Best Shrimp Croquettes Recipe from Spain

Andalusia is filled with never-ending tapas ideas, so there are always new and easy Spanish recipes to try and make.

In this article, we will show you the shrimp croquettes recipe, one of the most delicious tapa dishes that you will find.

Not only do they have amazing taste, but they are also super simple to make, so just keep scrolling down this article and you will get all the information that you need to prepare this Spanish seafood recipe.

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Background of the Dish

Croquettes were created in Southern Spain centuries ago, and people simply can’t get enough.

You can find thousands of versions, with all sorts of fillings: from vegetarian versions with mushrooms to others with a ham and cheese combo.

There are other popular seafood Spanish tapas recipes like the bacalao croquettes and the salmon croquettes, but the shrimp croquettes stand out because the shrimp cooks way faster, and it is overall easier to make.

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Things You’ll Need for Shrimp Croquettes

To make the shrimp croquettes you will need flour, milk, breadcrumbs, eggs, onions, and shrimp.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 700g shrimp
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup (115ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (60ml) flour
• 1 onion
• Salt and black pepper (to taste)
• A pinch of Nutmeg (optional)

For the coating

• 1 cup (150gr) breadcrumbs (dry, store-bought)
• 1 cup (120ml) flour
• 2 eggs

How to Make Shrimp Croquettes – Step by Step Guide

1. To start with this croquettes recipe, you just have to clean the shrimp by removing any inedible parts (skip if you buy them clean).

2. Now pour just a dash of oil into a pan and heat it. Once it starts to sizzle, cook the shrimp until it gets a pink color on both sides (about 7 minutes in total).

3. Then, remove the shrimp from the heat and set it aside. Once it cools down a bit, chop it into small pieces.

4. After that, peel, clean, and chop the onion into small squares. The best for these Spanish snacks is the white onion, but you can use red onion too.

5. For the next step, melt the butter in a pan. Then add the onion and cook it until it gets a golden color.

6. Now you can add the flour and the milk. Mix continuously so you don’t have any lumps left. If it ends up with a sandy texture, add more milk. It must be a thick and homogeneous mix.

7. Then, add the cooked shrimp, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg (optional). Mix everything until you get a uniform dough.

8. After that, put the dough on a plate and take it to the fridge for one hour so it gets a firm texture. This is key to getting the classic croquettes shape.

9. Separate the dough and give the croquettes a cylindrical shape, though they can be the size and shape you want.

10. Beat the eggs and put them on a plate. On other plates, put the flour and breadcrumbs.

11. Now pass the cylinders of dough through the flour, then through the egg, and finally through the breadcrumbs. You can repeat this step one more time for a crispier crust.

12. Put oil in a deep saucepan and heat it to medium heat. Once it’s hot, cook the croquettes until golden, for about 5 to 7 minutes in total (flipping halfway through). Don’t cook them all at once, do it in batches.

13. For the final step just take the shrimp croquettes out of the pan, and with absorbent paper remove the excess oil. Then you can serve the croquettas warm.

Substitution of Ingredients

Croquettes in general are the best tapas recipes, thanks to the number of substitutions that you can make to the ingredients.

Flour, milk, and the ingredients for the coating are the base ones, but you can even make some changes to them.

For example, you can use vegetable milk, gluten-free flour, or crushed cereal (with no sugar) for the coating.

If you aren’t the biggest fan of seafood, then you can make other easy tapas recipes, like potato croquettes or mushroom croquettes.

After they are fried you can also place the croquettes on a baking tray and shred some cheese on top.

Then put them into the oven for 5 minutes so that the cheese melts, and you will have some game changer shrimp croquettes.

Tips on Serving Shrimp Croquettes

If you are familiar with Spanish tapas, then you might know that they work as Spanish appetizers.

So feel free to serve the shrimp croquettes before lunch or dinner, or even as an afternoon snack.

As well as other Spanish starters, you can serve these croquettes with some condiments or sauces, like ketchup, mayonnaise, aioli, or anything you like.

Now when it comes to the beverage, the traditional way would be to serve the Spanish croquettes with a cold beer, but you can have it with your favorite soda or a glass of water too.

If you want to try a meat-free recipe, check out our Spanish vegan potato croquettes.

How to Store Shrimp Croquettes

If you haven’t fallen in love with Spanish shrimp tapas yet, then wait until you read how to store them.

You can both freeze them for 45 days or store the croquettes in the fridge for 4 days and, in any way, they won’t lose their amazing taste.

Just let the shrimp croquettes get to room temperature after making the recipe, and place them in a covered container.

Then you can store them in any of the described ways, and if you freeze them just let them thaw in the fridge overnight.

Recipe Card: Shrimp Croquettes

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