Spanish Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Croquetas de Jamón
Creamy béchamel studded with salty jamón serrano, coated in golden breadcrumbs — melt-in-the-mouth croquettes that disappear fast at any table.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Crispy
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Sauté the Ham: In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced jamón and sauté for 2 minutes to release its fats and flavor.
- 2
Make the Roux: Whisk in the flour and cook continuously for 3-4 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. The mixture will look like wet sand.
- 3
Build the Bechamel: Gradually pour in the warm milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition to prevent lumps. Once all milk is added, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly until the dough is thick and pulls cleanly from the sides of the pan. Season with nutmeg, pepper, and a tiny pinch of salt (the ham is already salty).
- 4
Chill the Dough: Pour the hot dough onto a lightly oiled baking sheet or shallow dish. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- 5
Shape and Bread: Scoop a spoonful of the cold dough and shape it into a small cylinder or oval using your hands. Roll lightly in flour, dip into the beaten eggs to coat completely, and finally roll in breadcrumbs, ensuring no gaps.
- 6
Fry to Golden Perfection: Heat the frying oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry the croquetas in small batches for 2-3 minutes, turning gently, until deep golden brown and crispy outside. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
64/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving2235
Calories
46 g
Protein
136 g
Carbs
171 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Croquetas de jamon, crisp-fried croquettes of ham folded into a thick bechamel, are a cornerstone of Spanish home cooking and tapas bars alike. They evolved from French croquettes but became thoroughly Spanish, prized as the ideal way to stretch the last scraps of a jamon serrano leg into something special. A good croqueta has a shatteringly crisp shell and a molten, almost flowing bechamel center.
Listahan note
This version chases the creamy, barely-holding center that distinguishes a great croqueta, cooking the bechamel thick and chilling it hard before shaping.
Technique cues
- Cook the bechamel long and slow until it pulls cleanly from the pan; an under-cooked roux tastes of raw flour and a thin one will not hold its shape.
- Chill the bechamel thoroughly, ideally overnight, so it firms up enough to shape and coat without collapsing.
- Use a double coating of egg and breadcrumb for the croquetas that fry up with the crispest, most leak-proof shell.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Dice the ham and warm the milk while the butter melts so the bechamel comes together in one continuous flow.
- Make-ahead
- Make and chill the bechamel a full day ahead; shaped, breaded croquetas can also be frozen raw and fried straight from frozen.
- Leftover move
- Reheat leftover croquetas in a hot oven to re-crisp and serve over a simple salad as a light lunch.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Set up the breading station on parchment so cleanup is just folding it up, and soak the bechamel pan right after.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Jamon serrano
the flavor heart
Purpose: Finely diced cured ham gives the croquetas their salty, savory depth in every bite.
Handling: Chop it very fine and warm it briefly in the butter to release its flavor into the bechamel.
Adaptation: Prosciutto works beautifully; cooked diced ham gives a milder, less cured result.
Milk
the bechamel base
Purpose: Milk forms the creamy bechamel that becomes the molten center of the croqueta.
Handling: Warm it before adding to the roux so the sauce thickens smoothly without lumps.
Adaptation: Whole milk is best; for dairy-free use a barista-style oat milk and dairy-free butter.
Flour
thickener and coating
Purpose: Flour thickens the bechamel into a shapeable mass and forms the crisp outer crust.
Handling: Cook it in the butter for a couple of minutes to lose the raw taste before adding milk.
Adaptation: A good gluten-free flour blend works for both the roux and the coating.
Breadcrumbs
the crisp shell
Purpose: A breadcrumb coat is what gives the croqueta its signature crunch against the creamy inside.
Handling: Use fine dry breadcrumbs and press them on firmly for full coverage.
Adaptation: Panko gives an extra-crunchy shell; gluten-free crumbs work for sensitive diners.
Eggs
coating glue
Purpose: Beaten egg binds the breadcrumbs to the chilled bechamel so the shell holds during frying.
Handling: Beat well and coat each croqueta fully so no bechamel is left exposed.
Adaptation: A thin flour-and-water slurry can stand in for egg if needed.
Technique notes
- The bechamel should be thick enough to hold a spoon-drawn line in the pan; that stiffness is what lets you shape the croquetas.
- Fry in batches and keep the oil hot, because crowding the pan drops the temperature and the shells absorb oil instead of crisping.
- Shape with two spoons or wet hands so the soft bechamel does not stick, and chill the shaped croquetas again before breading.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Use a gluten-free flour blend for the roux and gluten-free breadcrumbs for the coating.
- Dairy-free option
- Build the bechamel with dairy-free butter and oat milk for a surprisingly close result.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Make the bechamel in advance and bread a big batch at once, freezing extras for quick future frying.
Serve alongside
- Pan con tomate
- Mixed olives and pickles
- Simple green salad
- Patatas bravas
- Chilled fino sherry
- Dry cava
- Spanish lager
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate cooked croquetas for up to two days and re-crisp in a hot oven rather than the microwave. Raw breaded croquetas freeze beautifully for up to a month and fry straight from frozen with a couple of extra minutes. The cooked center loses its molten quality after freezing, so freeze them raw.
Equipment
- Heavy saucepan for the bechamel
- Three shallow bowls for the breading station
- Deep pot or fryer
- Slotted spoon or spider
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