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Fish, European

Shrimp croquettes with fried parsley and salad

Shrimp croquettes are a Belgian specialty made from thick bechamel and small gray shrimp, coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden. This recipe serves 4, takes about 1.5 hours including 2 hours of chilling, is medium difficulty, and costs €4.50 per person. The key to success is a very thick, fully chilled bechamel before shaping.

Tonight it's a classic from the Belgian coast, shrimp croquettes crisp outside and creamy inside, with fried parsley and a wedge of lemon.

Shrimp croquettes with fried parsley and salad
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.50
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Shrimp croquettes live on contrast, a golden crackling shell giving way to a creamy, briny filling scented with nutmeg. Gray shrimp bring a subtle, delicate sea flavor, quite different from the bigger pink shrimp you might be used to. A few seconds of frying turns fresh parsley into a crisp, slightly bitter garnish that balances the richness of the filling.

This is a recipe for a slow Sunday or a meal where you want to treat yourself without rushing, since the bechamel needs real chilling time that can't be skipped. Kids generally love the crunchy shell and mild shrimp flavor, as long as you go easy on the pepper. Serve plenty of green salad and lemon alongside, since this dish is fairly rich on its own.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Peeled gray shrimp 300 g

Dairy

  • Butter 70 g
  • Milk 50 cl
  • Eggs 2

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 70 g
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 150 g
  • Flour for coatingoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 50 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Parsley 1 bunch
  • Lemon 2
  • Green salad 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs, Shellfish

The step by step recipe

  1. Melt the butter, add the flour, then whisk in the milk little by little for a thick bechamel. 10 min

    The bechamel should be very thick, almost like a paste.

  2. Add the shrimp, nutmeg, salt and pepper, spread on a plate and let cool in the fridge. 2 h

    Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

  3. Shape into small cylinders, roll them in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs.

    Double coat for an extra crispy crust.

  4. Fry at 180°C in small batches until nicely golden. Drop the parsley into the oil for a few seconds. 8 min

    Drain on paper towels.

  5. Serve the croquettes with the fried parsley, lemon and green salad.

    Squeeze the lemon over the croquettes right before eating.

Our tips to get it right

  • Weigh the flour and butter in equal amounts, that ratio is what gives you a bechamel firm enough to hold its shape in the fryer.
  • Shape the croquettes with slightly damp hands instead of floured ones, the bechamel sticks less and the shape stays clean.
  • Test the oil temperature with a small piece of bread, it should turn golden in under a minute, otherwise the croquettes soak up too much oil.
  • Never crowd the fryer, frying too many croquettes at once drops the oil temperature and they turn greasy instead of crisp.

The variations

  • Swap the gray shrimp for peeled pink shrimp, roughly chopped, if you can't find gray ones, the flavor will be a bit milder.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp with finely chopped button mushrooms sautéed in butter before folding them into the bechamel.
  • To go faster with kids, shape smaller, flatter patties instead of cylinders, they cook faster and are easier for little hands to hold.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with light vinaigrette
  • Fresh lemon wedges
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

Raw, breaded croquettes keep for 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container, before frying. They freeze very well uncooked, fry them straight from frozen without thawing, adding a bit of cooking time. Once fried, eat them the same day to keep the crisp coating.

Questions about this dish

Why is my bechamel too soft to shape into croquettes?

This usually means it hasn't chilled long enough or wasn't cooked thick enough to start. Let it chill at least 2 hours in the fridge, covered directly with plastic wrap, until it feels firm like dough before shaping.

Can you prepare the croquettes ahead of time?

Yes, you can shape and bread the croquettes the day before, then keep them chilled in a sealed container. All that's left is frying them right before serving so they stay crisp.

Do shrimp croquettes freeze well?

Yes, once shaped and breaded, freeze them raw on a tray, then transfer to a bag. Fry them straight from frozen, adding one to two extra minutes of cooking time.

Can you use a different shrimp instead of gray shrimp?

Gray shrimp give this Belgian recipe its signature flavor, but you can substitute roughly chopped pink shrimp. The result will be slightly less delicate but still tasty.

How long does it take to make shrimp croquettes with fried parsley, lemon and salad?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in shrimp croquettes with fried parsley, lemon and salad?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does shrimp croquettes with fried parsley, lemon and salad cost?

About €4.50 per serving, or €18.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs, shellfish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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