Cheese Croquettes
Crispy fried cheese croquettes — creamy cheese filling inside a crispy breaded shell. Spanish-Dutch tradition. Best as appetizer with marinara or aioli.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
13 min
Servings
6
Calories
174 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Cheese1 ½ cup
- Potato3 medium
- Breadcrumbs¾ cup
- Salt1 ½ tsp
- Black Pepper¾ tsp
- Cooking Oil1 ½
- Garlic4 ½ cloves
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Cheese1.5 cup
- Potato3 medium
- Breadcrumbs0.75 cup
- Salt1.5 tsp
- Black Pepper0.75 tsp
- Cooking Oil1.5
- Garlic4.5 cloves
Instructions
- 1
Make the filling: melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour, cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of warm milk until thickened (3-4 minutes).
- 2
Off heat, stir in 1.5 cups of shredded sharp cheddar, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Stir until smooth.
- 3
Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined dish. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, until very firm.
- 4
Once firm, scoop and shape into 16 small cylinders (about 1.5 inches each).
- 5
Set up breading: ½ cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, 1.5 cups panko. Coat each croquette: flour, egg, panko, egg again, panko again (double coat prevents cheese leaks).
- 6
Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F. Fry the croquettes in batches for 2-3 minutes until deep golden brown. Drain on a wire rack. Serve immediately with marinara sauce or garlic aioli — the cheese pull is the moment.
Watch how to make Cheese Croquettes
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Refrigerate filling overnight. Must be very firm for shaping.
- 2.Double bread. Single coat = cheese leaks during frying.
- 3.Brief frying. 2-3 minutes is enough — longer and cheese escapes.
- 4.Eat immediately. Stretchy cheese is the appeal.
🔬 Why It Works
Cheese croquettes succeed with the firm chilled béchamel-cheese filling (sets enough for shaping) and the double-breading (prevents cheese escape during frying). The brief frying time melts the cheese inside while crisping the panko outside. The cheese pull moment is the reward.
Frequently Asked Questions
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4.4
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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