There is a special kind of magic that happens when a family recipe stands the test of time. It bridges the gap between generations, turning an ordinary dinner into a moment of pure connection. This recipe for simple, crispy fish cakes comes to us from Naomi Ross, who inherited it from her grandmother, Sylvia.
Grandma Sylvia knew exactly how to turn humble kitchen staples into a comforting masterpiece. Made with either fresh leftovers or high-quality canned salmon, these croquettes feature a beautifully golden, pan-seared exterior that gives way to a tender, savory center. When topped with a generous pile of fried onions, they become a showstopper. Serve them hot, family-style, with a big bowl of creamy mashed potatoes and a fresh, crisp salad on the table, and you have a meal that feels like a warm hug from the past—perfect for creating new memories around your own Shabbat table.
Grandma Sylvia’s Salmon Croquettes with Fried Onions
Servings
Ingredients
Salmon Croquettes
- 2 15-ounce cans salmon
- 1 large onion finely grated or puréed
- 4 eggs well beaten
- 1 cup matzo meal
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable or Canola oil
Crispy Onions
- 2 medium onions quartered and thinly sliced (about ¼” thick)
- Vegetable or Canola oil
Instructions
Salmon Croquettes
- Drain cans of salmon, reserving the juices in a separate small bowl. Place salmon in a large mixing bowl. Carefully remove the skin and bones from salmon and discard.
- Mash salmon until smooth and pieces are broken up. Add the onion, eggs, matzo meal and 2 tablespoons of the reserved salmon juices (or more to taste). Mix to blend until consistency is a mostly smooth batter. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Using your hands, form patties from the mixture (about ¼”-1/3” thick). Add enough additional oil to the reserved skillet to bring the level of oil up to 1/3” depth. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat until oil is hot. Carefully place patties in skillet and fry until nicely browned, turning only once – about 3-5 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan. Remove croquettes and transfer to a large platter lined with paper towels to drain.
- Repeat with remaining patties. Serve hot, topped with fried onions and enjoy.
Fried Onions
- Add a generous layer of oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet (about ¼” depth), and place over medium heat for a few minutes until the oil is hot (you can test this by adding one piece of onion – if it sizzles upon contact, then the oil is hot enough).
- Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes or until the onions are golden brown. Remove skillet from heat. Remove onions with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, reserving cooking oil in pan.
1 egg, much less matza meal to hold it together and a good squirt of ketchup. No onions in mix. Form into patties and coat in matza meal . Fry either onions and a little margarine or bake in oven great hot or cold
so you didn’t make them!
Great ideas, thanks for sharig.
Here in England we usually eat these cold. When I make them I don’t use as many eggs as this recipe, so they are firmer. And I don’t put salt in, as canned salmon has added salt.
On the recipe ‘Grandma Sylvia’s Salmon Croquettes with Fried..’ you said that you baked the croquettes. Can we know at what temperature and how long? Thank you.
judyl,
I live in Israel and am so excited about your tip. I would much rather use fresh salmon than the canned. It is also easier to find fresh salmon than canned.
Thanks so much,
Ita
I’ve started making these with either fresh or frozen salmon. My fish store in Israel defrosts a whole salmon fillet for me and chops it into small pieces (as opposed to grinding it), it holds it shape better and then I add the other ingredients. I think that this is much better than using canned salmon. I even freeze the leftovers and warm them up in the toaster oven.
I made these and made a few changes. I didn’t bother taking out the bones & skin of the salmon as I just put all the ingredients in my food processor and pulsed until smooth. I also used whole wheat matzo meal to up the nutritional value. And finally, I used a non-stick skillet and only used non-stick spray instead of oil. They were great. I didn’t use the onions as my kids wouldn’t like it and I didn’t want to bother for just my husband and me.
Ben, you make an excellent point about seasoning food before cooking. May I suggest that you season and taste before adding the eggs. Otherwise, add about 1/8 tsp of salt per tin of fish and 2-3 grinds of pepper. Or, you can fry one croquette and taste it, and then add a little more salt and pepper to the ‘batter’ if you think it needs it. Hope this helps.
I made these today but used 2 cans of tuna (I really dislike canned salmon) and halved the other ingredients. I ended up with 8 croquettes. I fried them in grapeseed oil, since canola is kitniyot. They were really tasty. I didn’t want to use fried onions, so I made a dipping sauce with light mayonnaise and pizza sauce (because I had an open jar in the fridge) and a tablespoon of fresh dill. Believe it or not – it worked! Everybody loved the combination.
Excuse this venting but: In general I don’t understand recipes that tell me to put in enough pepper, salt or whatever to taste when I haven’t made the recipe before and I am adding it when the food is still in an inedible state. How am I supposed to know how much “to taste”. I would love the “to taste” be accompanied by some guide that can be then adjusted by the person doing the recipe.
I made these last night for dinner. Baked, instead of fried. they were delicious. served with a lemon dill sauce, green salad and sweet potato fluff. Too good.