Croquetas De Jamon Recipe – Spanish Croquettes With Ham

Croquetas de Jamon, or Spanish ham croquettes, are one of the most typical Spanish tapas that you will find at restaurants and bars across the country. This croquetas recipe is a perfect way to make a traditional Spanish dish at home. They can be served as part of a tapas evening, as a starter or appetizer, or as a snack paired with Spanish wine or beer. This croquetas de jamon recipe is super creamy and not all that difficult to make.

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What Are Croquetas De Jamón

Simply put, Spanish croquetas are fried pieces of goodness. Croquettes are lightly breaded and deep fried, and filled with ingredients like Spanish ham, cheese, potatoes, and a bechamel sauce.

As much as Spain has a regional cuisine, with different regions specializing in different dishes, croquettes are popular across the country. 

Types of Croquetas

There are many types of croquetas in Spain, but croquetas de jamon are probably the most traditional and most popular. When living in Spain, we saw a lot of different varieties, including mushrooms, spinach, duck, and even foie gras.

Spanish ham croquettes, though, are pretty humble, with the main ingredients being Spanish-cured ham and onion. 

We ate croquetas in Spain all the time. We ordered them out at tapas bars, bought them at the local market, and even found a company that specialized in homemade croquetas in different varieties.

Once we moved to Ireland, though, I realized if we wanted ham croquettes from Spain, we were going to have to make them ourselves.

See our complete guide to all of our best Spanish tapas recipes.

Tips For Preparing This Homemade Croquettes Recipe

Although not terribly difficult to make, Spanish croquetas are a bit time-consuming because they need to rest in order to hold their shape while cooking.

It is important to prepare the mixture and then let it rest in the fridge for at least two hours. You can also let it rest overnight.

If making these for a party or event, you can prepare the croquetas completely, including the breading, and keep them in the fridge overnight.

You can then just pop them into the fryer before serving. If you are in a bit of a rush, you can spread the mixture out onto a baking sheet or glass serving dish to help it cool quicker in the fridge. 

For best results, finely chop the ham so that it blends well with the rest of the mixture and isn’t too chunky. The best way to do this is by using a food processor.

See some of our best and most traditional tapas recipes here:

Champinones Al Ajillo – Spanish Mushroom Tapas Recipe

Chorizo A La Sidra – Spanish Chorizo In Cider Recipe

Chorizo Al Vino Tinto Recipe- Spanish Chorizo In Red Wine

Ingredients For This Spanish Croquetas Recipe

Chances are most of the ingredients for this Spanish croquetas recipe you have at home. One particular ingredient is the cured Spanish ham, like a jamón serrano or jamón Iberico. The ham is cooked in a mix of olive oil and butter alongside chopped onion.

The mixture is prepared by creating a bechamel sauce of milk (la leche), flour, and nutmeg. The dish is seasoned simply with just salt and black pepper.

The croqueta mixture is coated in egg and breadcrumbs before frying in vegetable oil. I prefer cooking the ham and onion in olive oil, but I fry the croquetas in vegetable oil. This is because the olive oil can be a little too heavy for frying. 

How to Make Spanish Croquetas De Jamon

Preparing The Croquetas de Jamon Mixture

Use a food processor to chop the jamon into small pieces. This is important so that the ham can blend well with the other ingredients.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and then add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted and the olive oil is warm, add the chopped onion. Cook over low heat for about 8-10 minutes or until the onion is soft and starts to yellow.

Add the ham to the butter and olive oil and cook for another 1-2 minutes just until the jamon warms and softens. Add the salt, nutmeg, and ground black pepper and stir.

Next, it is time to create the bechamel sauce. Slowly add the flour to the onion and ham mixture. Stir until it starts to brown just a bit.

Then, add the milk in a bit at a time. The goal is to allow the milk to thicken the dish before adding the next bit of milk.

Continue to stir to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn while waiting for all of the milk to evaporate or blend into the dish. The mixture should be dense but also creamy.

Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Place the mixture in a covered storage container and put in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Cooking The Croquetas

When you are ready to cook the croquetas de jamon, beat the eggs and pour the mixture into a shallow bowl or dish. On another plate, add the breadcrumbs. Remove the croqueta mixture from the refrigerator.

Wet your hands with water or oil and start to shape the mixture into cylinders, placing each croqueta de jamon onto a plate as you go.

Once all the croquetas are formed, gently coat them in egg and cover them in breadcrumbs. Be careful to try to keep the croquetas in their shape.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, carefully add the croquettes. Cook them in the oil for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they are browned. Dry them on a paper towel and serve them warm. 

What Is The Difference Between Croquetas And Croquettes? 

I’ve read that croquettes originated in France, although considering how common they are in Spain, some Spanish folks might disagree.

So, croquettes are the French spelling, which is often the way they are written in English as well. Croquetas is the Spanish spelling. 

Iberico vs. Serrano Ham Croquettes

You can use either Serrano ham or Iberico ham. Jamón Serrano is less expensive, so I prefer Jamón Serrano for cooking and Iberico when eating naturally. If you can’t find Spanish-cured ham, you can also use prosciutto. 

What Is Bechamel Sauce? 

At its most basic, bechamel is a white sauce. Bechamel sauce is commonly used in Spanish and Italian dishes, like traditional Bolognese lasagne (one of our favorite things to eat in Bologna).

It’s an easy-to-prepare sauce made of flour, milk, and nutmeg. It’s what adds the creaminess to jamon croquettes.

I used to assume there was cheese or mashed potatoes in a simple ham croqueta, but it’s the bechamel that gives the croquettes the creaminess. 

You may find cheese or mashed potatoes in a croqueta recipe in the U.S., but that’s not the traditional way to make this Spanish recipe.

A Croqueta Recipe In One Day?

There is a lot of common thought around the idea that a croqueta recipe is a two-day recipe. But, who has that kind of time?

Yes, you can make the mixture ahead of time, put it in an airtight container, and refrigerate it overnight. That would make this a two-day recipe. It’s a great way to make the recipe ahead of time for a party or dinner.

That said, it’s not necessary to make this a two-day recipe. If you refrigerate it in plastic wrap for a good two hours, that will be enough to make the rolls before frying.

If the croquetas mixture sticks to your hands add a touch of oil to your hands to prevent the sticking.

Looking to make a night of tapas dishes? Check out our recipe for Canarian potatoes with mojo sauce.

FAQs – Spanish Croquettes Recipe With Ham