Spanish Croquettes Made With Jamon Serrano

Mireille · 04/09/2023 at 11:06 pm

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You can find them everywhere in Spain where they are served in bars or tapas cafes. Now you can also make them at home and serve them to your family and friends. So, are you ready to learn how to make Spanish croquettes? Let’s get started!

What You Need For This Recipe

For this croquetas recipe, you need a handful of ingredients. Most importantly the Spanish ham and fresh oil for frying. Put the following ingredients on your grocery list and have them ready when you start:

All-purpose flour – you can also use wheat flour which you need to make a roux
Unsalted butter – you can use regular butter but you can also use plant-based butter
Milk – use your favorite milk you can also use plant-based milk
Serrano Ham (Jamón Serrano) – this is cured Spanish ham
Egg – a medium egg
Bread crumbs – to coat the croquettes
Fresh parsley – finely chopped
Salt – season to taste with a pinch of salt;
Oil – vegetable oil to fry the croquettes
Olive oil – to add to the roux

Lemon Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise – you can use any mayonnaise
Lemon – use fresh lemon
Fresh parsley – finely chop the parsley

Note that the full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Ham Croquettes

Preheat a small saucepan on the stove and add the olive oil and the butter over medium heat so the butter can melt. When the butter has melted add flour and stir it through the butter until the flour and butter are combined and blended.
Add milk in one go and stir with a whisk constantly to dissolve any lumps in the milk-flour mixture. You will see the mixture change into a roux which looks like a creamy white sauce. Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and bubbly. You do not want it boiling so stay close.
Take the sauce off the heat and let it cool slightly. Finely chop the parsley and stir through the sauce. Finely chop the serrano ham add it to the sauce and stir it through as well.
Pour the white sauce on a tray or big plate and spread it out. Cover it with some cling film and let the mixture cool for at least 30-45 minutes in the refrigerator. When the mixture is cooled you can shape your croquettes with a big spoon.
Take an egg and whisk it in a small bowl. Put the bread crumbs on a large plate. First, roll the croquette in the egg then cover it with bread crumbs. Repeat for all the croquettes.
Put them in the fridge so the croquettes can firm up.
Preheat oil in a saucepan until approximately 375℉/190℃. Add 2 to 3 croquettes to the frying pan. It is important not to crowd the pan. Your croquettes need space while frying so they can properly cook and turn golden brown.
Take them out of the pan with a slotted spoon. Drain the excess fat on a paper towel. Repeat for the next batch of croquettes.
Make a dip and combine 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and add 1-2 teaspoons of lemon and some fresh chopped parsley. Stir and serve your Spanish croquettes with this lemon mayonnaise.

The Best Spanish Croquette Recipe

Spanish ham croquettes originate in France but are perfected in Spain. These croquetas are lightly breaded, bechamel rolls that are fried until golden.

They are made with Jamón Serrano but you can take any type of cured ham like cooked ham or Iberico ham. This ham is much tastier but also more expensive.

When you fry the croquettes use fresh oil like vegetable oil or olive oil because this oil is neutral in taste. Using fresh oil that is heated to 375℉/190℃ will allow your croquettes to heat slowly.

If you use old oil the croquettes will brown very fast which doesn’t taste as well and the inside may not be properly cooked so choose fresh oil for frying.

Can You Make Croquettes Ahead?

Yes, these croquetas de Jamon Serrano are perfect to make ahead of time. You can prepare a big batch by following all the steps in the recipe except frying them.

There are several options to store the croquettes depending on if you want to keep them for a day or two or longer.

How To Store Croquettes

Croquettes are great to make ahead and store. You can prepare them without frying and store them in the fridge or freezer. If you deep-fried them and you have leftovers you can still store them.

There are several ways to store your Spanish ham croquettes:

Refrigerator – you can keep these Spanish croquetas in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Put them in an air-tight food container or a Ziploc bag
Freezer – want to keep the croquetas longer you can store them in the freezer. Again, store them in a Ziploc bag or food container. Label and put them in the freezer for at least 6 months

How To Reheat Croquettes

It is very easy to heat or reheat your croquettes here are several ways you can try:

Deep fry – as described in the recipe instructions you can deep fry croquettes to reheat. Heat the oil to 375℉/190℃ and add the croquetas warm for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. If your croquettes are frozen you do not need to thaw them first just fry them longer
Air Fryer – you can reheat using an Air Fryer. As you can see on our other website Fast Food Bistro you can heat the croquet when you set the Air Fryer to 400℉/200℃. Spray the croquettes with some cooking spray and heat for 8-10 minutes if they are not fried yet. It needs about 5 minutes when they are fried already
Oven – preheat your oven to 400℉/200℃ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When unfried spray with cooking spray and put them on the baking sheet. Warm for at least 10 minutes or until golden brown. Turn them halfway through the baking time
Cast-iron skillet – preheat a cast-iron skillet with about 1-1½ inches of vegetable to 375℉/190℃. Just like with a deep-fryer add the croquettes and fry until golden brown

More Delicious Tapas Recipes

If you love this easy tapa recipe you will like these easy tapas recipes as well:

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Spanish Croquettes With Jamon Serrano

Mireille

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes

A great afternoon snack or tapas? Try these Spanish croquettes made with jamon serrano. It is super easy to make and very delicious.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for deep-frying
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ cups whole milk, heated
2 slices jamón serrano, finely chopped
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 egg
A couple of sprigs of fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon of salt (a pinch)
Lemon Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsly

Instructions

Preheat a small saucepan. Heat the olive oil and the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted add the flour and stir through butter until the flour and butter is combined and blended
Add the milk in one go and stir with a whisk constantly to whisk away any lumps. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and you have a roux
Take off the heat. Finely chop the parsley and stir through the sauce. Finely chop the serrano ham and add to the sauce as well
Put it on a tray or plate and spread it out. Cover with cling film and let the mixture cool for at least 30-45 minutes in the refrigerator
When the mixture is cooled shape croquettes with a big spoon
Take the egg and whisk it in a bowl. Put the bread crumbs on a plate. Roll the croquette in the egg then cover with bread crumbs
Store the croquettes in the fridge so they can firm up. Preheat vegetable oil in a pan until approximately 375℉/190℃. Put 2 to 3 croquettes in the pan
Do not crowd the pan and bake until golden brown. Take them out of the pan with a slotted spoon
Let excess fat drain on a paper towel. Repeat for the next batch of croquettes
The croquettes are ready to serve

Notes

- After you made the croquette filling let it cool in the fridge for at least 30-90 minutes - Take a tablespoon of mayonnaise and add a teaspoon of lemon and some fresh parsley. Stir and serve your Spanish croquettes with this lemon mayonnaise.