Easy Zucchini Salmon Cakes

Published January 16, 2023 by Dr. Stephanie Gray, DC

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I love these Easy Zucchini Salmon Cakes.   Made with wild canned salmon and shredded zucchini these cakes are crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside. These salmon cakes are super healthy (good fats, high in protein, abundant in nutrients) and offer a quick dinner idea for a busy night.

I’ve made these zucchini salmon cakes dozens of times. It’s a go to recipe at the end of a busy work week (aren’t they all busy?) when there’s no fresh meat in the fridge and I don’t know what else to make. 

Serve hot with your favorite side vegetable. 

These zucchini salmon cakes are gluten free, grain free, dairy free, nut free, paleo and keto friendly.

Why you will LOVE these Salmon Cakes!

• A quick, super easy dinner idea

• Ridiculously healthy: high in omega 3s, protein and good fats

• Uses pantry items

• Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, nut free

• It’s paleo and  keto friendly

What equipment do you need? 

• can opener
• medium bowl
• wooden spoon
• measuring cups
• frying pan

What ingredients do you need?

• 3 cans wild pink salmon (3x 213g cans)
• psyllium husk
• eggs
• green onions white part
• small zucchini  
• coconut oil
• lemon juice juice of half a lemon

How do I make these Salmon Cakes?

It’s Super EASY!

Step 1: 

Key Ingredients & Substitutions:

•  Salmon- use canned WILD salmon. Wild salmon is so good for you. It’s rich in omega 3’s, is a great source of proteins and is full of nutrients. Wild salmon is caught fresh from oceans and rivers, in their natural habitats. They feed on natural food in their environment. It’s important to stick with wild salmon and NOT the widely available, farmed salmon. Farmed salmon are raised in pens and are often fed fish waste by products, and genetically modified corn and soy (to help them grow larger and faster). Farmed salmon is reported to have high levels of PCBs and other contaminants. Farmed salmon has higher contents of inflammatory fats. The whole point of eating salmon is to eat healthy. Stick with wild salmon for better health. It’s a bit more expensive but your health is worth it.

• Psyllium husk– Psyllium husk is a naturally gluten free plant fibre.   You may have heard of it- it’s the main ingredient in Metamucil because it’s a gentle bulk-forming laxative. It is an excellent gluten free bread crumb. It can be found in health food stores and some grocery stores. Use it 1:1 as you would conventional bread crumbs in any recipe. Appropriate substitutes for psyllium husk would be oat flour, arrowroot starch or conventional bread crumbs (though I encourage you to move away from wheat based bread crumbs as there are healthier options).

• Zucchini –I grated a small zucchini for this recipe. It adds nutrients, and a tiny bit of texture. Most recipes with grated zucchini ask that you use a paper towel to squeeze excess water out of it. I don’t really think it’s  a necessary step. I don’t usually squeeze the water out of my zucchini for this recipe. A good substitute would be 1 cup of grated carrot. 

• Green onion- I used the whites of a green onion for these cakes but I’ve also used a shallot or half a small onion (diced).

• Eggs– I used conventional eggs for this recipe. A binder is needed to hold these cakes together. Liquid egg substitutes like egg whites do not work well. The thickness of the yolk is needed to keep the cakes from falling apart. Aquafaba (chickpea liquid from can) does not work at all. Terrible in fact. I think aquafaba is gross, but there was a time when it was trending to use aquafaba so I tried it. Flax egg substitute will work as an adequate binder but I still prefer regular eggs. 

• Coconut oil-  I used coconut oil to fry the cakes but avocado or olive oil would also work.

How to Store Leftover Salmon Cakes

Store leftover salmon cakes in an airtight glass container. Refrigerate. Must be eaten within 5 days.

Do not freeze.

Tried this recipe? Mention @drstephanieskitchen or #drstephanieskitchen on social media