Paleo Salmon Cakes with Spicy Mayonnaise
These easy, flavor-packed paleo salmon cakes come together quickly using canned salmon and pantry staples! They’re a healthy and delicious lunch or dinner. Serve the cakes over salad greens, or for a non-paleo approach, serve them over rice or whole grains (you can add veggies alongside to make a grain bowl ?). They’re also awesome in slider buns (that’s how my kids love them!). See my canned salmon buying tips in the notes below.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 1 (6 to 7.5- ounce) can wild salmon, drained, or 2 (2.6 to 3-ounce) packets wild salmon
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ½ small celery stalk, finely diced
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise, divided
- ½ teaspoon sriracha, divided, plus more to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the salmon, egg, almond flour, celery, 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise and ¼ teaspoon of the sriracha. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and ¼ teaspoon of sriracha. Season with salt and pepper (if you like it spicier, add more sriracha!). Set aside for serving.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Using 2 spoons, drop the mixture into about 2 tablespoon-sized mounds into the hot pan and flatten them into patties (you should get 6 cakes). Cook the cakes until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, and sprinkle with salt. Serve the cakes with the spicy mayonnaise.
Notes
- Cans of wild salmon vary in weight, often from 6-ounces to 7.5-ounces (either weight will work for this recipe—you’ll need 1 can). You can also buy wild salmon in 2.6- to 3-ounce packets—you’ll need 2 packets for this recipe. Brands I recommend include Wild Planet, Natural Sea, Whole Foods and StarKist packets (I don’t recommend StarKist cans, only the packets). You can also use the same weight in canned tuna for this recipe!
- If you use packets, there’s no need to drain the salmon. If using a can, use the lid to press out the liquid.
- Some canned wild salmon contains small bones, which are perfectly edible (they’re a great source of calcium!) and are undetectable in the cakes.
- Use a large non-stick skillet to cook the cakes. I love my teflon-free ScanPan.