Salmon Patties: 14 Crispy Grandma Suppers From One Cheap Can That Southern Kids Still Crave

Salmon patties were the Friday supper so many Southern families grew up on: one can of salmon, an egg, a handful of crushed saltines and a hot skillet, turned into a golden dinner for the entire table. During the Depression and long after, canned salmon was the thrifty fish that stretched a tight budget, and the recipe traveled from one stained index card to the next. They are a close cousin of the fish cake found in kitchens around the world. With holiday grocery bills climbing, that humble can deserves a fresh look. These 14 suppers start with the classic and move on to creamed peas, cheese grits, croquettes, sandwiches, air fryer batches and a retro salmon loaf. Grab a can opener and heat up the pan..

Classic Southern Salmon Patties With Saltine Crumbs

Classic salmon patties stretched one can of fish into dinner for a family of six, and Southern kitchens still make them the same way. Flake the salmon, mash the soft bones right in for extra calcium, then stir in an egg, crushed saltines and a little onion. Fry them until a deep golden crust forms. The trick that keeps them from falling apart: chill the shaped patties for 15 minutes first. Serve them with ketchup and a lemon wedge, just like the other Depression era dinners grandma leaned on..

You will need: 1 can (14.75 oz) salmon, drained; 1 large egg; 1/2 cup saltine crumbs; 1/4 cup minced onion; 2 tbsp mayonnaise; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1/4 tsp pepper; 1/4 cup oil

How to make it: 1. Flake the salmon, removing the skin and large bones. 2. Stir in the egg, crumbs, onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice and pepper. 3. Shape 6 patties and chill 15 minutes. 4. Fry in hot oil over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden.

Salmon Cakes With Lemon Dill Sauce

Dress up the old recipe with fresh dill in the mix and a cool, tangy sauce on top, and these salmon cakes feel ready for company. Serve them over a bed of wilted spinach with a big spoonful of the sauce melting into the warm crust. The sauce takes two minutes and keeps for three days in the fridge. Add lemon zest along with the juice, because the zest carries the bright flavor. If your family loves fish night, keep these easy salmon dinners in the rotation too. Dill fan?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill; 2 cups spinach. Sauce: 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp dill, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice

How to make it: 1. Stir the sauce together and chill. 2. Add the dill to the patty mix and shape 6 cakes. 3. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side. 4. Wilt the spinach in the same pan for 1 minute. 5. Serve the cakes on the spinach with sauce.

Salmon Patties With Creamed Peas

Salmon patties with creamed peas is the plate so many grandmothers set down on a cold night, crisp fish cakes swimming in sweet peas and silky white sauce. It turns one cheap can and a bag of frozen peas into a dinner that feels warm and complete. Cook the butter and flour for a full minute before the milk goes in; that takes away the raw flour taste and keeps the sauce smooth. Spoon the peas right over the hot patties so they soak in. It belongs with the best cheap pantry dinners. Who remembers this plate?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp flour; 1 1/2 cups milk; 2 cups frozen peas; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper

How to make it: 1. Shape and fry 6 patties until golden. 2. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. 3. Whisk in the milk and simmer until thick. 4. Add the peas, salt and pepper and simmer 3 minutes. 5. Spoon over the patties.

Salmon Patty Sandwich With Tartar Sauce

A hot, crispy patty on a soft bun with tartar sauce, lettuce, tomato and a slice of cheese is the diner lunch you can make at home for very little. One can makes four sandwiches. Shape the patties a little wider and thinner than usual, about 1/2 inch thick, so they fit the bun and cook fast. For extra crunch, press them into panko before frying. Homemade tartar sauce takes two minutes: mayonnaise, chopped pickles, lemon and a pinch of dill. It sits happily beside the sandwiches grandma made for supper. Lunch is served.

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; 1/2 cup panko; 4 buns; lettuce; tomato; 4 slices cheddar. Tartar: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp chopped pickles, 1 tsp lemon juice

How to make it: 1. Mix the tartar sauce and chill. 2. Shape 4 thin patties and press into panko. 3. Fry 3 minutes per side, adding cheese at the end. 4. Toast the buns and stack with tartar sauce, lettuce, tomato and the patty.

