This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Made with cooked salmon, breadcrumbs, and a few seasonings these Salmon Croquettes make a quick and easy meal. Serve with tomato avocado salsa and skillet fries for the perfect weeknight dinner.
Easy Salmon Croquettes Recipe
This recipe – or, rather, 3 recipes – began as a way to use up leftovers. Leftover salmon turned into these irresistible salmon croquettes while baked potatoes turned into super simple skillet fries. Then I added a little tomato avocado salsa to brighten the dish up and really take it over the top!
In this case, the leftovers were as good as the original meal. Seriously, I took one bite of these salmon croquettes and thought my life was complete. The best part is, it’s pretty easy to recreate even without leftover salmon and while the avocado salsa and skillet fries (the BEST way to use up leftover baked potatoes) are perfect with the fish croquettes, they easily stand on their own too.
Salmon Croquettes vs Salmon Patties
So if you’re wondering, what’s the difference between salmon croquettes and salmon patties? The answer is…not much.
Salmon croquettes are a traditional Southern recipe and are often made with Southern spices, though I kept this recipe pretty simple on the seasoning. Croquettes are also usually rolled in breadcrumbs for the extra crispy outside. Salmon patties, on the other hand, have a more general interpretation and can mean croquettes or patties without the breadcrumbs, different seasonings, etc.
They’re pretty similar, though, so whether you call them croquettes or patties, they’re just as tasty!
Is Salmon Healthy?
Yes! Salmon is healthy and has lots of omega-3s that can help with everything from memory and brain health to eyesight and inflammation. It’s also high in protein and pretty low in carbs, which is one of the reasons I love cooking with it. Even though these salmon croquettes do contain some breadcrumbs and butter, they are still fairly healthy thanks to the salmon.
What You’ll Need
If you have salmon in the house, you likely have everything you need to make these easy croquettes! Plus the avocado salsa is made with just 3 ingredients and the skillet potatoes are super easy too!
For the Croquettes
- Cooked salmon – Leftover salmon works great for this recipe. Otherwise, you can grill, pan-fry, or bake the salmon to use in these croquettes. You can even cook the salmon a day or two in advance as part of your meal prep to make this dinner even easier. Canned salmon also works for this recipe.
- Butter – I like to cook these in a combination of butter and oil for an extra crispy outside and the best flavor.
- Onions & bell pepper – Adding these gives the salmon lots of flavor. I used yellow bell pepper but any will do.
- Cilantro
- Egg – Helps the croquettes hold their form.
- Bread crumbs – Regular ‘ol breadcrumbs work just fine in this recipe.
- Salt & pepper
- Lemon pepper – Optional but I love how the lemon complements the other flavors.
- Light cooking oil – Canola, peanut, and vegetable oil will all work here.
For the Avocado Salsa
- Avocado – Haas avocados are my preference as they have much more flavor than other varieties. Try to get one that’s perfectly ripe, if possible.
- Tomato – I used a roma tomato but other varieties will work.
- Lime – Make sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice.
- Cilantro
- Salt & pepper
For the Skillet Fries
- Baked potatoes – My favorite way to use up leftovers!
- Butter
- Light oil – Whatever you used for the croquettes is perfect here.
- Salt & pepper
How to Make Salmon Croquettes with Avocado Salsa
These salmon croquettes make a great weeknight meal as they come together so quickly. Plus the avocado salsa requires just 5 minutes of prep!
- Make the salmon mixture. Sautee the onions and peppers in butter until they become tender. In a separate bowl, crumble the precooked salmon. Stir in the peppers and onions, cilantro, egg, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, and seasonings. Combine well.
- Form the patties. Divide the mixture into equal-sized patties. Once formed, dip them in the remaining breadcrumbs.
- Fry the croquettes. In the same pan, heat butter and olive oil. Place the salmon patties into the hot pan, frying 2-3 minutes per side. They should have a darker golden brown crispy crust when formed.
- Make the avocado salsa. Combine all ingredients together, ensuring that the lime coats all sides of the avocado. Serve with the salmon croquettes or tortilla chips as an appetizer.
How to Make Skillet Fries Using Leftover Baked Potatoes
Whether you make them with the salmon croquettes or on their own, skillet fries are super easy to make.
- Cut the potatoes. Cut your baked potatoes into large wedges.
