Ham croquettes (Croquetas de Jamon) are a classic Spanish tapas dish. Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, these little flavor bombs will knock your socks off.
When Fred Meyer asked me to develop a recipe for their “Taste of Spain” event, I couldn’t have been more excited. I spent a summer in Spain for a study abroad trip when I was in college, so Spain has a special place in my heart. When I started thinking about Spanish recipes, the first thing that came to mind was ham croquettes or croquetas de jamon. I ate them probably more than any other food while I was there. They are everywhere. Pretty much every restaurant or cafe has them on the menu, especially in the middle of the day when weird American students tend to eat lunch and the rest of the city is on siesta. (Just in case you are super curious, I put a few photos from my trip at the bottom of this post).
With my nostalgia for Spain fully awakened, I was inspired to make quite a few tapas that I will be sharing in the next few weeks. Fred Meyer was kind enough to send me a box of Spanish goodies to play with while developing a recipe for them. Great Spanish olive oil, tapas sauces, olives and more. They will all be available in the stores starting April 3rd, so get excited! The line will be available in ALL Kroger stores, so even if you don’t live near a Fred Meyer, if you live near any Kroger owned store you will be able to check it out. Also aren’t those classic terra-cotta cazuela dishes cute? Just like how tapas are served in Spain. Those are actually imported from Spain, and I got them at Fred Meyer too!
My study abroad trip was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. I think that everyone should visit another country during their lifetime. Experiencing a different culture opens your mind in ways nothing else can. I was in my early twenties when I went, and I have been wishing lately that I could go back and experience it again. Although I was open to trying new things at the time, I have grown into a person with a greater appreciation for new things than I was at that time. Have you ever traveled abroad?
To be honest, this recipe seems a bit more complicated than most of the recipes I share on this site – I mean, you have to make a bechamel AND fry them! But really, it is not as difficult as it seems. The key to making a bechamel is to whisk in the milk very slowly so that the sauce doesn’t become lumpy. If you just dump the milk in all at once the flour will not be able to absorb the liquid and it will turn into a congealed mess – not good! Slowly whisk it in and you should be good. This isn’t something I would make every day, but is totally doable for a fun tapas night.
Ham Croquettes (Croquetas de jamon)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup finely minced onion
- ¼ and 1/2 cup flour divided
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 3 eggs
- 6 ounces finely chopped serrano ham very finely minced
- salt
- pepper
- pinch of nutmeg
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add butter and olive oil and when butter is melted and oil is warm, add onion. Sauté onion until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup flour and whisk until browned and nutty, one to two minutes.
- Very slowly whisk in milk, a little at a time to avoid a lumpy sauce. Season with a little salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg (remember that the ham is salty, so go easy on the salt at first). Continue to whisk constantly until sauce has thickened, 10-15 minutes. When sauce has thickened, stir in ham. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.
- Pour sauce into a baking sheet and allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours (can also be done the day before cooking).
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 200°F and prepare a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack. This is for keeping the croquettas warm after frying until you are ready to serve.
- Prepare a breading station by whisking eggs in one dish and placing breadcrumbs into a shallow dish, and ½ cup flour in another dish. Shape the dough into 1-2 tablespoon sized, football shaped balls. Roll in the flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs.
- In a heavy pot or deep fryer, bring oil to 350°F degrees.
- Add up to six, one at a time, into the oil and fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. When removing from oil, place onto prepared rack and leave in the warm oven until ready to serve.
- These are best served fresh!
Notes
Nutrition
I had to dig deep into my archives to find my photos of my trip to Spain. I was hoping to find some photos of the food, but apparently in the days before iPhones I wasn’t as into taking food pictures. I actually didn’t even have a digital camera at that time, so my photos were taken with a not so fabulous point and shoot film camera.
Disclosure: I was compensated by Fred Meyer for this post, however my opinions, as always, are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that help make Fox and Briar possible!
