Transform Bland Canned Tuna Into Deliciously Crispy Croquettes

Canned tuna is oftentimes a mainstay in the pantry of any frugal cook. It's a quick and low-effort way to add protein to myriad dishes, from niçoise salad and pasta to simple sandwiches and melts. But as much as we love it in its most bare-bones applications, it deserves to be dressed up once in a while. Enter tuna croquettes. This appetizer is the perfect way to jazz up the otherwise humble ingredient and impress your friends with something that looks more involved than it actually is. 

To put it crudely for the uninitiated, a croquette is a fancy word for a deep-fried ball of breadcrumbs. The snackable dish runs the gamut of fillings, but typically the ingredients inside are soft and creamy — the ideal counterpart for a crispy exterior. When mixed with the right add-ins, canned tuna is the perfect croquette contender. Here's how to make them at home.

For two reasons, making croquettes is sort of like making pancakes. Firstly, you might find it helpful to follow a recipe the first time around, but it's so simple that you'll probably have the method memorized by the second batch. Secondly, they're super adaptable when it comes to filling. 

If you're ready to try your hand at making this dish, try our potato croquette recipe and just add in two five-ounce cans of tuna. We also suggest sprinkling in some dill, lemon juice, or even Dijon mustard to take things up a notch. Once you've combined your ingredients and formed your mixture into balls, it's time to fry them. 

To cook the croquettes, cover the bottom of a skillet in olive oil and add them in small batches over medium heat until they're golden brown all over. Since canned tuna is already cooked, each batch only needs a couple of minutes. We suggest hitting them with flaky salt when they're still hot. As Ina Garten would say, how easy is that?

Croquettes are delicious on their own, but like so many fried dishes, they're even better with a creamy dip on the side. This is a textbook choose-your-own-adventure situation, but we recommend whipping up something tangy to counteract the heaviness of the fried exterior and to complement the tuna filling. Whatever dip path you choose, this part should only take you a few minutes and will seriously level up the overall dish. 

If you put us in charge, we'd spoon Greek yogurt or labneh into a bowl with lemon juice, salt and pepper, capers, and fresh dill, plus some extra capers on top that have been fried to a shattering crisp in olive oil. In a rush, we might simply mix Dijon and Kewpie mayo together with a dash of grated garlic and a quick chop of any fresh herbs that happen to be on hand. A little pop of green will go a long way in curbing the richness of the croquettes.