Wild Salmon Patties (Made With Canned Salmon)

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A memory and a meal...

As the winter is winding down here in New Mexico and spring is just over the horizon, my mind has wandered into spring and summer activities, and an easy favorite budget meal that also reminds me of a childhood long ago. Salmon patties have a way of pulling me straight back into two very different chapters of my life: the dusty desert Southwest where I grew up, and the lush, river‑cut landscape of southern Oregon where I spent my teen years. Those two places couldn’t be more different, especially when it comes to fish. In the desert, “fresh fish” usually meant a lake trout or two if someone got lucky on a weekend trip. But when we moved to Oregon, everything changed. That was where I tasted my first truly fresh salmon — the kind that’s still cold from the Rogue River, the kind that smells like clean water and pine trees, the kind that ruins you for anything less.

I was thirteen when my Uncle Wally, an extremely avid fisherman in every sense of the phrase, took me out to his favorite spot on the Rogue. The place was called Finley Bend, near Grants Pass, a quiet curve in the river where the water seemed to slow down just long enough to gather itself before rushing on. He handed me a trout rod — a Kmart Special, not even close to the "outfit" as he called it he was using. An expensive graphite rod, an equally expensive Shimano reel, and bait that he had spent a fair amount of time crafting from Roe (salmon eggs). With a determined look, he showed me how to bait my hook with the nightcrawler, told me to cast, and be patient. I did, at least the casting part. Meanwhile he moved a little father up the riverbank and started to fish. I watched him intently, this fishing expert, and tried to mimic his moves, and somehow, by pure accident or divine humor, I hooked into a 24‑pound salmon... On a trout rod. I’ll save the full story for another day, but let’s just say it involved a lot of yelling, on on one side, me a clumsy city kid who had never been fishing and had no idea what the hell was happening, on the other side my uncle who had no earthly idea how this could have possibly happened. A lot of line came screaming off that poor budget reel, and a very shocked thirteen‑year‑old suddenly understood why people fall in love with fishing. That moment hooked me — literally and figuratively — and it kicked off a lifelong love affair with fishing and with wild‑caught salmon in particular.

But salmon patties? Those came from a different place entirely.

My mom made salmon patties a handful of times when I was growing up. They were a budget meal, the kind you pull together when you need something filling, familiar, and fast. She used canned salmon — the old‑school kind with the bones still in it. And while I loved the flavor, those bones absolutely grossed me out. I’d pick around them like I was defusing a bomb. It turned me off canned salmon for years. Even now, I still can’t do the bone‑in stuff. If you’re the same way, don’t worry — boneless salmon exists, and it’s a game‑changer.

These days, I’m all about using what’s accessible and realistic for real‑life cooking. If you have access to fresh, wild‑caught salmon, by all means use it. There’s nothing like it. But not everyone does, and not every weeknight calls for breaking down a fresh fillet. That’s why this recipe leans on wild‑caught canned salmon — the boneless kind — to make salmon patties that taste coastal, clean, and bright without the fuss.

And let me tell you: these patties hit that perfect balance of nostalgic comfort and modern ease. They’re the kind of meal that feels like it’s been passed down through families, but also fits right into the rhythm of a busy weeknight. They’re crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of lemon, herbs, and that unmistakable wild salmon richness that never gets old.

A Coastal Classic with a Homestead Heart

One of the things I love most about salmon patties is how humble they are. They’re not flashy. They’re not fussy. They’re the kind of food that shows up on real tables in real homes — the kind of meal you make when you want something warm and satisfying without spending all evening in the kitchen.

That’s exactly the kind of cooking I try to bring to Fire, Iron and Spice: down‑to‑earth, approachable, rooted in real life and real stories. Salmon patties fit right into that world. They’re pantry‑friendly, budget‑friendly, and endlessly adaptable. You can dress them up with a fresh garden salad, tuck them into a bun, serve them with roasted vegetables, or pair them with rice and a squeeze of lemon. They’re as flexible as they are comforting.

And while I usually reach for cast iron for anything pan‑fried, this time I cooked them in my new 10.6‑inch Titanium Always Pan Pro from Our Place. I’ve been testing it out for a few weeks now, and it handled these patties beautifully. The heat distribution was even, the browning was spot‑on, and the cleanup was almost suspiciously easy. Don’t worry — cast iron still holds the top spot in my heart — but the Always Pan Pro earned its keep on this one.

