Salmon Croquettes Easy Southern Recipe Wellplated Com

Although “croquette” might sound refined and complicated (because doesn’t every French word?), salmon croquettes are straightforward to make. To make them more budget-friendly and quicker to prep, I use canned salmon. Keep a few cans of salmon and tuna stashed in your pantry, and you can pull together a fast, healthy, and legitimately tasty dinner on the fly (these Avocado Tuna Cakes and the Salmon Cakes in my cookbook are perfect examples). Canned salmon is widely available, even if you don’t have easy access to fresh seafood. Further—and this is key—these croquettes do not taste like they use canned salmon.

Spices, herbs, and colorful vegetables add flavor and freshness to salmon croquettes.A crispy crust on the outside gives them a tantalizing texture and southern vibes.

How to Make Salmon Croquettes

While either Pan Seared Salmon or Baked Salmon in Foil is our usual weeknight go-to, this salmon croquettes recipe breathes variety into a dinner routine, and has surprisingly little prep time.

Salmon croquettes are a southern take on a salmon patty.“Salmon patties” is a more general term and doesn’t necessarily dictate a particular profile of spices or herbs. Croquettes are more typically southern (I still remember the Louisiana salmon croquettes I ate in New Orleans) and thus typically include more southern-inspired spices.Croquettes are lightly breaded to create a crispy crust. Dredging the salmon with cornmeal or with flour creates that tasty exterior.Croquettes are typically made with canned salmon. (For a patty with fresh salmon, check out Salmon Burgers.)

Instead of deep-frying the croquettes, I lightly pan fry them with oil (I like olive oil over vegetable oil but you can use vegetable for a more neutral flavor).The pan fry vs. deep fry approach keeps them healthy, with less calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol.Thanks to the cornmeal, the croquettes still developed a scrumptiously crisp crust.

The Ingredients

Canned Salmon. Canned salmon is incredibly easy to use for recipes like this one, and it’s just as healthy as fresh salmon. It’s rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins. Eggs. How do you keep salmon croquettes from falling apart? Eggs are the answer! They help bind all the ingredients together to form perfect patties. Bell Pepper + Onion. I snuck a couple veggies into the croquettes for beautiful color, southern flavor, and added nutrition.Greek Yogurt. Greek yogurt helps make the patties creamy on the inside and gives them a hint of tanginess. It’s a healthy swap for mayonnaise.Worcestershire Sauce. A dash of Worcestershire adds umami goodness. Hot Sauce. Gives just the right amount of heat without making this recipe spicy. Feel free to kick it up a notch if you please. Celery Salt. Salty and unexpectedly wonderful. Fresh Parsley. For a touch of freshness. Cilantro would also be tasty here. Cornmeal. Cornmeal creates the scrumptious crispy exterior for the croquettes.

Salmon Croquettes Sauce. Greek yogurt, fresh lemon juice, mustard, hot sauce, and herbs create a sauce that’s a little tangy, zippy, and creamy all at the same time. You’ll never want tartar sauce again.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Refrigerate croquettes in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days. To Reheat. Very gently rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. To Freeze. Place croquettes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen croquettes to an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What to Serve with Salmon Croquettes

Salmon croquettes sides can include anything from starchy vegetables like potatoes, to green vegetables, crisps salads, or even eggs for a breakfast version.

The pan-fried croquettes stayed much more tender on the inside, while the baked croquettes were more prone to drying out.That said, if you want to go totally hands-free, you can bake croquettes instead. They still have great flavor, if not 100% optimal. I’ve included notes in the recipe below.

Grits. Salmon croquettes and grits are a perfect match! Try the tasty grits from my skinny Cajun Shrimp and Grits recipe. Salad. Healthy Potato Salad, Arugula Salad, or Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing would be delicious with this dish. Fruit Salad would also be a great addition to the meal.Vegetables. Serve some Grilled Eggplant, Roasted Broccoli, Grilled Potatoes, or Roasted Asparagus with this recipe for a healthy side. Fries. Keep things classic with Air Fryer French Fries or Sweet Potato Fries, or spice things up with these Parsnip Fries.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Nonstick Skillet. Ideal for cooking these salmon croquettes. Mixing Bowls. A nice set of mixing bowls is a must-have in my kitchen. Baking Sheet. A kitchen tool I use almost daily.

Salmon croquettes are the unexpected, healthy, and super satisfying recipe your weeknight back pocket didn’t know it needed. Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe.