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Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes

Chef John’s Fresh Salmon Cakes showcase coarsely chopped wild salmon bound with tangy Dijon, capers, and a gentle kick of cayenne, yielding patties that are crisp outside and succulent inside. A quick sauté of onions, peppers, and celery adds sweetness and aroma, while a short chill helps them hold together. Ideal for a weeknight dinner or a casual brunch with a bright salad.

  • Prep20 mins
  • Cook15 mins
  • Serves4
  • DifficultyEasy
Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

38 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
51 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
0 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
58 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

7
Heart Health
55
Metabolic
14
Digestive
41
Inflammatory
58
Performance
33
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Gather all the ingredients.

  2. 2

    Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion, red pepper, celery, and a pinch of salt in the hot oil until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add the capers; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

  4. 4

    Stir the salmon, onion mixture, mayonnaise, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, garlic, mustard, cayenne, seafood seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper together in a bowl until well mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm and chilled, 1 to 2 hours.

  5. 5

    Form the salmon mixture into four 1-inch-thick patties; sprinkle the remaining panko bread crumbs over each patty.

  6. 6

    Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties in the hot oil until golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

  7. 7

    Serve and enjoy!

About This Recipe

Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes is made with 14 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 35 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Capers, Cayenne Pepper, Celery, and Diced Onion. Each serving provides about 322.7 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes made of?
The main ingredients are Capers, Cayenne Pepper, Celery, Diced Onion, Dijon Mustard. The full list of 14 is above.
How long does it take to make Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes?
About 35 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 322.7 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 14 ingredients and 7 steps.
Is Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes healthy?
Chef John's Fresh Salmon Cakes has an easyChef Pro health score of 38/100. Per serving, it provides 322.7 calories and 27.0 g of protein, or 54% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 726.29 mg (32% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 3.11 g (16% of the Daily Value). It contains Fish, Eggs, Wheat, Gluten, Mustard, Celery, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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