Cajun spiced pan-seared salmon patties with no breadcrumbs served on top of creamy smashed parsley garlic baby Dutch potatoes with no milk topped with sauteed green beans and a fresh savory tomato mushroom onion sauce.
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Huge Compliment to the Chef! Mom <3
Okay, let's just talk about how delicious this salmon dinner was. My mom would make her own homemade Salisbury steak recipe on busy weeknights with hamburger steak with onions and green beans and serve it with creamy mashed potatoes.
It was one of my top comfort foods, yummy tender beef patties smothered in an onion gravy spiced up with scotch bonnet peppers. It was time to try this combination with pan-seared salmon, and instead of brown gravy, let's use a fresh tomato sauce with chilis, white wine, mushrooms, and garlic.
This was a hit to satisfy hearty appetites. I also hope you will enjoy this easy weeknight meal. Check out the full recipe below, and don't forget to send a picture on Instagram and leave a star rating.
For the salmon lover in your, try the:
- Spiced Salmon with Pepper Cabbage Slaw and Yellow Rice,
- Salmon Sesame Chili Rice Bowl, and
- Air Fryer Roasted Harissa Salmon with Paprika Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts.
You don't have to stop at salmon. Try the Korean-Style Beef Short Ribs and Spicy Harissa Chicken Burgers.
Ingredients
Make your salmon patties seasoned with cajun spice, salt, and pepper. Then, place them in the freezer. Boil your baby potatoes next. Once tender, you'll remove the water and keep it covered on the stove.
Important: Instead of chopping the salmon, you can just use whole salmon fillets coated in the season instead of the chopped salmon patties as instructed in the recipe.
Prep the green beans by boiling them, then sauteeing them in salt and pepper and setting them aside. Then, in a large nonstick skillet pan, you'll do a 2-3 minute sear of the salmon patties until golden brown and set them aside.
Now, you can work on the tomato mushroom sauce. Saute onion and mushroom. Then add your garlic and cook until tender. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, dried thyme, and chili pepper flakes. Then splash it with white wine.
Add the vegetable broth and reduce to complete the delicious sauce. Then remove the potatoes from the pot, add olive oil, and saute the garlic, making a delicious garlic oil. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and add vegetable broth. Then smash and whip with freshly chopped parsley. All done! Now plate!
Find quantities for this pan-seared salmon in the recipe card.
Instructions
Portion and use a mold to form the patties. ( I only had square molds).
Then I used my hands to finish shaping them into round patties.
Rinsed and spun wilted parsley will revive it.
Chopping the well-dried parsley finely makes it easier to sprinkle onto food.
Busy Folks - Become a better home cook with cooking tips to help you cook more efficiently on Cook's Notebook tab. Some related detailed steps can be found there.
Substitutions
- Baby Dutch Potatoes - Try any baby potatoes. But for best results, try fingerling or baby Yukon golds for a creamy texture.
- Or try baby sweet potatoes for a creamy texture if you like sweet potatoes.
- Red bliss potatoes hold better also when boiling and are more enjoyed whole or quarter tossed in salt, pepper, garlic cooked in olive oil, and fresh herbs.
- However, mashed baby russets would be too dry; they are better for baking. For larger potatoes, try medium Yukon gold potatoes.
- Chopped Salmon - Find already-made salmon patties. I've used Trader Joe's Salmon Patties. Or use span-seared salmon fillets coated in the seasoning instead of the patties as instructed in the recipe.
- Red Chili - When developing this recipe, I used two macho peppers for one Thai chili pepper. You can also try using ¼ teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes.
Change Heat Level - Modify the pan-seared salmon recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.
Variations
- Turkey or Chicken Patties - Try using ground turkey or chicken instead of ground salmon. If you form them as I did, they should hold without the bread crumbs. The best way to do this is to ensure the pan is also hot enough to give a good sear.
- Creamy Mushroom Gravy - If you are not a fan of tomato sauce, add heavy creamy instead to make a great creamy mushroom sauce. Then, bring it to a simmer just like in the recipe card. And I would highly suggest using butter instead of olive oil when sauteing the onion, mushrooms, and garlic. In addition, to thicken the sauce, use a slurry of one part water to one part cornstarch, whisk well, and pour into the sauce while you vigorously stir to ensure the slurry thickens the sauce evenly on low heat.
Equipment
- Food Processor - Use it to chop the salmon like the KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Chopper, which is tough enough to do the job and small enough to avoid finding space for a new appliance.
