Easy Southern Salmon Croquettes (GF)

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Salmon Croquettes are such a Southern staple food. Whatever your family calls them (aka Salmon Patties / Salmon Cakes) they are SUPER EASY to make and packed full of flavor with a kick of heat.

I looooooove taking traditional Southern recipes and adding a bit of a healthier twist to them without losing any of the rich, authentic Southern Soul food style flavors.

Have you tried my Easy Shrimp Creole or my Candied Sweet Potatoes??? They’re also healthier alternatives to the traditional Southern Recipes, yet still soooo delicious and comforting.

What are Salmon Croquettes?

Salmon Croquettes are fish patties made with canned salmon, chopped bell peppers, egg, and Panko breadcrumb before being fried into a golden crispy treat.  

This version included capers (nice salty taste) and the shallots (awesome garlic flavoring), you really can’t go wrong with this Salmon Croquette recipe. 

Why You’ll ♡ These

• Easy and Affordable – easy to make with budget-friendly pantry ingredients.
• Assemble ahead – great meal pep solution that you can store in the freezer.
• Diet-friendly – this recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets.

Tools Needed

So, gather up your ingredients and I will show you…..

How To Make Salmon Croquettes on Stovetop

1. Heat butter in cast iron skillet over low to medium heat. 
2. Add in diced red bell pepper and diced shallots and saute until softened and golden.  Set aside and let them cool.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, salt, pepper, capers, lemon zest, and Worcestershire sauce together.
4. Drain liquid from canned salmon filet (and bones if your brand had bones).
5. Mix salmon, bread crumbs, diced parsley, seasonings, sautéed peppers and onions with the whisked egg mixture until well combined.
6. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop mix and form into salmon patties using your hands.
7. Once formed into a firm, pressed croquette, roll in cornmeal, and set aside until all 12 are done.
8. Heat oil in the skillet over medium heat and fry Salmon Croquette for 2-3 mins on each side until golden brown and crisp.

How To Make Salmon Croquettes in the Oven

1. Heat butter in cast iron skillet over low to medium heat. 
2. Add in diced red bell pepper and diced shallots and saute until softened and golden.  Set aside and let them cool.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, salt, pepper, capers, lemon zest, and Worcestershire sauce together.
4. Drain liquid from canned salmon (and remove bones if needed).
5. Mix salmon, bread crumbs, diced parsley, seasonings, sautéed peppers, and onions with the whisked egg mixture until well combined.
6. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop mix and form into salmon patties using your hands.
7. Finish the croquettes with cornmeal by rolling each cake in cornmeal, and set aside. Repeat until all 12 are done, then spray the tops with olive oil.
8. Preheat the oven to 425F / 220C / Gas 7 and bake on a foil-lined baking tray for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

How To Make Salmon Croquettes in the Air Fryer

1. Preheat Air Fryer to 360F / 180C.
2. Heat butter in cast iron skillet over low to medium heat, add in diced red bell pepper and diced shallots, and saute until softened and golden.  Set aside and let them cool.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, salt, pepper, capers, lemon zest, and Worcestershire sauce together. Drain liquid from canned salmon (and remove bones if needed).
4. Mix salmon, bread crumbs, diced parsley, seasonings, sautéed peppers, and onions with the whisked egg mixture until well combined.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop mix and form into salmon patties using your hands.
6. Roll each patty in cornmeal and set aside. Repeat until all 12 are done, then spray the tops with olive oil. Add to the air fryer basket, making sure they do not touch.
7. Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning the patties over halfway through the cooking time.

Expert Recipe Tips

• If the mix is too crumbly, add another tablespoon of Greek yogurt to the mixture to help bind it together.
• Making smaller patties will help keep their shape.
• When forming the croquettes, handle them like Play-doh, pressing firmly to get them to form into patties.  
• The seasonings in this recipe help to balance the flavor and combined with the lemon zest and capers make the croquettes so delicious.
• If you’re sensitive to spice, use less cayenne pepper or a less spicy tartar sauce than suggested. I suggest using Trader Joe’s Dill and Jalapeno tartar sauce if you have them near you, as it had the perfect kick!!
• Keep in mind when cooking these in the air fryer, that you should start with less cook time, check your food, and increase cook time as necessary since some air fryers can cook differently than others.

Pro Tip: Use an ice cream scoop to help keep the fried salmon patties a consistent size and ensure that they all cook evenly. Total Game Changer!

Delicious Variations

This recipe for salmon croquettes is amazing as is, but it’s also super easy to customize. Try some of these variations;

• Swap ingredients: try diced onion instead of shallots and celery instead of bell pepper. 
• Replace the breadcrumbs: if not gluten-free, make these with traditional panko, or a combination of flour and cornmeal.
• Vary the dipping sauce: tartar sauce is a classic choice, but you can also serve these with Yum Yum Sauce or Remoulade Sauce.

Meal Prep and Prep Ahead

This recipe for salmon croquettes is a great meal prep solution.

• Prep Ahead – Make these croquettes ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake or fry.
• Store – Place the formed patties in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 2-3 days. Plus, refrigerating them may even help them bind together better!
• Freeze – you can also prep these in advance and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just follow these easy steps:
  • Form the patties, place on a lined baking sheet, and freeze for 1 hour.
  • Remove them from the freezer, wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap before transferring to Ziploc bags.
  • Press the excess air out of the bags before sealing and label them with the date.
  • Place the bags flat in the freezer to store for up to 3 months.
• Thaw – simply remove them from the freezer the night before needed and let them thaw in the fridge.

FAQs

Fresh Salmon or Canned Salmon?

This recipe calls for canned salmon simply for the ease of the recipe, but you can always use fresh salmon instead.

To make this Salmon Croquette Recipe with fresh salmon instead of canned, make sure you remove the bones from your fillet if it has any, and mince the meat so it can be easily formed into patties. Then you can assemble them with the spices as you normally would and cook them according to your preference.

Keep in mind that when cooking these with fresh salmon, you should cook them for a little longer.

What Binder Ingredients Can Be Used?

Traditional Southern Salmon Patties call for mayo, but I opted to use greek yogurt to keep this recipe lighter in calories. You can also use cracker crumbs or rolled oats to help bind them instead of Greek yogurt.

Can I Make These With Regular Flour?

Salmon Croquettes made with cornmeal will have a crispier and crunchier outside texture. However, this Salmon Croquettes with Cornmeal can also be made with flour instead of the cornmeal. Bear in mind that these will not be gluten-free then.

Are the Bones Safe to Eat From the Canned Salmon?

While I recommend taking the bones out of the canned salmon for this recipe, you can leave them in. The bones are safe to eat and are actually high in calcium.

If you’re a little skeptical, you can mash the bones with a fork easily into the meat and won’t know they’re in there and can still get the added calcium benefits.

Serving Suggestions

• Air Fryer Asparagus.
• Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
• Instant Pot Rice.
• A nice big Red Potato Salad.

More Southern Recipes

Check out these other classic Southern recipes:

• Easy Southern Squash Casserole.
• Shrimp Creole.
• Cajun Shrimp.
• Candied Sweet Potatoes.
• Air Fryer Cajun Fish Fillets.
• Red Potato Salad.
• Super easy Creole Sauce.
• Cajun Shrimp Salad.
• Cornbread- Instant Pot + Skillet Versions.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 5 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving.

Originally published feb 2020

Thank you for reading my recipe for salmon croquettes post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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