Cod Croquettes Arguiñano Style: Step-by-Step Recipe

Arguiñano's style: uncomplicated cooking

Karlos Arguiñano has been teaching millions of Spaniards to cook on his television show for decades. His philosophy is clear: good ingredients, simple technique, and lots of joy in the kitchen. His recipes shy away from unnecessary sophistication and opt for quality produce, patience with the frying pan, and those homemade tricks that are passed down from generation to generation.

Croquettes are one of the star dishes in Arguiñano's cuisine. His approach is distinguished by three fundamental pillars: a very thick béchamel that allows the croquettes to be formed without falling apart, a double breading that creates that crispy and unmistakable crust, and a long rest in the refrigerator that facilitates handling the dough and improves the final texture.

This recipe we propose is inspired by Arguiñano's style, adapted to use premium Icelandic cod. It is not the literal recipe from his show, but an interpretation faithful to his principles: homemade cooking, no shortcuts, with top-quality produce. Because, as Karlos himself would say, "with a good product, half the work is already done."

At Bacalalo, we have been selecting the best Icelandic cod in Barcelona's Mercat del Ninot since 1990. For Arguiñano-style croquettes, dried shredded cod is the ideal option: fine fibers that integrate perfectly into the béchamel and provide that deep flavor that defines a great croquette.

Ingredients for Arguiñano-style croquettes

For about 30-35 croquettes

For the thick béchamel

• 100g butter
• 120g wheat flour (high proportion, key to Arguiñano's style)
• 750ml whole milk (lukewarm)
• Salt, white pepper, and nutmeg

For the cod filling

• 300g dried shredded cod (previously desalted)
• 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh chopped parsley

For the double breading

• 3 beaten eggs
• Fine breadcrumbs (plenty, minimum 300g)
• Flour for the first layer

For frying

• Mild olive oil or sunflower oil (plenty, for deep frying)

The perfect cod for your croquettes

Universal Dried Shredded Cod 500g

€17.90

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Thick béchamel, Arguiñano style

Béchamel is the heart of any croquette, and in Arguiñano's style, the key is to make it thicker than usual. While a béchamel for cannelloni or lasagna is fluid, béchamel for croquettes should be almost a solid mass when cold. This is achieved with a higher proportion of flour to milk.

Step 1: Prepare the cod

Desalt the shredded cod in cold water in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. Drain and dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. In a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, sauté the very finely chopped onion over medium heat for 10 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, cook for 2 more minutes, and then add the cod. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring and flaking the fibers well. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the roux

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When melted, add all the flour at once and stir with a wooden spoon for 3-4 minutes. The roux must be cooked well—Arguiñano always insists on this point: a raw roux leaves a floury taste. You will see it form a compact paste and smell slightly like biscuits.

Step 3: Add the milk gradually

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Pour in one-third of the lukewarm milk and stir vigorously with a whisk. The mixture will initially form lumps, but keep beating until it is smooth. Return to medium-low heat and add the rest of the milk in two batches, always beating between each addition.

Cook, stirring constantly, for 12-15 minutes. The béchamel is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a compact mass. This is much thicker than a normal béchamel – it should be difficult to stir.

Step 4: Incorporate the cod

Remove from heat and add the cod stir-fry to the hot béchamel. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add chopped parsley, white pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Taste for salt — the cod already adds a lot, so be careful.

Pour the mixture into a large dish, spread it with a spatula to a thickness of about 2-3 cm, cover with cling film touching the surface, and let it cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, though ideally overnight. Arguiñano insists: a well-chilled dough is much easier to shape.

Shaping and breading croquettes: double breading

Double breading is one of Arguiñano's signature techniques for croquettes. It involves passing the croquettes twice through egg and breadcrumbs, creating a thicker, crispier, and more resistant crust to frying.

Step 1: Shape the croquettes

With slightly damp hands (a bowl of water nearby helps), take portions of dough the size of a large walnut. Shape them into ovals or cylinders, as you prefer. If the dough is well chilled, it will be easy to handle. If it sticks, moisten your hands again.

Step 2: First layer

Roll each croquette in flour, shaking off the excess. Then, dip it in beaten egg and then coat it in fine breadcrumbs. Place it on a tray.

Step 3: Second layer (the secret to crispiness)

Once all the croquettes have been coated with the first layer, repeat the process: egg → breadcrumbs. This second layer is what makes all the difference. The result is a crispy crust that perfectly seals the creamy interior.

Arguiñano recommends letting the breaded croquettes rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before frying. This compacts the breading and prevents them from breaking open in the oil.

Frying perfect croquettes: temperature and times

Frying is the moment of truth. Oil at the wrong temperature ruins any croquette, no matter how good the dough is.

Oil temperature: 170-180°C. If you don't have a thermometer, drop a small piece of bread in: it should brown in about 30 seconds without burning. If the oil smokes, it's too hot.

Fry the croquettes in batches of 5-6 units, without overcrowding. Putting too many in at once lowers the oil temperature, and the croquettes will absorb fat instead of sealing. Cook them for 2-3 minutes, turning them with a slotted spoon, until uniformly golden.

Drain them on absorbent paper and let them rest for 2 minutes before serving. The inside continues to cook with the residual heat, and this way you avoid burns from the hot béchamel.

Arguiñano's tricks for perfect croquettes

These are the principles that define Arguiñano-style croquettes, gathered from years of shows and cookbooks:

• More flour, less milk: The flour-to-milk ratio is higher than in a normal béchamel. This results in a firm dough that forms easily.
• Mandatory refrigeration: Minimum 4 hours, ideally overnight. Cold dough molds better and the breading adheres more effectively.
• Always double-breaded: Egg and breadcrumbs twice. The first layer seals, the second crisps.
• Fine breadcrumbs: Coarse breadcrumbs give a rustic result. Fine breadcrumbs produce the crispy, uniform texture we're looking for.
• Plenty of oil: Croquettes should float in oil. If they touch the bottom of the pan, they stick and deform.
• Few at a time: Maximum 5-6 croquettes per batch. Patience here pays off.
• Never pierce: If you pierce a croquette to test it, the béchamel will escape. Trust the cooking time and golden color.
• Sautéed, not fried, onion: The onion in the sofrito should be transparent and sweet, never crunchy or dark. Medium heat and patience.

Common mistakes when making cod croquettes

Even experienced cooks make these mistakes with croquettes. Take note to avoid them:

• Béchamel too runny: If the mixture doesn't pull away from the sides of the pan, it needs more cooking. Don't rush — keep stirring over medium heat until it thickens enough.
• Poorly desalted cod: Overly salty croquettes are beyond saving. Always desalt generously and taste the cod before adding it to the béchamel.
• Warm dough when breading: If you try to form croquettes with warm dough, they will stick to your hands and it will be a mess. Respect the refrigeration time.
• Cold oil: Frying croquettes in oil that hasn't reached 170°C results in greasy croquettes with soft breading. Always wait for the correct temperature.
• Cutting open a croquette to test: If you cut open a freshly fried croquette, the liquid interior will spill out. Wait 2 minutes for it to rest, and the texture will be creamy but cohesive.

To avoid the most common mistake of all — using poor-quality cod — the solution is simple. Well-desalted Icelandic cod has long fibers, a clean flavor, and a texture that integrates perfectly into the béchamel without turning into mush.

Frequently asked questions