Potato Croquettes

Potato croquettes are one of the most popular Spanish tapas, or small plates, and for good reason. They’re a fantastic way to give day-old mashed potatoes a new life and are the perfect bite-size appetizer for when you want something more exciting than potato chips that still hits those same comfort food notes.

These are inspired by the flavors of Spanish croquetas de jamón (sans traditional bechamel) and are enriched with chopped ham, chives, and Manchego. You’ll start with mashed potatoes (we’ve included a recipe, but feel free to use leftovers), then add ham and cheese, roll them into balls, bread them, and fry them to crispy perfection. Feel free to experiment with your mix-ins too. Try cooked (and cooled) pancetta and mozzarella for an Italian twist, or fold in corn and cheddar for a vegetarian option. If you want to try dunking these, they'd be great with sour cream, garlic aioli, or even spicy mayo if you want a kick of heat.

You can also make these ahead of time. Just assemble them 2 to 3 days before you plan to serve them, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. When ready to serve, simply fry them straight from the fridge and garnish with parsley.

Want to include these in a larger tapas spread? Serve them alongside our fried calamari, our bacon-wrapped dates, or our lemon-garlic shrimp. Enjoy with a cocktail like sangria or a fortified wine like sherry for the perfect Spanish meal.

Did you try this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below.