These Salmon Crab Cakes are made with canned lump crabmeat and salmon for a delicious, uncomplicated, and protein-filled meal. Easily turn this Salmon Crab Cake Recipe into a complete meal by serving alongside a fresh green salad, rice, and fried egg.
Easy Salmon recipes include some of my favorite easy dinners and include Easy Sheet Pan Chili Lime and Orange Salmon, Marinated Salmon Apple Salad, and Macadamia Crusted Salmon with Pineapple Mango Salsa.
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Sometime in the middle of the first two decades of my life, I discovered how much I love crab cakes. Fortunately for me, at this time in my life, my family ate at restaurants a lot. Especially when I was staying/living with my mom (divorced parents, no biggie), as she and my “stepdad” lived near the ocean and practically ate seafood for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So, yes, crab cakes quickly became my favorite. And boy did I eat a lot them.
If you’re wondering where I put the crab cakes recipe… well, that’s still in the works.
But, for today, I have these totally awesome, healthy (because they’re BAKED, not fried!) Salmon Crab Cakes. Besides, crab cakes are soooooo 1996.
Just kidding! that’s crazy.
INGREDIENTS IN SALMON CRAB CAKES
- Canned salmon
- Canned lump crab meat- not the imitation kind
- Soft bread crumbs- what are soft bread crumbs? read about them below.
- Green onion
- Fresh parsley
- Old Bay seasoning
- Butter
- Egg
- Some mayonnaise
- Regular bread crumbs…or Panko
As you can see, the list is pretty simple.
Now, if you are wondering why I advise against imitation crab meat or “Surimi” being used as the crab meat, the reason is simple. But, I’m going to give you the long version first, and then the short and simple version. Sorry, not sorry.
WHAT IS IMITATION CRAB MEAT (aka SURIMI)?
I literally just googled this question- after all, I know that anything labeled “imitation” anything probably isn’t the best, but I wanted to know why.
Here’s what I found from fooducate.com
- Ingredients in imitation crab meat: Alaska Pollock, Water, Egg Whites, Wheat Starch, Sugar, Corn Starch, Sorbitol, Contains 2% or Less of the Following: King Crab Meat, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Extracts of Crab, Oyster, Scallop, Lobster and Fish (Salmon, Anchovy, Bonito, Cutlassfish), Refined Fish Oil (Adds a Trivial Amount of Fat) (Anchovy, Sardine), Rice Wine (Rice, Water, Koji, Yeast, Salt), Sea Salt, Modified Tapioca Starch, Carrageenan, Yam Flour, Hydrolyzed Soy, Corn, and Wheat Proteins, Potassium Chloride, Disodium Inosinate and Guanylate, Sodium Pyrophosphate, Carmine, Paprika.
- Now, that first ingredient- the Alaska Pollock- well, that’s not nice fresh Alaska Pollock. That Alaska Pollock is a pulverized, processed, and thick gelatinous paste made from Pollock leftovers.
- So, we’ve got Pollock paste PLUS water, egg whites, starch, sugar, and sorbitol. Sounds delicious.
- BUT, the biggest kicker is the hydrolyzed soy, corn, and wheat proteins. Those are all MSG.
Now, am I saying I will never eat anything with imitation crab meat again?
Umm, absolutely not. I love me a good California roll every once in a blue moon. However, if there is an alternative out there that is healthier AND allows me to eat some of my favorite foods more often, then I will choose that any day of the week.
breath in. Balance. breath out.
Or something…
Anyway, at least we all know where imitation crab meat comes from. yay!
WHAT ARE SOFT BREADCRUMBS?
Thankfully soft breadcrumbs require a much shorter explanation. Simply put, soft breadcrumbs are made from fresh or slightly stale bread. I find that slightly stale bread works a little better and is easier to process. The steps are simple.
- Remove crust from bread and tear bread in to large(ish), pieces.
- Place in a food processor, resisting the urge to overcrowd.
- Pulse until small, uniform, breadcrumbs, form.
BAKED VS. FRIED SALMON CRAB CAKES
If you go to a restaurant and order crab cakes, they will likely be pan-fried. Pan-fried crab cakes are delicious (I mean, c’mon), but keeping things healthier, I baked these Salmon Crab Cakes.
just kidding.
They’re baked because baking is about a million times easier than frying. It’s true. I mean, think about it…
- Baking these salmon crab cakes is less messy- no splattering oil!
- They can all bake AT.THE.SAME.TIME.
- Which is the perfect time to fry up a couple eggs to place on top.
- Baked salmon crab cakes are healthier overall.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t fry up some salmon crab cakes. If that’s what you’re good at, then totally do it. However, I typically get hurt or hurt something when I fry anything (other than eggs), so I’ll pick baking over frying any chance I can get!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS SALMON CRAB CAKES RECIPE
- Eggs! but you already know that…
- Rice. These yummy salmon crab cakes would actually go really well with some rice, egg, avocado, and sweet chili sauce.
- As part of a large spring or summer salad.
- Alone…with tartare sauce, of course.
- Spicy Ramen Noodles
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These Salmon Crab Cakes are made with canned lump crabmeat and salmon for a delicious, uncomplicated, and protein-filled meal. Easily turn this Salmon Crab Cake Recipe into a complete meal by serving alongside a fresh green salad, rice, and fried egg.
- 7.5 ounces cooked pink salmon
- 8 ounces canned lump crabmeat picked clean
- 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup green onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp old bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water
- 1.5 cups fine bread crumbs
- Fresh greens and fruit for serving, optional
- Fried eggs for serving, optional
First, remove any small bones, pieces of cartilage, or skin from crab and salmon.
Transfer clean meat to a medium bowl and shred into small pieces with a fork (or your fingers). Add the soft bread crumbs, green onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and old bay seasoning to the salmon and crab and mix.
To the same bowl add the butter, egg (just one), and mayonnaise. Mix well.
Shape salmon and crab mixture into approximately 6-8 patties and transfer them to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
After one hour, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a clean baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Meanwhile, beat one egg with 1 tablespoon of water and transfer to a shallow bowl. In a separate dish place the fine breadcrumbs.
Remove the pre-formed cakes from the refrigerator and carefully, one-by-one, dip each cake first in the egg mixture, and next in the breadcrumbs to fully coat.
Bake cakes in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until nicely golden brown.
Serve cakes with rice, fried or poached eggs, mixed greens, fresh fruit, and, of course, tartar sauce, if desired.
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