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What Great Grandma Ate / Recipes / 30 Minutes or Less / Paleo & Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini (Nut Free, Keto)

Paleo & Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini (Nut Free, Keto)

Last Updated on November 15, 2019 by Jean Choi

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These low carb, Whole30 salmon cakes are moist and flavorful with hidden zucchini, and only take 15 minutes to make! They are a delicious, kid-friendly recipe as well.

Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini

If you’ve been following along for a while on my blog, you probably know that I’m a huge fan of easy and simple recipes. I try to stay away from long and complicated dishes, because I know that you guys, like me, are busy and don’t have a ton of time to spend in the kitchen. So, of course, I created another recipe for you that’s super quick to make that’s also healthy and so flavorful!

Paleo & Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini

These Whole30 salmon cakes are just the thing to make if you are short on time. They only take 15 minutes to make from start to finish, and they are moist enough to eat on their own without needing to dip them in anything!

My biggest pet peeve is fish cakes that are dry and have you reaching for a drink that closest to you to keep it down. The zucchini and the mayonnaise in these Whole30 salmon cakes actually provide so much moisture while the coconut flour and eggs help them the cakes bind together so they are sturdy and tasty.

Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini
Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini

Kid-Friendly Snack or a Meal!

Because these are great for little hands and so fun to eat, I bet kids will love them as well! And it’s also a great way to sneak some veggies in them, because of the zucchini, but they’ll never be able to taste them in these Whole30 salmon cakes.

Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini

Dipping Sauce Ideas for These Whole30 Salmon Cakes

While these salmon cakes are delicious on their own, you can definitely add more flavor and fun by dipping them in a tangy sauce! Here are some of my favorite ideas:

  • paleo mayonnaise
  • Whole30 “honey” mustard
  • tartar sauce
  • marinara sauce
  • garlic aioli, or any kind of aioli
  • guacamole
  • tzatziki sauce
  • sour cream

I just ate these with plain mayo because that’s what I had on hand and they were fantastic! What would you dip these Whole30 salmon cakes in? Tell me in the comments below!

Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini

Paleo & Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini (Nut Free, Keto)

These low carb, Whole30 salmon cakes are moist and flavorful with hidden zucchini, and only take 15 minutes to make! They are a delicious, kid-friendly recipe as well.
4.91 from 10 votes
Print Pin
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
Zucchini sweating time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 salmon cakes
Calories: 108kcal
Author: Jean Choi

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt divided
  • 2 6 oz cans of wild salmon drained
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tbsp coconut flour
  • 2 tbsp paleo mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2-3 tbsp coconut oil or your preferred cooking oil

Instructions

  • Place grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle evenly with 1/4 tsp sea salt. Toss together gently. 
  • Let it sit for 15 minutes, then use your hands to squeeze out all the liquid.
  • Place in a mixing bowl with 1/2 tsp of seal salt and the rest of the ingredients, except coconut oil.
  • Use a 1/4 cup measurement to gather the mixture into patties about 1/2 inch thick. 
  • Heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the cakes for 3-4 minutes per side until golden, adding more oil as you go. 
  • Serve with your favorite sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Paleo & Whole30 Salmon Cakes with Zucchini (Nut Free, Keto)
Amount Per Serving (1 salmon ake)
Calories 108 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 45mg15%
Sodium 348mg15%
Potassium 104mg3%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 120IU2%
Vitamin C 6.5mg8%
Calcium 12mg1%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Thank you for your support and understanding.

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By Jean Choi | March 4, 2019

Comments

  1. Tessa says

    March 12, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    5 stars
    I used tuna and really loved these! A quick, easy, and totally nutritious lunch!

  2. Naomi says

    March 15, 2019 at 6:48 am

    Jean, I just had to stop back by here and thank you for this recipe. I am very much inspired to dispose of all my other salmon cake recipes because I’ve never had one that tasted this good, and yes I ate it without a sauce. I appreciate your sharing it. Here’s hoping they will keep in the fridge until I get them all eaten since I live alone. I’m thinking they will also freeze well though, I just don’t want to do that just yet because I want them easily available for this week’s quickie meals. Thanks again for sharing!

