Ina's Salmon Cakes

By

2008, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved
Show: Barefoot Contessa
Episode: Bread Winner

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound fresh salmon
  • Good olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
  • 1 1/2 cups small-diced celery (4 stalks)
  • 1/2 cup small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
  • 1/2 cup small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
  • 3 slices stale bread, crusts removed
  • 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the salmon on a sheet pan, skin side down. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until just cooked. Remove from the oven and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes and refrigerate until cold.

Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons of the butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Break the bread slices in pieces and process the bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. You should have about 1 cup of bread crumbs. Place the bread crumbs on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5 minutes until lightly browned, tossing occasionally.

Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the vegetable mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into 10 (2 1/2 to 3-ounce) cakes.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. In batches, add the salmon cakes and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a preheated 250 degree F oven and serve hot.
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REVIEWS:

Really, Really Good!!!
This is the second time I made this recipe. I had samples of Old Bay Seasoning and eliminated the tabasco. I don't like HOT! Everything else was as in the recipe except I didn't have fresh parsley, only dried. I used a 1/2 cup measure and it made 7 salmon cakes from 10-12 oz. of salmon. Tried two different kinds of salmon a 2 inch filet and a tail end filet. Both needed only 15-18 minutes in the oven. I am going to cut out some of the salt in the recipe also. Instead of frying, I buttered a non=stick aluminum foil sheet and baked them at 350 for 18 minutes and broiled for 4 minutes. Perfect. Next time I will try canned 13 oz pink salmon. Much cheaper. This salmon was $8 lb. Canned is much less in cost.

OMG these are delicious!!!
I made these with the tweeks suggested by other reviewers and they were great! I love Ina.. everything she cooks is wonderful. I used canned salmon, extra hot sauce & old bay and cut out the butter completely. I also baked them and served them over Japanese rice. These are healthy and delicious! I will definitely be making these again.

These salmon cakes are a keeper! When I have time, I make them ahead and freeze them. This is what I do and I have no problem. I put parchment paper on a baking sheet and as I make the patties I assemble them on the sheet and then put them in the freezer. When frozen, I wrap each cake individually in plastic wrap and put them into a large ziplock bag and freeze. When I want them for dinner I just take out as many as I need, unwrap and thaw on a plate and cook them as directed. Works great!

My family LOVES these cakes!
I have 6 year old twin girls and one absolutely loves salmon and the other one doesn't at all. She didn't until I made these cakes. She now very often asks me to make her the cakes. This is one of our favorite family meals now.

Broiled Them!
Excellent! Used left over Salmon from last night's dinner, was a little short so added 3 jumbo cooked shrimp, awesome!

Okay but....
Good but a lot of work. Think you could get just as good with less work.

Salmon Cake Love!
These were delicious; the whole family devoured them. I'm only posting a review because A from Oakland asked if anyone had baked these, and I did. I buttered the baking pan and baked them for 20 minutes at 350 degrees on one side and then took them out of the oven. Just before serving I flipped them over in and baked the other side for 5 minutes. They were perfect.

Crispy on the Outside, Tender on the Inside!
These salmon cakes were delicious! I chose the recipe because my dad had bad memories of salmon cakes from when he was young (my grandma used to make HORRIBLE ones), but when I saw all the great vegetables and seasonings in this recipe, I knew he would love it. And the whole family did! The chunky vegetables and the spicy seasonings make it delectable! A FEW IMPORTANT TIPS: Use at least an extra teaspoon of Old Bay to taste; the flavor does not come out unless you do this. A few more bread crumbs than called for (half a cup more) will make the cake's body more stable and better tasting, and use sourdough or some other excellent quality bread. Finally, I strongly recommend broiling the salmon cakes in the oven rather than frying them with butter and oil. It makes the dish much healthier, less greasy, and lets the cakes cook more evenly. I ended up with a crispy outer layer and a moist inside. Perfect! Follow these tips, and your salmon cakes will be excellent. Ina's recipe elevates a somewhat lowly, "cheap" dish to a delectable and delicious dinner.

Fantastic!
These are great! My husband who is not a salmon lover at all actually enjoyed these very much. I also am just beginning to enjoy this fish more.I will surely put this in my Recipe book :) I used an ice cream scoop and it made 12 exactly. I might chill the whole mixture a bit longer is the only thing I would suggest.When doing a new recipe I always make it eactly then decide the tweeks for the next making. I served these on a mixed green salad with creamy Blue Cheese chunks. Thank You Ina!

