Crispy, pan-fried salmon croquettes are a delicious, protein-packed main dish you can have on the table in 15 minutes flat.
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For the busy weeknight when you forget to thaw the meat or you simply have nothing prepared, it’s essential to have some quick and healthy options that everyone loves.
These easy salmon croquettes are just what you need!
Made with simple ingredients like canned salmon, eggs, and seasonings, these patties are tasty, nutritious, and filling.
After combining all the ingredients and forming little cakes, you’ll then pan-fry them until golden brown.
Seasoned with garlic and onion powder, they are incredibly straightforward and uncomplicated.
Croquette is a fancy name for a down-to-earth main course easily served for dinner with crispy potatoes, whole wheat sourdough bread, a green salad with homemade kefir ranch, and tartar sauce made with homemade mayo.
If you’re serving them for lunch, we love these salmon cakes on homemade sourdough English muffins with crisp lettuce and a drizzle of Mexican ranch dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Protein-rich: Salmon and eggs contribute loads of protein, which helps you feel satisfied for longer. Salmon and eggs are also vitamin-rich, including omega-3s and vitamin D.
Quick and delicious: Cooking up these patties is a breeze. They can be prepped and fried in 15 minutes while bursting with great flavor and having a pleasant, crispy texture.
Wholesome: We’re not working with any unique ingredients here. Using basic, pantry staples, we are creating healthy, whole foods without added ingredients or fillers.
Ingredients
Salmon: Wild-caught, canned salmon is your best option. It contains far fewer contaminates than farm-raised, resulting in a cleaner, healthier protein.
Eggs: Quality eggs always make a difference. If you don’t have your own chickens or a local source for eggs, check your farmers market or splurge on some pasture-raised, organic eggs in the store.
Arrowroot powder: Arrowroot acts as a binder, along with the eggs, to help the patties keep their shape. You can substitute with cornstarch or even bread crumbs if needed.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
Recipe Modifications
- Mince and saute some red onion and bell peppers to add to the patty mixture.
- Add chopped fresh herbs, like dill or parsley, and a squeeze of lemon juice to the bowl for a boost of flavor.
- Try adding hot sauce to the salmon mixture, then topping the cooked cakes with sour cream and chopped green onions.
How to Make Salmon Croquettes
Step 1: Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and combine. I use my hands for this part since I will have to use them to make the patties in the next step anyway.
Step 2: Form the patties. This recipe should make about 10-12 small to medium-sized patties. If they are too thick, they will be harder to flip and easier to break apart.
Step 3: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil or butter for frying. Once it is hot enough to make a sizzle, but not burn the butter, it is time to start cooking. Place the salmon patties into the hot skillet.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes. You want them to be nearly cooked through before flipping or they may fall apart.
Step 5: Give them a flip and let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. The goal is golden, crispy patties.
Remove from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve with some fresh avocado or your favorite dipping sauce.
Tips
- You can refrigerate the patties for half an hour before cooking to firm them up and make them easier to transfer to the skillet.
- If your heat is too high, the butter may burn. You can use olive or avocado oil to avoid the risk of burned butter, but butter adds so much flavor.
- To keep the patties from sticking, I like to use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet with a lot of oil or butter. These salmon burgers are like pancakes – the less you have to flip them, the better.
- To save time, you can form the patties ahead of time and fry them right when you need them.
- If you form the patties too thick, they will be difficult to flip, will take longer to cook, and are more likely to fall apart.
How to Serve Salmon Croquettes
- With sourdough garlic knots, sourdough cheddar waffles, or easy sourdough pita bread.
- Topped with horseradish sauce, fermented salsa, homemade kimchi, or avocado aioli.
- Alongside fresh tomato soup, roasted butternut squash soup, or hearty potato soup.
- Next to vegetable hash, garlic mashed potatoes, or roasted veggies.
Recipe FAQs
Refrigerate leftovers in a single layer, or in layers separated by parchment paper, in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Yes. This recipe includes whole, real food ingredients. Salmon is a healthy fish packed with omega-3s.
