Pan-Fried Salmon Balls
Add Preferred SourceThese pan-fried salmon balls are a tasty and easy way to enjoy fresh salmon. They’re crispy outside, tender inside, and full of flavor thanks to capers, lemon, garlic, and herbs. Unlike many store-bought fish cakes, this version starts with fresh salmon, not canned, for better taste and texture.
They cook quickly and work great as an appetizer, main dish, or even meal-prep option. Serve them with a quick lemon-butter sauce for an extra pop of flavor.
Ingredients
- Fresh salmon – Skinless and deboned.
- Panko bread crumbs
- Mayonnaise
- Shallots – Finely chopped.
- Garlic – Minced. Please use fresh garlic, not jarlic. It doesn’t have the same punch of flavor.
- Parsley – Chopped.
- Capers – Finely chopped. You can skip the capers but they add a bright, zesty flavor and a bit of acidity.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and ground pepper
- Butter + Oil – To pan-fry your salmon balls.
Lemon-butter pan sauce
- Salted butter
- Parsley – Chopped.
- Capers
- Olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice
- Red pepper flakes
How To Make Pan-Fried Salmon Balls
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
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Buy Now!Cut the salmon into large chunks, then pulse it in a food processor just until finely chopped. Stop before it turns into a paste; the mixture should retain some texture.
Transfer the salmon to a mixing bowl and add the breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, shallots, garlic, parsley, capers, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined. If the mixture feels too soft to shape, add a little more breadcrumbs or refrigerate briefly to firm it up.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to help the mixture hold its shape during cooking.
Shape the mixture into balls about 1½ inches in diameter. You should have roughly 20 to 24 balls.
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot and lightly bubbling, add the salmon balls in batches, leaving space between them.
Cook for 6 to 8 minutes total, turning every few minutes, until golden on all sides and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach about 125 to 130°F. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
To make the pan sauce:
In a small skillet, melt the butter over low heat, then stir in the olive oil.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the parsley, capers, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes.
Stir to combine, then drizzle the sauce over the salmon balls just before serving.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Fresh salmon is key. Canned salmon is too moist and needs adjustments.
- Don’t skip chilling—it helps the mixture firm up and keeps the balls intact during frying.
- Prep ahead by forming the balls and storing them (uncooked) in the fridge up to 24 hours.
- Add dill or smoked paprika for a flavor boost.
- Use medium heat so the outside doesn’t brown too quickly before the center is cooked.
Make It A Meal
Try them with salad and dill yogurt sauce, on a mezze platter, or in slider buns with lemon aioli for a quick fish sandwich.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or 350°F oven. To freeze, place uncooked salmon balls on a tray until solid, then store in freezer bags. Cook straight from frozen—just allow extra time in the pan.
Pan-Fried Salmon Balls
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh salmon skinless and deboned
- ¾ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup shallots finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons oil
Lemon-butter pan sauce
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cut the salmon into large chunks, then pulse in a food processor until finely chopped. Don’t over-process—you want texture, not paste.
- Transfer salmon to a bowl. Add breadcrumbs, mayo, shallots, garlic, parsley, capers, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until combined.
- Add a bit more breadcrumbs or chill briefly if the mixture feels too wet to firm it up.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to help the mixture hold its shape.
- Shape into 1.5-inch balls—you should get about 20 to 24.
- Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot and bubbling, add salmon balls in batches.
- Fry, turning every few minutes, until golden all around and cooked through (125–130°F inside), about 6–8 minutes total.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
To make the pan sauce:
- Melt butter in a small skillet, then stir in olive oil.
- Remove from heat and add parsley, capers, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir and drizzle over the salmon balls before serving.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Fresh salmon is key. Canned salmon is too moist and needs adjustments.
- Don’t skip chilling. It helps the mixture firm up and keeps the balls intact during frying.
- Prep ahead by forming the balls and storing them (uncooked) in the fridge up to 24 hours.
- Add dill or smoked paprika for a flavor boost.
- Use medium heat so the outside doesn’t brown too quickly before the center is cooked.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
