Ahi Tuna Croquettes with Panko & Lemon-Dijon Sauce
Ahi Tuna Croquettes with Capers and Parsley
These breaded croquettes use finely chopped raw yellowfin tuna, an egg binder and a separate panko coating. They differ from unbreaded tuna cakes in both texture and preparation. Make eight croquettes for four servings with sides, or eight individual appetizers.
Allow about 20 minutes for preparation, 30 minutes of refrigerator chilling and additional cooking time, which varies with thickness and batch size.
Ingredients
Croquette Mixture
- 1 lb raw yellowfin tuna, finely chopped into roughly ¼-inch pieces
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¼ cup very finely diced onion
- 1 tablespoon drained, chopped capers
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- Black pepper and a little salt if needed
Coating and Cooking
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 additional egg, beaten
- ¾ cup panko for coating, plus more if needed
- About ¼ cup neutral cooking oil for pan-frying, adjusted to the skillet
Lemon-Dijon Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha, optional
Mix, Shape and Bread
- Mix sauce in a clean bowl and refrigerate it. Keep it separate from raw fish and the breading station.
- Pat thawed tuna dry and chop without blending it to a paste. Fold together the croquette ingredients. Do not taste the raw fish-and-egg mixture.
- Divide into eight patties about ½ inch thick. Refrigerate on a lined tray for about 30 minutes to firm. If the mixture remains too loose to handle, fold in a little extra panko rather than forcing it into shape.
- Put flour, the second beaten egg and coating panko in separate shallow dishes. Coat each patty lightly in flour, dip in egg and cover with panko. Discard leftover coating ingredients that contacted raw fish or egg.
Pan-Frying
Heat a shallow layer of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook in batches with space between croquettes, turning carefully when the underside is golden. Reduce heat if the coating browns before the middle cooks.
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Check the center of a thicker croquette with a food thermometer and cook this egg-bound mixture to 160°F internally. A browned exterior or fixed two-minute cook does not establish that temperature. Transfer to a clean plate or rack and serve promptly with the sauce.
Oven Option
Heat the oven to 400°F. Put croquettes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush or spray the tops lightly with oil. Turn carefully during baking and begin checking around 15 minutes; this is a checkpoint, not a guaranteed finish time. Continue until the centers reach 160°F. The coating will differ from the pan-fried version.
Reference: FoodSafety.gov minimum temperatures for egg dishes and leftovers.
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Serving and Storage
Serve with lemon wedges, a green salad or roasted vegetables. Tartar sauce or a small amount of wasabi mayonnaise can replace the lemon-Dijon sauce. Check labels for fish, egg, wheat and mustard ingredients relevant to your guests.
Keep shaped croquettes refrigerated until cooking and follow the shortest applicable ingredient storage directions. Shaping and breading do not restart the fish's storage life. Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly; reheat to 165°F internally, allowing for a change in crispness.
Choose Fish and Related Recipes
Frozen Yellowfin Steaks and Yellowfin Saku Blocks are uncooked formats. Their 5 lb and 10 lb options describe total order weights; this recipe uses 1 lb. Follow package thawing and wrapping directions.
This recipe is not formulated around drained canned fish. For cooked or canned tuna, try albacore patties. For an unbreaded yellowfin preparation, see ahi tuna cakes. Browse the Tuna Collection.
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