The Best and Easier than I thought!
Made these yesterday for my wife and I. My wife doesn't like fish and finished two! I did sub the "Fresh" Bread crumbs with 4c seasoned bread crumbs (its what I had). Not sure how it affected the recipe, but they were outstanding. I also used .70 lbs. of Fresh Salmon. Maybe i would use less salt, but that's to taste. Other than that, it was pretty easy. Make sure you chill the salmon in the ref. before mixing in and chill the complete mixture before making the cakes. I will definitely make them again as well as use it with crab.

Awesome!
I made these the other day and they turned out great! The only things I changed were: using 2 stalks of celery instead of 4, adding more Old Bay seasoning, using large eggs instead of extra large, using 1 cup of Panko instead of bread crumbs, and adding freshly grated Parmesan to the mixture at the end. I made ahead of time and refrigerated for about 3-4 hours. I did experience the problem of them being difficult to flip while cooking in the pan, but I used 2 spatulas very carefully, which solved the problem for the most part. I will definitely make again!

Fantastic!
I have been trying out some fish cake recipes to find a new way to serve our weekly fish. I tried a lemon-parsley fish cake with cod from Martha Stewart and that was pretty good. But this salmon cake recipe far exceeded any expectations. The red and yellow peppers and the seasonings gave the dish a very complex flavor. SO YUMMY! By far the best fish cake I've ever had, at home or in a restaurant. I will make this again, but next time plan a little more time. I made it on a week night and didn't read carefully enough to note all the 'chill time'. We ate late but we were happy!

The Best Ever
I have never been a real fan of salmon or salmon cakes. I wanted to try something different for my family and decided to make this recipe but use canned salmon. I used a mix of pink and red salmon having found the canned red to be too dry but more flavorful than the pink. The combination is perfect. I think that the real secret of this recipe is that the vegetables are sauteed before adding. These cakes have converted me. I have made them three times now including as an addition to the family Thanksgiving table which here in Maryland seems to always include some seafood dishes. Thanks, Ina. This one is definitely a winner.

So Good!
This recipe is so good! I followed it exactly and loved the out come. Ina's recipes are the best. Although there are a few extra steps to the dish, it's worth the work! I made extra, and the next day I made sandwiches out of the left over cakes. Yummy! I also did a variation on the dish a week later. I switched out the Salmon, and used Crab. It made one of the best Crab Cakes I've had. This Recipe is definitely a keeper!

Fabulous. Will make it often!
I followed the recipe exactly except for adding a little more Old Bay. This included roasting the fresh salmon and toasting the fresh bread crumbs. Simply delicious. I did not have a problem with the cakes falling apart, but I was very careful turning them (use 2 spatulas, flip onto the second spatula then ease it back down into the pan). Ina's recipes are the BEST. It's rare that I follow a recipe exactly but I've learned that her's are perfect.

Very good! A make again!
This is a make again in my house. I did think it would be better to prepare the salmon a day ahead. And I am going to try freezing for 30 minutes instead because they did fall apart very easily while pan frying. I agree with others, don't try to do this after working all day! As there are a lot of steps. I might also try the panko crumbs as they are very moist and don't stick together easily.

Perfect blend of flavors, tastes like the east coast!
Easy to follow recipe that could be prepared ahead of time or even more quickly. I flaked the salmon immediately after cooking and put it together with veggie mix. I then put it in the freezer for 10 minutes, combined the other ingredients (I used 1 1/2 cups of panko, too, which really worked well) and did the freezer again for 10 minutes. This cut down on a lot of the process time. I didn't have trouble cooking them in the oil, as long as I didn't rush it. I used a few dashes of cayenne pepper instead of hot sauce, that worked just fine, and trader joe's 21 seasoning in place of the crab boil, which also worked perfectly. The aroma alone is so wonderful, but the cakes taste excellent! Makes enough for six people easily and a real crowd pleaser! I used a quick sauce of sour cream and some lemon juice to accompany.

Great flavor!
These salmon cakes had some great, complex flavors. The recipe did take awhile with baking the salmon, chopping and sauteeing the veggies, making the bread crumbs, and chilling the mixture before pan frying so I wouldn't recommend them for a tired day after work. But they were well worth it! I served them with a sauce made from a little mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, fresh tarragon, fresh chives, and a dash of cayenne. They did fall apart a bit while pan frying but after the first few you can figure out how to prevent that by being gentle when flipping them. Thanks for another great way to get in some healthy fish!

I followed the recipe very closely but they fell apart in the pan. I don't know what I could have done differently? They tasted excellent in any case. Any suggestions for me? I love Ina!

