Air Fryer Salmon Patties

Name: Air Fryer Salmon Patties
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Ingredients: 14 ounces (400g) fresh or canned salmon; 3 tablespoons cilantro ((coriander), chopped); 3 green onions ((spring onions), finely mined); 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 egg; salt and pepper (to taste)

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Air Fryer Salmon Patties are a quick and easy healthy meal that is packed with flavor. Cooking salmon patties in air fryer makes them nice and crispy on the outside, yet keeps them tender and moist inside.

Suitable for Low Carb, Keto, Whole 30, and Gluten Free diets. Weight Watchers Points included.

air fryer salmon patties served in a white bowl with lime wedges and dipping sauce

Folks, this recipe for Air Fryer Salmon Patties is my new air fryer obsession. I loooooove using the air fryer to cook up all sorts of delicious and healthier versions of my favorite fried foods.

But it hadn’t occurred to me to make my go-to quick and easy salmon patties in the air fryer.

Until now, that is. And I loved making Air Fryer Fish Sticks, awesome Air Fryer Salmon Croquettes, really juicy Air Fryer Salmon,

Try also golden crispy Air Fryer Whole Chicken and The BEST Air Fryer Hamburgers.

I love these for game day or New Years Day, Easter and other festive holidays.

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Easy Salmon Patties

I was already smitten with this how easily a salmon patty comes together. Just pop open some canned salmon (or fresh if you prefer), mix it with the other ingredients, form into perfectly seasoned patties, and they’re ready to cook. Easy Peasy.

And with the air fryer, they cook soooooo much faster, making this an easy recipe.

Seriously, in less than 10 minutes, you have amazingly tasty salmon patties that are golden brown and super crispy on the outside, whilst managing to stay tender and flaky inside. You can finish it off with some lemon juice and serve it with Chipotle Aioli.

My Air Fryer Accessories Top Pick

Evo Oil Sprayer Bottle

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

My go-to spraying bottle. Every Air Fryer user should have one.

Why Make This Recipe

These Air Fryer Salmon Patties are a nutritious and satisfying meal made with less oil than frying.
Easy and hassle-free to whip up from pantry ingredients and minimal prep time and cooking time.
Flexible – easily accomodates herb and spice additions to your taste.
Versatile – makes a great appetizer, side dish, or main dish with a salad or some starch.
Make ahead and fridge friendly recipe.
Double or triple to feed a hungry crowd.
Dietary – suitable for gluten free, low carb, or keto diets.

close up view of four air fryer salmon patties stacked in top of each other on a table

Ingredient Notes

Salmon – This can be fresh salmon or canned salmon. I love using the canned version since it is so economical. Try it with both and see which you prefer.
Cilantro – fresh cilantro adds a delicious flavor. Feel free to use fresh parsley instead.
Green onion – this adds a lovely onion flavor without the effort of cooking onion beforehand. Feel free to use onion powder instead.
Smoked paprika – adds a lovely smokiness to your fish patties.
Egg – this helps bind everything together to easily form salmon cakes.
Lemon – a pinch of lemon zest provides a bright citrus flavor.
Seasoning – pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste.

Ready to learn how easy making Salmon Patties is? Then gather up your ingredients and I will show you….

Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!

For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Air Fryer Tools on Amazon.

How To Make Salmon Patties In The Air Fryer

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions in recipe card below.

Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
Mince your fresh salmon or open canned salmon, drain and remove the bones (you can leave in if you prefer; I actually like the bones).
Add all ingredients, including the sea salt, to a large bowl and combine.
Form the salmon mixture into 6 patties.
Add patties to the air fryer basket and lightly spray with no-calorie cooking spray.
Air fry for 6-8 minutes, turning over halfway through the cooking time.
Serve with lemon wedges or lime wedges and a salad.

image collage showing the steps for making air fryer salmon patties

How To Make Baked Salmon Patties in the Oven

No air fryer? No problem! Oven Baked Salmon Patties are also quite easy to make. Just follow these simple steps:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C / gas mark 5.
Mince your fresh salmon or open salmon cans, drain, and remove any bones (if you prefer).
Add to bowl along with rest of ingredients.
Mix and form into 6 uniformly sized patties.
Place on a baking sheet and spray lightly with no-calorie cooking spray or olive oil spray.
Bake for about 15 minutes.

