With only a handful of ingredients, my mother-in-law's traditional Spanish ham croquettes recipe is the best I've ever tried. In only 30 minutes, you can whip up a batch of croquette dough too. It's easier than you might think!
Looking for more tasty croquettes? Make sure to try my recipes for salt cod croquettes and potato croquettes!
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Introduction
Croquettes are small rolls made from a mixture of olive oil, butter, flour, and milk flavored with Serrano ham and deep-fried to crispy perfection. (Although, if you’re like the locals in Spain, you might want to try more adventurous flavors, like mushroom or even chocolate!)
Even though they originated as a poor man’s food, they have become a beloved tapa throughout Spain. Their creamy filling is bursting with flavor, and leaves many wondering whether they're eating cheesy, ham-flavored mashed potatoes.
Like me, you might be surprised to hear that there isn’t any cheese in croquetas de jamón. How can they be so creamy and delicious without it? This recipe proves that the secrets are patience and béchamel sauce!
Now that you know the secret, there’s no excuse not to make these easy and tasty tidbits of Spanish goodness!
Why This Recipe Works
- These croquettes are never oily or cold in the center.
- This recipe will make croquetas that are impossibly light! You'll never guess that flour is the main ingredient.
- This is my twist on a family recipe from my Spanish mother-in-law, and it won't disappoint.
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to make your own mouthwatering ham croquettes? Here's a few of the key ingredients you'll need!
- Serrano Ham: In Spain, we make these croquettes using cured jamón -- either Serrano (most common) or Iberian. Read about the differences here.
- Butter: While some recipes use only olive oil, I think that the butter makes the filling much more light and creamy.
- Onion: Traditional croquettes always use onion, which adds a great flavor to the mixture.
- Milk: Use whole milk, preferably at room temperature. This is not the recipe to try to cut calories!
- Breadcrumbs: Use the breadcrumbs of your choice. I personally love making croquettes with panko breadcrumbs -- they get super crispy!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Ham: You can substitute with the ham of your choice. Prosciutto works well, but any high-quality ham will be delicious.
- Butter: I'd recommend a mix of butter and extra virgin olive oil as my recipe instructs, but you could do 100% oil or 100% butter if you prefer.
- Frying Oil: Use the best quality you can -- preferably extra virgin olive oil. In Spain, we also fry our croquettes in olive oil, but any neutral frying oil will do if you must substitute.
- Flour: I have never experimented using different flours (or gluten-free ones) but I have heard of people being successful with a good GF blend. If you try it, leave us a comment below!
- Onion: You could substitute shallots or leeks.
- Vegetarian: Try my vegetarian potato croquettes recipe!
How to Make
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
Making the Dough
The dough for ham croquettes is really easy to make. You just need about 30 minutes and a strong arm. Let's go!
- Start by heating the butter and oil in a heavy pan.
- When fully melted and hot, add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes--until just starting to color.
3. Next, mix in the nutmeg and a pinch of salt.
4. Add the diced Serrano ham and cook for no more than a minute.
5. Add the flour and sauté, stirring constantly to cook the flour without burning it.
6. Once the flour has browned, it's time to add the milk.
7. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, over the next 15-20 minutes. Every time the mixture gets dry, add some more milk.
8. Once all the milk has been added and the dough is creamy and thick, remove it from the heat.
9. Pour the croquette dough into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the dough, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight).
10. When it's cool, take it out of the fridge and make little logs using spoons or a piping bag.
Breading & Frying
When the dough is completely chilled and you've formed your croquette logs, it's time to bread and fry them!
- First, prepare the breading steps of flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Bread each croquette in flour.
- Dip each croquette in egg.
- End the breading process by coating the logs in breadcrumbs.
- Place on top of wax paper if you wish so they don't stick.
5. Heat olive oil in a heavy frying pan and once hot (but not smoking), add the croquettes. Fry for 5 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure they brown evenly on all sides.
6. Drain on paper towel, and let them cool for a few minutes, then enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Jamón Serrano is a type of dry cured Spanish ham. It's one of the most popular types of ham in Spain, in part because it is less expensive than most Iberian ham (jamón Ibérico).
