Piping hot mashed potato with meat encased in a crunchy golden panko shell, Japanese Baked Croquette (Korokke) is simply irresistible. This recipe requires no deep frying, making it healthier and easier to prepare at home.
If you have been following my blog for a while, you probably know how much I love Korokke (コロッケ), Japanese croquette. It’s always my first and last homemade meal that I request from my mom whenever I visit my home in Japan.
I have shared my mom’s Korokke recipe on the blog (here) and it’s one of the most popular recipes on Just One Cookbook. Through the year, I’ve been requested by many readers if they could bake Korokke instead of deep frying. So today, I am really excited to share the baked version. The method is very similar to how I make this popular Baked Tonkatsu recipe.
Watch How To Make Baked Croquette 揚げないコロッケの作り方
Japanese baked croquette recipe. Piping hot mashed potato mixed with juicy meat wrapped around a crispy panko shell. No deep frying required!
What is Japanese Croquette?
A culinary import from France, the Japanese adopted these beloved fried potato rolls when French croquette was introduced to Japan in the early 1900s. Japanese croquettes are closely resemble the French version, but the main difference is we typically serve them with tonkatsu sauce. We call this dish Korokke and write it コロッケ.
Japanese croquette consists of panko breaded, deep fried patties, filled with mashed potatoes with ground meat and onions. There are some variations which include curry flavors, cream filling with seafood, and vegetables filling like kabocha squash.
The shape is usually flat oval, although my mom makes her version thicker than store-bought Korokke. In case you wonder why I love my mom’s Korokke so much, it’s because she uses really good quality ground beef and she’s very particular about which potatoes to use too. If you’re in Japan, you want to get 男爵芋. Her Korokke also includes more ground beef, so it is really outstanding.
Baked Croquette vs. Deep-Fried Croquette
My love of Korokke has passed down to both of my children so they often request for it. Like many of you, I love deep fried food but it’s messy to clean up and the house definitely smells a bit unpleasant. Well, you no longer have to worry because baked croquettes make all those headaches go away.
You next question is probably, which one tastes better, baked or deep-fried?
As a huge Korokke fan, I have to be honest with you and admit that nothing beats deep-fried Korokke out of the deep fryer. The crispy shell on the outside and the piping hot mashed potatoes mixed with juicy beef on the inside. Croquette, borrow from the French word croquer, “to crunch” says it all. It’s simple, yet amazing comfort food.
However, this BAKED recipe is REALLY REALLY CLOSE to the deep fried version! And my family agrees.
For those of you (actually many of you — thank you!!) who tried my Baked Tonkatsu recipe can testify how close the baked Tonkatsu is compared to deep-fried Tonkatsu. This version of Korokke is just like that.
If you love Korokke, I highly recommend giving this baked version a try. You are guaranteed with no mess and no oily smell in the kitchen, and a much HEALTHIER Korokke to enjoy. If you do try, please let me know what you think in the comment below.
Great Party Finger Foods!
If you make your Korokke slightly smaller, they can fit perfectly in these Origami Cups (tutorial video here). These crunchy treats are great for appetizers, or even as main dish for kids’ party (in that case, make sure the croquettes are cooled slightly).
I hope you enjoy this Japanese baked croquette recipe. Thank you so much for reading, and till next time!
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- 2 lb russet potatoes (900 g, about 4)
- 1 onion
- 3 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, canola, etc) (divided)
- 1 lb ground beef (454 g)
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; Use half for table salt) (⅛ tsp table salt) (for beef)
- 2 ½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) (125 g)
- ½ tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; Use half for table salt) (¼ tsp table salt) (for potatoes)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) (60 g)
- Tonkatsu sauce (For homemade recipe see Notes)
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Gather all the ingredients.
- Peel and cut potatoes into thirds or half and place in a large pot. Add water until it covers the potatoes by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring it to a boil and cook the potatoes until a skewer goes through easily, this will take about 20 minutes depending on the amount of water.
