Croquetas de Jamón (Ham Croquettes)
The pride of every Spanish bar: a very creamy béchamel studded with jamón, chilled until firm, shaped, breaded and fried until golden and crisp outside and molten inside.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cook the onion and ham
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium pot over low heat. Add the onion and cook gently, stirring now and then, until soft and see-through, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and cook 1 more minute.
- 60g butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion, chopped
- 120g jamón, chopped
✅ Done when: onion is soft and translucent, not browned
Cook the flour
Stir in the flour over the same low heat. Keep stirring constantly for about 3 minutes so the flour loses its raw taste but does not brown.
- 80g flour
✅ Done when: mixture looks like wet sand and smells toasted, not raw
Make the white sauce
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Chill
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Shape and coat
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Fry
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Cook the onion and ham
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium pot over low heat. Add the onion and cook gently, stirring now and then, until soft and see-through, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and cook 1 more minute.
- 60g butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion, chopped
- 120g jamón, chopped
✅ Done when: onion is soft and translucent, not browned
Cook the flour
Stir in the flour over the same low heat. Keep stirring constantly for about 3 minutes so the flour loses its raw taste but does not brown.
- 80g flour
✅ Done when: mixture looks like wet sand and smells toasted, not raw
Make the white sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Chill
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Shape and coat
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Fry
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The Story Behind the Dish
Croquettes came to Spain from France in the 19th century, but Spanish cooks made them their own with a softer, creamier béchamel and leftovers from the cocido stew or a little jamón. They were a classic way to make nothing go to waste.
Today every Spanish grandmother and every bar has its own version — and its own opinion on how creamy the inside should be.
⭐ Why It's Famous
A good croqueta is the test of a Spanish kitchen: crisp shell, almost liquid centre, never floury.
💡 Fun Fact
The Madrid Fusión food congress has crowned a "world's best ham croqueta" — creaminess is what the judges look for first.
Spain (from the French croquette)
40.42°N, -3.70°W
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