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Spanish Leek Croquettes (Croquetas de Puerro) Tapas Menu

These Spanish leek croquettes are perfect for a tapas menu. They’re easier to make than you would imagine and you won’t believe how incredibly delicious they are!

leek croquettes

This past February I took my parents to Australia.

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FOR THE TAPAS RECIPE SCROLL DOWN.

If you knew my parents, you’d give me a prize for this feat of convincing them to go because both of them were so incredibly steadfast on the fact that they’d never, ever go to Australia. They protested that it was too far, just too long of a flight, and they simply didn’t want to go–they gave me every excuse under the sun.

So what convinced them to go? I told them, “You only live once”, and if my mum really wanted to see her first cousins, this would probably be her only opportunity. She changed her mind pretty quickly and was on board before Dad.

Watson’s Bay, with Sydney beyond

I had to give him the silent treatment for a couple of days, because he had no good excuse for why he didn’t want to go. (I told him the long flight didn’t cut it.)

Canberra with family
In Canberra

Of course, I knew once they were there, they’d absolutely love it, and have a great time (especially my dad). He complains the longest beforehand, and raves about it the most after the fact. 

leek croquettes

Australia Trip and Tapas?

I took my parents to two tapas restaurants when we were in Australia: one in Sydney and one called Tapas Tapas Bodega, a family owned restaurant in Turramurra. My parents had never had tapas before, but they both loved it.

Restaurant logo

On our second outing, I ordered a few things at Tapas Tapas Bodega to get us started. We began to eat, enjoying olives, tortilla (egg and potato dish), pa amb tomaquet (toasted Catalan bread with tomato, garlic, and olive oil), sizzling wild Australian prawns and of course, some sangria.

Tapas on a table

However, it was the leek croquettes that floored all three of us–in a good way.

Leek croquettes at Tapas Tapas Bodega

They honestly didn’t look like something that are “knock your socks off” delicious, but guess what? They were! All three of us tasted one at the same time and we just looked at each other after the first bite. They were incredibly delicious! The crispy exterior gave way to a soft and creamy filling that had the most subtle leek flavor. 

Tapas Tapas Bodega

Another tapas recipe to try: patatas bravas!

Spicy Spanish Potatoes (Patatas Bravas)

Of course I had to ask if the owners would be kind enough to give me the leek croquette recipe and I promised to give credit when I shared it. I was so lucky! Not only did Crista agree to share the recipe, but her son, Chef Julian had already made a YouTube video (which is no longer online) making the croquettes–I was over the moon, especially since I really love leeks.

NOTE: prepare the mixture the day before you want to serve the leek croquettes, as one step requires overnight chilling.

I had never tried such a croquette in Barcelona, but Tapas Tapas Bodega’s cuisine is from the Catalonia Basque region of Spain. 

TAPAS TAPAS BODEGA (update: sadly, the restaurant closed post-Covid) 😭

Spanish leek croquettes

Spanish Leek Croquettes (Croquetas de Puerro)

Slightly adapted recipe courtesy of Chef Julian of Tapas Tapas Bodega       Makes 16 (serves 8)

PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Begin by attaching two bay leaves to a small onion with four cloves. 

onion bay leaves cloves

Finely chop the leek(s).

chopped leek

Sauté the leeks in about 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat (do not brown).

sauteing leeks

While the leeks are cooking, put the milk in a pot and add the onion. Heat to 175˚F (80˚C).

onion bay leaves cloves in milk

In a medium sized pot, melt the butter, then add the flour.

Stir briskly, and cook the flour and butter to avoid the raw flour taste. Begin adding some of the hot milk (remove the onion first). Continue adding milk and stirring quickly until all the milk has been added. 

adding milk for bechamel sauce

Add salt and nutmeg and continue cooking and stirring until the béchamel thickens (watch the video to see the consistency). Next, add the sautéed leeks.

adding leeks to bechamel for Leek Croquettes

Cook over low heat, stirring until the béchamel stays when pulled away from the side of the pot (see the video for a visual).

leek croquette mixture

Pour into a container, cover with parchment paper, then refrigerate overnight.

leek mixture

The next day, shape the mixture into round balls about 50 g (1.75 oz) each.

leek croquettes

They’re quite easy to handle. 

