Making chard croquettes in the oven is a healthy way to cook them, since we do not need to use oil. Although in appearance they are not as pretty as the traditional fried croquettes, we must think that we considerably reduce the fat content, so we can enjoy an equally delicious but lighter preparation. These are ideal croquettes for the whole family, since they help us get the little ones to eat vegetables. In addition, this same recipe lends itself to multiple variations, so we can include other vegetables that we like and even add cheese. We point out in different countries this recipe is also known as baked chard fritters Stay at to discover how to make baked chard croquettes, it will surprise you.
Ingredients to make baked chard croquettes:
• 1 bunch of Swiss chard
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 bag of breadcrumbs
• 300 milliliters of milk (1¼ cups)
How to make Baked Chard Croquettes:
Before starting with the recipe for baked chard croquettes, we point out that the process is the same as for baked chard Torres’s or baked chard sandwiches, you just have to modify the size and shape. To do this, first wash and cut the chard very finely. To prepare these baked chard croquettes we can use both the leaves and the stems.
We steam the chard so that they do not take as much water. The cooking time will be about 10 minutes. If you prefer, you can also cook them in boiling water, but you must bear in mind that you will have to drain them very well afterwards.
In a frying pan, put the butter and the flour, stir for a couple of minutes and, immediately afterwards, and add the chard. We continue stirring to integrate the vegetables well into the mixture of flour and butter.
Gradually add the milk, continuing to mix. The result should be a thick and homogeneous dough. The amount of milk is approximate, since the one required by the preparation should be used.
When we see that the dough is ready, we transfer it to a plate and let it cool completely to form the croquettes.
Once the dough is cold, put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and beat the eggs in another. We form the chard croquettes and pass them first through the egg and then through the breadcrumbs. Likewise, we preheat the oven to 200 ºC.
We are putting the homemade croquettes on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Then, we cook the chard croquettes in the oven until golden brown. Depending on the type of oven, they may take more or less, but 20 minutes will be enough.
We take out and immediately serve the baked chard croquettes to enjoy them hot. We can accompany them with a yogurt sauce, which fits perfectly with the flavor of the chard. These are delicious light chard croquettes, perfect for all types of diets. If you want to make vegan croquettes, we recommend replacing the cow’s milk with soy or rice milk. For the egg, we recommend reviewing this article: “Egg Substitutes “.
Chard and cheese croquettes
To make chard and cheese croquettes we simply have to add grated cheese to the recipe, and include it in the dough when all the ingredients are already integrated. In this sense, we see how this recipe lends itself to multiple elaborations, since we can also make chard and rice croquettes, vegan chard croquettes, as we have already indicated, chard and spinach croquettes and a long etcetera.
Chard croquettes baked light
The chard croquettes with breadcrumbs that we have learned to prepare are perfect for dinner or to serve as a side dish. By having cooked them in the oven instead of frying them, we have managed to reduce the amount of calories because we have not used oil. Now, to make even lighter baked chard croquettes, we recommend taking the following into account:
• The béchamel can be made healthier using skimmed milk or vegetable milk, with soy and rice being the most recommended.
• Instead of butter, we can use a splash of olive oil. Likewise, we recommend replacing the flour with whole meal flour, which does not have to be wheat. To make gluten-free Swiss chard croquettes, you can use chickpea or rice flour.