Why Wild Salmon Matters

If you’ve ever tasted wild salmon next to farmed salmon, you know the difference immediately. Wild salmon has a depth, a richness, a clean ocean‑and‑river flavor that farmed fish just can’t match. It’s the difference between a tomato from your backyard garden and a tomato that’s been sitting in a grocery store for two weeks. Both are technically tomatoes, but only one tastes like summer.

Using wild salmon — even canned — brings that same depth to these patties. It gives them a flavor that feels honest and grounded, like something you’d eat after a long day on the riverbank. And because wild salmon is naturally leaner and more flavorful, the patties don’t need much to shine. A little lemon, a little Dijon, a little green onion, and they come alive.

If you’re someone who grew up on the bone‑in canned salmon, you might be surprised at how different the boneless version is. It’s cleaner, milder, and far more pleasant to work with. No picking, no crunching, no childhood trauma resurfacing. Just good salmon ready to be turned into something delicious.

The Beauty of a Simple Pantry Meal

There’s something deeply satisfying about making a meal that feels special even though it came almost entirely from the pantry. These patties are exactly that kind of meal. Three cans of salmon, a couple of eggs, some breadcrumbs, a spoonful of mayo, a squeeze of lemon — nothing fancy, nothing complicated. But when it all comes together, it tastes like something you’d order at a coastal diner after a morning spent watching fishing boats roll in.

That’s the magic of recipes like this. They remind us that good food doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be honest.

And if you’re someone who keeps a garden — or even just a pot of herbs on the windowsill — this recipe is a great excuse to snip a handful of parsley or green onion. Fresh herbs brighten the patties and make them feel even more alive.

Cooking Salmon Patties in the Titanium Always Pan Pro

I’ve cooked a lot of patties, fritters, and cakes over the years, and the pan you use makes a big difference. Cast iron gives you that deep, even heat and a crust that means business. But the Always Pan Pro surprised me. It heated quickly, held temperature well, and gave the patties a golden, crisp exterior without sticking or scorching.

The 10.6‑inch size was perfect — enough room for four patties without crowding, which is key for getting that crust. And because the pan is lighter than cast iron, flipping the patties felt effortless. I’m not saying it’s replacing my cast iron, but it’s definitely earned a spot in the rotation.

If you’re someone who likes a pan that can go from delicate eggs to high‑heat searing without fuss, this one’s worth a look. It handled salmon patties like a champ.

A Meal That Feels Like Home

Every time I make salmon patties, I think about my mom in our little desert kitchen, stretching a can of salmon into a meal that fed all of us. I think about my uncle on the Rogue River, teaching me how to read the water. I think about that first salmon — the one that nearly ripped the trout rod out of my hands — and how that moment shaped the way I cook and eat today.

Food is funny like that. It carries stories. It carries places. It carries people. Salmon patties, humble as they are, carry all of that for me.

And now, they’ve become part of my own kitchen rhythm — a quick, comforting meal that fits right into the homestead‑leaning, cast‑iron‑loving, down‑to‑earth cooking style that defines Fire, Iron and Spice. They’re simple, satisfying, and full of the kind of flavor that makes you slow down for a minute and appreciate what’s on the plate.

Serving Ideas That Keep Things Fresh

These patties are incredibly versatile, which is one of the reasons they’ve become a regular in my kitchen. A few of my favorite ways to serve them:

• With a fresh garden salad — crisp greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, maybe a little dill dressing

• Alongside roasted vegetables — carrots, broccoli, or asparagus

• Over rice with lemon and herbs

• Tucked into a bun with lettuce and a smear of tartar sauce

• With a simple squeeze of lemon and nothing else

They’re light enough for summer, hearty enough for winter, and easy enough for any night of the week.

Why This Recipe Works for Real Life

At the end of the day, this recipe is about practicality without sacrificing flavor. It’s about using what you have, honoring where you’ve been, and making something that feels good to eat. It’s the kind of recipe that fits into real life — the kind of life where dinner needs to be on the table in 30 minutes, but you still want it to taste like you put thought into it.

Wild salmon patties check all those boxes. They’re fast, flavorful, nostalgic, and deeply satisfying. And whether you’re cooking them in cast iron or giving your Always Pan Pro a workout, they’re going to come out golden, crisp, and delicious.