Croquettes in Spain are fried bechamel sauce fritters. They are a way to stretch leftovers by mixing them with creamy bechamel sauce (flour, butter/oil, and milk). Ham croquettes are the most popular variety in Spain, but others include chicken croquettes, mushroom croquettes, and spinach and pine nut croquettes.
Ham croquettes can be made well in advance. After making the croquette logs and breading them, you can keep them in the refrigerator for 24 hours (uncooked) and in the freezer (in an airtight container) for up to three months.
Once cooked, leftover croquettes will last in the fridge for up to three days. You can reheat them in a hot oven (350°F/170°C) for about 10-15 minutes.
Serve
Wondering what to serve with croquettes? Options are endless! Let me tell you about how we eat croquettes in Spain.
- On their own! You'll often see croquettes as an option on a menú del día for your main plate. Depending on the size you usually get 3-6 croquettes (often with french fries) as your main meal. They're popular on kids menus too!
- As a starter. Croquettes are often served as an appetizer when dining out with a group of friends. They're especially common in Spanish rice restaurants (arrocerías) where you'll get a croquette or two per person before the paella comes.
- As a tapa. Croquettes are a common tapa and one I always order when tapas hopping. When eating tapas for my meal I order 2-5 (depending on their size). Read more about what tapas are here and get a list (with recipes) of the top 30 Spanish tapas here.
Store
- Leftovers: Refrigerate extras for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Place in a hot oven (350°F/170°C) for about 10 minutes.
- Freezing: It's best to freeze the croquettes once they're breaded, but before they're deep fried. Seal in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost before frying.
Expert Tips
- The trick to creamy croquettes is to add the milk very slowly and to stir constantly.
- You can substitute prosciutto or Iberian ham for the jamón Serrano -- or any other high quality cured ham.
- Chill the dough quickly by spreading it in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and covering with plastic wrap, then freeze for about 30 minutes.
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Croquetas de Jamón Serrano Recipe - Traditional Spanish Ham Croquettes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 scant cup all-purpose flour
- 1 medium onion very finely diced
- 4 cups whole milk at room temperature
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 8 ounces Serrano ham finely diced
- 2 beaten eggs
- flour for breading
- breadcrumbs for breading
Instructions
- Heat the butter and oil in a heavy pan over medium high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the diced onion and sauté for a few minutes, until it just starts to color, then add a pinch of salt and the nutmeg. (Don't add too much salt, as the Serrano ham is already salty.)
- Add the diced ham and sauté for 30 seconds, then add the flour and stir continuously until the flour turns light brown. Don't stop stirring, or the flour will burn!
- When the flour changes color, gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. It should take about 15-20 minutes to add it all.
- Turn off the heat and let the dough cool to room temperature.
- Place the croquette dough inside of a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the surface of the dough to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- To make the ham croquettes, shape them into little logs with two spoons, or pipe the mixture with a pastry bag.
- Heat a pan of olive oil on the stove. Bread the croquettes by tossing them in flour, rolling them in beaten egg, and then coating them with the breadcrumbs.
- Fry the ham croquettes in the hot oil for 5 minutes, turning them halfway through so they brown evenly. Drain on paper towels to catch excess grease, and let them cool for a few minutes. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute prosciutto or Iberian ham for the jamón Serrano -- or any other high quality cured ham.
- The trick to creamy croquettes is to add the milk very slowly and to stir constantly.
- Chill the dough quickly by spreading it in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and covering with plastic wrap, then freeze for about 30 minutes.
- You can easily freeze the breaded prepared croquette logs. They'll last for three months in the freezer.
- If you have leftovers, they'll last up to three days in the fridge. To reheat, place in a hot oven (350°F/170°C) for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Sel Runn
Spending one summer in South Beach, (Miami Beach )
my abuela made these using fish, mild tasting. They were fantastic. For many years i continued the tradition. She would make the dough and freeze it for one hour. Ready to go, with these and a glass of wine we delighted the whole time that summer. Out of everywhere we went, the take away from that trip was the delightful croquetes and of course paella. A la marinera. I mean being surrounded by so much seafoods, what else?
