Croquetas

Allergens at a glance

• UsuallyGlutenFlour in the béchamel and a breadcrumb coating.
• UsuallyMilkThe filling is a thick béchamel of milk, flour and butter or olive oil.
• UsuallyEggsDipped in beaten egg before the breadcrumbs.
• OftenFishBacalao (salt cod) is a classic filling, and fryers are shared.
• SometimesCrustaceansPrawn (gamba) croquetas, and shared frying oil.
• SometimesMolluscsSquid (chipirones) in ink croquetas, and shared frying oil.

Usually in the standard recipe. Often in many versions. Sometimes in some kitchens, or a cross-contact risk.

Diets

• Ham (jamón) and cocido croquetas contain pork, and often chicken stock.
• Meat-free fillings (setas, queso, espinacas) exist; ask about stock and the fryer.
• Not gluten-free: flour and breadcrumbs, unless a kitchen makes a special version.

Recipes change from kitchen to kitchen. If you have an allergy, confirm every ingredient with the restaurant before you order.

What is a croqueta?

A croqueta is a small, breaded and deep-fried roll of thick béchamel sauce mixed with a flavouring such as ham, chicken or salt cod. The outside is crisp and the inside should be soft and creamy. Croquetas are one of the most popular tapas in Spain and a way to use up leftover meat from stews.

What's in it

• Béchamel: flour cooked in butter or olive oil, then thickened with milk until stiff.
• Filling: stirred into the béchamel. Common ones are jamón (cured ham), pollo (chicken), cocido (leftover meat from a chickpea stew), bacalao (salt cod), setas (wild mushrooms), espinacas (spinach), queso azul (blue cheese) and chipirones en su tinta (baby squid in ink).
• Coating: flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs.
• Frying: deep-fried in olive or sunflower oil.

Allergens and diets

Assume gluten, milk and egg in every croqueta. The béchamel is flour and milk, and the coating is egg and breadcrumbs. Some cooks make the béchamel with olive oil instead of butter, but it still has milk.

The filling adds the rest. Salt cod croquetas are common enough that fish is an "often", and seafood fillings such as prawn and squid appear on many menus. Croquetas are usually fried in the same oil as each other and as other fried tapas, so a ham croqueta can carry traces of fish or shellfish. If you have a seafood allergy, ask what else goes in the fryer.

Ham and cocido croquetas contain pork, and chicken and cocido versions are often made with meat stock. Mushroom, spinach and cheese croquetas are vegetarian in principle, but ask about stock in the béchamel and about the fryer.

On the menu

Look for croquetas caseras (homemade) or a named filling, such as croquetas de jamón. They're sold by the piece (por unidad) or by the ración (a plate to share), and many bars offer a surtido (assortment), which mixes fillings and allergens on one plate. Frozen ready-made croquetas are common in cheaper bars.

Last checked 1 November 2026. Spotted something wrong? Email support@inventum.com.au.