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Perfect for a main or appetizer, these salmon croquettes (or salmon patties or salmon cakes) are made using canned salmon, veggies, and a ton of fresh herbs and spices. Pan-fried, air-fried or baked, these croquettes have a super crunchy exterior and a creamy and flavorful interior that is bursting with fresh flavor.
💕 Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is clean eating, and gluten-free.
- It’s healthy in that is uses minimally processed ingredients with no additives, or preservatives added.
- It features heart-healthy salmon as well as veggies and healthy fats!
- It is incredibly flavorful with fresh herbs and spices.
- It is easy to make and comes together in under 30 minutes.
- You can pan-fry them (recommended) or air-fry or bake them!
- It can be enjoyed as an appetizer or a main course.
- It makes a great and complete meal on it’s own!
- You can adjust the herbs and spices to suit your own personal preference or shape the patties however you’d like!
Ingredients
- Canned Salmon: Canned in salt and water only, I’m using canned salmon for today’s recipe. If you’d like to use fresh salmon, you can, just ensure it’s fully cooked and cooled down before using it.
- Panko: To make this recipe gluten-free I am using my absolute favorite gluten-free panko. I’ve tried several other brands but honestly Kikkoman’s Gluten-Free Panko has given me the best results. If you’re not concerned about being gluten-free, you can use any panko breadcrumb you like!
- Egg: I’m using US standard large eggs.
- Lemon Juice: Opt for fresh lemon juice if you can.
- Sriracha: I’m using a small touch of sriracha for a bit of spice that works really well with the salmon and other herbs. You can use any hot sauce or even chipotle powder.
- Spices: We’re using a blend of spices including…
- Salt – I’m using my favorite Himalayan Pink salt but you can use sea salt or any other salt of your choosing.
- Black Pepper – Fresh or pre-ground, fine or course, the choice it yours.
- White Pepper – Highly recommended, a small touch of white pepper adds great flavor.
- Smoked Paprika – One of my favorite spices, the smokiness of this spice works SO well with the salmon.
- Celery Seeds – or a minced stalk of fresh celery.
- Dried Garlic – you can also use a touch of raw grated/crushed garlic or garlic powder if preferred.
- Caesar Dressing: I am using my own homemade Caesar dressing. The richness of flavors really adds a lot to these salmon croquettes. However if you’d like you can use mayonnaise.
- Parmesan Cheese: Opt to use freshly grated off the block parmesan – not the powdered or pre-shredded variety.
- Carrots: A great trick is to use a food processor to finely mince and break your carrots down in no time. Another option is to shred your carrots.
- Bell Pepper: Finely diced or minced.
- Corn: Optional but kernels of sweet corn adds a great pop of sweetness to these croquettes.
- Dill: Opt to use fresh dill if you can. This is a great herb to pair with fish. If you don’t have any, you can also use tarragon or dried dill.
- Spring Onions: or chives – another herb that pairs so well with the salmon and all other flavors in these croquettes.
- Oil: (not pictured) We’ll need some oil to cook our salmon croquettes in. Opt to use a neutral tasting, clean eating oil with a high smoke point such as Peanut Oil.
How To Make Salmon Croquettes
We’ll start by prepping the salmon. Open and drain the can (1,2). Canned salmon is usually a rolled up piece of salmon placed into the can. Slide it out onto a clean plate and try to unroll it (3). At the center you will find the column of bones that you can then remove in one clean piece. If you spot any smaller bones you can either leave them in (they will break down easily) or remove them (3). Likewise with the skin, you can use your fingertip to gently scrape off and remove the skin (4).
With your salmon prepped, break it up into smaller pieces (1), then, mix in the veggies, spices, fresh herbs, lemon juice, and cheese (2,3). Next we’ll add in our egg, Caesar dressing/Mayo and a small touch of sriracha (4). Mix it all together until fully incorporated before mixing in some of the breadcrumbs (5,6).
With your mixture made, divide it into equal portions and shape each portion into a patty by rolling it into a ball and then gently pressing it flat in your palms. The mixture should be slightly wet and sticky and should be delicate but shouldn’t be so wet that it doesn’t hold it’s shape or sticks to your hand. If it does you can either let it chill an extra 10 minutes in the fridge or add in a bit more panko.
Place your patties into the Panko breadcrumbs and coat them. If you like you can gently press down on the salmon patties to help the panko stick. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect and there’s some gaps in your breading.
Place your Panko-coated patties onto a parchment-lined plate that has a light sprinkling of any leftover panko on the bottom. Chill your patties for 15-20 minutes to help them firm up before frying.
Now all that’s left is to cook your salmon croquettes, you can do this in one of three ways…
Method 1: Pan-Fry Your Salmon Croquettes
To a large skillet (I love using my cast iron skillet for this) add enough oil to allow you to shallow-fry your patties. Allow your oil to heat on med-high heat. You can sprinkle in a few specks of panko to see if they begin to instantly bubble and fry, once it does you’ll know your oil is ready. Do not allow your oil to get hot enough to start smoking.
Add your patties into the skillet and ensure that they don’t touch each other. Allow them to fry for 2-3 minutes before flipping them and allowing them to fry on the other side until golden brown.
