Video
Nutrition Information
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Debbie Proctor says
These were delicious
Cassandra says
Just made them for Lunch. Good
Brenda says
I made the recipe exactly. It was delicious, golden brown and crispy with a moist flavorful interior. This will be my go to recipe for salmon croquettes.
Carol says
Excellent. Have had requests for recipe
Kim says
These were so good!!!
I. G. says
Easy recipe, good flavor just needs to be topped with a sauce. I will make sauce & use on left over patties.
Lisa says
Delicious and quick source of protein and nourishment. I've made these twice with cardamom (no dill in the house), and they were delicious just the same. Thank you for this recipe.
Shay says
Yummy and easy to make!
James Porter says
We found this recipe very delicious, next time we will use regular oven instead of air fryer just so I can cook more than one at a time. I like mine a bit crispy so I did 400 5 min/side
Dawn says
What is the recipe for the sauce shown in the photos?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Dawn! It's been awhile since I photographed these so I can't completely remember. It's either the lemon dill sauce from here: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/lemon-pepper-sheet-pan-salmon-prep-ahead/ or the tzatziki sauce from here: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/tzatziki-sauce/
su says
really enjoyed the salmon patties. Will make again and again!
Denise Bustard says
I'm so happy to hear this! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
Becky says
I’m making these tonight!
I have 3 5 oz cans of salmon. Will I need to add more of the other ingredients, or will it be fine to use the amounts in the recipe?
Maybe make them heaping when I measure?
I’m excited to try these!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Becky, thanks for your patience with my reply. You should be fine, but if you find the flavors lacking, you could try to add a touch more of the add ins next time?