Salmon Croquettes
Salmon Croquettes are full of flavor, crispy on the outside, and perfectly tender inside. They’re easy to make using cooked salmon, breadcrumbs, and herbs, and are ready to serve in just over 30 minutes! Enjoy as a starter or main course with your favorite sides or over a fresh green salad.
This was so good and tasty! I cooked some fresh salmon filets instead of canned salmon, traded out the cilantro for parsley, and left off bell peppers. It took less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Highly recommended!
— Doris
Also referred to as Salmon Cakes or Salmon Patties, Salmon Croquettes are fried (or baked) patties that are made with breadcrumbs and some type of fish, usually tuna or salmon. They’ve got a crisp top and bottom with a soft succulent interior — no dry/hard/flavorless patties here! Similar to a crab cake, this recipe is fairly quick and easy to make and a great make-ahead meal — these can be assembled ahead of time and cooked later when you’re ready to eat.
Why you should make this recipe
- Easy to make. These are simple to throw together and only take about 30 minutes!
- Versatile. Serve these as an entree, side dish or appetizer. If serving as an appetizer, we recommend making them a bit smaller in size.
- Make use of leftovers. This recipe is great for using up leftover cooked salmon, but it’s also worth taking a little time to cook salmon just for this recipe.
- So delicious. These salmon croquettes are flaky, tender and so flavorful. They have crisp edges and big bites of flaked salmon, making them hard to resist.
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this salmon croquette recipe are pretty simple and most are pantry stapes, you may already have in your kitchen. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter + oil. For cooking the veggies and patties. I like to use a combination of both for delicious rich flavor and crisp edges. Use any light oil, from olive oil or avocado oil to vegetable oil.
- Onion + bell pepper. Adds wonderful savory flavor. We typically use red bell pepper or green bell pepper, but you may use any color.
- Salmon. For the best flavor and texture, use fresh salmon meat, but canned salmon will do in a pinch. Make use of leftover salmon, or you can grill, pan-fry, or bake the salmon for this recipe. You can even cook the fish a day or two in advance as part of your meal prep to make this dinner even easier.
- Herbs. We love cilantro here, however flat parsley (Italian Parsley) or other fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or fresh dill would be delicious as well.
- Egg. Helps to bind all of the ingredients together and the croquettes hold their form.
- Bread crumbs. This recipe calls for regular breadcrumbs, however, Panko bread crumbs or finely crushed saltine crackers will also work just fine. Here’s a great guide for making homemade breadcrumbs. Use a gluten-free variety, as needed.
- Seasoning. Just some salt, pepper and lemon pepper is all you need to season these. Feel free to add in or sub the lemon pepper with seasoned salt or Old Bay seasoning.
How to make this recipe
Please see the recipe card for the full, printable recipe with all of the details.
To make these fish croquettes quickly, we’re going to do a bit of simple multi-tasking. Here’s the order of steps I recommend:
- Sauté vegetables. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Cook onions and peppers on medium heat until they become tender, about 5 minutes.
- Combine salmon mixture. In large bowl, crumble precooked salmon into large chunks. Gently stir in cooked vegetables, cilantro (or other herb), egg, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and seasonings until combined.
- Form the patties. Divide mixture into equal-sized patties. I made 8 medium-sized ones. Once they are formed, dip each one in remaining 1/3 cup breadcrumbs.
- Cook the croquettes. Using the same pan you cooked your veggies in, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil on medium to medium-high heat. Place your formed salmon cakes into the hot pan. Fry 2-3 minutes per side or until darker golden brown crispy crust has formed.
- Serve. Once they have completed cooking, drizzle with lemon juice and serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree oven.
Expert tips
- If using canned salmon, be sure to completely drain it of liquid before adding it to the other ingredients. If there is too much moisture in the mixture, the patties will not crisp up very well.
- We recommend finely dicing the onion and bell pepper (more so than what is pictured). This will ensure the patties stay together and that there is vegetable in every bite.