Remove your patties to a paper-towel-lined cooling rack or plate to allow any excess oil to be absorbed. Let your patties cool before enjoying.
Method 2: Air-Fry Your Salmon Croquettes
Preheat your airfryer to 400°F and brush or spritz both sides of your chilled patties with a light coating of oil. Place your patties into your airfryer in a single layer, ensuring they’re not touching (you might have to fry them in batches depending on your airfryer type and size). Fry your patties for 8 minutes before coating the top with oil and then gently flipping them over and coating the other side with oil. Continue frying for another 2-3 minutes until they’re the golden color you’d like them to be.
Method 3: Bake Your Salmon Croquettes
Preheat your oven to 425°F and place your chilled and panko-coated patties onto an oiled baking tray and brush or spritz the tops with a light coating of oil. Bake for 10 minutes before brushing/spritzing the top with oil, gently flipping them over, and brushing/spritzing the other side (which is now the facing upwards) with a light layer of oil. Bake them an additional 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown and then remove them to a cooling rack.
What Sauce Can you Serve with these Croquettes?
Traditionally salmon croquettes pair really well with a creole-style Remoulade sauce which is made from mayonnaise, stone ground mustard, creole seasoning, paprika, horseradish, hot sauce, pickle brine and a small touch of garlic.
Another great option is a simple tartar sauce. This Homemade Tartar Sauce is made using Greek Yogurt for a lighter touch but you can also make it using mayonnaise (I highly recommend using our easy 2-minute homemade mayonnaise!)
And there you have it, an easy and delicious recipe for salmon croquettes! Clean, simple, and absolutely delicious.
Crispy & Golden Salmon Croquettes
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned pink salmon * see notes
- ¼ cup carrots finely diced
- ¼ cup bell peppers finely diced
- ¼ cup whole kernel sweet corn optional
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tbsp fresh dill minced
- 3 tbsp Spring Onions finely sliced
- ½ tsp Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp celery seeds
- ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tsp dried garlic or fresh
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1/4 cup Caesar dressing or homemade mayo
- 1/2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup gluten free panko for mixing into patties
- 1 cup gluten free panko for breading
- peanut oil to fry
Instructions
- Open and drain your can of salmon and allow it to slide out onto a plate. Gently unroll the salmon and remove the bones, and if preferred, gently scrape off the skin with your fingertips.With your salmon de-boned and de-skinned, flake it into a medium-sized bowl.15 oz canned pink salmon
- Add in the lemon juice, veggies, spices, herbs, and parmesan cheese and mix until evenly combined.¼ cup carrots, ¼ cup bell peppers, ¼ cup whole kernel sweet corn, 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, ½ tbsp fresh dill, 3 tbsp Spring Onions, ½ tsp Himalayan salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, ¼ tsp ground white pepper, ½ tsp celery seeds, ½ tsp Smoked Paprika, 2 tsp dried garlic, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- Add in the egg, Caesar/mayo and siracha and mix to evenly combine.1/4 cup Caesar dressing, 1/2 tbsp sriracha, 1 large egg
- Mix in ⅓ cup of (gluten-free) panko breadcrumbs.1/3 cup gluten free panko
- Divide your mixture into 10 equal portions and shape into patties.
- Bread your patties using 1 cup of (gluten-free) panko. You can gently press your patties into your breadcrumbs to ensure they stick. Don't worry if it's not perfectly coated.1 cup gluten free panko
- Chill your patties for 20 min on a plate lined with parchment and a sprinkle of panko to minimize sticking.
To Pan-Fry Your Patties:
- To a large skillet on medium-high heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom of your pan. Add your patties and space them out so that they're not touching and fry them for 2-3 minutes on each side until they're golden brown. Remove and set them on a plate or tray with paper kitchen towels on it to absorb any excess oil.peanut oil
To Air-fry Your Patties:
- Preheat your airfryer to 400°F.
- Brush both sides of your chilled patties with a light coating of oil and gently place them into the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring that they're not touching (you may have to do them in batches).
- Air fry your salmon croquettes for 8 minutes before brushing the tops with another light coating of oil and frying for a final 2-3 minutes.
To Bake Your Patties:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and oil a baking tray.
- Place your chilled patties onto the tray and space them out evenly. Brush the tops with a light coating of oil.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then brush the tops of your patties with more oil, flip them over and brush the bottoms (now the top) with oil. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until they're golden brown on both sides.
- Serve and enjoy your salmon croquettes immediately. If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. If you have an air-fryer they will reheat beautifully if you airfry them at 400°F for 4-5 minutes.
Notes
- If you're not a fan of canned salmon you can also use fresh salmon if you like, just be sure it is fully cooked and cooled before using.
- If you're not concerned about gluten, you can use any panko breading of your choosing.
- The mixture for the patties should be moist and soft and slightly delicate but should be able to be rolled into a ball without sticking or smearing on your hands or falling apart. If it does, you can try chilling it for an additional 5-10 minutes or, if that doesn't work, try adding in 2 tbsp more panko breadcrumbs to see if it binds.
- Serve your salmon patties with either a Remoulade sauce or a Tartar sauce.