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Ann F says
I can’t wait to make these for my daughter. She spent a semester (4 1/2 months) abroad in Valencia studying and loved it (she is fluent in Spanish)! She totally embraced the Spanish culture and said if there was one other place she would live, besides Buffalo, NY, it would be Valencia. You are right about eye opening experiences abroad and we have always encouraged our children to travel. We have taken them to various place in Europe, Caribbean & Bahamas as well as over the U.S. I think learning about other cultures and how they live increases social tolerance for others. Very important in this day and age.
Meghan says
Hi Ann – yes, I agree! I can’t wait to hear how they turn out! Thanks for your comment.
Matt says
Hi, I just got back from Barcelona last night and immediatly began to look for recipes for some of my favorite dishes from my trip,
very Happy to find this recipe,
Just one question.
Instruction 4 has me confused.
After the mixture has cooled, now it is supposed to be baked at 200
Please eloborate.
Thanks, Matt
kansu says
Hi Matt, Mr Briar here filling in for Meghan… Thanks for your note. The 200°F oven is for keeping the croquettes warm before serving; we deep fry the croquettes in step 7 and then pop them into the oven so they stay warm and crispy. You can immediately eat/serve them if you wish and skip the oven steps. I updated step 4. Hopefully it is a little more clear now. We’re very excited to hear how these turn out and how they hold up against the memory of the real deal from your travels to Barcelona so please let us know when you make them.
Matt says
Thank you so much for your quick response.
I look forward to making these croquettes and I will let you know how they come out.
Also, are there any recommended substitutions for ham in this recipe. I am sure the ham will be great, but I would also like to experiment a little and I am betting that some other ingredients would work.
Thanks, Matt
Meghan says
Hi Matt – I haven’t tried anything different but I’m sure you could use any other kind of meat, such as chicken. Just make sure the meat is cut up into very small pieces. Hope that helps!
Kristi says
Excuse the all-lowercase-letter post. my caps don’t seem to work in the comments. anyway, i was browsing for recipes for croquetas de jamon, and i came across your page. i’ve been craving them ever since i was in spain last november. i couldn’t get enough of them. i loved hearing that you studied abroad! although i never did when i was in college, i now work for a study abroad office. i wish every college student could experience studying abroad. anyway, i’m going to try my hand at making these, and reminisce about Spain.
Lori merkley says
I followed the recipe to the exact details and have found the cooled ham sauce so soupy that I can’t form into balls. I made the sauce pretty thick, I thought, too. It tastes good but without being able to form balls bread and fry…a little frustrating.
Meghan says
Hi Lori – I’m really sorry that happened! I have not had that experience, but there are a few reasons I can think of that may have caused it. First of all, it is possible the sauce was not cooked long enough or thickened enough. The second is it may not have been chilled long enough. As equipment can vary, cooking time can vary a bit too.
Richard Pozzuto says
SELECTED THIS RECIPE FOR MY FIRST EVER ATTEMPT. SO FAR SO GOOD. THEY TASTE GREAT AS JUST THE “DOUGH.” IT THREW ME A LITTLE THAT SAUCE/”DOUGH” IS JUST BECHAMEL AND HAM. I MADE OUR CHRISTMAS HAM EARLY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF IT SO… NICE BLOG AND VERY INSPIRING. I HAVEN’T BEEN TO SPAIN SINCE 1976. THERE WAS A RIOT ON THE RAMBLAS IN BARCELONA WHERE I STAYED. IT WAS A FRANCO THING. SPAIN IS LIKELY VERY DIFFERENT TODAY, BUT I’M SURE THE SAME AS IT’S BEEN FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS TOO. I’LL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT WORKS OUT. FUNNY THING, MY COMPUTER WON’T DO CAPITAL LETTERS ON YOUR PAGE. SERIOUSLY.
Meghan says
Hi Richard, Sorry about the caps! It’s a glitch in my commenting system that I am trying to get fixed. I’m glad the croquetas seem good, hope they turned out great!
Jennifer A Stewart says
I love when they do their Hemisfares selections! I totally bought all the tapas stuff. Imagine that! I have that same bottle of mojo picon! I eat it on everything! These croquetas are awesome and can’t wait to make them for football season. They look like little porky footballs don’t they”?
