Croquetas
Serrano ham and fine breadcrumbs come together in this Spanish pork — 60 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
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
- Finely chop the onion and the ham, then melt the butter in a pan and gently cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft, adding the ham for the last minute.
- Stir in the flour and cook it out for 2 minutes, then gradually whisk in the warm milk a little at a time to keep the béchamel smooth.
- Simmer the mixture, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes until very thick and it pulls away from the sides, then season with nutmeg and salt and spread onto a tray to cool completely, chilling for at least 2 hours.
- Shape the firm mixture into small cylinders, then coat each one first in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs, pressing gently to seal.
- Heat the oil to 180°C and fry the croquetas in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden and crisp all over.
- Drain on kitchen paper, season lightly with salt, and serve hot while the centres are still molten and creamy.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Saucepan · 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
- Seafood fideuà Seafood
- Spanish Tortilla Vegetarian
- Roast fennel and aubergine paella Vegan
- Migas Miscellaneous
Tips & common questions
How long does Croquetas take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 10 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 is an original Spanish recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Croquetas-2009.jpg by Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.