Croquettes are an extremely popular part of the Spanish tapas, i.e., appetizers or snacks served in bars. Every Spanish household has its own special recipe for making these mouth-watering snacks and will claim that theirs is the best. Today, we show you how to make classic Spanish ham croquettes.

Steps to Make Ham Croquettes

Things you’ll need:

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things you'll need to make ham croquettes

  • Ham – 2 to 3 sheets
  • Onion, finely chopped – ½ large onion
  • Flour – 1 tablespoon
  • Salt – to taste
  • Milk – 1 cup
  • Breadcrumbs – ½ a cup
  • Egg – 1
  • Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying

Step 1. Cook the chopped onions and ham

fry the onions to make ham croquettes
Heat olive oil in a pan and add the ingredients
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is hot add the chopped onions.
  • Sauté the chopped onions over medium heat till they turn translucent. Meanwhile, carefully cut the ham sheets into small squares.
  • Once the onions are done, add 1 tablespoon of flour and salt, as per taste.
  • Stir for around 2 minutes.
add chopped ham to the onions to make ham croquettes
Put chopped ham to the mix
  • Add the chopped ham bits; cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 2. Prepare the sauce

prepare the sauce to make ham croquettes
Add milk and cook on low heat
  • Once the ham is done (do not overcook it), add 1 cup of milk. Pour it in slowly with one hand and keep mixing with the other to prevent the formation of lumps.
  • Keep stirring the mixture over low heat till it reaches a thick custard-like consistency. It will take around 40 minutes of slow cooking to get the perfect béchamel sauce.
  • Once your sauce is done, turn off the heat and transfer the mix to a plate and let it cool down.

Step 3. Make the croquettes

shape them up to make ham croquettes
Bind the croquttes using beaten eggs and bread crumbs
  • To make Spanish ham croquettes, cut the congealed mixture into small rectangles and use your hands to give them a cylindrical shape.
  • Whisk an egg thoroughly to use it as a binding agent.
  • Drop the croquettes one at a time into the breadcrumbs and dust off any extra crumbs.
  • Then dunk the croquettes in the beaten egg mixture and coat them with a final layer of breadcrumbs.

Step 4. Fry the croquettes

fry them to make ham croquettes
Heat oil in a pan to fry the croquettes
  • Heat enough vegetable oil in a pan for frying.
  • Once the oil is hot, add a few croquettes at a time and deep-fry till golden brown.
  • Serve while hot.
final to make ham croquettes
Enjoy your Spanish ham croquettes served hot

FabHow Tips

  • While this recipe uses ham, you can also use salted cod or chicken instead. If you want to make vegetarian croquettes, you can use finely shredded spinach leaves instead.
  • After deep-frying the ham croquettes, you can rest them on paper towels for a few minutes and let them absorb the excess oil.
  • You can also add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves along with the chopped onions for added flavor.
  • The creamy sauce and the deep-frying can make these croquettes a bit too heavy; you can add herbs like chopped parsley or cilantro to add a hint of freshness.
  • You can prepare the mixture a day in advance and leave it overnight in the fridge; this will give it more time to set and then all you have to do is shape, dip and deep fry them.
  • If you are interested in more Spanish recipes, then check out how to make an authentic Spanish omelet or chicken in white wine.
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