- While cooking the potatoes, you can finely dice the onion.
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In a large fry-pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil on medium-high heat and sauté the onion until soft. Then add the meat and cook until no longer pink.
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Season with freshly ground black pepper and ¼ tsp salt. Remove from the heat and set aside.
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Combine the panko and 2 Tbsp oil in a separate frying pan and toast over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer the panko into a bowl or shallow dish and allow to cool.
- When a skewer goes through the potatoes easily, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and drain.
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Mash the potatoes and season with freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp salt, and 1 Tbsp butter.
- Add the meat mixture into the mashed potatoes and combine well. Some onions and meat yield more juice after cooking. In that case, avoid adding any juice into the potatoes. Wet potatoes will make it harder to shape the croquettes.
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While the mixture is still warm, but not hot, make thick oval patties, about ½ inch thick. Let the patties rest in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 400 ºF (204 ºC). Coat the patties with flour and pat off any excess flour.
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Then coat the patties with eggs and finally panko.
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Place the croquettes on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack (so the bottom of croquettes will be crunchy) or parchment paper. Bake at 400 ºF (204 ºC) for 10 minutes. Serve immediately with Tonkatsu sauce.
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To save for later, you can freeze croquettes up to 1 month. To reheat, put frozen or half defrosted croquettes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 ºF (180 ºC) for 15 minutes or until the inside is warm.
Tonkatsu Sauce: Homemade recipe, click here.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Thank You…..it sounds as if it should be lean ground beef……at my market they sell a ground sirloin that has very low fat content. I think I will use that. When we visit my sister-in-law in Kitakyushu….she makes fried korokke for me…..it is my favorite Japanese dish……….she uses curry to season hers. They are so good!
I tried to make them here at home but I am not good at deep fat frying and they were a disappointment. But your baked version looks like something I could do and I look forward to doing it. (I thought it was clever to brown the panko in a little oil before using it to roll the korokke…..It will give them the taste of fried.
I just ordered some Bull Dog brand Fruit and Vegetable Sauce…..I think I will wait for it to arrive before making my korokke.
Thank you so much for your recipes and for your responses to my questions. .
We are going to Japan this year from 9/27 to 10/28…..we will spend half the time visiting family and friends in Kyushu….and then two weeks getting maximum use of our rail passes.
Thanks again.
Bond-O
Hi Bond! Yes, def lean ground beef, not too much fat. Your sister-in-law must make great Korokke!
In my opinion, deep fried Korokke always wins, but this baked version is pretty close and it’s much easier. Hope you enjoy making and eating korokke at home!
The Tonkatsu sauce is a must have for me, although my mom always tell me to eat the korokke by itself FIRST before I pour the sauce. =P
I’m so excited for your trip to Japan! By then it’s going to be a lot cooler and you’ll have an amazing trip! We’re debating if we go to Kyushu next year or the year after. I’ve been to some places in Kyushu, but need to explore more. 🙂 Have a safe trip there! xo
Ooooh I’ve never tried these before! I think I will have to make some this week for the 5 kids in the house! I love making the baked Tonkatsu and Chicken Katsu recipes! Thanks for this one too!
Hi Minh! If you’re familiar with baked Tonkatsu and Chicken Katsu, this one is the same way! It takes a little longer due to making the filling, but it’s so delicious. Hope you like this recipe too! Thank you for trying my recipes. 🙂
Thanks for this great idea! Deep frying korokke always takes me forever, and also uses a ton of oil. I will try this out asap!
Hi Theresa! Hope you like the baked version! It’s definitely much easier to bake Korokke. Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Hi! I’m really excited to make these, but allergic to egg. Is there a substitute I can use?
Thank you!
Hi Skim! You can mix the flour and milk to make the thick mixture, and treat it as egg + flour coating. So for you, there are two steps. 1) flour + water mixture 2) panko. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
I have my formed korokke chilling in the fridge for supper tonight. I think they have come out perfectly thus far. I used ground sirloin and russet potatoes as suggested. They smell delicious and the little taste I took while shaping them was just as I remembered them from Japan.