Salmon Patties Over Cheese Grits

In many Southern homes, salmon patties over a bowl of creamy cheese grits is the brunch that brings everyone to the table. The grits cook slowly with milk and sharp cheddar until silky, and the crisp patties sit right on top. Stir the grits often and add a splash of hot water if they thicken too fast; stone-ground grits need about 25 minutes. Finish with green onions and a dash of hot sauce. It is right at home among the Southern breakfast classics. Sunday plans, sorted?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; 1 cup grits; 2 cups water; 2 cups milk; 1 tsp salt; 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar; 2 tbsp butter; green onions

How to make it: 1. Simmer the water, milk and salt, whisk in the grits and cook until thick. 2. Stir in the cheddar and butter. 3. Fry 6 patties until golden. 4. Spoon grits into bowls, top with patties and green onions.

Salmon Croquettes With Tangy Slaw

Croquettes use the same mix as salmon patties, but they are shaped into little logs and rolled in cornmeal for extra crunch. Older Southern cookbooks print them side by side, and many families call both by either name. A pile of tangy red cabbage slaw cuts the richness and adds color to the plate. Chill the logs for 20 minutes so they hold their shape in the hot oil, and turn them gently with tongs. For the slaw, borrow any of these crunchy coleslaw recipes. Crunch time?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal; oil for frying; 3 cups shredded red cabbage; 2 tbsp vinegar; 1 tbsp sugar; parsley

How to make it: 1. Toss the cabbage with vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt. 2. Shape the patty mix into 8 small logs and roll in cornmeal. 3. Chill 20 minutes. 4. Fry in 1/2 inch hot oil, turning, until golden. 5. Serve with the slaw.

Cornmeal-Crusted Salmon Patties in Cast Iron

A cornmeal coating gives salmon patties the same crunchy jacket as Southern fried catfish. The inside stays tender while the outside turns golden and gritty in the best way. This version adds a spoonful of mustard and a little Cajun seasoning. Press each patty firmly into the cornmeal and let it rest five minutes so the coating sticks. A well-seasoned skillet gives the most even crust, which is why it shows up in so many cast iron skillet recipes. Ready for crunch?

You will need: 1 can (14.75 oz) salmon; 1 egg; 1/4 cup saltine crumbs; 1/2 cup cornmeal, divided; 1/4 cup onion; 1 tbsp mustard; 1 tsp Cajun seasoning; 1/4 cup oil

How to make it: 1. Mix the salmon, egg, crumbs, 2 tbsp cornmeal, onion, mustard and seasoning. 2. Shape 6 patties and press into the remaining cornmeal. 3. Rest 5 minutes. 4. Fry in a hot cast iron skillet 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Salmon Patties Made With Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Thrifty cooks have always used leftover mashed potatoes to bind fish cakes, and the result is softer, fluffier and even more filling. It is the perfect job for the extra potatoes after a holiday dinner, and it stretches one can to feed more people. Use cold potatoes straight from the fridge, since warm ones make the mix too loose to shape. Dust each patty in flour for a thin, crisp crust. Find more ways to use leftover mashed potatoes here. Got extra potatoes?

You will need: 1 can (14.75 oz) salmon; 1 cup cold mashed potatoes; 1 egg; 1/4 cup saltine crumbs; 2 green onions; salt and pepper; 1/3 cup flour; 1/4 cup oil

How to make it: 1. Mix the salmon, potatoes, egg, crumbs, onions, salt and pepper. 2. Shape 8 patties. 3. Dust both sides with flour. 4. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. 5. Serve with sour cream.

Air Fryer Salmon Patties

The air fryer makes salmon patties a true weeknight shortcut, with crisp golden tops and no oil spatter on the stove. The mix is the same as the classic, so the flavor stays just like the old recipe card. Spray the tops lightly with oil and flip halfway through so both sides crunch. Do not crowd the basket, or the patties will steam instead of crisp. They are ready in about 12 minutes. More easy air fryer recipes can fill out the plate. Is your air fryer ready?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; cooking oil spray; lemon wedges

How to make it: 1. Shape 6 patties and chill 15 minutes. 2. Heat the air fryer to 390 F. 3. Spray the patties and arrange in one layer. 4. Air fry 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and 160 F inside.

