One of my favorite meals growing up was salmon croquettes. My mother usually did the grocery shopping once a month. Fresh foods were eaten first and canned or freezer meals were eaten toward the end of the month. I have memories of looking into a seemingly bare cupboard but somehow having dinner that night. Salmon croquettes were a go-to meal during those times.
It wasn’t until I got older that I realized that salmon croquette wasn’t a staple meal for everyone, what?! I married and started my cooking journey young. I was twenty and my husband was twenty-two years old. There were many foods that I ate growing up that he didn’t. It was exciting for me to be able to prepare and share my favorite meals with my husband. Many of those meals are now his favorites, salmon croquettes is one of them.
What are salmon croquettes?
Salmon croquettes are pan-fried fish cakes made with pre-cooked, flaked salmon. Some type of breading is usually used as a binder along with seasonings and herbs. They are most often shaped as patties but can be shaped in the form of a roll as well.
How to make salmon croquettes?
There are many variations of salmon croquettes. They can be made as a kitchen staple dish from pantry stable ingredients. It is often made with canned salmon. You may choose to remove the bones or keep them in, as the canned salmon bones are softened during the cooking process. You can also make salmon croquettes using leftover cooked salmon. The idea here is to use flaked salmon that can be mixed and formed into patties.
As far as seasonings go, I suggest using seasonings that you already prefer with fish. You can use lemon pepper, Old Bay seasonings, or even Creole seasonings. I like to add in some finely diced onion when I have it on hand, just be sure to sauté the onion first.
For the breading, it’s a personal preference, IMO. When I was growing up, salmon croquettes were prepared any breading that we had on hand. Sometimes it was cornmeal and flour, sometimes breadcrumbs, sometimes cracker crumbs. No matter the binder, it was always delicious. Here’s my recipe. It done with cornmeal. It’s flavorful and doesn’t fall apart.
How do you keep salmon croquettes from falling apart?
One of the biggest issue folks have when making salmon croquettes is them breaking apart as they cook. It’s happened to me more times than I can count. The salmon croquettes tend to break apart for a few reasons. One, too much dry ingredients and two, vegetables are too large. Another reason could be not being cooked in enough oil. Salmon croquettes are usually fried in shallow oil, but it still needs to be enough when using this method. You could however forgo the oil and cook these up in the air fryer. I’ve practiced many batches over the years and have perfected it.
Here are my tips to keep salmon croquettes from falling apart:
- Finely chop any vegetables that you will be adding. Larger chunks along with the fish will break the croquettes apart.
- Sauté vegetables instead of combining them in raw. The softened vegetables will blend better.
- Add in an egg (see explanation below).
- Add an additional wet binder. For example, a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise or mustard. This will give your breading and egg something to adhere to.
Check out my video. I share more tips on how to prevent your croquettes from falling apart.
Do you put egg in salmon croquettes?
Yes. You usually put an egg in with salmon croquette mixture to ensure that the breading and fish combine during the cooking process. Without the egg, the salmon croquette is more likely to break apart. You can however substitute the egg using ground flax seed.
What to serve with salmon croquettes?
Down here in the South, salmon croquettes are served as breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The side dishes and condiments you serve with them, depends on what meal you’re serving. As you can see, there are options for both sweet and savory.
Condiments
· Hot sauce
· Tartar Sauce
· Remoulade sauce
· Molasses
· Honey
Side Dishes to serve with salmon croquettes
Although heartier than a filet, salmon can be served with either a lighter side dish or accompanied by something substantial. My family’s favorite way to eat salmon croquette is with alongside a biscuit, smothered potatoes, and drizzled with a bit of honey. I like to eat mine with a side salad and a couple of dashes of hot sauce. Mix and match some of these ideas for a delicious meal.
· Grits
· Buttermilk Biscuits
· Home Fries
· Broccoli
· Green Salad
· Coleslaw
· Fried Cabbage
Southern Salmon Croquettes
Ingredients
- 1 can Salmon
- 1 can Makerel
- 1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion optional
- 3 green onions sliced
- 2 tbs mustard
- 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large egg beaten
- 3/4 cups cornmeal plus more for coating
- 1/4 cup flour
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Drain fish from can
- Debone and clean (optional)
- Add fish to large bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Mix well with hands.
- Form into evenly sized patties
- Dredge each pattie in additional cornmeal
- In a shallow pan, place an inch or two of cooking oil. Heat over medium heat
- Place patties into hot oil and fry 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden.