Salmon Ball Recipe: Baked Salmon Balls with Orange-Pineapple Glaze

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Discover the perfect homemade salmon balls recipe that are both delicious and naturally gluten-free. These flavorful salmon meatballs make delicious appetizers and are sure to become one of your favorite recipes. 

If you are looking for a healthy salmon recipe, these salmon balls will put a smile on your face and joy in your belly.

I bought some premade salmon cakes from an organic market once and I totally regretted it. Once I took them home, I soon realized that they were dry and lacked the delicious flavor I was looking for. After that experience, I went back to perfecting this original recipe. This recipe can be formed to make salmon bites (balls) or salmon patties as well.

Benefits of Making Baked Salmon Balls

Here are several benefits of making homemade baked salmon balls. 

Naturally Gluten Free

You’ll be happy to know that this recipe is naturally gluten free. No need to buy panko breadcrumbs, finely ground almond flour should work just fine.

Kid Friendly (Especially for Picky Eaters)

Oh my gosh, they are so delicious. Not only are these salmon balls tasty, but, they are kid friendly too! I can always tell when I’ve hit a home run when my daughter asks for seconds. She mentioned, after she had taken the first bite, “You know…these are kid friendly.” If you’d like you can even put veggies or fresh herbs in there too. 

Versatile

Salmon balls are the perfect healthy finger food for a party, baby shower, a simple dinner, as game day appetizer or during the holiday season. In addition, since this recipe yields several salmon balls,  just adda healthy side and you have a tasty dinner for the whole family to enjoy. 

Simple Healthy Ingredients

Simple ingredients make the best meals so this recipe for baked salmon balls is not complicated at all. It’s a great recipe for seafood lovers and because of the meaty texture, for your meat loving friends too. Whether you use fresh salmon fillets or canned salmon in this recipe, be sure to use wild-caught salmon for the most nutritional benefits. 

I want to reiterate, you can use leftover cooked or grilled salmon from a previous meal to make these patties. Just make sure there is no sauce on it. After that, you’ll just need to pulse it down using a food processor. 

Salmon Ball Recipe

I use wild canned salmon which is great healthy pantry staple. Do you remember when I was talking about functional cooking? This recipe is definitely a functional cooking recipe due to swapping out farm raised salmon for the wild variety.

I don’t want to hear about how some retailer has farmed raised salmon that tastes just as good as wild because when you’re eating for health, taste is not the only thing to be mindful of.

Wild salmon has a healthy ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats and the right types of fatty acids. Specifically, wild salmon contains the omega-3 fats: 

eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Omega-3 fats are essential anti-inflammatory nutrients that are great for heart health.  Also, there are a higher concentration of contaminants in farmed raised salmon. So keep some canned wild salmon around for easy and healthy recipes like this one, you won’t regret it.

These salmon balls are paired with a orange pineapple dipping sauce that is a perfect compliment to this tasty dish. Of course, you can eat pair these salmon balls with homemade tartar sauce, herbed Greek yogurt, hot sauce or anything you’d like. 

Tools Needed

• sheet pan
• lemon juicer
• cookie scoop (2 tablespoons)
• oven mitts

Ingredients in Baked Salmon Balls

• wild canned salmon (this is the one I use)
• lemon juice
• Old Bay seasoning or other seafood seasoning 
• red pepper 
• scallion or spring onion
• mayonnaise (I use an avocado oil based mayo. You can find it here) 
• Worcestershire sauce 
• finely ground almond flour 
• fresh cracked pepper 
• avocado oil or coconut oil spray

Orange-Pineapple Dipping Sauce for Baked Salmon Balls

• fresh orange juice
• pineapple juice
• honey
• salt
• arrowroot
• chopped garlic
• chopped ginger
• red pepper flakes

How to Make Baked Salmon Balls

• Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Step 2: Drain canned salmon.

• Step 3: Mash and flake with fork.

