These easy ham and cheese croquettes are a crispy, cheesy, melty, and delicious — the perfect bite! Keep reading for our easy recipe to make Cuban ham croquettes at home. Sponsored by Smithfield® Anytime Favorites®.
Easy Ham and Cheese Croquettes
My husband’s stepdad is Cuban, so one of the first places he took me out to eat when we started dating was a favorite Cuban restaurant.
A staple on almost any Cuban menu are ham and cheese croquettes — or rather, croquetas de jamón y queso.
The first time I tried these meaty, cheesy, fried balls of potato goodness, I was hooked! They are pretty much the perfect bite of food!
I assumed that croquettes were tricky to make, but my husband assured me that they would be much easier than I thought. And he was right!
These ham and cheese croquettes are not only crazy good, but they are crazy easy to make! If I can do it, trust me when I say that anyone can!
What are Croquettes?
Croquettes are a delicious hand-held dish where meat and cheese are rolled up in mashed potatoes and breadcrumbs, then fried.
The result is a perfectly cooked interior with a crispy exterior — the cheese is melted just right so that when you bite into your croquette, the cheese stretches and intertwines with the meat and other fillings.
It sounds like such a simple dish, but sometimes simple is best!
While you can use any type of meat you have on hand to make croquettes, I’ve always had them the Cuban way with ham and cheese.
Here at home we love Smithfield® Anytime Favorites® because they are already pre-cooked and cut to the ideal size for our recipes. Smithfield® products taste like homemade, but save a ton of time!
Smithfield® Anytime Favorites® are available in multiple flavors and cut options, such as diced and cubed ham, slices and steaks. For croquettes, I find the diced ham to be perfectly bite-sized.
You can find Anytime Favorites near the packaged meat section at your local grocery store – it doesn’t get more convenient than that!
We stocked up on Smithfield® Anytime Favorites® this week at the store so we can make more croquettes for the upcoming holiday season – I know they will be a hit with our family and friends!
Related: Be sure to check out our Easy Migas Recipe that also uses Smithfield® Anytime Favorites® Diced Ham.
Ham Croquettes Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 package Smithfield® Anytime Favorites® Diced Ham
- 4 ounces queso blanco, cubed
- 2 eggs
- 1-2 cups panko bread crumbs
How to Make Ham and Cheese Croquettes
First, watch the quick video demo (1 minute) to make our Cuban ham croquettes. Then keep reading for photo step-by-step directions and printable recipe.
Click video to play:
Place peeled potatoes in a large pot of water and boil until soft (about 20-25 minutes). Drain potatoes and sprinkle with salt to help get out some of the excess water.
When potatoes are completely cool, mash them until they are mostly smooth.
TIP: This is a good time to heat your pan of oil for frying. We used a dutch oven pan with about 2 cups of oil.
Scoop up about a Tablespoon of mashed potatoes and form into a cup shape. Fill the potato cup with about a teaspoon of ham and one cube of cheese.
Take two filled cups and squeeze together so that they form a ball, sealing the ham and cheese inside.
Dip the potato balls in a bowl of scrambled eggs, then gently roll in bread crumbs until the outside is well coated.
Once all potato balls are rolled and coated in bread crumbs, begin frying in small batches of 2-3 at a time, depending on the size of your pan.
Fry on each side for 1 1/2 minutes, for a total of 3 minutes per ball. Remove from pan and place on a wire cooling rack to dry.
TIP: You want to remove the croquettes from the oil when they just start to turn a light golden brown, as they will darken slightly after you finish cooking them.
Click here for more easy holiday-ready recipe inspiration from Smithfield®.
Ham and Cheese Croquettes Recipe (printable copy)
Ham and Cheese Croquettes (Croquetas de Jamón y Queso)
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 package Smithfield® Anytime Favorites® Diced Ham
- 4 ounces queso blanco cubed
- 2 eggs
- 1-2 cups panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Boil peeled potatoes until soft (about 20-25 minutes). Drain potatoes and sprinkle with salt.
- When potatoes are completely cool, add garlic powder and mash until they are mostly smooth.
- Scoop up about a Tablespoon of mashed potatoes and form into a cup shape. Fill the potato cup with about a teaspoon of ham and one cube of cheese.
- Take two filled cups and squeeze together so that they form a ball, sealing the ham and cheese inside.
- Dip the potato balls in a egg wash, then gently roll in bread crumbs until the outside is well coated.
- Once all potato balls are rolled and coated in bread crumbs, fry in small batches of 2-3 at a time, depending on the size of your pan.
- Fry on each side for 1 1/2 minutes, for a total of 3 minutes per ball. Remove from pan and place on a wire cooling rack to dry.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More of our favorite ham recipes:
Ham & Pimento Cheese Wraps (Keto, Low Carb)
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