Recipe Tips

Please preheat your air fryer for the best result.
Make sure to form salmon patties that are the same size all along their width so they will cook evenly and at the same rate. You may want to use an ice cream scoop to help keep the patties a consistent size and ensure that they all cook evenly. Try and keep them to about one inch thick.
Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave space between fish cakes so that the hot air circulates to cook and crisp them up. Cook them in batches if needed.
If you want them to crisp up a bit, then increase the air fryer temperature 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C. You can also spray them with more olive oil in the final few minutes of cooking.
This recipe works the same in basket style and oven style air fryers.
Make sure you don’t overcook the fish patties; keep an eye on them during the last few minutes of cooking.
Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting with less cook time, checking for doneness, then adding more time as needed.

Delicious Variations

Vary the flavor – feel free to add things like fresh chopped dill or dried dill, curry powder, garlic powder, or Old Bay seasoning.
Add heat – add heat using red pepper flakes, chipotle, or sriracha.

FAQs

How Long To Cook Salmon Patties in the Air Fryer?

I have found that cooking salmon patties in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes on each side will give you perfectly cooked salmon patties.

However, it is important to note that air fryer temperatures may vary depending on the make and model. It is best to start off with less cook time, check your food, and then add time as needed.

It is a good idea to use a meat thermometer to make sure your food has reached the proper internal temperature.

Seafood, such as salmon, is considered safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees F / 63 degrees C.

What Kind Of Salmon Can You Use?

This recipe uses canned salmon – you can use pink salmon or red salmon.

Can You make Air Fryer Salmon Patties With Fresh Salmon?

Air Fryer Salmon Patties made with fresh salmon are full of flavor. And using fresh salmon instead of canned pink salmon can make the patties juicier.

To make, simply remove any bones from your fillet, finely mince the meat by hand (don’t use a food processor, as the salmon will get too mushy), and you’re ready to use according to this recipe.

Please note that when using fresh fish instead of canned, you’ll want to cook the patties for a little longer.

You can even swap the salmon for other types of fish. Try making these with finely chopped white fish, such as haddock or cod. Delicious!

Can You Add Breadcrumbs?

If you are not following a low-carb or gluten-free eating plan, you can add a half cup of panko breadcrumbs or regular bread crumbs to the mixture. This will bulk up the salmon patties a bit more.

Do You Need To Remove Bones From The Salmon?

It is up to you. I don’t remove the bones, I just mince everything together. If you leave the bones it will be at your own risk. So if you prefer please remove bones for safety.

Storage And Meal Prep

You may not think of using the air fryer when meal prepping, but air fried salmon patties are a great make ahead solution. Yeap, I love to pack them in lunch boxes, along with some fresh cut up veggies and a cup of homemade dipping sauce.

You can also quickly reheat and serve them with a side of rice for tomorrow’s dinner. Sooooo handy on those hectic weeknights when you need to get supper on the table fast.

Prep ahead and store cooked patties – Store cooled cooked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Prep ahead and store uncooked patties – form patties and store them stacked with baking paper / wax paper between each fish cake in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.
Reheat – You can toss them back in the Air Fryer to reheat at 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C for about 2 minutes.
Freeze uncooked patties – you can also prep these in advance and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just follow these easy steps:
- Form the patties, place on a lined baking sheet, and freeze for 2 hours.
- Remove them from the freezer and wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap before transferring to Ziploc bags.
- Press the excess air out of the bags before sealing and label them with the date.
- Place the bags flat in the freezer to store for up to 3 months.
Thaw – simply remove them from the freezer the night before needed and let them thaw in the fridge.

two glass meal prep containers filled with air fried salmon patties, cut up fresh vegetables and salad, and a cup of homemade dipping sauce

More Air Fryer Recipes You might like

For more salmon recipes, try delicious Air Fryer Salmon or these Salmon Croquettes or 15 minute Salmon Tacos.
Seafood – Love fish then try Airfryer Fish Fillets, juicy Air Fryer Shrimp Skewers, and these Air Fryer Fish Sticks, child friendly Air Fryer Frozen Fish Fillets, and delicious Air Fryer Fish and Chips.
You might also like this Air Fryer Ham.

Serving Suggestions

For some extra fresh flavor, sprinkle on some fresh parsley or fresh dill. These go great with your favorite dipping sauce like tzatziki sauce, tartar sauce, Remoulade Sauce, or Chipotle Aioli.

You can also serve it along with Air Fryer Asparagus or Air Fryer French Fries, delicious Air Fryer Beets, crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries.

You can also serve this with Air Fryer Garlic Smashed Potatoes, these Air Fryer Steak Bites, and easy Air Fryer Turkey Legs.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 0 (zero!) Blue Plan SmartPoints per serving of these fish Patties.

Best Equipment To Use

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4 from 4 votes