- Before frying the croquettes, make sure the oil and butter are really hot. If not, they will absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- When frying, don’t overcrowd your pan for even browning and cooking. You will probably need to work in batches. After one batch is cooked, you can transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Frequently asked questions
Salmon croquettes are made with salmon, diced onion, chopped peppers, egg, and breadcrumbs and formed into a patty. They are pan fried on each side in a skillet until golden brown.
To make patties stick together, use a binder (breadcrumbs and egg), handle delicately and flip only once while cooking, and make sure canned salmon is thoroughly drained. You can also chill formed patties in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before cooking.
Salmon croquettes are a southern version of salmon patties and sometimes contain cornmeal and/or flour and are usually covered in either cornmeal or breadcrumbs before frying.
Yes, if you prefer an alternative to frying, you can bake these instead. You’ll want to arrange the croquettes on a baking sheet, spray the tops with nonstick spray, and bake at 400ºF for about 8 minutes. Flip, spray the tops again and return to the oven for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. The baked version may be a bit drier than the pan-fried version.
Serving suggestions
Some delicious side dishes to serve alongside salmon croquettes are:
- Cheesy Potato Casserole is a family favorite
- Simple, flavorful Grandma’s Potato Salad
- A perfect pairing is this Classic Coleslaw
- Fresh and tasty Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Easy Baked Mac & Cheese (SOOOOO good!)
We also highly recommend serving this with a dipping sauce! Some great options are: tartar sauce, garlic aioli, dill sriracha sauce, cocktail sauce or even a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, sour cream or hot sauce.
Storage recommendations
- Leftovers. In an airtight container in the fridge, these will keep for about 2-3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, pop them back in a skillet on the stovetop and cook for just a few minutes on each side. These will not crisp up as well in the microwave.
- Freezing. You can freeze these before or after cooking them. If you’re freezing them before cooking, I would recommend flash freezing, first, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, so they don’t stick together. Then, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe baggie or container. In the freezer, they will keep for up to 3 months.
- Reheat. No need to thaw. To reheat from frozen, we recommend baking them. Preheat the oven to 450°F, then bake the patties for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. They should be good as new!
More salmon recipes to try
Looking for more ways to include salmon in your diet? Give these favorite recipes a try:
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and be sure to give it a star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Salmon Croquettes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, finely diced, any color will do
- 16 oz cooked salmon (approximately) – when I crumbled it all, I had about 2 1/2 cups of meat
- 1/4 cup cilantro or parsley , chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup plain bread crumbs, divided
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper, optional
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon light cooking oil
Instructions
- In large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Sauté onions and peppers on medium heat until they become tender, about 5 minutes.
- In large bowl, crumble precooked salmon into large chunks. Gently stir in cooked vegetables, cilantro, egg, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and seasonings until combined.
- Divide mixture into equal sized patties. I made 8 medium-sized ones. Once patties are formed, dip each one in remaining 1/3 cup breadcrumbs.
- Using the same pan you cooked your vegetables in, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil on medium to medium-high heat. Place your formed patties into hot pan. Fry 2-3 minutes per side or until darker golden brown crispy crust has formed. Once they have completed cooking, serve immediately with tartar sauce or aioli or keep warm in a 200 degree oven.
Notes
- Leftovers. In an airtight container in the fridge, these will keep for about 2-3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, pop them back in a skillet on the stovetop and cook for just a few minutes on each side. These will not crisp up as well in the microwave.
- Freezing. You can freeze these before or after cooking them. If you’re freezing them before cooking, I would recommend flash freezing, first, on a baking sheet, so they don’t stick together. Then, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe baggie or container. In the freezer, they will keep for up to 3 months.
- Reheat. No need to thaw. To reheat from frozen, we recommend baking them. Preheat the oven to 450°F, then bake the patties for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Did you make this recipe?
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This was so good and tasty! I cooked some fresh salmon filets instead of canned salmon, traded out the cilantro for parsley, and left off bell peppers. It took less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Highly recommended!