Cheese and Bacon Croquettes are a lovely combination of crispy coating with a soft delicate inside that’s packed with flavour. To add a little heat, I have in the past added a teaspoon of English mustard to the mashed potato. The addition was superb and included within a buffet/canape layout, they went down a treat. They can be serve as a snack, starter, canape and as a side dish covering a full spectrum of opportunities.

When I make Cheese and Bacon Croquettes, I use smoked bacon, either back or streaky and little chunks of mature cheddar. However, mozzarella or a mix of parmesan and gruyere work wonderfully well together. These delights are brilliant for parties of all ages, lunches and picnics. Don’t forget to serve with a chilli sauce for that perfect compilation.

Cheese and Bacon Croquettes

A desirable nibble that's crispy yet soft and gooey all at the same time. Perfect all year round and ideal for party food.

4.75 from 122 votes

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Course: Canapes, Side Dish, Snack, Starter

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Bacon, Breadcrumbs, Cheddar, Cheese, Croquettes, Eggs, Fry, Gruyere, Mozzarella, Vegetables

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: Croquettes

Calories: 109kcal

Equipment

1 Potato Masher
1 Mixing Bowl
1 deep sided frying pan
1 Large Saucepan

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes

600 g potatoes peel/chop
20 g unsalted butter
2 tbsp milk maybe more

Filling

6 rashers smoked back bacon dice
2 large scallions finely slice
1 large egg yolk free range
90 g all purpose flour plain/divided
100 g cheddar cheese See Note
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg free range
30 ml milk
165 g breadcrumbs fresh
Oil

Instructions

Place cold water into a large saucepan and add the potatoes. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil and cook for up to 10 minutes until the point of a knife passes easily through a potato.
600 g potatoes
Drain the potatoes into a colander and then return to the saucepan. Turn off the heat.
Add the milk and butter too the potatoes and mash until everything is combined and the mash is lovely and smooth. If the mash is too dry add a little more milk.
20 g unsalted butter, 2 tbsp milk
Season with salt and ground black pepper, stir and taste. Add more seasoning if needed.
salt, ground black pepper
Place a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and add the bacon. No need to add oil as the fat in the bacon will render and flavour the bacon even more. Fry for 4 minutes or until lovely and crisp but not cremated. Remove from the pan and place onto kitchen paper to drain excess fat.
6 rashers smoked back bacon
In a large mixing bowl, add the mashed potato, egg yolk, bacon, onion and 30g of the flour(1/3rd) and stir well to fully combine. You are looking for an even spread of the bacon and onion in the mash.
2 large scallions, 1 large egg yolk, 90 g all purpose flour
Scoop a heaped portion out using a tablespoon and push a piece of cheese into the middle. Using your hands shape the mixture into a ball with the cheese on the inside.
100 g cheddar cheese
Place three dishes side by side. I dish 1 add the remaining 60g of flour, in dish 2 add the egg and milk and whisk together and in the third add the breadcrumbs.
90 g all purpose flour, 1 large egg, 30 ml milk, 165 g breadcrumbs
In a production line, gently roll a croquette into the flour and then shake off any excess, then dunk into the egg mixture and finally roll in the breadcrumbs and place on a clean plate ready for frying.
Add enough oil to a deep sided pan to cover the croquettes but no higher than ½ the height of the pan. Turn to a medium high heat and once heated up, carefully add the croquettes in batches. Do not overfill the pan, as the croquettes need space to fry properly.
Oil
Turn the croquettes over during cooking until they are a love golden brown. Remove carefully and cook the next batch.
Allow the cooked croquettes to drain on kitchen paper and they are ready to serve as a starter, side dish, canape and as a surprise in a picnics.

Nutrition