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The Lowdown on These Salmon Croquettes
Salmon croquettes was one of them meals that made a regular Tuesday night feel special. We had them at least once a week growing up, and my mama could throw a batch together faster than we could set the table. She was the croquette queen, I’m tellin’ you!
Folks on this internet have all types of recipes for this Southern delicacy but it ain’t like my Mississippi mama’s recipe. She learned from my Big Mama, and now I am passing them on to y’all with a few small updates. This is easy and fast soul food done right boos.
Ingredients You Need To Make Salmon Croquettes
- Canned Salmon: Start with a good-quality canned salmon, and it’ll make all the difference. My mama swears by Pillar Rock because it’s milder and not too fishy. Make sure to remove the bones! If you have some leftover cooked salmon you can definitely use that instead, or even swap in some canned crab meat.
- Aromatics: Onions and peppers really make the salmon shine. If you’re not a fan of green pepper, swap it for celery or just use more onion.
- Egg: This is what keeps everything holding together, so don’t skip it boos!
- Flour: Instead of all-purpose flour, my mama uses self-rising flour. Make your own by whisking together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Cornmeal: My secret ingredient! You can either leave out the cornmeal all together to make these the more traditional Southern way or replace with some breadcrumbs or panko for a more crunchy texture.
- Seasonings: Worchestershire sauce, seasoned salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper. You can cut back on the pepper flakes or swap for a pinch of smoked paprika.
How to Make Salmon Croquettes
Southern Salmon Croquettes
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Ingredients
- 1 (14.75) pink salmon can with bones removed
- 1/2-3/4 cup self rising flour
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion we use the food processor, this was about ½ an onion for us
- 1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp worcheshire sauce
- 1/4 tsp seasoned salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal optional (you can omit or use flour if you prefer)
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add salmon, flour, onion, green pepper, egg, worcheshire sauce, salt, pepper flakes and black pepper and mix until well combined. The mixture will be somewhat softer and looser so you will have to handle with care but don’t worry, they will fry up just fine.
- Add cornmeal to a plate and set aside.
- Shape medium to small sized patties then carefully roll in cornmeal and set aside. (If you want to make them easier to work with, add to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up more).
- Add oil to cast iron skillet and heat until oil reaches 350. Fry croquettes until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes on each side, and drain on paper towels then serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Tips for Making the Best Soul Food Salmon Croquette Recipe
- Remove ALL the bones from the salmon. I can’t stress this enough boos. Take your time and make sure every last bone is gone. Ain’t nobody tryna bite into that!
- Chill the patties. Let them sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes so they firm up and hold their shape better when frying.
- Handle with care. These croquettes are delicate (that’s how my mama likes them), but that’s what makes them the best salmon patties ever! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Adjust the flour. I like mine soft in the middle, but if you want a firmer croquette, add a little more flour. Just don’t go overboard boos, or they’ll taste more like flour than salmon!
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Make it vegetarian. Swap the salmon for mashed chickpeas for a non-fish alternative that still fries up crispy.
- Go Cajun. Add Cajun seasoning and a splash of hot sauce. And boos, you cannot have these patties without some remoulade on the side! Classic Louisiana move.
- Give it Asian flavors. Replace Worcestershire with soy sauce, and mix in some ginger and rice vinegar. Want heat? A little sriracha goes a long way with these easy salmon cakes y’all!
- Add some lemon. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens everything up.
What to Serve with My Southern Salmon Croquettes
- Sauces: Need a bomb dipping sauce? Whip up some tartar sauce! This is as classic as it comes.
- Need some sides? Turn these into a meal by serving them up with my collard greens, fried corn, fried okra , fried green tomatoes or homemade cornbread.
- The ultimate Southern breakfast: My mama loves to make these crispy salmon croquettes for a delicious weekend breakfast served along with biscuits and syrup. That’s the true Mississippi way! You can also pair them with grits, hash browns and some delish sawmill gravy.
- Party appetizer inspiration? If serving these for a get together, add on a few other fun apps such as chicken wings, bbq meatballs, or these yummy pizza rolls.
- Southern Fish Fry: Serve up my hush puppies, fried shrimp, fish and chips, fried catfish or oven fried catfish.
How to Store & Reheat Salmon Croquettes
Once your croquettes have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. If they’re stacked, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper between layers so they don’t stick together. You can also refrigerate the uncooked patties before coating them in cornmeal, just wrap ’em up tight so they don’t dry out.
To reheat, pop them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. The air fryer works great too, heat at 375°F for 5-7 minutes.
How long will Salmon Croquettes last in the fridge?
Cooked salmon croquettes will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days… If you don’t eat them all before then! Uncooked patties will hold up for about 2 days.
Can I freeze crispy salmon croquettes?
Absolutely! You can freeze the uncooked patties (before rolling in cornmeal) on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Cooked croquettes can be frozen too, but they’ll be a little softer when reheated.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, canned salmon is already cooked. This helps to cook the croquettes much faster.
If you aren’t into frying these, you can certainly bake these at 375° F for about 15 minutes. For best results, I spray the baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and then spray the outside of the croquette to help with browning.
Yep! Air fry at 375°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
More Southern Seafood Recipes
- Cajun Salmon Cakes
- Shrimp Po’ Boy
- Fried Catfish
- Lobster Mac and Cheese
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Crab Stuffed Salmon
- Crab Cake recipe
This post was originally published July 2019 and republished in July 2022 for new photos and content.
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My family were big on salmon croquettes my mama born in Walnut Grove Mississippi in this recipe has been handed down for Generations so that must mean we are family but I’m always seeking to make something better and I think we have almost the same mind because I bet it’s some things to you did a great job on this recipe yes I did find them and they were exactly as tasty as you said they would be and I’m so happy that you gave your mom her props because I learned from my mom and it sounds like your mom could cook and we are passing our recipe down through the family of our younger children and their children and every year that we have a family reunions we bring out some of the old recipes and show them how to do them God bless you and I give you 10 Stars instead of fact
I like the salmon cake itself but did not like the cornmeal breading. It ends up with a very crunchy hard texture. I think I would probably use panko or breadcrumbs next time Instead of the cornmeal.
These turned out so well!! Thanks for the great recipe:)
I fried mine for only about a minute per side and they turned out great! Putting them in the fridge for 10 minutes really helped them firm up.
Can I bake these
Yes you can. I would make sure you Spray the outsides of them with a little cooking spray so they get golden if you use cornmeal.
Delicious !!
Can I use a squeeze of lemon to the salmon before I start to put in the seasons (other ingredients)?
Sounds lovely! Let me know how that turns out!
Yes it really gives it a nice flavor I think 1/4 cup of flour is more than enough the more flour the more drier the croquettes are.
Do you think you can freeze these before cooking?
Yes you can.
They were delicious
I baked them and it was delicious. I had to look up seasoned salt, then I made my own and have been using it with ground turkey and I wouldn’t have done that before. I had multiple cans of salmon and I needed to use them to make something different. This was easy, flavorful and I will make at least once a month going forward.
Best salmon croquettes that I have ever made. Rolling them in the cornmeal made them crispy on the outside but still perfectly moist inside. Next time I’ll take your suggestion to place in fridge a few minutes before rolling in them in the cornmeal.
Can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Awesome