Opt for wild-caught salmon over farmed salmon, not only for the environmental impact, but because wild-caught salmon has a better omega-3 to omega-6 fat ratio, more minerals, and doesn’t contain added ingredients (farmed-raised often contains dyes). Farm-raised salmon is also more likely to contain contaminants and antibiotics. (Source)
The patties should be crispy on the outside and light pink on the inside. The inside shouldn’t be mushy, but somewhat firm.
The key to patties staying together is in the binder. In this case, eggs and arrowroot powder help hold it together. The eggs act as a binder and the arrowroot powder helps keep it together while absorbing extra moisture. When you cook them long enough on one side before flipping, the exterior will be crisp and help hold the patty together, as well.
More Dinner Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Zucchini Sausage Boats
- Easy Cheeseburger Soup
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Best Shepherd’s Pie
- Homemade Meatloaf
- Sourdough Pretzels with homemade Cheese Sauce.
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Salmon Croquettes
Ingredients
- 30 ounces canned salmon
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder, or cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- oil or butter , for frying
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and combine. I use my hands for this part since I will have to use them to make the patties in the next step anyway.
- Form the patties. This recipe should make about 10-12 small to medium-sized patties. If they are too thick, they will be harder to flip and easier to break apart.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil or butter for frying. Once it is hot enough to make a sizzle, but not burn the butter, it is time to start cooking. Place the salmon patties into the hot skillet.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes. You want them to be nearly cooked through before flipping or they may fall apart.
- Give them a flip and let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. The goal is golden, crispy patties.
- Remove from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
Notes
- You can refrigerate the patties for half an hour before cooking to firm them up and make them easier to transfer to the skillet.
- If your heat is too high, the butter may burn. You can use olive or avocado oil to avoid the risk of burned butter, but butter adds so much flavor.
- To keep the patties from sticking, I like to use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet with a lot of oil or butter. These salmon burgers are like pancakes – the less you have to flip them, the better.
- To save time, you can form the patties ahead of time and fry them right when you need them.
- If you form the patties too thick, they will be difficult to flip, will take longer to cook, and are more likely to fall apart.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello! Is there a replacement for arrowroot and coconut powder? Thanks!
Wow delicious, simple and full of flavour. I used coconut flour and added 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Everyone loves it ant this will now be a regular quick weeknight meal.
I have to admit I wasn’t 100% convinced by the idea, but I absolutely LOVE these! I added dried dill, garlic powder and scallions, and used cornflour instead of coconut flour. So flavourful and the crunchy outside is incredible.
These were super delicious, thank you for the recipe!! Can you make them with tuna if you haven’t got salmon?
Made them with tuna tonight and they were perfect. I came to comment about the salmon ones I made last week, which were also delicious. I added small diced onion and parsley to both, and topped with avocado and tomato.
This was so delicious, the kids loved it and even asked to have it for breakfast lol
Thank you for putting out these recipes that are real and not full of yucky ingredients.
Hi Lisa,
I too assumed it would be the regular size salmon around 6 oz. each. I am wondering if I can just half the recipe then? I only find regular sized cans at the grocery store. They are also really costly, specially if you want to purchase wild caught & you would need 4 cans of those for this recipe. I really like how simple the recipe is. If making burgers, what other toppings other than avocado, will go with this?
I didn’t look at the size of the salmon cans called for until after I first made this recipe. I assumed it was just standard size cans. Needless to say, the cakes were much smaller than I expected, but they were still DELICIOUS! I might just mess up again, haha!
Should the salmon be drained?
I need to know the same thing! Do you drain salmon can?
Yes, you should drain the salmon first.
I decided to drain mine and they turned out fine. What to do with that healthy liquid though?? I’ll add it to something, lol
This is my new go-to when I have no idea what to make for dinner! The whole family ate it!
These are so easy to make! They were delicious!