Croquetas de Jamón
A proper Spanish pork built around leftover cooked ham and panko or fine breadcrumbs — roughly 60 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Chop the leftover ham as finely as you can, and finely dice the onion so it melts into the sauce.
- Warm the butter and olive oil in a heavy pan, soften the onion for 6 minutes without colouring, then add the ham and cook for 1 minute to release its flavour.
- Add the flour and toast it for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour in the warm milk gradually while whisking, working out any lumps as you go.
- Cook the béchamel over low heat, stirring without stopping, for 12 to 15 minutes until thick and glossy, season with nutmeg and a little salt, then spread on an oiled tray and chill until firm, ideally overnight.
- Scoop and roll the cold dough into bite-sized logs, dip each into beaten egg, then coat fully in breadcrumbs.
- Heat the frying oil to 180°C and fry the croquetas a few at a time for about 2 minutes until golden brown and crunchy, then drain on paper and serve hot with the centres soft and creamy.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
What to serve with Croquetas de Jamón
- Seafood fideuà Seafood
- Spanish Tortilla Vegetarian
- Roast fennel and aubergine paella Vegan
- Migas Miscellaneous
Tips & common questions
How long does Croquetas de Jamón take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Croquetas de Jamón is an original Spanish recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: 20250720 Croquetas jamón at Restaurant O Poleiro in Combarro anagoria.jpg by Anagoria, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.