Croquettes are a classic fried dish that can contain potatoes, meat, or seafood. This version is similar to a crab cake but is made with canned tuna, and fried in the recognizable croquette shape. You can swap the tuna for canned salmon if desired, just don't forget to remove any bones and drain the fish first.
These tuna croquettes can be mixed up ahead of time since they need to sit in the fridge for at least three hours before frying. Prep everything the night before or that morning and stick the mixture in the fridge. When it's time to eat, all you have to do is form the croquettes and fry them.
Double this recipe if you're feeding a crowd. Croquettes make a nice party food since they can be prepped ahead of time and fried before guests arrive. Just make sure the mixture has long enough in the refrigerator before forming and frying, since they'll fall apart in the frying pan if they aren't properly chilled. Serve with tartar sauce or another sauce, such as mustard, sour cream, or ketchup.
If you're serving these as a lunch or dinner main dish, serve with fresh peas and mashed potatoes or potato salad.
Ingredients
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1/2 cup finely chopped onion
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1 clove garlic, minced
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1/4 cup flour
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/8 teaspoon paprika
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1 cup whole milk
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1 (12-ounce) can light chunk tuna, drained
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2/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
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1 large egg
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1 tablespoon water
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2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
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Tartar sauce, for serving
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté the onion and garlic until tender.
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Add the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika and cook, stirring, until the mixture bubbles. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
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Add the milk, and cook, stirring with a whisk, until the sauce thickens and bubbles.
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Add the drained tuna and mix gently but thoroughly with a spoon.
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Put the tuna mixture into a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
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When you're ready to eat, moisten your hands with some water and shape the tuna mixture into 8 oval patties.
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In a heavy, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil to 350 F.
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In a shallow dish, add the breadcrumbs.
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Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water in another shallow dish.
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Coat a croquette with the dry breadcrumbs, then dip into the egg mixture.
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Place the croquette back in the breadcrumbs and coat again. Repeat with all of the croquettes.
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Gently place the croquettes into the hot oil using a spider or spatula and deep-fry for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
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Drain the tuna croquettes on paper towels for a couple of minutes.
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Serve hot with tartar sauce for dipping.
Tips
- This recipe is easy to double or triple, depending on the amount you need.
- Use canned salmon in place of the tuna.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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530 | Calories |
33g | Fat |
26g | Carbs |
32g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 530 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 33g | 42% |
Saturated Fat 9g | 45% |
Cholesterol 116mg | 39% |
Sodium 407mg | 18% |
Total Carbohydrate 26g | 10% |
Dietary Fiber 2g | 5% |
Total Sugars 6g | |
Protein 32g | |
Vitamin C 2mg | 9% |
Calcium 126mg | 10% |
Iron 2mg | 13% |
Potassium 649mg | 14% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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