Ro
Can you make this using an air fryer?
Craig
Just made these with my son for his intro to culinary arts class. We live in an area where Basque culture is strong and croquetas are "plentiful."
This recipe matches up nicely with anything we can get locally and is really quite simple. We subbed out the Serrano for prosciutto since the Basque Market was closed when we decided to pull this off. We'll live--but next time, Serrano because there's no substitute for that, really.
Cook time at medium heat was not listed in the recipe, but you'll find a minute or so before you turn them (we went with shallow oil) is sufficient or even too much. Just watch them go from breaded to golden brown and then turn.
A note on the milk add: didn't take us 20 minutes but your guideline did help us take it slow--which was a critical success factor.
Loved the recipe and for the first time making, we were surprised at how easy this recipe is to follow and execute. Good call with the pinch of nutmeg, by the way. It adds that extra YES factor!
Lian
Can I freeze before Shaping and frying? Just made a small batch and is chilling in the fridge but forgot that I will not be home next 2 days.
Lauren Aloise
Better to shape and bread first. Then you can just fry directly (frozen) or thaw a little first.
Jules
Hi Lauren. Does freezing them change their texture at all? Do you recommend thawing them in the fridge or just frying them straight from the freezer? Thanks!
Lauren Aloise
I personally thaw a little, as there is nothing worse than a croquette that's still a little cold in the middle! And I also don't like them too dark when frying. But many people do them straight from the freezer - so in a pinch, that's definitely possible!
Alida Bowden
I fell in love with Tapas when I was in Madrid, Spain in 2011. I also fell in love with Sangria too, lol. I was wondering if anyone knows of an authentic Spain style (not an American version) Tapas Bar in the USA. I have tried to find one, but they just don't seem to exist anywhere in the USA. I really wish that someone would open an authentic Spain style Tapas Bar in the USA. My favorite Tapas is Croquetas de Jamon Serrano which I'm scared to make myself, but I'll follow your recipe and give it a try.
Lauren Aloise
Good luck with the recipe!
Paul
There are some good tapas bars in NYC. The one that reminded me most of Spain is Tomiño Taberna Gallega though I have many more to try.
Lawrence
Hey, this recipe is awesome, my croquettes were delicious! I needed a little more flour than suggested as my dough was too runny, but the results were great, everybody thought my recipe was made with mashed potato and cheese!
Lauren Aloise
Happy to hear it! That is certainly a sign of a great croquette!
Angie
do you have to cook the ham first? I have an uncured ham steak
Lauren Aloise
Yes! It should be cooked with the onions in that case.
Barbara Rosenburg
Yummy Yummy Croquetas
BarcaBakes
My all time favorite tapa dish is padron peppers - these if you have never heard of them https://www.recipestroupe.com/recipe-padron-peppers-pimientos-de-padron-51056.html. But I also love the crumb of croquetas. Do you think you'd be able to combine the two in one dish?
Quixotequest
I grow Padrón peppers (though in the hottest part of Northern Utah summers many of them are quite spicy instead of how they tend to be in the cooler months of fall more like Spain's). At any rate, yes, blister your Padróns as you would for a tapa, cool, seed and chop. They are delicious inside a croqueta — though I use about half the onion volume and think they benefit from the offset of some cheesy flavor to amp the savoriness. Thus rather than a thick béchamel, make a thick mornay: that is, fold some cheese (like a Spanish Zamorano or French Gruyere) into your croqueta masa after it is completely cooked, removed it from heat, and then stir in.
Emma
Is it really a litter of milk! Just making these and it seems a lot. Worried that if I add it all it'll be soup not dough!!
Lauren Aloise
It surprisingly will absorb most of it-- adding it very slowly is the trick!
Leanna
Hi! About how many croquetas does this recipe yield? Thank you!
Lauren Aloise
Hi Leanna, it really depends on how big you like them-- I like mine quite small and thin, so I get about 25-- but you could get half that if you make them bigger!
travelingfool
I love croquettes! I have used essentially this same recipe for years with any leftover hiding in the fridge- chicken, fish, canned salmon,. For those worried about deep frying- I have also baked them but the mixture HAS to be cold.