Meghan says
Haha, yes, the totally look like little porky footballs! Thanks friend!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Ham croquettes are the best! There is a place in Miami that I stop every time we visit to get their ham croquettes. I’ve actually never made them myself but I definitely need to try this recipe. I love the photos of your trip to Spain too!
Meghan says
Thanks so much Ashley! I rarely see them in the US, but it makes sense you would see them in Miami because I think they are a pretty popular food in Cuba too?
Allie | In This Kitchen says
Ohhhhh yes these look so damn good. I think Spanish food is even better than French food. I don’t think I’ve ever had a tapas dish I didn’t like! I cannot wait until I can travel more… still saving up!
Meghan says
Thanks so much Allie! There always seems to be MORE places to travel to, the list is always growing 🙂
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender says
Yum!! These sure look tasty. I’ve traveled a fair bit and I totally agree with you – travel is important. I love visiting Europe (except for the jetlag). These days I’m more into my favorite hot destinations than adventure/new destinations, but that’s ok haha.
Meghan says
Thanks Natasha! Nothing wrong with hot destinations, especially when is is still cold at home!
Liz @ Ready To Yumble says
So I had to stop and read your post when I saw the words Fred Meyer….I used to live in Oregon, but now I’m out in Texas and I haven’t heard “Fred Meyer” in so long! Haha made me a little nostalgic! Also these look fabulous…I mean, I love ham and fried things!
Meghan says
Hi Liz! I lived in Arizona for a little while and we missed Fred Meyer so much when we lived there. We used to go to the Fry’s “Marketplace” (Not sure if they have Fry’s in Texas, but it is owned by Kroger) just because we could almost pretend it was Fred Meyer, haha! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Jess @ Sweetest Menu says
WOW! Just wow! These look incredible. I would LOVE to visit Spain one day – even just for the food alone!
Meghan says
Thank you so much Jess! The food is incredible, and so is the culture, art and architecture! Totally a must see!
Ashley says
I have always wanted to visit Spain! Someday! My husband talks about it since he lived there for a summer … not helping! haha These croquettes sound delicious!!
Meghan says
Haha, tell him if he keeps making you jealous he will have to take you there! Thanks Ashley!
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
Meghan, these croquettes look absolutely amazing! I am a big fan of croquettes. I love the description of these tiny flavor bombs! They are bursting with deliciousness. Can’t wait to try them.
Meghan says
Thank you so much Anu!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Love croquettes! These look so moorish and addictive. And I definitely feel like some now!
Meghan says
Thank you so much Thalia!
Munchkintime says
Wow Meghan! Your blog is absolutely beautiful so is your photography. This recipe looks and sounds amazing, pinning it to my appetizer board, thank you so much for sharing!
Meghan says
Hi Love! Thank you so much for the kind words, and for pinning!
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
When I visited Barcelona, my first memory is the wide array of tapa’s the waiters served us at dinner. It’s my favorite way to eat because then get try a bit of everything.
These croquettes sound amazing, and totally worth the few extra steps.
Meghan says
Barcelona was my favorite city in Spain! I would love to go back. Thanks so much Nicole!
Linda | The Baker Who Kerns says
I loved it when I visited Spain, the food was really amazing! I loved going to all those tapa restaurants, oh it makes me nostalgic too! And yes those terracotta bowls are pretty neat! I have enough bowls already but I want to get so much more! I only eat out of bowls so it makes sense that I have an obsession over them that most people would have over shoes haha. These croquetas do look absolutely yummy! That pull-apart shot is driving me crazy!
Meghan says
Haha, I totally have a dish obsession too, Linda! Actually, pretty much all kitchen things. I try really hard to control myself but being a food blogger gives you the perfect excuse to buy more “props”. Thanks so much Linda!!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
So I have a confession. I hate ham… but I do LOVE croquettes…. so I’m thinking these babies might actually get me to like ham! Whaaaat? It’s saying a lot that I actually want to make these, let alone devour them! They look fabulous, my dear! Your photos of Spain are making me want to book a trip immediately! I’ve always wanted to go, so thanks for making me jealous. 😉 Cheers, sweets!