    • Jean Choi says

      March 15, 2019 at 8:38 am

      Thanks so much for the sweet comment! I also think they’ll freeze well too, although I never tried since we end up eating them so fast. So glad you are enjoying it!

  3. Jean Choi says

    October 15, 2019 at 8:58 am

    So glad you enjoyed!

    • Chantelle says

      July 31, 2020 at 3:06 am

      5 stars
      How long will these last in the fridge?

      • Jean Choi says

        August 2, 2020 at 2:03 pm

        3-4 days. You can also freeze them to make them last longer!

  4. Jenna Bennett says

    February 10, 2020 at 6:36 pm

    5 stars
    Wow these were amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe! So easy, and they were great for dinner and heated up perfectly the next day for lunch. I love how the zucchini keeps the fish cake from drying out – great idea!

  5. Danielle says

    February 25, 2021 at 6:43 pm

    5 stars
    My favorite!!

    • Jean Choi says

      March 1, 2021 at 5:20 pm

      Thanks so much!!

  6. Lauren Givens says

    April 10, 2021 at 5:48 pm

    5 stars
    These are simple and tasty. I appreciate how they’re most and hold together well (a challenge with other grain free recipes). My family enjoys these, and we have 3 small children. Thank you!

    • Jean Choi says

      April 12, 2021 at 9:39 am

      So glad you enjoyed!

  7. Heather says

    July 14, 2021 at 10:49 am

    Ha! I was thinking the very same thing! Great minds think alike!!!

  8. Elizabeth says

    January 10, 2022 at 12:08 am

    5 stars
    Just made these for lunch. Made a sauce with equal parts mayo and buttermilk, a bunch of fresh dill, a few garlic cloves, salt, and enough water to get the right consistency. It was absolutely delicious as an accompaniment to the fish cakes, which I made with leftover salmon. Thank you!

    • Jean Choi says

      January 14, 2022 at 3:15 pm

      Thank you so much!!

  9. Jessi Velasco says

    January 29, 2022 at 9:05 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made these a few times and they’re great every time.

    • Jean Choi says

      January 31, 2022 at 11:52 am

      Thank you so much!!

  10. Jennifer says

    August 9, 2022 at 9:24 am

    5 stars
    Really impressed with these! I added in some green onion and they were delicious.

    • Jean Choi says

      September 22, 2022 at 8:36 pm

      Thank you so much!! So glad you enjoyed it.

  11. Michelle says

    January 8, 2024 at 10:40 pm

    4 stars
    Tasty salmon cakes, definitely took longer than 15mins to make and mine werent as nice of a color, but still tasty. I wonder if you have tried using an air fryer for cooking these? Or what would happen with that method?

    • Jean Choi says

      January 29, 2024 at 4:09 pm

      I haven’t tried but I’m sure it’ll work! I would line the air fryer with parchment paper first.

  12. Erin Friedly says

    March 8, 2025 at 5:16 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve been really trying to get salmon into my diet at least once or twice a week and these are so perfect for making that happen! I make a double batch for my family of four and we usually get to eat them twice. Everybody loves these even my 10 and 6 year old kids! They warm up beautifully in our toaster oven! So grateful for this recipe!

    • Jean Choi says

      March 9, 2025 at 11:02 am

      Wonderful! I love hearing about the whole family enjoying my recipes – truly makes me so happy. Thanks so much for leaving a review!

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Hi, I’m Jean!

headshot of Jean Choi - blogger of What Great Grandma Ate

I’m a food lover and recipe developer living in Southern California. I love to share simple and approachable gluten-free recipes that are healthy but never sacrifice on flavor. I hope I can help you feel confident in the kitchen and inspire you to try out some new-to-you dishes!

More About Jean

Recipe Key

  • 3030 Min or Less
  • AIPAIP
  • EFEgg Free
  • LCLow Carb
  • NFNut Free
  • PPaleo
  • VVegan
  • W3Whole 30

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