If you have never tried a salmon fritter before, let me tell you, you are in for an amazing experience. I will walk you through step-by-step just how to create the crispy salmon fritters at home. I promise your friends and family are going to love these.
If you love salmon, let me share a few others that I love.
I grew in up Alaska and we ate a lot of salmon, but I never appreciated it at that time, it was just always around. But let me tell you, moving away from my home state changed all that.
You see I grew up in a large family- there were 10 of us kids (I know, I know. I have heard all the jokes about my parents and nothing else to do with their time in the long dark winter...)
Anyway, in Alaska, each family can subsistence fish in our area. The number of fish you are allotted depends on the number of people in your family. For most years our family was allowed at least 100 salmon. Let me say that Coho salmon are my favorite (silver salmon). The flavor is my preference as it is higher in fat.
Why Do You Need To Add These Crispy Salmon Fritters To Your Menu?
There are several reasons you think need to add this to your menu and let me share them with you.
First, the flavor is awesome. As mentioned above, even people who don't like salmon, love these fritters.
Second, the method I showcase for this recipe produces the best crispy fritters. They are perfectly crispy on the outside, and soft and tender on the inside.
Third, this is the perfect fried dish not just as a meal, but also can be used as an appetizer.
Ingredients
- Salmon- I used canned salmon, but I will also show below how to use fresh salmon.
- All-purpose flour- This is used as a binder.
- Eggs- I separate my eggs and will show this method below.
- Seasonings- salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc.
- Oil- for frying. No, you cannot bake these. I don't fry often, but this is one recipe I ALWAYS fry.
How To Make
- Heat your oil while you are making the salmon fritters. It needs to be hot before you finish the fritters.
- Start by flaking your salmon or draining it if you are using canned salmon.
- Separate eggs. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
- Add the flour, seasonings, and egg yolks to the salmon. Mix it well.
- Fold in the stiff egg whites.
- Scoop the fritter batter into the hot oil. Fry until it is golden brown all the way around.
Salmon
There are 2 types of salmon to use. The first is canned salmon, which I prefer. Make sure it is drained well as you don't want the extra liquid in there.
The second is with a fresh filet. Simple sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bake at 425 for about 10 minutes. Once it has cooled, flake it and it is ready to use. I used this method. You can see in the 1st photo, I had baked my salmon the day before and kept it in the fridge until it was ready.
I am from Alaska, so you can imagine, I have some strong preferences on the type of salmon. Silver salmon, sometimes called Coho are my favorite. They are a little harder to find, but well worth it if you can. To me, they taste the best! Red or sockeye salmon are also a favorite. We ate these the most growing. King is also ok, but I don't recommend it. My least favorite is pink or chum salmon. In Alaska, these are referred to as "Dog Salmon". Yes, that was what got fed to the dogs.
Eggs
Aside from the salmon, the most important part of this fritter-making process is the eggs. Many recipes have you add in the whole egg at once. Let me teach you a better way.
The secret to the light fluffy, but crispy on the outside fritters is to add the yolk of the eggs to the flaked salmon. Mix it in with the flour and seasonings. Then beat your egg whites to stiff peaks and FOLD in. This makes the batter light and airy, ready for frying.
Frying The Best Salmon Fritters
When it comes to frying your fritters, heat matters. Make sure that the oil is about 365-375 degrees. You want to fry these pretty quickly, so I fry at a higher temp.
Drop salmon fritters into grease with a portion scoop. I used this medium-sized OXO cookie scoop for a nice round shape. Plus, this is smaller and the fritters fry up quickly.
Remove the fritters once they are golden brown. Drain well, and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
The Finished Salmon Fritters
We served our salmon fritters with coleslaw and included that recipe below. If slaw isn't your thing, any side dish you love will work. Below this photo, you will find several side dishes we love in our family.
If you are looking for a fun mocktail to serve with these, how about a raspberry mojito? Or if mojitos aren't your thing, maybe a grapefruit mint mocktail. If none of those sound good, a virgin pina colada is a great choice as well!
I also love to squeeze a little bit of lemon juice on the fritters. Lemon plus salmon is perfection! But let's just take a minute and look at how beautiful these salmon fritters are!
What kind of salmon is best to use?
I am from Alaska, so you can imagine, I have some strong preferences on the type of salmon. Silver salmon, sometimes called Coho are my favorite. They are a little harder to find, but well worth it if you can. To me, they taste the best!
Red or sockeye salmon are also a favorite. We ate these the most growing. King is also ok. My least favorite is pink or chum salmon. In Alaska, these are referred to as "Dog Salmon". Yes, that was what got fed to the dogs.
Do I have to separate the eggs?
To get the best fritter possible, yes. You need those beaten egg whites to not only help with the crispy outside but also for the structure.
If you are looking for some side dish recipes to accompany the fritters, let me make a few suggestions:
- Skillet Cornbread is the perfect side for these fritters!
- Couscous Veggie Salad
- Broccoli and Cheese Bites
- Corn and Millet Fritters
- Healthy Ambrosia Salad
- Creamy Wild Rice Casserole
Salmon Fritter
Ingredients
- 2 cups flaked salmon You can either bake a fillet at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes. Let it cool and flake, or you can open a can of canned salmon. Make sure if you use canned salmon to drain really well.
- 4 eggs, separated
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dill weed
- 1 teaspoon parsley, fried or fresh chopped
- canola oil, or oil of choice for frying. You will need enough to give you about 1 ½ inches in whatever pan you are frying in.
Instructions
- Start heating oil in heavy bottom pan. You want it to be hot and ready by the time you are done mixing ingredients. I like my oil to be about 370-375 degrees for frying.Now, here is one thing about frying- as long as your oil is nice and hot, oil absorption into your food is minimal. The cooler the oil, the more it will absorb into your food, yuck!
- Add salmon, egg yolks, flour and spices to medium sized bowl. Mix well.
- In another bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the salmon mixture. Now, it is ready to fry!
- Drop carefully by spoonfuls into the hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally until the salmon fritters are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, draining. Place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb the rest of the oil.
- Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Barbara Massey says
I am Amy's mother, and I have always canned my own salmon, the ones that we caught here in Alaska. When I used the canned salmon it was usually for making salmon patties. This recipe for salmon fritters is delicious! I think I like it even better than the usual salmon patties. Thank you, Amy!
admin says
Oh hi mom!! Thank you for the comment and trying the fritters. Love you!
Heather says
Trying to follow this recipe currently and in the description you gave, you said stuff peaks for the egg white but at the directions on the bottom you put soft peaks. Which is correct?
admin says
Sorry about the confusion. I will change that right now. It should be stiff peaks! I hope you love these as much as we do!