I make these mini salmon patties with canned salmon from the pantry, so they are an easy appetizer to pull together on short notice. The salmon gets mixed with eggs, finely ground pork rinds, mayonnaise, fresh jalapeño, garlic powder, dill, cayenne, and red pepper flakes, then shaped into 24 small patties and pan-fried in avocado oil until golden brown on both sides. A quick lemon dill aioli goes on top or on the side. They have a real kick, they are easy to serve on toothpicks, and the whole batch is ready in about 30 minutes.
For more party appetizers, try my Sausage Balls with Cream Cheese and my Bacon Pickle Boats.
These spicy bite-size patties are one of my favorite appetizers. They are easy to make, and I have served them to guests many times.
I also like how easy they are to change. Canned tuna, crab, or chicken works in place of the salmon, you can turn the heat up or down, and they go with whatever dipping sauce you like.
I serve them as a party appetizer or a quick snack, and any leftovers reheat well in the oven.
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💛 Why you’ll love these canned salmon patties
- A great way to use the canned salmon from your pantry.
- No dairy in the patties or the aioli.
- Easy to find ingredients.
- Full of flavor with a kick of spice.
- Easy to serve on toothpicks at a party.
- Very little prep: one bowl for the patties and one for the aioli.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make mini canned salmon patties
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Mix together the patty ingredients and then form that into 24 equal-sized balls before gently pressing flat.
- In a hot oiled pan, cook 4-6 patties at a time on each side until golden brown.
- Prepare the aioli.
- Serve the mini patties with the aioli on the side or drizzled on top.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Canned Salmon: Canned tuna, canned crab, or canned chicken work great in place of canned salmon.
- Pork Rinds: You can substitute pork rinds with sunflower seed flour or almond flour at a 1:1 ratio. You can also use panko breadcrumbs or cornmeal.
- Jalapeños: For a milder version, use sweet mini peppers in place of the jalapeños.
- Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt or softened cream cheese should work just fine here.
- Ground Cayenne Pepper: You can omit the cayenne pepper from the recipe to slightly decrease the heat.
- Red Pepper Flakes: The amount of red pepper flakes can be adjusted to your heat preferences. Omit altogether if you want to decrease the spiciness.
- Avocado Oil: Avocado oil is used to pan-fry the patties. Olive oil, butter, coconut oil, or ghee will work in its place.
✨ Variations
- Make the patties bigger by forming them into 12 salmon cakes rather than 24 mini patties.
- Use canned crab instead of canned salmon to yield spicy crab cakes.
💬 FAQs
Do I need to remove the bones and skin from my canned salmon?
Nope! Everything in the can is edible. But, if you’d prefer to, you absolutely can remove the bones and skin, or you can purchase canned salmon that is skinless and has already been de-boned. Personally, this is my favorite brand of canned salmon, which is skinless and boneless.
How can salmon patties be made without canned salmon?
Leftover baked salmon works really well here, and I’ve made this recipe successfully going that route many times.
Is it possible to tone down the spiciness of these patties?
Yes, adjust the amount of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and jalapeños in the recipe based on your preferred spice level.
Can I prep these ahead of time to cook later?
Yes, prepare the salmon mixture and form it into mini patties before storing them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook them. When you’re ready to eat them, simply pan-fry as directed.
How do I store the prepared salmon patties?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can these be frozen?
Absolutely! These freeze really well. Place the cooked mini salmon patties in an airtight container in layers separated by small pieces of parchment paper (this will ensure that they don’t get stuck together once they freeze). Allow the patties to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How should the patties be reheated after being refrigerated?
The best way to reheat these is in the oven, but you can also use the microwave. For the oven, place the patties on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees until warmed throughout, about 10 minutes. For the microwave, cook until warmed throughout, about 30-60 seconds, depending on the wattage of your microwave.
📚 More spicy recipes
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Pan-fried and crisp — here’s what I use:
- → Canned salmon
- → Pork rindsground fine, they help hold the patties together
- → Avocado oilfor frying
- → Dried dill
- → A nonstick skillet
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Mini Spicy Canned Salmon Patties
Ingredients
Mini Spicy Canned Salmon Patties:
- 24 oz canned salmon
- 5 eggs
- ¾ cup 80g finely ground pork rinds or panko breadcrumbs
- ½ medium jalapeño, ~20g, finely chopped
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ¼ tsp + 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
Lemon Dill Aioli:
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dried dill
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
Optional Garnishes:
- Roughly chopped fresh dill
- Finely chopped jalapeño
- Lemon wedge
Instructions
- Mini Salmon Patties: In a mixing bowl, combine all salmon patty ingredients excluding avocado oil using hands or electric mixer. Form into 24 equal-sized balls and gently press flat.
- To a large pan over medium heat, add avocado oil. Once the oil is hot, add 4-6 patties and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per batch, flipping halfway through. Continue process until all patties are cooked.
- Lemon Dill Aioli: To a small bowl, add all ingredients and stir until well-incorporated.
- Final Steps: Serve mini patties with aioli on the side or drizzled on top. Add optional garnishes as desired.
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