- Parchment paper - To lay the formed patties, place them in the freezer and aid in placing the patties in the saute pan.
- Medium Saucepan - Use it to cook the green beans, the potatoes, and the smashed potatoes.
- Medium Saute pan - To make the sauce.
- Holding Dish - Use a baking dish or a stainless steel container, aluminum, or glass to place next to the stove to keep certain food items warm when making the different steps of this dish.
- Potato Smasher - To easily smash the potatoes. Try the KitchenAid Gourmet Stainless Steel Wire Masher to make life just a little bit easier.
Kitchen Must Haves - Find other tools I use here.
Storage
- Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, you can place the salmon patty, mushroom mixture, mashed potatoes, and green beans in shallow 2-inch containers to cool down quickly. Then, store it in an airtight container. The meal will last up to two to three days.
- Freezer - First, follow the refrigeration process mentioned above. Then, you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container. However, I do not recommend freezing the green beans.
Air Tight Food Containers - I use Glass Food Storage Containers with a plastic clipping lid to store food. For example, I always suggest glass storage containers since you can microwave them and hold food without staining the container, and the glass keeps them at a more stable temperature, which keeps the food fresher longer.
Cooking Tips
Quick Meal Prep - You can meal prep these salmon patties for convenient frozen meals. Once the sauce is complete, add the salmon patties to the sauce and freeze.
Frequently Asked Questions
Would you believe it had to do with health reasons? It comes from right here in the United States of America since 1897, created by an American physician and chemist, Dr. James Henry Salisbury, as a treatment for digestive disorders.
This is a meal that has stood the test of time and is so popular that don't be surprised if you find them as a TV dinner by so many companies.
Blend the salmon in the food processor, then mix in the cajun spice, salt, and pepper. Then, divide them into portions. Place each portion on a piece of parchment paper and form two flat 4-inch patties.
Then, place parchment patties on a sheet pan in a single layer. Put them in the freezer to slightly harden and keep their form. Then, when you are ready to sear, make sure the pan is really hot, almost smoking.
Drop the patties in the oil. Then, flip them into the pan if they are semi-frozen, then peel the parchment paper black. Finally, reduce the heat to prevent burning, and cook on both sides for 2 to 5 minutes each. In just a little time, you got yourself some delicious spiced patties.
Add some Worcestershire sauce.
They look like large cherry tomatoes and have a slightly sweeter taste with a less acidic taste.
Using a white wine like Sauvignon Blanc would be a great choice. In addition, make sure the wine is something you would want to drink. They make the best cooing wines.
Seafood Recipes
Looking for other fish recipes like this? Try these:
- Healthy Haitian-Style Creole Spicy Shrimp Pasta
- Seared Snapper Spicy Creole Sauce and Roasted Vegetables
- Sesame Seed-Crusted Ahi Tuna with Spicy Sesame-Soy Sauce
- Grilled Shrimp Garlic Jalapeno Butter and Cilantro Lime Rice
Dinner Recipes
Looking for other dinner recipes like this? Try these:
- Bold and Spicy Caribbean Beef Noodle Soup Recipe Twist
- Instant Pot Spicy Beef Barley Stew: Hearty Comfort
- Easy 15-Minute Marinade for Beef Kabobs
- Healthy Spicy Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers with Salad
Video
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📖 Recipe
Smothered Salmon Salisbury Steak
Ingredients
Salmon Patties
- 12 ounces salmon fillets skinless
- 1 tablespoon cajun spice blend
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Baby Dutch Smashed Potatoes
- 11 ounces of Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes rinsed
- 3 garlic cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon parsley chopped fine
Sautéed Green Beans
- 4 ounces of green beans tips removed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Tomato Mushroom Sauce
- ½ medium onion sliced
- 5 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced thin
- 1 garlic clove minced or garlic pressed
- 1 ½ cups Campari tomatoes quartered
- 1 tablespoon tomatoes paste
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 red Thai chili pepper
- ¼ cup white wine
- ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
Equipment
- Parchment Paper
- Medium Saucepan
- Holding Dish
Instructions
- Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
- Make Salmon Patties: In a food processor, chop salmon finely. Combine and season with cajun spice, salt, and pepper. Then, divide the salmon mixture into two portions of 6 ounces.
- Place each portion on a piece of parchment paper, and form two flat 4-inch patties. Then, place parchment patties on a sheet pan and put them in the freezer to slightly harden and keep their form. Begin the potatoes.
