Tuna Croquettes are Hearty and Simple to Make!
Twenty minutes is all it takes to create these simple tuna croquettes (and some people call them patties!)
Gorgeous, lightly fried tuna croquettes pack loads of flavor!
Our family has been making this super-easy recipe (and loads of other amazing tuna recipes for years and it’s a “go-to” meal that our family craves!
Why will Your Family love these Simple Tuna Croquettes?
The same reason we do!
There’s no chopping, grounding, thawing or pounding meat required!
And they taste amazing good. Good enough to serve to visitors too!
For health and lazy cooking reasons, tuna is an absolute staple in our home.
Every month we stock up at least 12 cans of tuna — sometimes 20!
I love to grab a pouch or can of tuna on a busy night and whip up one of my fave tuna recipes — 15 Minute Cheesy Tuna skillet, easy bacon and tuna salad tuna melts or Super-fresh Tuna Salad.
I have an inkling that right now your life is crazy busy.
So busy that getting shot, homemade meal on the table in a hurry seems like a total dream.
Simple tuna croquettes are just one of our awesome, super-easy, but crazy yummy recipes we create for people just like you!
Tuna Croquettes are Ready in Minutes!
If you’re taxed on time, but crave homemade family meals, stick around. We have oodles of those up our sleeves!
You can start planning some easy meals by checking out oureasy and quick recipes to make up your weekly meal plans!
But back to our most important subject at hand: tuna croquettes.
How my relationship with Tuna Croquettes began.
Growing up my grandmother always made salmon croquettes, Southern, buttermilk biscuits and even salmon gravy.
Did you know salmon gravy was an actual thing?
We loved it!
Tuna Croquettes Were Inspired By Grandma!
When I walked into my grandmother’s house and smelled those familiar smells of sizzling salmon croquettes and bubbling gravy, my heart would find a happy place. <3
Once I became old enough to appreciate the art of cooking, I immediately begged my grandmother for her recipe.
She laughed and gave me her Southern grandma recipe.
She didn’t want to keep it a secret because she knew her granddaughter could pass on her cooking legacy!
And we’ve included a step-by-step recipe video for you to follow below!
Tuna Croquettes are Perfect for Tight Budgets!
Fast forward 10 years and I’m grocery shopping — on a teeny, tiny budget.
When I came to the canned salmon area of the store, my mouth dropped open. Salmon had gotten expensive!
Those price kept walking right past the canned fish aisle, but still something inside me craved the familiar aroma of salmon croquettes.
What’s a budget-friendly shopper suppose to do?
Splurge and grab the over-priced fish and move on with life?
Nah…
Look for a solution from a different angle, right?!
And then…LIGHTBULB!
I could totally substitute tuna!
But I made the substitution without telling a soul. (Begin mischievous giggle.)
I just served them up and everyone thought they were our classic salmon patties with a spicier, lemony twist!
I even served them for a pot-luck and people were saying, “Mmm…these are good salmon patties!”
And that is the story of my win-win decision on switching out tuna for salmon.
The end.
Make Tuna Croquettes Today!
Ha! just kidding…the recipe is still below!
I do add fresh lime (you can use lemon or lime) to my recipe as well as some chili pepper to season things up a bit.
I hope Grandma doesn’t mind…;0)
She truly inspired my original recipe below, but my kitchen is an adventure. And with adventure, comes change.
After many years of perfecting this simple tuna croquette recipe, I finally made the brilliant switch to flour and panko bread crumbs.
Panko Bread Crumbs Make Tuna Croquettes PERFECT!
Those bread crumbs are just plain amazing.
Have you tried them yet?
Those are the very same bread crumbs that gives one of my fave Middle-Eastern dishes the perfect crunch.
Do you know what dish that is?
Falafel.
Mushed up chickpeas that are dipped in panko bread crumbs and fried.
Mmmm-hmmm…..amazing flavor!
Now, WHY would I challenge you to a tuna adventure?
Make Tuna Croquettes in 20 Minutes or Less
Because these gorgeous croquettes are sizzling hot and ready after only 20 minutes!
Add a fresh salad and a side of Jasmine rice (we live in SE Asia, so it’s always a staple!) and you’re set for a simple, crazy-yummy meal!
There’s some heat in this recipe, but and my kids don’t even think they’re — and they’re definitely on the spice patrol team!
The other night I made my updated tuna croquette recipe (the one with the lime, onion, chili pepper and panko bread crumbs) for my onion-loathing daughter.
Her response?
“You know what mom? These taste deliciousoso (that’s her new word), even though they have onions in them!”
Honest recipe review from a kid. No prompting needed.
This is also a frugal meal. With beef prices so steep, tuna is a welcome main dish in our family. I believe in frugal, simple, quick and no-fuss meals.
Of course they have to taste great too!
Ready to have a tasty new dish to serve your family that only takes minutes to prepare?
Grab a can of tuna and get cooking!
Simple Tuna Croquettes
Ingredients:
- (1) five ounce can of tuna or (1) five ounce pouch of tuna
- 2 eggs
- 1 onion, diced and sauteed
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime or juice
- cooking oil
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl, place tuna and shred with hand until tuna is in tiny pieces.
- Add remaining ingredients — except Panko bread crumbs — and stir and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Fold in bread crumbs.
- In large skillet, heat a 1/2 inch inch of cooking oil on medium-high heat.
- Quickly, make croquettes a little bigger than the palm of your hand and slowly place in hot oil.
- Fry croquettes until golden brown (approximately 3 minutes per side) and then flip.
- Once patties are browned on both sides, drain off grease.
- Continue for all croquettes.
- Optional — Give each croquette a squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving.
