About this Dish
Creamy béchamel and ham rolled, breaded, and fried into golden bites.
History & Origin
Croquetas arrived in Spain via French cuisine in the 19th century, but the Spanish version — built on thick jamón-studded béchamel — became a tapas-bar essential.
IngredientsServes 3
🧈Unsalted butter, 60g
🌾Plain flour, 80g
🥛Whole milk, 600ml, warmed
🥩Serrano ham or cooked ham, 150g finely chopped
🧅Small onion, 1, very finely diced
🥚Eggs, 2, beaten
🍞Fine breadcrumbs, 150g
🧂Salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg
🫙Sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep frying
Method
1
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the chopped ham and stir for another minute.2
Add the flour all at once and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, forming a thick paste. This is your base roux.3
Add the warm milk gradually, a ladleful at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition to avoid lumps. Keep stirring over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes until you have a very thick, smooth béchamel. Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.4
Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, press cling film directly onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight until completely firm and cold — this step is essential for shaping.5
Using wet or lightly floured hands, scoop heaped tablespoons of the mixture and roll into small oval or cylindrical shapes about 6cm long. Coat each one in beaten egg, then roll firmly in breadcrumbs, and repeat the egg and breadcrumb coating for extra crunch.6
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 180°C — a cube of bread should turn golden in 30 seconds. Fry the croquetas in small batches for 2–3 minutes, turning gently, until deeply golden all over. Do not overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop.7
Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately while hot and crispy — the inside should be molten and creamy.User Reviews
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