Lauren Aloise
Great way to use up leftovers!
Helene
Hi there . What temperature do you heat the oil?
Lauren Aloise
Hot as it can get before smoking is how I was taught!
Bill
The final deep fry scares me!
It seems that you need a lot of olive oil to do it . . . but I'll give it a go!
kristine de morante
Nice,eazy and tasty....thanks for the recipe.i own a tapas bar in kuta bali indonesia.address is popies lane 1 gg.bedugul no.18 kuta,bali.opposite of kuta apartment town house.....
Gabi
I love tapas and recently ate the spinach & pine nut croquettes "croquetas de espinacas y pinones" as did my whole family and they fell in love with them. Found a recipe but doesnt sount like what we ate--i believe the spinach-cheese mix is in the center and the pine nuts may be ground into the outside breading??
Do you have a recipe that sounds anything like i'm describing?
Thanks for the fun recipies, commentaries and information!
Lauren Aloise
Hi Gabi, no problem thanks for reading! The recipe you describe sounds really interesting, as the spinach and pine nut croquettes I've eaten normally have the pine nuts on the inside. Are you sure they were a part of the breading mixture? I have a couple of good recipes for the other option but haven't found any with the pine nuts on the outside.
Quixotequest
I've had pine nuts in croquetas and they were neither "inside" nor "mixed in the breading" (per se). Since the piñones are a delicate nut, toast them a bit to bloom the flavor and chop, if desired, or leave them whole, like one does with mazapanes. Then roll a croqueta masa ball/log in the pine nut mixture, dredge, and then egg, and then bread crumbs. They then form into the outside "crunch" texture while the breadcrumb breading helps protect them against over-browning.
valuskitchen
HI Lauren! I am very very happy to have discovered your blog! I love spanish food! I have recently started my food blog about italian cuisine and I was looking for a blog about spanish food they are so similar in certain things! In particular I love, but really love croquetas we have something similar in the south of Italy: Crocchè di patate!!!! I will post them soon!
Nice to meet you Lauren I will follow your blog!
Valentina
Kyle
I feel fatter just after reading this recipe. But OMG SOOOO GOOD. I love croquetas!!!
Kaley [Y Mucho Más]
I'll agree with Ms. Cat in that I do not find croquettes easy. Plus, Mario's mother and aunt already make to-die-for ones. So I cannot really measure up.
Lauren
I love it. I've been wanting to cook now that I'm settled in my piso. Your entries are inspiring. Thank you for taking the time to post. Now that I'm blogging and adding photos to my post, I realize it takes some time.
Lauren
You've got to try them! And blogging definitely takes some effort but I really enjoy it!
Sunshine and Siestas
EASY!? I think croquetas are the most time-consuming thing ever! Having to leave the bechamel overnight after knocking your arm off to try them? You have my heart, L! Happy cumpleaños to a dear friend...and let someone else cook for you today! so excited to see you next week!
Lauren
Haha, well the time is the only annoying part, but I swear they are easy to make! Try them!!!
Isa
Hello, what happen if I dont have time to refrigerate the dough? I could make the croquetas in the moment?
Lauren Aloise
The dough will be too warm to hold its form-- I don't recommend that.
Jacob Evenich
Spread the dough thin on a baking sheet and put somewhere cold,(fridge or freezer if you have space, or outside if its cold) they will cool completely in 1 hour. Then form all in advance and place on a plate back in freezer until you are ready to fry. This gets them don in 2 or 3 hours.
Lauren Aloise
Great tip! Thanks Jacob 🙂
Stacie Neathery
My son and I are making ham croquettes for his high school Spanish class. What I need to know is approximately how many does your recipe make? There are 16 students plus the teacher and I need to be sure everyone gets one. Thanks!!!
Lauren Aloise
It depends on how big you roll them-- but about 20 small ones!
Cassandra Gambill
You're really churning out the entries--and the good eats--this week! Thanks for the visual tutorial, you remind me that croquetas are on my scrolling list of items I want to try my hand at.
Lauren
Do it! The best thing is there are croquetas de todo!