• Step 4: Add lemon juice, red pepper, black pepper, scallions, Worcestershire, scallions, Old Bay or seafood seasoning and mayonnaise.

• Step 5: Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

• Step 6: Add the half the almond flour to the bowl and continue to mix (reserving the other half).

• Step 7: Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the salmon ball mixture into ball and roll gently into balls with the palms of your hands. You can also an appropriate sized scooper to get evenly sized balls.
• Step 8: Roll into remaining almond flour.
• Step 9: Place on liberally oiled sheet pan.

• Step 10: Lightly spray tops of salmon balls with coconut oil spray or drizzle with olive oil.
• Step 11: Cook for 20 minutes.
• Step 12: While the salmon balls are baking combine all the ingredients for the glaze on in a saucepan on medium-low heat.
• Step 13: Cook for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Step 14: Put under broiler for additional 1-2 minutes.
• Step 15: Remove from oven.
• Step 16: Serve with dipping sauce as desired.

Yield: 4 (16 balls)

Baked Salmon Balls with Orange-Pineapple Glaze

5.0 Stars (2 Reviews)

Print

These salmon balls make the perfect bite-sized snacks.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Inactive Time 5 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cans (6oz) wild canned salmon
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/3 cup chopped red pepper
• 1 tbsp scallion or chives (chopped )
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup almond flour (finely ground)- divided
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• coconut oil spray 

Glaze

Toggle ingredient group

• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Salmon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Drain salmon thoroughly.
3. Flake with fork.
4. Add lemon juice, red pepper, cracked black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, and scallions mix together.
5. Add half of almond flour.
6. Thoroughly mix.
7. Using a heaping tablespoon, scoop salmon mixture out into palm and roll gently into balls
8. Roll remaining into other half of almond flour
9. Place on liberally oil sheet pan (using coconut oil spray)
10. Lightly spray tops of salmon with coconut oil.
11. Cook for 20 minutes turning half way through
12. Place under broiler on high for between 1-2 minutes more.
13. While the salmon balls are baking, place all the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
14. Slow gently until incorporated and simmer for 10 minutes or until the liquid starts to thicken slightly and it reduces by half.
15. Remove the salmon balls from the oven and serve with orange pineapple dipping sauce as desired.

Notes

Feel free to use fresh cooked leftover salmon or canned salmon as desired.

You can strain the dipping sauce before serving or use as is.

Can also use almond flour crackers to substitute for almond flour. Recipe makes about 12 balls.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Primal Kitchen - Avocado Oil Mayo, Dairy Free, Whole30 and Paleo Approved (12 oz) - 2 Pack
• 
  USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Pan, Warp Resistant Nonstick Baking Pan, Made in the USA from Aluminized Steel 17 1/4 x12 1/4 x1
• 
  OLD BAY Seasoning, 6 oz
• 
  Mantova Avocado Oil, 100% Pure Cooking Oil Spray, perfect for healthy Keto snacks, baking, grilling, seasoning, or cooking, our oil dispenser bottle lets you spray, drip, or stream with no waste, 5 oz
• 
  Wild Planet Wild Sockeye Salmon, Skinless & Boneless, Canned Salmon, Sustainably Caught, Non-GMO, Kosher 6 Ounce (Pack of 12)

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

3
Amount Per Serving Calories 345Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 4mgSodium 127mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 2gSugar 28gProtein 4g

Nutrition information isn't always accurate.

Q & A

Q: How many salmon balls does this recipe make?

A: Considering that 12 oz of canned salmon are used for this recipe, you should get about 12 salmon balls total.

Q: Can I use leftover cooked salmon to make this recipe.

A: You absolutely can! Try to omit any sauces from your leftover salmon, pulse in a blender and then proceed to step 4 in the recipe.

Other Healthy Salmon Recipe You May Like

One Pan Honey Glazed Salmon With Asparagus

Original 01/30/2014 Updated 12/15/2021

Latest content revision: 12/22/22 12/27/24