Croquettes are savory little treats that are made from any kind of meat or vegetable, generally bound together with a white sauce or potatoes, then breaded and fried.

Different countries around the world have their own version of croquettes. In Holland, kroketten are eaten throughout the day as finger food, or spread on bread. In Spain, these little tapas are called croquetas and are hugely popular. The American fritter is a cousin of the croquette.

First, here is a basic recipe for croquetas, which is the foundation for most variations. For the breading, I prefer to use cracker meal (which can be bought in most local supermarkets) over regular breadcrumbs because they are finer in texture.

Tuna:These are my absolute favorite croquettes. They’re also easy to make because you just open a couple of cans of store-bought tuna. You can make variations with pretty much any fish, including tilapia and salmon.

Ham: This, for most people, is the quintessential croqueta. This recipe calls for a cured ham, but they turned out quite tasty when I made them with regular boiled ham. Again, these little bites are flexible when it comes to stuffings.

Chicken: If you happen to have leftover chicken, here’s a creative way to use it. Adults and kids alike will love these because they’re a twist on chicken fingers.

Potato: This puts a modern twist on the old-fashioned croquette. Sweet potato definitely adds another dimension. if you really have no worries about watching your waistline, here’s a version with bacon and roasted tomato.

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