leek croquettes

Dip each croquette in beaten egg with some milk.

leek croquettes in egg wash

Then immediately roll in breadcrumbs, and store in container until ready to fry. 

leek croquettes

(We froze some like this and they were great to use later; just defrost in the fridge then fry.)

leek croquettes ready to fry

When ready to fry the leek croquettes, heat some oil (I used sunflower with a little olive oil) to 320˚F (160˚C). Fry the croquettes until golden brown and heated all the way through.

frying leek croquettes

Remove from oil and drain well.

fried leek croquette

Place on paper towel lined plate or tray.

leek croquettes

Serve hot with a little mayonnaise, if desired.

leek croquettes

They’re absolutely delicious!

inside of a leek croquette

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Spanish leek croquettes

Spanish Leek Croquettes (Croquetas de Puerro)

Servings: 16
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Additional Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 10 hours 45 minutes
A super tasty, crispy ball of leek infused bechamel! How can you go wrong?
5 from 25 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large leek (about 8 to 10 oz/ 225-280 grams once finely chopped)
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 2 oz butter (good quality)
  • 3 oz flour
  • 1 ½ tsp sea salt
  • tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 egg (with a splash of milk for egg wash)
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs (as needed)
  • olive oil (as needed for frying)

Instructions

  • Begin by attaching two bay leaves to a small onion with four cloves. 
  • Finely chop the leek(s) if you haven't yet done so, then sauté them in about 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat (do not brown).
  • While the leeks are cooking, put the milk in a pot and add the onion. Heat to 175˚F (80˚C).
  • In a medium sized pot, melt the butter, then add the flour.
  • Stir briskly, and cook the flour and butter to avoid the raw flour taste. Begin adding some of the hot milk (remove the onion first). Continue adding milk and stirring quickly until all the milk has been added.
  • Add salt and nutmeg and continue cooking and stirring until the béchamel thickens (watch the video to see the consistency). Next, add the sautéed leeks.
  • Cook over low heat, stirring until the béchamel stays when pulled away from the side of the pot (see the video for a visual).
  • Place into a container, cover with parchment paper, then refrigerate overnight.
  • The next day, shape the mixture into round balls about 50 g (1.75 oz) each.
  • Dip each croquette in beaten egg with some milk. Then immediately roll in breadcrumbs, and store in container until ready to fry. (We froze some like this and they were great to use later; just defrost in the fridge then fry.)
  • When ready to fry the leek croquettes, heat some olive oil to 320˚F (160˚C). Fry the croquettes until golden brown and heated all the way through.Remove from oil and drain well. Place on paper towel lined plate or tray.
  •  Serve hot with a little mayonnaise, if desired.

Notes

  • These freeze nicely, and if you have an air fryer, they will end up being fresh and crispy after re-heating them!

Nutrition

Serving: 2 croquettes | Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg

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4.96 from 25 votes (25 ratings without comment)

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38 Comments

  1. Could I airfry them to cook- not just reheat? And at what temperature and how long?
    And what temperature and how long do you reheat them in the airfryer if you have thawed them from frozen?

    1. You could. Spray with olive oil and place into preheated air fryer. I would say 360 to test one first and see how it goes before doing all of them. When you ask about reheating from frozen, are you planning on frying first or are they uncooked? It won’t be difficult to assess the time and temp if you test one first and adjust from there. (360 for 5 minutes and make hotter or cooler, and probably longer.) Enjoy, they’re so good!

  2. Is the quantity of milk (750ml) correct? It would make quite a thin sauce with only 3 oz flour. (There is no video to see the consistency)

    1. Hi Gawain, the recipe is correct. You can see the consistency in the photos. I thought the same thing at first, but the recipe is solid. Hope you give it a try!

  3. I am loving your web page. I am Spanish (from Andalusia, south of Spain) and I had never heard of leek croquetas before, I have tasted “puchero croquetas”, cured ham croquetas, mushroom croquetas, bull’s tail croquetas,… but never leek. I am eager to make them and try them.

    1. Thank you, Maria José! I know you’ll love them! The restaurant family is from Spain, so the recipe is authentic, which I love! Let me know what you think!

  4. Thanks for the recipe! I wanted to watch the video before I make it, but I get an error saying that the video is private. So I can’t watch it. Is there another link?