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Smoked Salmon and Dungeness Crab Cakes are what happens when the dynamic duo of Dungeness crab and smoked salmon join forces with a killer wine pairing. This Salmon Cakes recipe is perfect for when you want to stretch your dollar with traditional crab cakes. The combo is absolutely delicious!

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Salmon – We start with cooked smoked salmon. You can also buy pre-smoked salmon at most grocery stores. Steelhead and trout also work well too. We do not recommend using lox style salmon for this recipe.
• Dungeness Crab – We recommend this specific crab meat for the sweeter and richer flavor. You can use any fresh crab meat. It’s usually pre-cooked as well.
• Filling – You can use almost any combination of filling but we love red bell pepper, finely diced, and green onion. It adds a fresh flavor without taking away from the main star of the salmon and crab.
• Binder – The binder helps hold the crab cakes structure. Start with good mayonnaise (we love Duke’s), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and panko breadcrumbs.
• Seasoning – For making salmon and crab cakes we use a mix of kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and smoked paprika.
• Frying Oil – When frying the cakes we use olive oil or avocado oil for the higher smoke point.

Because we want the flavor of the salmon and crab to shine, we keep the flavors simple with some green onions, red bell pepper, and panko bread crumbs for texture and crunch.

To brighten the flavor we use lemon juice for freshness, and a pinch of smoked paprika for color and flavor. Though I wouldn’t object to you adding some dry red pepper flakes or a few dashes of hot sauce for a little kick.

Smoked Salmon

This recipe was inspired by an old Food.com article in which their version of a salmon and crab cake was crab cakes served over a salmon filet. We thought, why not actually shred some salmon into the crab which makes the meat last and adds a little more flavor. And to add even more flavor we decided to smoke the salmon.

We flavor the salmon simply, with some Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, and smoked it for 60 minutes. We then shredded the meat, combined the salmon with the crab and remaining ingredients, and then form into salmon cakes.

For the full details on how to smoke salmon you can review our smoked salmon recipe.

Preparation

• Start by straining the crab meat. It’s typically packed in liquid (water). If you don’t strain the water your cakes will be over wet and won’t form.
• Shred the salmon into smaller pieces and be sure any pin bones are removed.
• Combine the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix with your hands.
• Salmon is rich and moist with a natural oily texture. Because of this you don’t need to go overboard with extra binding.
• We use extra virgin olive oil for frying the cakes. An ice cream scooper is a great tool for making even sized cakes. Just scoop the filling into a ball and flatten on the pan.

Instructions

1. Prepare Cast Iron Pan or Grill Plancha – Set your grill for direct grilling targeting 400 degrees in the cooking chamber. Use a plancha or cast iron pan over direct heat for the best results. Place the plancha or cast iron pan on the grill grates over the direct heat and warm up with the grill so it’s pre-heated.
2. Combine the smoked salmon and crab meat together. Add the red bell pepper, green onion, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Taste and adjust any seasonings to your preference. Since there’s no raw egg in the mix you can taste and adjust the flavors until you’re happy with the mix.
3. Heat oil: Add the oil into your cast iron pan or plancha. When it just starts to smoke you can add the crab cakes and you’ll hear a sizzle.
4. Form the salmon/crab mixture into cakes and fry: form the mixture into a 2” diameter cake and flatten slightly. In batches of 3-4 patties, cook on each side for approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and place on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

The result. Pure awesomeness.

The freshness of the Dungeness crab and the smokiness of the salmon take center stage, and aren’t overshadowed by too many fillers that can come from a mayo overdose. There’s great moisture in the cakes, but it’s all coming naturally from the meat (not mayo). You still can feel the texture of the meat along with the crunchiness of the bell peppers and onions.

The size of the cakes is perfect as an appetizer, or served over some greens for a light dinner.

What To Serve With Salmon and Crab Cakes

We love to make this as an appetizer for any main dinner recipe. If making these for a main meal keep them the same size and serve more of them per plate. If you make them too large then it takes too long to cook and warm the center.

Wine Pairing

My two favorite pairings for any kind of crab cake is sparkling wine or Chardonnay. There’s nothing better for those delicate flavors and balance of the Dungeness crab and that smoked salmon than bubbles that cut through the richness and textures of the outside of the cakes.

Chardonnay provides an equal richness that can provide an excellent balance to both the flavors of the salmon, with the acidity to cut through the elegant cakes.

More Seafood Recipes

• Smoked Salmon Dip
• Grilled Oysters
• Easy and Tender Smoked Salmon
• Grilled Scallops with White Wine Butter Sauce
• Grilled Crab Cakes as featured in Fire + Wine cookbook

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*This recipe was originally published in May of 2016. It was updated in July 2022 with updated details and photos.

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About Vindulge

Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been creating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.

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