Fried omnívora

Creamy Ham Croquettes

Name: Creamy Ham Croquettes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 100g finely chopped Iberian ham; 150g butter; 150g all-purpose flour; 1L hot whole milk; 1 small onion; 3 beaten eggs; 200g breadcrumbs; 100g extra flour (for breading); oil for frying; nutmeg and salt

📍 Spain

⏱️Prep: 30 min

🔥Cook: 60 min

⏰Total: 90 min

🍽️6 servings

● Difficulty: Hard

These creamy ham croquettes push the classic ratio to the extreme: more butter, more milk, béchamel cooked long and slow over low heat to develop flavour and reach that elastic consistency that turns molten when fried. The Iberian ham is chopped very fine so it blends into the béchamel without clumping. The mixture rests in the fridge for hours before shaping — a non-negotiable step that gives the croquettes enough structure to survive the fryer intact.

🛒 Ingredients

6 servings

100g finely chopped Iberian ham
150g butter
150g all-purpose flour
1L hot whole milk
1 small onion
3 beaten eggs
200g breadcrumbs
100g extra flour (for breading)
oil for frying
nutmeg and salt

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

Sauté the onion very finely in butter for 10 minutes.
Add flour and toast for 3 minutes without stopping stirring.
Add hot milk gradually until dense bechamel is achieved.
Add the ham, salt, and nutmeg; cook for 5 minutes more.
Pour the mixture into a tray, cover with plastic wrap in contact, and chill for 4 hours.
Shape the croquettes and coat them in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
Fry in oil at 180°C until golden (1-2 minutes).

💡 Chef's tip

The mixture must be very cold before shaping. And coat twice (egg + breadcrumbs twice): they won't break when frying.

📝 Our take

Creamy croquettes are the ones where the béchamel is so silky it almost flows out when you bite into them. Achieving this requires more oil in the béchamel than usual and a long resting time. Double coating is the only guarantee they will not split in the hot oil.