- Cook the Potatoes: In a medium saucepan, add potatoes, water, and salt. Cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooked, you will remove them from the heat, drain out the water, keep the potatoes in the pot, and set aside covered on the stove to stay warm. While the potatoes cook, begin the preparation of the green beans.
- Saute the Green Beans: Add water filled halfway in a medium saute pan. Season with salt, cover, and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the green beans and cook for 1 minute.
- Remove green beans from the pan into a warming dish and place them next to the stove. Discard the water from the pan and put it back on the stove.
- Reduce the heat to medium-medium for the saute pan. Then add the oil and heat. Once the oil is hot, add the green beans, season with salt and pepper, and saute for one minute.
- Remove the green beans from the pan into its holding tray next to the stove. Then, remove bits from the pan with a spatula or paper towel.
- Add fresh oil to the pan and heat on medium-high heat. Then, once the oil is almost smoking, add the salmon from the freezer and peel the parchment paper off.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and sear salmon on both sides for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan into a holding dish, placing it next to the stove.
- Make the Sauce: Increase the heat to medium-medium for saute pan. Then add and combine the onions and mushroom with oil in the pan. Season with salt, and let it sit in the pan to brown for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir the mixture and let it sit for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another two minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Then add the tomato paste, tomatoes, thyme, and red pepper. Keep mixing with the onions and mushroom until the tomato paste has broken down, covering the mushroom mixture.
- Cook for five minutes to break down the fresh tomatoes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Then add the white wine and let it cook down for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, and let the sauce simmer on medium-medium heat on the back burner to allow the sauce to reduce. And begin the preparation of the smashed potatoes.
- Make the Smashed Potatoes: Remove the warm potatoes from the pot and put them into a holding dish. Then heat that pot on medium-medium heat and add the oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Then, add the potatoes back with vegetable broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Once it starts to boil, immediately remove it from the heat and smash the potatoes into liquid. Then add the parsley to the potatoes and stir vigorously for 20 seconds to make it more creamy. Get ready for plate up.
- Check the tomato sauce for salt content and add to your preference.
- To plate up: Plate up the smashed potatoes first, place the salmon on top, green beans next, then top with the tomato mushroom sauce on top and around the bottom of the plate. You can garnish with extra chopped parsley on top. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Find already-made salmon patties. I've used Trader Joe's Salmon Patties.
- Try any baby potatoes.
- But for best results, try fingerling or baby Yukon golds for a creamy texture.
- Try baby sweet potatoes for a creamy texture if you like sweet potatoes.
- Red bliss potatoes hold better when boiling and are more enjoyed whole or quarter tossed in salt, pepper, garlic cooked in olive oil, and fresh herbs.
- Baby russets would be too dry when mashed; they are better for baking.
- For larger potatoes, try medium Yukon gold potatoes.
- They look like large cherry tomatoes and have a slightly sweeter taste with a less acidic taste.
- I personally use two macho peppers for one Thai chili pepper.
- You can also try using ¼ teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes.
- Using a white wine like Sauvignon Blanc would be a great choice. In addition, make sure the wine is something you would want to drink. They make the best cooing wines.
- You can add some Worcestershire sauce.
- To store in the refrigerator, you can place the salmon patty, mushroom mixture, mashed potatoes, and green beans in a shallow 2-inch pan to cool down quickly.
- Then store in an airtight container.
- The meal will last up to two to three days.
- First, follow the refrigeration process mentioned above.
- Then you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.
- However, I do not recommend freezing the green beans.
- Thaw it out entirely in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth if frozen.
- I suggest heating the tomato mushroom sauce and the potatoes slowly in a saucepan on low heat, covering it with a lid with a small amount of broth added, and occasionally stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- For the salmon, slowly bring it up to heat in a saute pan or heat in the oven or air fryer.
- For the green beans, you can heat them in a saute pan covered with a small amount of broth or water.
- Thaw it out entirely in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth if frozen.
- Heat on a plate with all ingredients separated to ensure they all get heated for two minutes with a small amount of broth mixture into the potatoes and tomato mushroom sauce. Use a microwave cover, stirring the dish content every minute until it is hot.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat to prevent foodborne illness from contaminated uncooked meats.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods; this can breed bacteria.
- Never leave cooking food unattended to prevent burns and fires.
- Use oils with a high smoke point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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