Croquetas de Jamón, Spanish Ham Croquettes, Jamon Croquettes
This croquetas recipe cooks Serrano ham into a thick, nutmeg-scented bechamel, chills it until firm, then shapes it into small rolls, coats them in egg and breadcrumbs, and fries them until golden and crisp outside and creamy inside. It makes 24 croquetas, four per serving, and they are best eaten hot from the pan. One serving is about 200 g.
Croquetas came to Spain from France, where the bechamel croquette was already known, and Spanish cooks made it their own with jamon serrano, the dry-cured ham of the country. They became the classic way to use up leftover ham and bechamel, and today they are on almost every tapas menu in Spain: small, golden, crisp outside and creamy inside, eaten standing at the bar with a glass of sherry.
Pairs well with: A glass of dry sherry and a simple green salad.
Provenance
Spain
Spanish Tapas Classic
Mediterranean & Italy
Time Dedication
45m
25m prep • 20m cook
Batch Yield
6 Servings
480 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 200 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Medium (Chill & Fry)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Inappropriate
Dinner
Inappropriate
Snack & Tea
Ideal Light Bite
Spanish Tapas Classic
Photo: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)
Made the Spanish way: a very thick bechamel, chilled until firm, shaped by hand and fried in small batches.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Bechamel & Chilling
25 Mins • Cooking & Chilling
Cook the bechamel with the ham until it is thick enough to hold its shape, spread it in a dish, and chill it for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The chilling is not optional: warm bechamel cannot be shaped, and croquetas made from it burst in the oil.
Maestro Tip: Press cling film directly onto the surface of the bechamel before chilling, so no skin forms on top.
15 Mins Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft. Stir in the 70 g of bechamel flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty. Pour in the warm milk a little at a time, whisking hard so no lumps form, then cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Keep whisking while the milk goes in; lumps form in seconds and never come out.
Done when: A thick sauce that holds its shape on the spoon and leaves the pan clean.
3 Mins Low heat, ~85°C (185°F)
Stir in the diced Serrano ham, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes more. Taste: the ham is salty, so add salt only if it truly needs it. Spread the mixture in a shallow dish, press cling film onto the surface, and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Taste before adding salt; Serrano ham is already very salty.
Done when: A thick, ham-flecked mixture, smooth and well seasoned.
15 Mins No heat
With floured hands, take spoonfuls of the cold bechamel and roll them into small cylinders about 5 cm long, or into balls. You should get about 24. Roll each one in the dredging flour, then in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coating sticks.
Keep your hands lightly floured; the bechamel is sticky even when cold.
Done when: Even, well-coated croquetas with no bare patches.
10 Mins 180°C (350°F)
Heat the sunflower oil to 180°C (350°F) in a deep pan. Fry the croquetas in batches of 6 for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack, not on paper, so the coating stays crisp. The centre must be hot right through, to 74°C (165°F).
Fry in small batches; crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and the coating soaks up oil.
Done when: Deep golden, crisp shells with a hot, creamy centre.
2 Mins Serve immediately
Serve the croquetas hot, on a plate with a few cocktail sticks, while the shell is still crisp and the centre is still creamy.
Croquetas wait for nobody; the shell softens within minutes.
Done when: Golden croquetas, crisp outside and creamy inside, steaming when broken open.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Sprinkle with a little flaky salt if you like, and serve at once; the contrast between the crisp shell and the creamy ham centre is the whole point of the dish.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
480
kcal / serving
Protein
18g
Complete AA
Carbs
36g
Complex
Fats
29g
Healthy
| Energy | 480 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Fat | 29 g |
| Fibre | 1.6 g |
| Sugar | 6.0 g |
| Sodium | 787 mg |
| Energy | 240 kcal |
| Protein | 9.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 18.2 g |
| Fat | 14.5 g |
| Fibre | 0.8 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 394 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: The ham and milk supply B vitamins and calcium, and the eggs add vitamin B12 and vitamin D.
Protein from Ham & Milk
One serving carries about 18 g of protein from the Serrano ham, milk and eggs, which makes these croquetas a satisfying snack.
Calcium & B12
The milk and eggs supply calcium and vitamin B12, and the ham adds B vitamins.
Small, Shareable Portions
Four small croquetas per serving make it easy to share a plate and stop when you have had enough.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Drinks
Dry Sherry
A cold glass of fino sherry is the classic partner; its dry, nutty flavour matches the ham exactly.
Cold Beer
A cold lager refreshes the palate between hot, salty croquetas.
Vegetables
Simple Green Salad
A sharp, lemon-dressed salad cuts through the fried coating and the rich bechamel.
Sides
Crusty Bread & Tomato
Pan con tomate on the side turns the croquetas into a full tapas spread.
Complete menu
Serve croquetas de jamon with a green salad and pan con tomate, follow with a light dessert, and pour a cold fino sherry.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Frying from Warm Bechamel
If the bechamel is not fully chilled, the croquetas burst open in the hot oil and the filling leaks out. Chill for at least 4 hours. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Very Salty Sides
Serrano ham is already salty, so salty olives or cured meats on the same plate push one serving too far. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
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