Meghan says
You know, I actually don’t like ham either! Well, I thought I didn’t, but really I just don’t like the standard honey-baked ham type roasts that we are all used to. In Spain, Jamon is a very big deal. It is everywhere, and in everything. It was a little hard for me to get used to because I thought I hated ham – and when I tried it I actually liked it! And you must go to Spain! It is amazing!
Dawn at Girl Heart Food says
Oh, wow! This recipe sounds very interesting. I’ve never had anything like this before, but all the ingredients I love, especially the serrano ham (and love the touch of nutmeg). Going to have to give this one a whirl. Hubby and I love tapas, especially on the weekend. We were actually just saying the other day that we would love to visit Spain. From the look of it, it looks like it would be an amazing trip 🙂 !!
Meghan says
Thanks Dawn! I had never had anything like it before going to Spain either! But everything just goes together so well. Spain is a wonderful place to visit, I totally recommend it!
demeter | beaming baker says
Meghan, your croquettes are making me drool so hard! Did I tell you I just LOVE croquettes? A couple of Japanese restaurants I’ve been to serve potato croquettes that are out of this world. Meanwhile, it’s so incredible that you lived in Spain! Love the pics you included. Hey, I am so not judging you for those spirited flip flops. 😉 Great post, as always. 🙂
Meghan says
Thank you Demeter! I have had potato croquettes and they are totally amazing as well! And thanks for not judging my flip flops. Young people sometimes make bad choices, what can I say 😉
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
I love how you describe these as little flavor bombs! They look like a little explosion of deliciousness! Love your pics!
Meghan says
Thanks so much Kathy! They totally are!
My Dish is Bomb says
I had croquettes for the first time at a pub, strangely enough. I was instantly in love. It sounds like you had so much fun in Spain. I spent half a year backpacking Europe when I was 19 and I dream about it everyday. Love the pics! It’s funny to think of how our cameras have changed over the years. My point and shoot digital camera I took with me on that trip used to take nearly 6 seconds to load a picture after I pressed the shutter.
Meghan says
I know! It actually took me awhile to remember why I didn’t take more photos. Like, oooh, I didn’t have an awesome camera that I carried around with me at all times AKA my phone 🙂 How did we survive?
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet says
Girl, I didn’t know you lived in Spain for a bit! Spain is my FAVORITE place on Earth (other than the Caribbean, of course). I went there in high school for a few weeks and I want to go back so bad!!! Food blogger trip sometime?? <3 <3 <3 These croquettes look amazing by the way!
Meghan says
You did!?! What part of Spain did you visit? Um, food blogger trip – YES, we should make that happen! Thanks Lauren!
Megan says
These look dangerously good. I can’t wait for a whole bunch of tapas related posts! It’s such a perfect way to begin enjoying spring.
Meghan says
Thank you Megan! They kind of are dangerous. I couldn’t stop eating them 🙂
Adina says
Great idea to post several tapas ideas. And I agree with you, living in another country for a while does change one completely, I would say, and only for the better.
Meghan says
Absolutely, Adinia! It is so good for people to see things through a different perspective. Thank you!
Ashlyn ~ Dollop of Yum says
Meghan, these ham croquettes look absolutely fantastic! I have never made croquettes before but they are definitely on the list of things I want to make. 🙂
Meghan says
I was a little intimidated about making them, but they were totally worth it! Thanks Ashlyn!
E.A. says
Wow! That seems like yesterday & also awhile’s back! That trip was a wonderful experience for you and I’m glad you have awesome memories to share! I’m excited to try this, and I’m going to look for those cute dishes!! As always, your
photos are truly inspiring, too!❤️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Meghan says
I can’t believe how long ago it was now! Thank you!
Anne Dabecco says
Wonderful post! I could make a bechamel? I feel like I should try! Great pics of your trip!
Meghan says
Thank you Anne! Yes, you totally can make a bechamel!