CROQUETES
The Most Delicious Lesson in the Catalan Art of Not Wasting Food
January:
The Perfect Time to Rethink Leftovers
After the abundance of the holidays—long tables, celebratory meals, and generous cooking—January arrives as a quiet reset. It’s the month when we naturally crave simplicity, balance, and intention after weeks of indulgence. It’s also the perfect moment to rethink leftovers: not as excess to be discarded, but as opportunity.
In Catalonia, this way of thinking has never required resolutions or trends. Reusing what remains after a feast is simply part of the rhythm of life. Leftovers are transformed, not thrown away, and often become the most comforting dishes of all. At the center of this philosophy lives a small, golden bite that says everything about Catalan cooking: the croqueta.
A Culinary Culture Built on Respect, Not Excess
Long before sustainability entered our vocabulary, Catalan kitchens were already practicing it—quietly, instinctively, and deliciously. Cooking in Catalonia has always been about respect: for ingredients, for health, for tradition, and for the land itself.
Meals are planned thoughtfully, not around abundance but around balance. What isn’t eaten today is never considered “waste”—it’s simply tomorrow’s starting point. This wisdom, passed down from mothers and grandmothers, has shaped a cuisine that is naturally nutritious, deeply seasonal, and remarkably resourceful.
Nothing Is Ever Just a Leftover in Catalonia
Throwing food away—even a piece of bread gone stale or a vegetable that’s past its prime—has never been the Catalan way. The habit of making the most of odds and ends is deeply embedded in Catalan identity and was reinforced during times of war and scarcity. Yet it endured long after necessity faded, because it simply made sense.
Some of Catalonia’s most iconic dishes were born from this mindset: bread soups, garlic soups, pa amb tomàquet, arròs a la cassola, , coques de recapte, bunyols , and canelons. These recipes don't disguise leftovers—they celebrate them.
And among all of them, croquetes stand apart as the most creative—and joyful—expression of reuse.
Croquetes: A Dish Without a Recipe
There is no single recipe for croquetes, and that is exactly their beauty.
Croquetes exist because something already existed before them. Sunday roast chicken, serrano ham ends, salted cod, fish from the day before, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, roasted vegetables—all can find new life folded into a humble béchamel, shaped by hand, breaded, and fried until perfectly golden.
Some croquetes are delicate and creamy, others are firmer. Some are rich with meat, others entirely vegetable. What they all share is intention: nothing wasted, honor the ingredient.
What began as a practical solution has become a ritual. Croquetes are no longer just a way to use leftovers—they are often the most anticipated dish on the table.
They appear at family lunches, holiday gatherings, festive celebrations, and tapes restaurants across Catalonia. Children grow up associating croquetes with comfort, with home, with the sound of oil gently sizzling in the kitchen.
A Lesson for Modern Kitchens
Croquetes remind us that good cooking doesn’t require abundance, only care. They show us that sustainability doesn’t have to feel restrictive or moralizing. When practiced with creativity and tradition, it becomes joyful.
In a world increasingly disconnected from food origins, croquetes quietly carry forward the wisdom of Catalan mothers and grandmothers: eat well, waste less, and use what you already have in your fridge.
Perhaps that’s why they taste so good. They’re not just food, they’re culture and purpose, fried to a perfect crunch golden finish.
Honoring This Way of Eating on Our Journeys Through Catalonia
This philosophy of cooking, resourceful, balanced, and deeply rooted in tradition, is not something we only write about. It’s something we live and share.
On our journeys through Catalonia, we honor this way of eating by bringing our groups to the places where these traditions are still alive. We step into classic bars de tapes, family-run kitchens, and historic taverns where croquetes are not a trend, but a legacy.
Through these experiences, our guests don’t just taste Catalonia—they understand it.
Ready to taste Catalonia?
Join us at the table and discover the soulful cuisine of this region first-hand. Explore our upcoming culinary journeys and save your seat.
Bring the tradition home…
We’ve prepared a guide to help you master the basics of the perfect béchamel and create your own croqueta using any ingredient you have in your fridge, or leftovers.