Great Salmon Recipe - Good budget stretcher!
While I can never follow a recipe to the T, I did my best considering I had 2 fresh pink salmon fillets 1.5 pounds total). I roasted the fish in the morning and prepared in afternoon. I was out to double the recipe with triple the fish to KICK UP the salmon. My portions may have differed as I was trying to expand the recipe, and I always try my own twists, but the ingredients stayed true and were a beautiful marriage. I followed a few other recommendations and added 50% more Old Bay and Tabasco and used unseasoned Panko crumbs. I also served this with a simple creamy dill sauce (Yogurt, Mayo, Dill, Lemon Juice, and Scallion). As Guy would say - OFF THE HOOK - Not only is it loved by the whole family, it stretches the fish to the max- I got 12 patties and still froze enough mixture for an additional 8-10.

This was a good recipe, it did need a sauce though. I used canned salmon instead of fresh and panko bread crumbs and it still worked nicely.

Easy and a crowd pleaser!
I made these for my family and they loved it! I substitued the foil packs of salmon and panko breadcrumbs which seemed to cut down on the moisture. This also seemed to cut the time involved as the only real prep was the chopping. I also chilled the mixture before putting them on a baking sheet with an icecream scoop. The recipe makes a lot, so I was able to freeze four meals worth with a vacuum sealer. I also recommend baking these instead of frying. If you spray a little nonfat cooking spray on top before putting them in a 400 degree oven, they will come out nice and brown. I now get regular requests for this dish, and I love that I can get them out of the freezer and on the table in the time it takes to prepare some rice. Great recipe!!

This was one of the best "cake" recipes I have had in ages. It was moist, easy to make, although a little time consuming, but definitely worth it. Old Bay was fine, but for an added spike I tried Zatarans. The dish is colorful and gave a wonderful presentation. Also, I tried this with trout ? yummmm and I could see where it would also be good with crawfish. Thanks Ina for a wonderful and creative meal.

...and I don't even like salmon!
I decided to try this recipe to surprise my husband (I just happened to have *all* the ingredients listed - when does that happen?!) and I was the one who ended up surprised. Not fishy tasting at all - pure indulgence. I cheated for the sake of time and used 2 cans of salmon instead of fresh, which worked in a pinch but wouldn't recommend as a good substitute. The patties were so moist I had to omit an egg, which caused them to fall apart. I would like to scale back the mayo and amount of butter/oil veggies are sauteed in to make these healthier. I pan fried the first batch (amazing!), but will bake the 2 uncooked patties that are in the freezer in an effort to save on the fat. Capers really stand out, but incredible overall flavor.

Good but...
They are good--they are just a lot of work. I wouldn't reccommend making them after a long day at work--there is a lot of chopping, baking, chilling, resting involved! And by the time I was done frying them in the pan I wanted nothing to do with them--only b/c it was a little too labor intensive and I had smelled the salmon for the past two hours! My boyfriend thought they were great though. I made Rachael Ray's sauce on this site--sour cream, green onions, cream cheese and lemon to go along with the cakes. I think they need some sort of sauce. Also, there wasn't a lot of heat to them, I think more hot sauce and more Old Bay wouldn't hurt.

FISH DELISH
These are marvelous! As others have mentioned, the mixture is VERY moist. Chilling it as recommended will help make it easier to shape. Using an ice cream scoop or a 1/4 C measuring cup and then pressing it down slightly as someone else suggested worked well. Baking at 350 for 20 minutes, then placing under the broiler for a minute as another reader did produced a picture-perfect salmon cake. I'm going to try it with other varieties of fish, too. LOVE THIS RECIPE!

The Most Delicious Salmon Cakes!
What a wonderful recipe! These are the best salmon cakes I have ever had! Moist on the inside and crispy on the outside, and not greasy. They're loaded with yummy flavors and not too "salmony" tasting. I will use this for the family, and will serve this for special occasions as it made a gorgeous presentation placed on mixed herb greens and topped with Ceamy Dill Sauce (also found on this web site). The only thing I did differently is that I didn't have "Old Bay" seasoning, only "Old Bay with Blackened Seasoning." You won't be sorry if you make this dish!

Excellent! These salmon cakes were wonderful. Ina's the best!

It was a Hit!
My aunt brought some salmon she had caught in Alaska. I decided to make this recipe and everyone loved it! Thank you Ina for another great recipe!

Best salmon cakes!
The capers, dijon mustard and Worchestershre Sauce really make this recipe stand out!