Salmon Burgers With Pickled Onions

Make the patties a little thicker, tuck them into a toasted bun and pile on bright pink pickled onions and fresh greens, and supper feels like a cafe order. Quick-pickled onions take 20 minutes in vinegar, sugar and salt, and they keep for a week. A smear of mayonnaise mixed with a little hot sauce adds a gentle kick. Grill-free and cheap, these hold their own next to any of our homemade burger recipes. Burger night, fish style?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; 4 buns; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup vinegar; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; greens; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; hot sauce

How to make it: 1. Cover the onion with vinegar, sugar and salt; rest 20 minutes. 2. Shape 4 thick patties. 3. Fry 4 minutes per side. 4. Toast the buns and build with spicy mayonnaise, greens, patty and onions.

Salmon Patties With Coleslaw and Hushpuppies

Turn salmon patties into a fish fry plate with cold creamy coleslaw and a pile of hot hushpuppies. It is the Friday dinner of many small Southern towns, made at home for a fraction of the price. Make the slaw in the morning. Fry the hushpuppies first and keep them warm in a 200 F oven, then fry the patties in the same oil. A small scoop gives even, round hushpuppies. It is one of those soul food dinners that feeds a crowd cheaply. Who wants the first hushpuppy?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; oil for frying; creamy coleslaw. Hushpuppies: 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 egg, 3/4 cup buttermilk

How to make it: 1. Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil to 350 F. 2. Mix the hushpuppy batter and drop in by tablespoons; fry 3 to 4 minutes. 3. Shape 6 patties and fry 3 minutes per side. 4. Serve with coleslaw.

Mini Salmon Cakes With Remoulade for Parties

Shrink salmon cakes to two-bite size and they become a party appetizer that disappears from the platter. A spoonful of Creole remoulade adds a tangy, spicy kick. They suit holiday open houses because you can fry them ahead and reheat them at 375 F for 8 minutes. Use a small cookie scoop so every mini cake is the same size and cooks evenly. Set them out beside a tray of Maryland crab cakes if you want a seafood spread. How many will you make?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; 2 tbsp parsley; 1/4 cup oil. Remoulade: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tbsp chopped pickles, hot sauce

How to make it: 1. Stir the remoulade together and chill. 2. Add parsley to the mix. 3. Scoop 1-tablespoon portions and flatten slightly. 4. Fry 2 minutes per side. 5. Top each with remoulade.

Vintage Baked Salmon Loaf

Church cookbooks of the 1950s often printed a baked salmon loaf, sliced like meatloaf and served with a creamy sauce. It is soft, savory and easy, since everything gets mixed in one bowl and baked in a loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment that hangs over the sides so you can lift the loaf out cleanly, and let it rest 10 minutes before slicing. Spoon creamed peas over the slices for the full retro supper. If you grew up on meatloaf like mom made, this will feel familiar.

You will need: 2 cans (14.75 oz each) salmon; 2 eggs; 1 cup soft breadcrumbs; 3/4 cup milk; 1/4 cup onion; 1/4 cup celery; 2 tbsp melted butter; 1 tbsp lemon juice; parsley

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment. 2. Mix everything in one bowl. 3. Press into the pan. 4. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until set and 160 F inside. 5. Rest 10 minutes and slice.

Spicy Salmon Cakes With Hot Sauce Dip

Add a minced jalapeno and some Cajun seasoning, coat the cakes in breadcrumbs, and serve them with a bowl of buttery hot sauce for dipping. The heat stays gentle if you remove the seeds, so most families can enjoy them. Wear gloves while chopping the jalapeno. A crisp salad of lettuce and tomato on the side cools things down. Cheap, bold and fast, they round out our list of canned fish dinners nicely. Hot enough for you?

You will need: 1 batch classic patty mix; 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced; 1 tsp Cajun seasoning; 1 cup breadcrumbs; 1/4 cup oil. Dip: 1/3 cup hot sauce, 2 tbsp melted butter

How to make it: 1. Stir the jalapeno and seasoning into the mix. 2. Shape 6 cakes and coat in breadcrumbs. 3. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side. 4. Whisk the hot sauce and butter and serve on the side with salad.