These pan-seared, juicy salmon cakes with sweet bell peppers are served over a spicy arugula salad for a quick lunch. Don’t forget to top them with tart homemade dressing for a bit of creamy goodness!
Easy Salmon Cakes Recipe
If you love light lunch recipes, these salmon cakes with creamy lemon dressing are the perfect summer meal. They’re ready in 30 minutes and come with a tossed arugula-radish salad. Packed with red bell peppers and hints of Dijon mustard, every bite is filled with sweet and savory flavors. Freshly made or frozen for later, they’re an easy way to load up on protein and a refreshing, naturally-spicy salad.
Why You’ll Love These Salmon Fish Cakes
These juicy salmon cakes with a light arugula salad are an easy homemade meal you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen for.
- Freezer-friendly. Keep some on hand for lazy weekdays!
- Great for beginners. The food processor takes care of most of the work for an effortless meal.
- Light and refreshing. Enjoy them warm or chilled for a light and refreshing summer bite.
- Convenient. Use store-bought dressing, and fresh or canned salmon in the mixture.
What You’ll Need
Bell peppers, Dijon mustard, and red pepper flakes add sweetness, tang, and heat to each bite. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
For the Salmon
- Extra virgin olive oil – You can also use vegetable, avocado, or coconut oil.
- Salmon – Use fresh or smoked.
- Lemon juice – Reduce the amount by half if you use lime juice.
- Dijon mustard – Avoid American yellow mustard for this.
- Red bell pepper – Add any color of bell pepper.
- Shallot – Garlic works too.
- Salt and pepper – Kosher salt and freshly-cracked pepper are best.
- Red pepper flakes – Cayenne pepper is a good swap.
- Dried Italian seasoning – Make your own by mixing 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 2 teaspoons garlic powder.
- Panko – Skip the Italian seasoning in the recipe if you use Italian panko.
For the Dressing
- Milk – Any kind of dairy milk works.
- Lemon juice – Feel free to use lime juice.
- Sour cream – Heavy cream or half-and-half are good swaps.
- Salt and pepper – Add them to taste.
To Make the Salad
- Arugula – You can also use crunchy, chopped Iceberg lettuce.
- Microgreens – I prefer radish, arugula, or broccoli microgreens.
- Radishes – They add a spicy bite, but you can skip it.
- Bell pepper – Baby bell peppers work for this.
How To Make Salmon Cakes
You’ll need to cook in batches to keep these juicy patties from sticking to one another. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prep the salmon. Dice the salmon into 1/4-1/2″ pieces. Add half to the food processor with lemon juice and mustard. Blend it until smooth.
- Prepare the mixture. Add the remaining salmon, bell peppers, shallot, salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined but still chunky. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs.
- Shape the patties. Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts. Roll them into balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press them down with your hand to form 1 1/2-2″ thick patties. Pop them into the freezer for 5-10 minutes to firm up.
- Cook them. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 chilled patties, leaving about 2″ of space between them. Cook them for 2-3 minutes per side or until browned. Remove them from the heat.
- Make the dressing. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set it aside.
- Toss the salad. Mix the salad ingredients in a bowl and add dressing to taste. Toss until completely coated.
- Serve. Add salad to the serving plates and serve the patties on top or to the side. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
Switch things up with a bit of spicy Sriracha sauce or store-bought dressing.
- Use leftovers. Add 1/4-1/2 cup shredded zucchini, carrots, or baby spinach to the mixture to reduce food waste and add more flavor.
- Go for store-bought. If you’re in a rush, use your favorite store-bought dressing for the salad. You can also use canned salmon for the patties.
- Add sauces. Top the salmon patties with Sriracha, pesto, Ranch dressing, or Feta Aioli to change things up.
- Spice things up. Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika to the mixture.
- Thicken them. Let the uncooked patties rest in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened so that they don’t spread in the pan. If you don’t have time to wait, stir in 1 tablespoon extra panko at a time until no longer runny.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
Keep some in the freezer for weeks when you’ve got zero time to make lunch or dinner.
- Fridge: Place them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Discard them immediately if they taste sour.
- Freezer: Spread them on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Stack 2-3 patties and wrap them in plastic wrap. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- To reheat them: Sprinkle them with 1/4 teaspoon water and microwave them in 30-second increments. You can also heat them in a pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
More Salmon Recipes To Try
- Oven Roasted Salmon with Chickpeas and Kale
- Apricot Glazed Salmon Recipe
- Cajun Air Fryer Salmon Recipe
- Air Fryer Honey Salmon Bowl
Salmon Cakes with Arugula Salad
This 30-minute salmon cakes recipe with arugula salad tossed in lemon dressing can be enjoyed warm or chilled for the perfect lunch.
Servings: 4 patties
Ingredients
Salmon:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
- 1 pound salmon preferably wild, skinned
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice divided (1/2 lemon)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard divided
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot 1 small shallot
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Dressing:
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice 1/2 lemon
- ½ cup full fat sour cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad
- 1 5 ounce package arugula
- 3 tablespoons microgreens preferably radish, arugula, or broccoli
- 1 cup sliced radishes
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper sliced
Instructions
Salmon:
- Chop salmon into ¼”-½” dice and place half of the diced Salmon in a food processor.
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon mustard.
- Process, scraping down the sides as necessary, until smooth. Add the remaining salmon, bell pepper, shallot, salt and pepper and pulse until the mixture is combined but still chunky. Just a few pulses, you want to leave some of the chunks in the mixture.
- Transfer the salmon mixture to a medium bowl. Add breadcrumbs and stir until combined.
- Divide the mixture into 4 parts and form each part into a ball. Place each ball on a parchment lined plate, or small baking sheet. Gently push down each ball to form a 4” wide 1 1/2”-2” thick patty.
- If you are making ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. If you are planning on cooking right away, place in the freezer while you prepare dressing.
- Heat oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the salmon cakes, leave as much space between each cake as you have available. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until browned, and flip cooking an additional 2-3 minutes on the final side. Transfer to a clean plate or baking sheet.
Dressing:
- Whisk together milk and lemon juice, until bubbly. Add in sour cream and dijon mustard, until evenly blended. Season with salt and pepper.
- Set aside, you will have extra.
Salad:
- Add arugula and radishes, remaining red pepper to the dressing in the large serving bowl. Toss to coat. Serve the salmon cakes on top of the salad.
- Place remaining dressing on the side for topping if desired.
This is perfect! Now I know what to make for dinner! Thank you.