VERY VERY GOOD!
I was afraid to try another salmon cake recipe since the last one came out very fishy tasting. These were excellent! I made the patties ahead of time so I could just fry them up when my husband came home late for dinner. Turned out he didn't want to eat so I had to put them in the freezer. Now I was really afraid they would come out fishy but one week later I made them for dinner with a simple salad and even my skeptical husband thought they were fantastic. Will definately make these again and again.

After preparing the salmon as instructed the flavor was so perfect and moist, I did not want to continue the recipe.I did and it was one of the best ,if not the best salmon cakes I've ever eaten and will use this recipe for any other seafood cake I may prepare. For those who do not care for salmon but need for their diet,try these. Her vegatable combo and other ingredients are terrific and the blend of these with the fresh fish will surprise you. I will never use canned salmon again. Thank you,Ina. You're the best. Cindy Parkersburg WV

In the process of preparing this now... i did double the bread crumbs. just didnt seem like enough. used french and 12 grain bread for the crumbs. didnt have capers, but used chopped jalapenos instead. and instead of parsley, chopped up some fresh sage from my herb garden. so far, the veggie mixture smells wonderful. cant wait to put these together. a couple of suggestions for the other posters. - to help them from falling apart in the frying process, after you shape them into patties, put them back into the fridge for a few minutes. that swhould help... -yes you can freeze them!!! cooked or uncooked (recommended) - i dont see why you couldnt bake them instead of fry them. other people have mentioned that they have beked them in lieu of. cant wait for dinner tonight!!!!

GREAT, even doubled!
This was so much better than I thought it'd be! I had nearly 2# of salmon (1:15) and I only used 1 small Bermuda onion, 3 bell peppers (1 green, two red) and about 3 c. of celery, all finely chopped. I used double the amount of everything else: 2 c. panko (untoasted), 1 c. mayo (light worked fine), 3 tsp. Old Bay, about 2 tsp. Worcestershire, etc. It worked great combining the mayo, eggs and dijon then adding the remaining ingredients, folding in the panko last. I used a heaping 3 oz. ice cream scoop to portion them onto a greased cookie sheet, pressed 'em down a bit, then baked them (thanks, previous reviewers!) at 350 for 20 minutes w/ an additional few minutes under the broiler to get nice color on them. Served them w/ a salad and roasted beggies and they were terrific! I baked the remaining cakes and will freeze them in parchment for future reference. These were absolutely terrific -- and we're picky!!!

I had one last piece of fresh caught salmon to make due for my family----and what a way to finish it!!! Wonderful flavor and texture. I placed them on a bed of sauteed spinach and garlic, then topped it with toasted pinenuts and a spicy chipotle raspberry dressing. Beautiful. Thanks Ina.

Delicious!! I was worried that these would be bland without any sort of sauce or aioli, but they were amazing! I too used panko crumbs, since I don't have a food processor. But they turned out absolutely delicious! I will make these again and again!

These were just wonderful! A few adjustments; I used panko instead of bread crumbs this made it light and airy and I baked them instead of pan frying them. I brushed a little olive oil on top, put them in the oven for 12 minutes at 350 and threw them under the broiler for two more minutes to make a nice crust. I just served this with a little roasted garlic and cayenne pepper mayo and they were just fantastic!

Loved this recipe! I wanted them a bit leaner so I left out the mayo and put in some french's dijon honey mustard instead. Used Panko bread crumbs, about 2 cups. I also added lots of fresh squeezed lemon juice for moisture. I baked the salmon cakes on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam, put under the broiler for last few minutes to get a good crust. They were FABULOUS!

This recipe looks amazing - I have some stale italian bread I've been drying out and waiting to make into breadcrumbs. Is it at all possible to bake these instead of fry them? Do I need to make any changes to the recipe (maybe do something to make them bind better)? I simply love everything about Ina. Her warm and gracious attitude embodies the way we should all be when we're thinking about food, and it's great that you all feel the same way!

Wonderful!! I have made it many times and just love it. Ialso make a sauce with white wine, butter and freshly squeezed lemon. One issue i hjad was being able to cook the patties without having them fall apart. i still cannot figure that one out. I also use store bought Panko bread crumbs instead of making my own. They are light, airy, and crispy. Perfect. i was also thinking...if i prepare it the same way without the egg, i could actually make this a salmon sandwich. Yummy!!

