Bacon Manchego Croquettes
Switch out the Spanish ham for bacon in these cheesy croquettes. Fluffy mashed potatoes mixed with crispy bacon and tons of cheese. Perfect as an appetizer or graze on them, tapas style, for a light meal.
While researching Spanish tapas recipes that I can add a Southern twist on, I couldn’t pass up the chance to make croquettes.
The traditional ones have Spanish ham (Jamon) and Manchego cheese, but bacon is where it’s at in my book.
Not only are they a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, they are fun to eat and kid friendly too! There are so many ways to change these up, check out my mushroom croquettes, my taco croquettes, and these Southwest ones with green chilies.
Air fried, so you can skip the messy deep frying, try these with a spicy dipping sauce or just enjoy the bacony, cheesy goodness all on their own.
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Potato – This recipe is perfect for using up those leftover mashed potatoes or you can make them from scratch. If you don’t have leftover ones but are short on time, buy some already made from the store. I won’t tell!
- Bacon – I like to use thick cut bacon or buy slab bacon or pancetta. The thicker pieces give them more texture.
- Cheese – I like Manchego with these to keep that “Spanish” feel but if you want to swap it out for cheddar or your favorite cheese, go for it!
- Coating – I use regular breadcrumbs because they are smaller than panko crumbs and coat the whole surface better. If you prefer panko crumbs I would coat them twice.
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How To Make Bacon Croquettes
- Cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy (5-7 minutes). Drain excess fat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, eggs, cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
- Combine the cooked bacon with the potato mixture. If the mixture is warm, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm it up. It makes it easier to roll into balls and keep their shape when cooking.
- Lightly flour your hands and shape into balls roughly 1.5 inches. Preheat your air fryer to 400F (200C) while you are coating them.
- Dip each croquette into the beaten egg, then coat with breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
- Place croquettes in a single layer, spray with oil, and cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping/rolling halfway through.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Serving Suggestions
These are delicious all on their own but I can’t resist a dipping sauce. And with the creamy potato I like something spicy.
My favorite is this spicy aioli, and keeps with the original way to eat them. But this Mississippi Comeback sauce is a close second.
Storage and Reheating
If you have any leftover, you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer or the oven to crisp up the outside again. Maybe a quick spritz of oil too.
Potatoes are usually good for freezing but they can get a little grainy depending on what is mixed with them. I have frozen these before, for up to 2 months, and reheated in the oven.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before you heat them back up. Just be sure to wrap them tightly or place in a freezer safe container.
The cornstarch should help keep them together. If the mixture is still too wet and won’t hold its shape, you can add 1 tablespoon of flour to the mixture until it sticks. You can also chill the mixture before air frying but this might increase cooking time.
You certainly can! Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes. Just check to make sure that the center has reached 165F. Flip or turn halfway through so they cook evenly and get golden brown all over.
Tapas Tips & Tricks
- Make sure the potato mixture doesn’t have too much moisture. Some of the store bought mashed potatoes have extra liquid so be sure to drain them first.
- Chill the dough before forming into balls to help them hold their shape.
- When you air fry, I like to just have them in the basket, without a liner. I know this makes for more cleanup but allowing the air to circulate all around them, helps to crisp up the entire surface.
- On that same note, make sure there is enough space between the croquettes in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size, you might need to cook them in batches.
- Use regular breadcrumbs for more even coverage and keep the cheese from leaking out.
- Experiment with different fillings like mushrooms, ham, and different spices like cajun seasoning or bbq seasoning.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
This cheesy bacon croquette recipe is super easy to make, a fun dish for kids of all ages, and a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes and other vegetables.
Bacon Croquettes with Manchego
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bacon
- 1 pound potatoes boiled, mashed
- 2 large eggs divided, 1 for base and 1 for egg wash
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- cooking spray
Instructions
To make the croquette mixture:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine.
- Fold in the cooked bacon and cheese. Refrigerate the mixture for 20-30 minutes to firm it up.
- Lightly flour your hands and shape the mixtures into small balls about 1 inch balls.
- Dip each croquette into the beaten egg, then coat with breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Place croquettes in a single layer, spray with oil, and cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Remove when the outside is lightly golden brown and crispy and the center is 165F.
- Let sit for 2-3 minutes before eating with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Make sure the potato mixture doesn’t have too much moisture. Some of the store bought mashed potatoes have extra liquid so be sure to drain them first.
- Chill the dough before forming into balls to help them hold their shape.
- When you air fry, I like to just have them in the basket, without a liner. I know this makes for more cleanup but allowing the air to circulate all around them, helps to crisp up the entire surface.
- On that same note, make sure there is enough space between the croquettes in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size, you might need to cook them in batches.
- Use regular breadcrumbs for more even coverage and keep the cheese from leaking out.
- Experiment with different fillings like mushrooms, ham, and different spices like cajun seasoning or bbq seasoning.
Nutrition
{Recipe originally posted 08/08/17 – photos and recipe notes updated 04/15/25}
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This was my first attempt at frying and it worked perfectly! Thankyou for a delicious and easy recipe 🙂 my only notes would be that you certainly don’t need 3 eggs or that amount of breadcrumbs as there was a great deal of wastage. Other than that, perfect and delicious!
Thank you! I will make a note in the recipe card:) So glad you liked them!
I totally agree, everything is better with bacon. These look so good. I really like that I can put them together one day and make them the next.