Smoked Salmon and Dungeness Crab Cakes Recipe

4.60 from 5 votes
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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!

Smoked Salmon and Dungeness Crab Cakes on a serving platter

Recipe Highlights

  • Mixing salmon with crab meat makes these cakes more affordable than Dungeness crab alone (which can be very expensive).
  • Great use for leftover smoked salmon which elevates the flavor.
  • Lessen the use of mayo by adding Dijon mustard as the binding agent.
  • See us feature this recipe on our ABC morning show AM Northwest.

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.

Salmon Cooked on the Smoker

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.

Prep Tip

Use an ice cream scooper to make even size crab cakes. Firmly pack it in the scooper, release into your hand and form the patty.

If your salmon and crab cakes are overly wet you can add more panko and reform, or you can place the formed patty’s into a refrigerator and let them firm up prior to cooking.

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.
Grilled Salmon and Crab cakes on a plancha on a Big Green Egg.

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.

Salmon Cakes with Dungeness Crab with an Aioli Sauce and Wine Pairing

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


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


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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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Grilled Salmon and Crab Cakes with dipping sauce on a platter.
4.60 from 5 votes

Smoked Salmon and Crab Cakes Recipe

A smoky twist to a traditional crab cake. Smoked salmon fillet is mixed with Dungeness crab to create incredible flavor and moisture for the ultimate salmon-crab cakes.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 Crab Cakes

Ingredients 

  • 8 ounces fresh Dungeness crabmeat, flaked, (Be sure any excess liquid is drained)
  • 4 ounces smoked salmon
  • ¼ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
  • ¼ cup green onion, the white and some of the green parts, diced
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, (Gluten free panko works great if GF)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Fresh ground pepper, to taste (about 2-3 twists)
  • ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika, less than ¼ teaspoon
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, for frying, you want enough to coat the entire pan or plancha with a little depth but not to cover the crab cakes.

Instructions 

  • Combine: Combine the crabmeat and salmon 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.
  • Heat Oil: Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet (the amount of oil used will be based on how large your pan is. You want to coat the pan with a little excess oil). Alternatively you can cook these on your grill if you have a flat top or plancha.
  • Fry: Using an ice cream scooper (or similar size spoon), to scoop out and form the mixture into a 2” diameter cake and flatten slightly. In batches of 3-4 patties, sauté 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.

Notes

For the freshest flavor use fresh lump Dungeness crab meat, and freshly smoked salmon.
The size of the cakes is perfect as an appetizer, or serves over some greens for a light dinner.

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 Crab Cakes
Calories: 87
Keyword: crab cakes, Dungeness Crab Cakes, salmon and crab cakes, salmon cakes
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About Mary


I'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, founder of Vindulge, and author of Fire + Wine cookbook. Thanks for stopping by!

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