GREAT FLAVOR NEEDS SOME TWEAKING
I cook for my parents and younger siblings every Wed to give my folks a break but its a challange because they all have different taste and can be quite picky. Everyone loved the flavor of these patties! It was for the most part a hit. There were a few problems I found but worked around: It took longer than I expected to prepare, They needed twice as much bread crumbs but I only had regular loaf bread so that may have been it, and next time I will double the salmon, there was more veggies than meat. Overall though a keeper and very tasty! Stoner, Charlotte NC

Excellent and Not Too Hard to Make
I had some leftover salmon that I had grilled and decided to try this recipe to use it up. This is a GREAT way to use up this type of leftover. It was fabulous! I loved all of the bright vegetables that were in it and I did not think it was that much work. If you already have cooked salmon, then it is fairly quick to prepare. We made a sauce with lemon, sour cream and mayo to serve with them. I am sure this recipe is just as good with crab, shrimp or canned salmon. I will definitely keep this one.

Simple meal to elegant meal. Barefoot Contessa does it again. I did not have fresh salmon, but did have a high quality canned salmon. I decided to try it, following the recipe otherwise. My husband went wild over it--so I can't imagine his reaction if I had used fresh fish! This kicks an ordinary meal to the next level. Thanks Ina.

Worth the wait!
It's alot of prepping but well worth the wait! This salmon was very flavorful, juicy, beautiful! I'm going to use the salmon cakes as sliders as well. This is going to make a great lunch! Will be making this again!

I made these for dinner and they are perfect. I subbed Emerils essence for Old Bay and cheyenne pepper for tobasco. I will definately make these again...and again...and again!

Really good! I love this recipe and Ina Garten! Everything from her is so good. There is a lot of chopping involved and it does take a while to put the whole thing together, but it is worth it! I followed her recipe exactly and it turned out so well. This is a great recipe for anytime you buy or make too much salmon the day before. I like them better than crab cakes! One thing is that they need some type of sauce, like a remoulade or something.

So Good! This is a great recipe and like others, I substituted crab for the salmon and coated in panko before frying. I had also made them miniature sized and served them as sliders. Everyone really liked them. This recipe is a keeper!

Great great recipe! Since I am not s salmon fan but am an Ina fan, I substituted lump crabmeat. I also used panko bread crumbs. These made the best crab cakes ever. Thank you Ina!

This is by far the best new recipe I've done all year!
My husband and I LOVED them! I used Italian bread crumbs and substituted Mrs. Dash for the Old Bay but used everything else exactly. They were so good we ate every crumb! I found that they stayed together better if your temp was up to medium (gas stove) instead of lower heat. Melanie in Nashville 12/09/08

The Best Salmon Cakes I Ever Had!
Excellent! Oh My Goodness! I eat salmon once or twice a week. I am always finding new ways in preparing a salmon dish--I don't want to get bored with something that I like so much. This recipe is the best. I followed the recipe-the capers put a new twist that I didn't think about when I make my version of Salmon Cakes. I am eating while I am writing this review. LOVE IT!

Awesome Salmon Cakes
Salmon cakes are my favorite...and I am always challenged to do better....I made this, and did not add the capers...My husband is not fond of of the brine....I myself did not miss them... ON another note, I am so happy that Ina has a new series...I love it when she interacts with Jeffery...They look like a very happy couple and not pretending to be something they are not...I have been a follower of Food Network for several years now, and Ina is by far my favorite....I love her show! Thank you Ina!

I made the recipe mostly as it is written, except for using the red pepper flakes as I didn't have any red hot sauce and I used also wheat bread crumbs. Easy to make and the best salmon cakes I've had in years! This is a keeper!

I'm so glad that Ina's coming out with new episodes. This was surprisingly easy and delicious. It was definitely rich and satisfying yet worked as a light dinner when served with a simple side salad. I actually didn't have Old Bay or Worcestershire sauce and it still tasted great. I'm definitely going to try this again with all the ingredients.

I tried this recipe after watching the show. I thought they would be a good alternatiive to pan-fried or baked salmon. I was not disappointed. They are absolutely delicious. I deviated slightly from the recipe as follows: I did not use Old Bay Seasoning, since I didn't have any, but that did not take away from the taste. I also substituted the tabasco sauce with dried pepper flakes. I also added some green bell pepper in place of the red. All of the flavors blended nicely to make the cakes moist and tasty. The only other thing that I found was that it takes more than 50 minutes to make the recipe from start to finish, including the time for chilling the salmon before making the cakes.

EXCELLENT!! EXCELLENT!! These were the best we have tried to date. The flavor was great. I refrigerated them for about 2 hours, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. Will be making these again and again!

This was so yummy. I actually used canned crab instead (easier on the budget and time) and it was great! I am sure it would be so much better with fresh salmon. I will try that next time with left over salmon.

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