Croquettes

What they are, how they’re made and when to enjoy this little gem of the kitchen.

The croquette is the star bite for many diners.

While some see it as something to serve alongside the main dishes, croquette lovers treat it as a true gourmet main course.

If you want to know more, keep reading. We’ll tell you everything about this delight.

No time? Just take me straight to the croquette recipe!

Croquettes come in many faces, flavours, textures and shapes... almost as many as there are people in the world. Every croquette is different and can take on endless forms and tastes, which is why it’s such a wonderful and surprising food. That’s why people everywhere ask: how to make croquetas?
spanish ham croquettes recipe please.

Grandma’s, the bar’s or a restaurant’s, it doesn’t matter, they all cause a stir and we’ll tell you why. My grandmother used to say croquettes were called that because they were crunchy and charming… grandma things. By the way, she made an amazing
croquette béchamel dough.
We’re going to tell you every little detail about this popular treat.

To begin with, this is a classic Spanish dish. The croquette Spanish recipe is known internationally. For that reason alone, millions of people want to try it, even if only to taste the Mediterranean flavour. But the fact that it has become a Spanish icon doesn’t mean its recipe was born in this country.

In reality, the original recipe comes from France. Although the truth is that the history of the croquette becomes a bit confusing. Some say the first ones appeared in the seventeenth century. This idea traces its origins to a banquet prepared by the chef Marie Antoine Carême.

He created this delicious dish to impress Nicholas, Duke of Russia. He improvised using béchamel and breadcrumbs. Béchamel had been created not long before by Louis de Béchamel.

Seeing how successful the dish was, he named it “Croquettes a la royale”. Shortly after, they reached the neighbouring country, Spain. Their success was such that nowadays they can be found in every establishment serving traditional food.

When this dish arrived in Spain, its recipe was quite different from what we eat today. People have been enjoying this food since 1812. The first recipe written in Spanish appeared in 1830 in the “Manual de la criada económica”.

Back then, they were made with rice pudding. In 1866 the “Diccionario doméstico”, by Balbino Cortés y Morales, was published. It marked the decisive change, presenting the current recipe for ham croquettes, which can officially be considered the first modern croquette recipe.

See the full history of Croquettes

Types of croquettes

As everyone knows, croquettes are always a safe choice. But since each person has their own taste, there is a delicious version for every palate. There are as many croquette recipes as there are people.

Below is a summary of the most popular croquette types in Spain, along with a variety of croquette recipes you’re going to love. Let’s say, some proper Spanish croquettes recipes.

• Ham croquettes. The star product and the ideal recipe. They can be made with Iberian ham, cured shoulder, wild boar, pork or any ingredient derived from the pig.
• Fish croquettes. Cod, hake, prawns or baby squid work perfectly for this type of dish.
• Chicken croquettes. Soft, tasty and comforting, this recipe is always a success and children love it.
• Seafood croquettes. This extraordinary recipe is becoming very popular. Its rich seafood taste wins over seafood lovers, and the chance to play with different flavours is an interesting bonus.
• Croquettes with blue cheese, sweet varieties, rice croquettes, potato croquettes or stew croquettes are some of the most widespread options in Spain.
• Ham and cheese croquettes are one of the most successful modern versions, a very popular millennial recipe.

Is it healthy to eat croquettes?

According to La Sexta, the only issue you might find with this delicious food is that they are fried. It’s well known that eating too many foods cooked this way isn’t ideal for your health.

Even so, some tips were shared by a dietitian and nutritionist to make this “problem” less of an issue. “If we fry them in fresh, good quality oil, there would be no problem or it would be much better”, she explains.

In reality, it’s not that the croquette itself is more or less healthy, but rather that the ingredients tend to be high in calories. “The ingredients are caloric, fatty and high in salt. And on top of that, they are fried, which increases the fat content. The final result can be healthy if made with quality raw ingredients”, Merino clarifies.

To make them tasty and healthy, the best ingredients should be used, along with a good recipe. Another tip from the nutritionist is to bake the croquettes instead of frying them. And if it’s a food you eat often and want to change it up, you can use cod instead of ham. This would give the dish “a lighter version”.

How do you say it? Croqueta or cocreta

Some people mispronounce the word “croqueta”.

Instead of its correct pronunciation CROQUETA, they mistakenly say “cocreta” or “crocreta”. Although some believe that this way of naming the dish is accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy, this is not true.

In 2017, Darío Villanueva, director of the RAE, publicly denied this idea. He even encouraged anyone who heard his statement to visit the official website and clear any doubts.

There are even people who take it further and call them “cocletas”. Oh my gooood!

What “hacer la croqueta” means

The expression “hacer la croqueta” is very common in Spain. Every child has heard it at least once. It refers to rolling on the ground down a hill. Kids usually do it in summer and in places where there are no obstacles in the way.