Crispy Salmon Cakes with Frisée and Celery Salad
By Andrea GearyPublished on August 6, 2025
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
When processing the salmon, it is OK to have some pieces that are larger than ¼ inch. It is important to avoid overprocessing the fish. If buying a skin-on salmon fillet, purchase 1⅓ pounds; this will yield 1¼ pounds fish after skinning.
Instructions
- Whisk 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 small minced shallot, ½ teaspoon mayonnaise, and ½ teaspoon mustard in medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons vegetable oil until glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil visible. (If pools of oil are visible on surface as you whisk, stop adding oil and whisk until mixture is well combined, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream.) Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
- Combine 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs, ½ teaspoon table salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and remaining 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard in bowl. Working in 3 batches, pulse 1¼ pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1‐inch pieces, in food processor until coarsely chopped into ¼‐inch pieces, about 2 pulses, transferring each batch to bowl with panko mixture. Gently mix until uniformly combined.
- Place remaining ¾ cup panko bread crumbs in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Using ⅓‐cup measure, scoop level amount of salmon mixture and transfer to baking sheet; repeat to make 8 cakes. Carefully coat each cake in panko, gently patting cake into disk measuring 2¾ inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Return coated cakes to baking sheet.
- Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in 12‐inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place cakes in skillet and cook, without moving, until golden brown on first side, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip cakes and cook until second side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cakes to paper towel–lined side of prepared rack to drain for about 15 seconds per side, then move to unlined side of rack.
- Whisk dressing to recombine. Add 1 head (6 ounces) torn frisée pieces, 2 thinly sliced celery ribs, and ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves and toss gently until evenly coated. Serve salmon cakes with salad.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Salmon cakes can often disappoint, whether you make them at home or order them in a restaurant. Why? They are often mushy in the center or have so much binder that you don’t even taste the fish. A great salmon cake should have a crisp exterior, a moist interior, and a supersimple cooking technique. Oven-fried salmon cakes disappointed us every time: pale, dry, and with a “fishy” flavor. It turns out that the longer you cook salmon cakes, the stronger the fishy aroma and flavor. So we tried quickly pan-frying the cakes in a nonstick skillet and were happy to discover that it easily beat out oven frying. Fresh salmon is clearly better than canned or even precooked salmon, and for a binder, we use mayonnaise and bread crumbs. For cakes that hold together without turning pasty, we pulse chunks of fresh salmon in the food processor in three batches. Coating the cakes in panko bread crumbs ensures the right crisped exterior. A few additions (mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice) take these salmon cakes to the next level without adding much more work. A fresh and easy-to-make frisée and celery salad tossed with an assertive dressing makes a lovely accompaniment.
Before You Begin
When processing the salmon, it is OK to have some pieces that are larger than ¼ inch. It is important to avoid overprocessing the fish. If buying a skin-on salmon fillet, purchase 1⅓ pounds; this will yield 1¼ pounds fish after skinning.
Instructions
- Whisk 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 small minced shallot, ½ teaspoon mayonnaise, and ½ teaspoon mustard in medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons vegetable oil until glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil visible. (If pools of oil are visible on surface as you whisk, stop adding oil and whisk until mixture is well combined, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream.) Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
- Combine 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs, ½ teaspoon table salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and remaining 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard in bowl. Working in 3 batches, pulse 1¼ pounds skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1‐inch pieces, in food processor until coarsely chopped into ¼‐inch pieces, about 2 pulses, transferring each batch to bowl with panko mixture. Gently mix until uniformly combined.
- Place remaining ¾ cup panko bread crumbs in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Using ⅓‐cup measure, scoop level amount of salmon mixture and transfer to baking sheet; repeat to make 8 cakes. Carefully coat each cake in panko, gently patting cake into disk measuring 2¾ inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Return coated cakes to baking sheet.
- Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in 12‐inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place cakes in skillet and cook, without moving, until golden brown on first side, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip cakes and cook until second side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cakes to paper towel–lined side of prepared rack to drain for about 15 seconds per side, then move to unlined side of rack.
- Whisk dressing to recombine. Add 1 head (6 ounces) torn frisée pieces, 2 thinly sliced celery ribs, and ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves and toss gently until evenly coated. Serve salmon cakes with salad.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments