Spanish Ham Croquettes (Deep Fried and Air Fried)
With a golden, crispy, and creamy interior, these Spanish Ham Croquettes taste like sunny Spain! Enjoy classic deep-fried crunch or a lighter air-fried twist.
These cured ham croquettes, called Croquetas de Jamón, are in every restaurant in Spain! Loved by kids and grown-ups alike, this tapa is made without potatoes but with a simple creamy bechamel mixed with cured ham. These croquettes are crunchy and smooth- the perfect combination—Deep-fry for the classic crunch or air-fry for a lighter twist. Tapas time just got tastier!
The Queen of Spanish Tapas
Nothing screams tapas more than a croqueta! Although the original recipe comes from France, Spaniards made it entirely their own by adding all kinds of sensational fillings, such as Iberic ham, mushrooms, chicken, stewed meat, cod, and squash.
The technique is always the same: make an ultra-thick bechamel sauce, add whatever ingredient, and set it in the fridge until firmer. This way, you can shape the ham croquettes without a problem. Once in contact with heat, their interior becomes gooey again, creating this beautiful contrast of crunchy and soft.
The Breading
The breading can vary depending on the recipe. Some use cornstarch, flour, and fine breadcrumbs, but I prefer a more robust, thicker, and crunchy crust using panko. This Japanese coarse breadcrumb makes a lovely crust. Cover the croquetas de jamon completely with the breading to prevent the filling from leaking.
Ham Choice
Depending on your location, you can choose any cured ham you prefer. In Spain, the most popular choice is the Serrano ham, but in high-end restaurants, they often do Iberic ham versions. Any cured ham would work, like prosciutto, a worldwide contender. I like to lightly pass the ham in the pan for a few seconds to make it easier to cut into small pieces and give it a nice crunch.
Deep-Frying Method
This traditional method is the way to make croquetas perfectly crunchy and golden! They mostly use olive oil to fry in Spain; if you don’t reach the smoke point, it’s perfectly fine to fry with it! Please check out this article if you need more information on the subject. Use a thermometer to make sure your oil hits 175°C to 185°C (350°F to 365°F) before adding the croquetas. Adding a bit of bread crumb, which starts to fry immediately and float without turning black, is a good trick to know if the oil is at the right temperature.
If using a small pot, don’t make too many ham croquettes simultaneously. This could cool the oil, while a temperature too high will make the croquetas burst open, which isn’t ideal either. So, try to stick to around 180°C (360°F). It should take about 3 minutes to fry them this way, and it’s my favourite way to make the perfect crisp finish. When done, pick them up with a slotted spoon and add a sprinkle of salt while still hot.
Air Frying Method
This method is excellent if you want to make lighter-in-fat croquetas. The finish will be lovely, too, but its longer cooking time makes it slightly deformed and more prone to burst. The Air fryer is an excellent alternative to deep-frying, especially compared to baking in the oven with croquetas. You’ll get a much more authentic finish this way. Don’t forget to lightly spray the croquetas with olive oil to give them a lovely golden finish.
Trick to Perfection
As previously mentioned, these ham croquettes are made of ultra-thick bechamel, but some flours can differ slightly, resulting in a leakier bechamel. To prevent this problem, many Spanish chefs add a bit of gelatin to the filling—just enough to make it firmer. This step is a trick, but it is not mandatory.
Other Spanish Recipes
Spanish Ham Croquettes (Croquetas de Jamón)
Ingredients
- 200 g cured ham serrano, prosciutto, Iberic, etc.
- 150 g flour
- 700 ml milk
- 75 g butter
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp gelatin powder or three pre-soaked gelatin sheets *optional
- ⅓ tsp nutmeg *optional
Breading
- 200 g panko or standard breadcrumbs
- 150 g flour
- 3 eggs
Deep-Frying
- olive oil or cooking oil of your choice – enough to cover your croquetas.
Instructions
- In a large pan or skillet, shortly cook the cured ham on medium-low heat for a minute, just enough to dehydrate it gently, nothing else. If you use an air fryer, cook the ham at 200°C (400F°) for 2 minutes. This step will make the ham crispier and easier to cut.
- Once the ham is removed from the pan, add the minced onion, two tablespoons of water and olive oil. Let them soften on low-heat for about 5-10 minutes.
- During that time, cut finely the cured ham.
- Once the onions are soft, bring up the heat to medium-high and add the butter. Let it melt completely before adding the flour and ham. Mix. Let the paste cook for a minute or two until it smells nut
- Add the cold milk, gelatin and nutmeg and whisk constantly until thicker and fuming.
- Cool the ham filling completely, then cover and refrigerate for a few hours to let it get firm.
- Form the croquetas by covering your hands with oil, shape them into small balls or cylinders, cover them with flour, then dip into the egg wash and finish with the panko (or breadcrumbs).
- Leave on a plate in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
- DEEP FRIED: Heat the frying oil to 180°C (375F°); when a piece of panko or bread floats without burning in a second, it's ready. Deep-fry the cold croquetas for about 3 minutes or until golden. Reserve on a paper towel to absorb the dripping oil. Sprinkle with salt when freshly out of the oil.AIR FRYER: Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400F°), air fry for about 8 minutes or until golden.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Did You Make This Recipe?
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What a great recipe, not too difficult to make, and these were the first ones off the table at our Spanish tapas gathering with friends and family last night. Would definitely recommend! 🙂
It’s not a true tapas night without croquetas! Glad it was a hit!
I ate so many Croquetas de Jamón while in Spain that I was on a mission to make them at home — and wow, this recipe nailed it! Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, I should make an extra batch…or two next time! 😍
Anyone who visits Spain falls for these! Kids included!
These are cute and delicious! Served them our guests as an appetizer and they where delighted!
It’s difficult to resist such a treat! Plus, so easy to customize.
We tried the air fried version and it turned out just perfect crunchy and smooth !
The air fryer does a fine job, I agree!