Potato, Salmon and Spinach Patties With Garlicky Dill Cream

Potato, Salmon and Spinach Patties With Garlicky Dill Cream
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
45 minutes plus at least 30 minutes' chilling
Rating
4(302)
Notes
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These patties were inspired by a trip to a Southern diner with a memorable salmon patty on the menu. The secret to their soft and creamy texture? Mashed potatoes, of course. So here is a graceful dish that gives you a way to use leftover mashed potatoes by combining them with salmon and spinach and giving them a bread-crumb coating. They end up golden and crunchy and absolutely bursting with salmon.

Featured in: A GOOD APPETITE; Almost Heaven: Leftover Mashed Potatoes, Uplifted

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Ingredients

Yield:12 patties

    For the Potato Salmon Patties

    • 10ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed
    • 2cups mashed potatoes, chilled
    • 8ounces cooked salmon fillet, flaked
    • cups panko or bread crumbs
    • 4large eggs
    • 2teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ¾cup all-purpose flour

    For the Garlicky Dill Cream

    • 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • ½teaspoon salt, more to taste
    • 1cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
    • ¼cup chopped fresh dill
    • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • Olive or vegetable oil for frying
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

261 calories; 10 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 351 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Squeeze as much water from spinach as possible. Place in a bowl and add potatoes, salmon, 1 cup panko, 2 eggs, salt and pepper; mix well to combine.

  2. Step 2

    Place remaining bread crumbs in a wide, shallow bowl. Place remaining eggs in a second bowl and beat lightly. Place flour in a third bowl.

  3. Step 3

    Form spinach mixture into 3-inch patties, about ¾-inch thick. Dip each patty into flour, tapping off excess, then the egg, letting excess drip into bowl. Coat evenly with panko crumbs. Transfer patties to a large baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, make dill cream: In a mortar and pestle or with the back of a knife, mash garlic and salt together to make a paste. Stir it into the sour cream or yogurt. Add dill and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Chill until ready to serve.

  5. Step 5

    Heat ¼-inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; if using olive oil, you don't need to use good extra virgin oil. Cook patties in batches, turning once halfway through, until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes a side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve hot, with a dollop of dill cream.

Ratings

4 out of 5
302 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

I am from salmon country, and we make these a lot but using a 1:1 ratio of salmon to mashed potato, and adding half a grated onion (or finely chopped green onion) to the mix. Skip the spinach (serve it wilted on the side) and you have a dish kids devour.

can canned salmon be used?

Of course bake at temp. around 400 to 425 spray or coat with oil - If you have convection oven this would make them even crisper. I bake my breaded cutlets and they are always good and crispy.

I used swiss chard, canned salmon, and a pouch of instant mashed potatoes, (using the juice drained from the salmon as part of the liquid so as not waste any of the flavor!), so this was a pantry shelf meal, with no leftovers required. It turned out as well as when I had leftover fresh salmon, but was substantially more economical. I'm looking forward to leftovers served as tacos, with lime and chipotle sauce added to the dill creme.

Can you bake it instead of frying it, and still have a crispy outside?

Freeze uncooked patties flat on a tray, then package for longer term storage with wax or parchment paper between layers. Thaw slowly in the fridge then shallow fry. They are a little more crumbly but work fine!

These are terrific. I added a little mayo, and chopped capers to the sauce. Adds a little tartness. Cooling in frig is a must do.

I made these, with the addition of chopped capers, and they were very good. I do think the potatoes mute the salmon-taste a bit which is fine - just not as salmony as other salmon patties tend to be. Very easy to make and be sure to chill them before cooking. Frying, as always, is a bit messy so I'll try the convection oven next time.

These are terrific!

Do you think I could safely freeze after step 3 for later use?

Would love to make in bulk

Thanks!

Made these with leftover garlic mashed russets and sweet potatoes that we combine with a little olive oil, parm, and season with rosemary. YUM. Just remember to allow chilling time.

Used this as a 'master' recipe as I agree with the use of eggs and panko in the mixture itself. Also many recipes don't use potatoes and I thought this was essential especially as I used canned salmon (which worked very well). I think the seasoning could be upped a notch, although the dill cream was perfect with the dish. Maybe a little lemon zest and some cayenne? Thanks for the inspiration!

