Croquetas de Jamón

Delicious and crispy ham croquettes that are creamy on the inside and perfectly crunchy on the outside. A perfect snack for gatherings that can be easily customized.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Spanish

Calories: 200

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the filling

80 g butter Melted
1 small onion, very finely chopped Optional, but recommended
100 g flour All-purpose flour
800 ml whole milk, warmed Warming helps avoid lumps
150 to 200 g jamón, chopped small
to taste salt Ham is salty, so go easy
to taste black pepper
a tiny pinch nutmeg

For coating and frying

2 to 3 eggs, beaten For coating
to taste bread crumbs (fine or panko) Your choice
as needed oil For frying

Method

Preparation

Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat. Add onion if using, and cook until soft, not brown.
Add the flour and stir for a couple of minutes until it looks like a thick paste.
Pour in warm milk little by little, stirring constantly until the mixture smooths out.
Cook and stir until the mixture turns very thick and pulls away from the pan.
Add the chopped ham, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Spread on a tray, cover with plastic wrap touching the mixture, and chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is better).

Shaping and Coating

Shape the mixture into small logs. If sticky, lightly oil your hands.
Coat each log by dipping in beaten egg, then rolling in bread crumbs. For extra crunch, you can do a double coating.

Frying

Heat the oil in a pan. Fry the croquettes until deep golden, ensuring not to crowd the pan.

Air Fryer Instructions

Chill and shape the croquettes like before. After breading, freeze for 20 to 30 minutes.
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C, spray or brush croquettes lightly with oil.
Cook for 8 minutes, flip, then cook for another 6 to 8 minutes until golden.

Notes

Serve with a simple salad or garlicky mayo for dipping. Use a warm plate to keep them crispy.