Salmon Croquettes (Plus VIDEO)

Jump to Recipe

Salmon Croquettes are Southern soul food made quick and easy. Crispy on the outside with a soft and tender center, they’re an amazing appetizer, breakfast, or dinner fix. Even better, budget-friendly has never been tastier.

Salmon Croquettes for deliciously easy appetizers.

Whether you call them croquettes, salmon cakes, or salmon patties, this tasty, easy recipe saves both time and money.

You can shape them into patties or balls for presentation, but I prefer them oval-shaped as they’re more convenient to eat with dips and sauces during parties and game days. I coat them with breadcrumbs, too, for an added crunch.

Delicious comfort food dipped in remoulade.

Ingredients

Salmon – These Southern salmon croquettes are cheap and easy, thanks to canned salmon. You can definitely use leftover fresh salmon if you have it on hand.
Egg is the perfect binder, making it easier to shape these salmon balls.
Seasonings – Onion, garlic, creole seasoning, and hot sauce deliver exquisite flavor. Red pepper flakes are great if you like more spice. So much yum!
Breadcrumbs – I used panko for this salmon croquette recipe because they’re lighter and crispier. They also absorb less oil. But, of course, regular breadcrumbs, crushed saltine crackers, and gluten-free breadcrumbs do just fine.
Oil for frying is best if it can handle high heat and has a neutral flavor. Canola is a good choice.

How to Make Salmon Croquettes

Follow along with my easy instructions listed below to learn how to make salmon croquettes.

Mixing all the ingredients and shaping them into ovals.

Make the Salmon Mixture

Drain the liquid from the canned salmon into a measuring cup. Flake the salmon into a large bowl and set aside. (Photo 1)
Combine – In a large bowl, gently mix the salmon, eggs, onion, garlic, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, white pepper, green onions, hot sauce, cajun seasoning, and salt. (Photos 2-3)
Shape – Take 2-3 tablespoons of the salmon mixture and shape it into an oval croquette —like an egg— with your hands. Repeat the process until the salmon mixture is all used up. (Photo 4)

Bread and Fry

Bread – Lightly dip the croquettes into the extra egg mixture until completely coated. Then, roll them in breadcrumbs. Set aside. (Photo 5)
Heat a small non-stick frying pan with medium-high heat, then add about ½ cup of oil. Let the oil heat until it reaches about 350℉/177℃. (Pat the croquettes a little thinner and use less oil if you prefer pan-frying them.)
Fry – Gently place croquette in oil using a frying spoon, if needed, then fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. You may have to do it in batches to prevent the croquettes from getting soggy. (Photo 6)
Serve – Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm with remoulade sauce.

Salmon Croquettes on a platter with remoulade sauce.

Different Ways to make the Recipe

Can’t eat eggs? Mix a tablespoon of ground flaxseed or ground chia with three tablespoons of hot water, occasionally stirring for about ten minutes or until it gets an eggy texture.
More veggies. Add diced carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers to make salmon croquettes more nutritious. Your kids won’t even notice the veggies. Booyah!
Cheesy goodness. These croquettes are even better with cheese! Freshly grated parmesan is an excellent choice.😉
Pan fried. Reduce fat by flattening your croquettes into patties and heating a tablespoon or two of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry your salmon croquettes on each side for 2-3 minutes and serve.
Baked salmon croquettes. Of course, you can also bake these salmon cakes at 400℉ (205℃) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips and Tricks

You can dip them in lightly beaten eggs before coating them in bread crumbs for extra crispness.
After mixing all the ingredients, let it sit for 15 minutes in the fridge to firm up before you start rolling them.

Make Ahead Instructions

Yes, I love making a double batch and saving half for later. Woohoo!

Uncooked Salmon Patties – Shape them individually and place them on a baking sheet. Cover with a cling wrap and freeze. Store them in an airtight container or freezer-safe resealable bag after frozen. You can store them in the freezer for up to two months.
Cooked Salmon Patties – Keep them in the fridge for up to four days or up to two months in the freezer. Do the same when storing leftover salmon patties.

Reheating Instructions

Fry – You can fry frozen croquettes; no need to thaw. The uncooked ones will take a little extra time to cook from frozen.
Bake – Place salmon croquettes on a baking dish and cover loosely with foil. Bake them for about 10 minutes or until heated through at 350℉ (180℃).
Air Fry – Set the temperature to 350℉ (180℃) and reheat the croquettes for 4-5 minutes.

Serving and Storage Instructions

These guys are best hot off the stove with your favorite dipping sauces, such as tartar sauce recipe, remoulade sauce, African pepper sauce, and homemade BBQ sauce.

FAQs

How do you keep salmon croquettes from falling apart?

The egg and breadcrumbs are enough to bind the ingredients. The salmon mixture should be a tad moist to make them easier to work with. However, the croquettes won’t hold their shape well if the mix is too wet or dry. To fix this, add more breadcrumbs or flour if it’s too wet and a splash of water if it’s too dry.

What are in salmon croquettes?

They have salmon (fresh or canned), eggs, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. The recipe is pretty customizable according to your taste. You can add more herbs, spices, diced veggies, and finely grated cheese to add flavor.

How are croquettes and patties different?

They are technically the same and made with the same procedure. However, croquettes are usually coated in breadcrumbs and are a little thicker and rounder, while patties just have breadcrumbs in the mixture.

What to Serve With Salmon Croquettes

Aside from enjoying these croquettes on their own, you can turn them into a more nourishing meal by serving with cream cheese mashed potatoes, roast carrots and potatoes, and a tossed salad.

More Fantastic Appetizer Recipes to Try

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”6y9LN43u” upload-date=”2019-08-03T15:20:41.000Z” name=”Salmon Croquettes” description=”Salmon Croquettes – pan fried, protein-packed, bread crumbed rolls made with salmon and aromatics. It makes a quick and tasty appetizer , breakfast or dinner fix. Very budget-friendly and simple to make!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]

This blog post was first published in January 2018 and has been updated with additional notes, photos, and a video