Air fryer salmon patties are perfectly juicy and use fresh salmon for the best flavor! Pile these salmon patties in a soft bun with lots of flavorful tahini slaw.
Our air fryer’s been getting quite the workout from these salmon patties lately. And by that I mean we literally can’t stop making them.
They were a labor of love to get just perfect, but we FINALLY nailed it! I’m talking picture-perfect juicy, tender salmon patties made with FRESH, not canned salmon. And literal piles of creamy tahini slaw.
All together tucked between a soft sandwich bun is just a dream.
Even if you think you’re not a fish person, I beg of you, GIVE THESE A CHANCE! They literally blew our minds.
Plus they’re totally healthyish, non-messy, and made in the air fryer in MINUTES! Win after win after win…
These Air Fryer Salmon Patties feature…
- A juicy, tender fresh salmon base with fresh herbs and lemon
- Flavorful homemade slaw with a creamy tahini dressing
- Only 236 calories per burger thanks to the air fryer
- Fast prep/cook time of only 45 minutes
Making the Air Fryer Salmon Patties
(scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe!)
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Salmon (keep reading for suggestions on the type!)
- Egg
- Lemon
- Fresh herbs (we’ve tried both parsley and dill before with great results!)
- Garlic
- Onion
- Breadcrumbs
- Pan Spray (essential for air frying!)
- Cabbage
- Tahini (also known as sesame paste – you can find it the condiments or oils section in most grocery stores)
- Ginger
- Honey
- Green Onion
Choosing Your Salmon
You will need 1 lb salmon and good news – fresh or frozen both work great in this recipe. If you do choose to go the frozen route, make sure it’s thawed beforehand.
If you can, we recommend going for a high-quality salmon since it’s the star of the show in these patties. Good salmon is always worth it!
To prep the salmon for the patties, use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the fillet, then cut the fillet into 1-in chunks. No need for perfection here since it’s getting ground in the food processor.
Tips for Salmon Patties
- Take care when processing salmon patty base – you do not want to overprocess the salmon otherwise it will turn gluey. Just a couple of quick pulses until the salmon is broken down is all you need.
- Make patties ahead of time – you can make the patties in advance for easy cooking whenever you need it! Wrap the patties well individually and store them in the fridge up to 2 days.
- Preheat air fryer – a preheat time of 3 minutes is all you’ll need. A hot air fryer makes for better cooked patties!
- Do not overcrowd salmon patties – overcrowding the patties will lead to uneven cooking. We typically cook 3 at a time in our 4-qt air fryer.
- Flip patties halfway through cooking – this helps the patties brown and cook evenly.
How to Cook Salmon Patties on Stovetop
If you don’t have an air fryer, no worries! You can still make this recipe easily on the stovetop. –>
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add patties to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes per side until patties are golden and cooked through.
- Serve patties warm with slaw as recipe directs.
How to Serve Salmon Patties
- With tahini slaw – we highly recommend trying this slaw! It’s perfectly savory from the tahini, so creamy, and delicious piled on top of the juicy salmon patties
- On a sandwich bun – with LOTS of slaw too, of course!
- On top of a salad – slaw can be served on the side.
- In a wrap – with, you guessed it, LOTS OF SLAW!
Y’all, words can’t even describe how obsessed we are with these salmon patties. You don’t even have to be a fish lover to enjoy them!!
They’re just so perfectly juicy with a lovely mild salmon flavor, a kick of lemon + herbs, and the creamy tahini slaw just brings it all together. So SO good!
Get ready to be as obsessed as we are. These have been on our dinner menu three times in the last two weeks, we just can’t get enough!
You’re gonna fall in love, promise.
A few more recipes featuring salmon I think you’ll love!
Watch these salmon patties made step-by-step on Google Web Stories!
Air Fryer Salmon Patties with Tahini Slaw
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Ingredients
Air Fryer Salmon Patties
- 1 lb fresh salmon fillet (or frozen and thawed) cut into 1-in chunks
- 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Vegetable or canola spray
Tahini Slaw
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cups shredded cabbage (green, red, or a mix of both)
- 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sandwich buns or greens for serving
Instructions
Air Fryer Salmon Patties
- Place salmon chunks, onion, garlic, lemon juice, zest, egg, panko, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using) in a food processor. Pulse mixture several times until salmon is broken down and mixture is combined (do not overprocess) Scrape salmon mixture into a large bowl and stir in parsley.
- Form salmon mixture into 6 (4 oz) patties and place on a large baking sheet. Spray the grate of an air fryer with pan spray and preheat to 400F 3 minutes.*
- Working in batches of 2-3, (we typically do 3 at a time in our 4-qt air fryer) spray both sides salmon patties and place in a single layer in air fryer. (do not overcrowd) Air fry salmon patties at 400F 8 minutes, flipping patties halfway through cooking. Repeat cooking with remaining salmon patties. Keep patties warm while you prepare the slaw.
Tahini Slaw
- In a small bowl, whisk tahini, ginger, honey, water, and lemon juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine cabbage, green onions, and tahini dressing in a medium bowl and toss until evenly coated.
- Top hot salmon patties with slaw and serve immediately on sandwich buns or greens. Enjoy!
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