Yes skip the spinach add shallots. Wrap each burger in cling wrap and foil place in freezer bags. I have done this tuna burgers also.

I cooked this recipe as written and loved it, my husband liked it as well and in general he doesn't like seafood. I'll make this again for sure!

I was looking for a recipe for leftover salmon. Didn't have regular potatoes, so I used sweet potatoes. Didn't have spinach, so I used kale. Wow! Will definitely be making this one again!

In response to question about subbing canned salmon: I subbed canned water-packed tuna (because I'm on a grad student budget), well-drained, and it turned out great, so I imagine canned salmon would work fine. For the tuna flavor profile, I also added spoonful of mustard. I really liked this recipe. Definitely a go-to for leftover mashed potatoes from now on and maybe when I'm not a student anymore I will make the salmon version.

This was pretty good. I used canned salmon and instant potatoes (great suggestion). Didn't use the flour and instead just used more panko. It was great for a quick, pantry meal. Makes a ton though, a full 12 good sized patties. I froze eight. Things I'd change: A little less potatoes for more salmon flavor, some chopped shallots, scallions or even onions would be nice. I like the caper suggestion and will try that next time. I also used preserved lemons in the sauce, which I highly recommend.

Didn't have any spinach so I added air-fried onions - delish!

Could you "air fry" these? I have a new stove with the Air Fryer setting, but I haven't used it much yet, and I'm timid!

I've made these 3 times, and loved them, but why use canned salmon? You're essentially cooking the salmon twice. I used fresh salmon, cut into large chunks, and pulsed about 4 times in the food processor. Still chunky, it mixed well with the remaining ingredients. After chilling 1-1/2 hours, in a preheated cast iron skillet, they baked at 400° for 22 minutes, flipping halfway through. We loved them.

These were so good! We used tartar sauce. Otherwise, they were prepared exactly as written, and because of the 4" snow, I cooled them outside on my picnic table. Who can fit a sheet pan into their refrigerator anyway?

Delicious! One clove of raw garlic is plenty! Two is too hot. Otherwise very good y use leftover salmon and potatoes.

Added capers, lemon zest, and some cayenne to add more flavor. Was not a fan of the yogurt dill sauce--prefer a pungent homemade cocktail sauce with these!

I've made these now many times, and it's a household favorite. To make them gluten free, i use oats in the mix, and grind rolled oats in the food processor to roll the cakes in. I've used salmon, and also yellow fin- I think it works for whatever fish you have left over. They also freeze well.

Agree with others that it was bland. Will add Worcestershire and lemon (maybe tarragon?) next time. Was a bit dry so might take the suggestion to add some mayo. I baked instead of frying b/c of the mess of frying. Was still crispy but probably would have been a better crisp if I had fried it. Great with a simple green salad.

I have made variations of this recipe several times, all very good. Today after reading more of the notes, I made it completely pantry-friendly: I used a 14.5 oz can of salmon with its liquid, a package of dried instant mashed potatoes, 2 eggs, a little chopped onion, salt & pepper; nuked a 10 oz bag of fresh spinach for 2 minutes, then squeezed dry and chopped, and added it. The 7 patties are chilling in the fridge and I plan to coat them in panko, brush with oil, and bake @425°.

Made this last night with leftover salmon. I didn’t add potatoes or spinach. Salmon patties require little more than eggs and breadcrumbs, and anything else good…green onion, celery, seasonings. A green salad accompanied the patty, and the meal was delicious.

I've made this as the recipe calls for, with salmon and spinach, but I just made it with leftover tuna steaks and chard, and it was super. I used rolled oats that I wiz up in the food processor instead of panko, for a GF version. I also didn't have dill, and used a small amount of lemon and cilantro for the sauce. Really, really good.

I'm going to swap out the panko and flour and use matzah meal and make these for Passover. They look delicious.

Really nice recipe. I added a small chopped shallot to the patties. Not being fresh dill season, for the sauce I used dried tarragon and a splash of lemon juice, and half mayo/half sour cream.

Hot smoked salmon in this recipe was a revelation!! Also deep fried them and they were amazing.

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