Spanish Ham and Cheese Croquettes Recipe

Looking for a new favorite side dish, appetizer, or snack? You’ve got to try this croquetas recipe! Ham croquettes are a delicious dish served in Spain as tapas. You don’t have to leave home to try these fabulous ham and cheese croquettes, here is our delicious ham croquettes recipe!

Croquetas Recipe

Something you may not know about me is that I grew up in Spain. I feel so blessed to have grown up in such a beautiful country with such warm people, rich history, and fabulous food! I miss a lot of things from those days, but thankfully I can recreate many of my favorite spanish recipes at home in the US. One of my favorite has always been ham croquettes, or jamon croquettes. Jamon is spanish for ham. These are a little like mozzarella sticks, but not really. You mix your ingredients, chill, and then fry them for a delicious snack, appetizer, or sidedish for your next party! Croquettes is the English word, but I knew these yummy bites as croquetas, so let me share my croquetas recipe with you! You are gonig to love these!

Ham croquettes

All you need to whip up these yummy tapas are a few ingredients and a little time:

• olive oil
• ham (you can use any you have on hand – leftover christmas ham, sliced ham, or even a Jamon Iberico)
• butter
• sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• flour
• eggs, beaten
• whole milk
• bread crumbs
• salt (pinch)
• nutmeg (optional)

Ham and cheese croquettes

In a skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil.

HINT: Make sure to use extra virgin olive oil, not only is olive oil a healthier oil, but it is the type Spaniards use because they grow olives in masses in Spain. Using extra virgin gives it more flavor which will enhance this dish!

When the butter is melted, whisk in 4 tablespoons flour until it is well combined and slightly brown and aromatic, 1-2 minutes.

HINT: Browning the flour in butter just a minute or two allows it to get a nice toasty flavor and void a pasty taste. Just make sure you stay over medium heat, turning up the heat to spead up the 2 minutes will just get you burnt flour.

Ham croquettes recipe

Add 1½ cups milk over medium-high heat; whisking constantly. Cook for 5 minutes stirring continuously until thickened. You just made a rue or the main way to make gravy and sauces.

Now decrease the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. You are moving past the gravy phase to a thicker consistency.

Now add about 1 cup of cubed ham and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese plus a pinch of salt.

Spanish croquettes recipe

Spoon the mixture into an 8×8 dish you have prepared with non-stick PAM spray.

Now refrigerate the mixture at least 2 hours, but overnight tends to work the best. You want it to thicken up.

Whisk 2 eggs together in a bowl. Now put 1/2 cup bread crumbs in another dish. Using a knife cut the chilled mixture into logs that are about 1″ wide and 4″ long. HINT: They will look like mozzarella sticks).

Roll each log in bread crumbs, pressing gently to pick-up the mixture.

Spanish ham croquettes

Dip the logs in the eggs, turning to completely cover the croquetta.

Now roll the log in the bread crumbs again. This way you have a really well coated appetizer! Repeat with all logs and refrigerate the plage of croquettes about 30 minutes.

Spanish Croquettes

Meanwhile, heat 2″ of olive oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil is very hot, put several croquetas in at a time and cook for 2 minutes, turning as you go. Put fried tapas on a paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Keep the cooked ones warm in the oven at 150 until ready to eat.

Jamon croquettes

These are seriously so good! These were always my favorite growing up; now they are my kids favorites too!

Spanish food recipes

Not only are they such great comfort food with the fried, crisp outside – the inside has melty cheese and warm savory ham! Yummy!

Spanish Tapas

These are perfect to add to a spread of appetizers for game night, movie night, potluck with friends, New Year’s Eve party, Superbowl party, Chrsitmas Eve with friends and family, or whenever!

These might take a little planning ahead to chill, but are super easy to make and well worth the effort because they are ridiculously good!

Spanish Recipes

Make homemade Spanish Tapas! These ham and cheese croquettes are super yummy! Grab the croquetas recipe here!

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Spanish Ham and Cheese Croquettes Recipe

Beth Gorden

Looking for a new favorite side dish, appetizer, or snack? You've got to try this croquetas recipe! Ham croquettes are a delicious dish served in Spain as tapas. You don't have to leave home to try these fabulous ham and cheese croquettes, here is our delicious ham croquettes recipe!

Course Appetizer, Snack, snacks

Cuisine appetizer, spanish

• olive oil for frying and 2 Tablespoons inside
• 1 cup ham in thin squares
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• pinch salt
• pinch nutmeg optional

• In skillet over medium heat melt 4 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespons olive oil. When the butter is melted, whisk in 4 Tablespoons flour until well combined and let lightly brown for 1-(2 minutes over medium heat. Add 1½ cups milk whisking constantly. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until thickened (more than gravy). Make sure you stir continuously to avoid avoid lumps. Add chopped ham, shredded cheese, salt, and optional nutmeg.

• Spoon the mixture into a non-stick sprayed 8×8 dish and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.

• Whisk 2 eggs in a bowl. In another dish measure out 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Then using a butter knife cut the chilled mixture into 1" by 4" logs that will resemble mozzarella sticks. Repeat until all have been cut. Refrigerate the logs for 30 minutes before frying.

• Heat 2” deep olive oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil is very hot, put several croquetas in at a time and cook about 2 minutes, turning repeatedly. When they are nicely browned, carefully remove the croquettes with a slotted spoon and put on paper towel lined plate to soak up excess oil. Keep the fried croquettas warm in the ove at 150 F until ready to eat. Serve warm.