Cuban Ham Croquetas: From Spain to Miami, the Perfect Bite

Some bites tell the story of an entire people in a single crunch. The Cuban croqueta de jamón is one of them: crispy outside, creamy inside, and loaded with a history that crosses oceans and generations.

From France to Spain, from Spain to Cuba

The croquette was born in France in the 18th century, likely in the kitchen of chef Antoine Carême. The name comes from the French croquer — to crunch. But it was Spain that adopted them with passion, replacing the original potato filling with a thick béchamel loaded with jamón serrano that became a national tapa.

When the Spanish came to Cuba, the croquetas traveled with them. But the island, as it does with everything, transformed them. Without access to cured serrano ham, Cubans used sweet ham — the cooking ham found in any bodega. And they added one ingredient that changed everything: nutmeg.

That pinch of nutmeg in the béchamel is what separates a Cuban croqueta from any other in the world.

The Traditional Recipe

Ingredients (makes about 30 croquetas)

For the dough:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 250g (1/2 lb) sweet ham, finely diced (or 2 cans deviled ham)
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Pinch of garlic powder

For breading:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup fine breadcrumbs (Cuban cracker meal preferred)
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1. The Cuban béchamel

Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy skillet. Add all the flour at once and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes — you want a blond roux, not golden. Add milk gradually, never stopping the stirring. Patience is everything here.

2. The soul: ham and nutmeg

When the béchamel thickens (it should pull away from the sides of the pan), fold in the diced ham, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir for 2-3 more minutes. The dough should be thick like soft clay.

3. Chill — the step you cannot skip

Pour the dough onto a greased tray, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. This is every Cuban grandmother’s secret: cold dough shapes without sticking.

4. Shape and bread

With slightly damp hands, take portions of dough and roll into cylinders about 3 inches long. Dip each croqueta in beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs, ensuring full coverage. For extra crunch, double-bread: egg and crumbs twice.

5. Fry to perfection

Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry croquetas in small batches, 3-4 minutes, turning until evenly golden. Drain on paper towels.

Croquetas in Miami: An Industry Born of Exile

When hundreds of thousands of Cubans arrived in Miami in the 1960s, croquetas were among the first things to appear in the ventanitas (walk-up windows) of Calle Ocho. Bakeries like Karla Bakery, Vicky Bakery, and Sergio’s built empires on this humble snack.

In Miami, the croqueta transcended food. It’s late-night fuel, office snack, mandatory companion to Cuban coffee. There is no family reunion, birthday party, or funeral in Cuban Miami without a tray of croquetas.

The tradition evolved too: today you’ll find chicken, fish, cheese, even ropa vieja croquetas. But ham remains the undisputed queen.

Modern Variations Without Losing the Essence

• Croqueta preparada: inside Cuban bread with mustard — Miami’s ultimate snack
• Chicken croquetas: the second most popular, using shredded boiled chicken
• Baked croquetas: lighter alternative, baked at 400°F with oil spray
• Cheese-stuffed croquetas: with a cream cheese core that melts when you bite

The Sacred Ritual: Cafecito and Croqueta

If there’s one holy pairing in Cuban Miami culture, it’s the cortadito with croqueta. The bitterness of espresso against the salty creaminess of the croqueta creates a contrast no Cuban can resist. It’s the breakfast of the ventanitas, the 3 PM snack, the bite that tastes like home no matter how many years you’ve been away from the island.

As they say on Calle Ocho: “If you haven’t had a croqueta with cafecito, you haven’t lived Miami.”

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Looking for more Cuban flavors? Try our Cuban sandwich recipe or discover the history of the mojito.