- Cook until crispy. Heat oil and butter in the same pan. Add the wedges. After they are brown and crispy on one side, flip to the other. Once they’re crisp to your liking, remove from the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired, and enjoy!
Can I Make Croquettes With Other Types of Fish?
I’m going to be honest, buying salmon is a rare occurrence in our house because it is pretty pricey. If salmon isn’t in your budget or you don’t have any on hand, you can also make fish croquettes with a cheaper white fish or even canned tuna. You can also make it with canned salmon.
The flavor will be slightly different, of course, but all variations are equally delicious.
Can I Make These in the Oven?
Yes, if you prefer an alternative to frying, you can bake these salmon patties instead. You’ll want to arrange the croquettes on a baking sheet, spray the tops with nonstick spray, and bake at 400F for about 8 minutes. Flip, spray the tops again and return to the oven for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
Note that baked salmon croquettes will be drier than the pan-fried version.
Side Dish Suggestions
Fish croquettes can be served with a variety of sides. If I’m not opting for the avocado salsa and fries combo, I’ll usually serve them with a side salad or vegetables. Here are a few options:
- Iceberg Wedge Salad
- Caesar Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Cauliflower Au Gratin
If desired, you can also serve these salmon patties with a side of tartar sauce or a slice of lime to squeeze over it.
How to Store Leftovers
- How to store leftovers. Leftover salmon croquettes and skillet fries can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. The avocado salsa will only last about a day or less before the avocado begins to brown.
- How to reheat leftovers. You can reheat both the salmon croquettes and skillet fries on the stovetop or microwave.
- Can I freeze salmon croquettes? Yes, you can freeze these croquettes for up to 3 months. I recommend flash-freezing them on a pan lined with parchment paper first. Then transfer to a freezer safe container. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Salmon Recipes:
- Honey Glazed Sesame Salmon
- Asian Salmon
- Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter Bread Crumbs
- Mom’s Famous Salmon Dip
Salmon Croquettes
Ingredients
For the Salmon Croquettes
- 16 oz cooked salmon approximately – when I crumbled it all, I had about 2 1/2 cups of meat
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper diced, any color will do-I used yellow
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup plain bread crumbs divided
- salt
- pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper optional
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon light cooking oil such as canola, peanut or vegetable
For the Avocado Salsa
- 1 large Haas avocado diced, try to get a ripe one
- 1 roma tomato diced
- juice of 1 lime
- 3 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- salt
- pepper
For the Skillet Fries
- 2 baked potatoes leftovers, baby!
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon light oil for frying see above
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
For the Salmon Croquettes
- In large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Sautee onions and peppers on medium heat until they become tender, about 5 minutes.
- In large bowl, crumble precooked salmon into large chunks. Gently stir in cooked vegetables, cilantro, egg, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs and seasonings until combined.
- Divide mixture into equal sized patties. I made 8 medium sized ones. Once patties are formed dip in remaining 1/3 cup breadcrumbs.
- Using the same pan you cooked your vegetables in, heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil on medium to medium high heat. Place your formed patties into hot pan. Fry 2-3 minutes per side or until darker golden brown crispy crust has formed. Once they have completed cooking, serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree oven.
For the Avocado Salsa
- In small bowl, combine all ingredients together being sure all cut sides of avocado have had contact with lime juice to prevent oxidation -ie browning. Serve with salmon croquettes or tortilla chips. Tasty tasty stuff this is!
For the Skillet Fries
- Cut baked potatoes into large wedges. In large skillet heat oil and butter to medium high heat. Place wedges cut side down into pan. Let potatoes brown and get crispy on one side before flipping to the other. Brown potatoes to your liking. Once brown, remove potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper immediately. Great with any meal! Fabulous fries!
This might be the perfect recipe for some salmon patties!
I never like to eat leftover salmon, but I didn’t want to throw it out. My husband said we had avocados too, so I googled them both and found your recipe. I used a regular tomato for the salsa and left out the lemon pepper for the salmon since we didn’t have any. I loved the salsa and it really livened up the salmon. I made the potato wedges too from some golden yukons. I had to cook them first in the microwave. They were so creamy on the inside and crispy on the out. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful meal. I put it in my recipes to keep folder in Google Drive. Now I know what to do with my leftover salmon!