My husband, who is Japanese told me that he never really liked korokke….so he wont enjoy supper as much as I will. He didnt mention it to me when we were at his sister’s house…..that wouldnt have been very nice.
All I have to do tonight is: flour them, egg wash and browned panko and heat in hot oven. I will have to think of something else for him!
Hi Bond! I hope you enjoyed the korokke for dinner! Your description made me hungry, must be so delicious!
Your husband does not like Korokke?! 😀 I could eat his portion, easily. 😉 Hope you had a wonderful dinner!
They were delicious! (I fixed my husband chicken with a lemon teriyaki glaze–he was pleased.
Thank you for a delicious recipe. I think next time I may fry them in oil. I have some of the korokke patties (before breading them) in the freezer….so next time will be much easier and that is why I think I will try my hand at frying them.
Thanks so much for your kind feedback! Good luck with deep frying next time! 🙂
I’ve been wondering for a while and have to ask… What brand of knives do you use? Are they available in the US? Thanks for another great recipe, too!
Hi Madeline! I use a few knives in my videos, and this one is by Kikuichi and I love it. I highly recommend you to go to a knife store and test out (hold) knives so you can pick what you’re comfortable with. It’s also good to know where you can send your knife for maintenance, so find a local knife shop is a good idea. I tried many knives and found Kikuichi knives fit my hands well.
Here’s one I use in this video: http://amzn.to/1Tj4Otd
Hope this helps!
Hi Naomi,
Thanks for sharing this! I’m going to try it tomorrow. Cannot wait to making them right now.
Do you have a good jar scraper and potato meshed to recommend? I just moved and I’m excited to invest and get good and durable tools for my kitchen.
My apologies Nami! Please excuse my typo!!! Or you can omit the ‘o’ to call me Sofi 😉
Hi Sofie! I hope you enjoy(ed) this recipe! 🙂
I never knew the term jar scraper before but now I know what it is. 🙂 My rubber spatulas are from Su Lar Table or Le Creuest and found these online:
http://www.lecreuset.com/revolution%C2%AE-jar-scraper
http://www.surlatable.com/category/TCA-257866/Spatulas+%26+Turners?cleanSession=true&pCat=CAT-257066
Potato mash – I have been using one that I got like 15 years ago… not sure what brand, but something cheap, not fancy. I had no issue with it so I’m still using it. 🙂 Maybe next one I’ll look for good one too.
p.s. Don’t worry about typo. I get that often since Naomi is more common name. 😀
I found your blog when I was looking for Tonkatsu’s recipe and I love how the recipes are detailed and easy to follow so thank you for the hard work~
Also, is there any secret behind your Panko?^^;
For both this recipe and Tonkatsu, somehow my Panko turns dark brown as if it’s burnt :\
Could it be the type of Panko I use or maybe I fry it too much?
Hi Jay! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. I don’t have any secret for toasting panko, but here are some points that I thought might be helpful…
1) I use non-stick frying pan.
2) I use medium heat BUT I’m always in front of the pan and make sure I don’t burn the panko. If you don’t want to keep checking, you should use lower heat. But that will take a longer time. You can’t keep stirring, because it’ll take a longer time to have panko brown, but you need to keep shaking to make sure one side of panko are not on the frying pan.
3) I use Japanese panko, like this:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/panko/
Hope that helps!
Wow! Really liked it. Thank you 😀
Thank you Raneen! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Is it possible to use quick mix mash potatoes (those powder stuff)…it’s probably not as healthy but just wondering if it would save time… Thanks!
Hi Winnie! That’s a good question… I have seen it before but never used it so I don’t know how the texture is, etc… What I’m afraid is that it may crumble when you mix with meat and onion… but it’s just my guess and I’ve never used this product so I might not be a good person to give an advice. =P GIve it a try and let us know? 🙂
Looks great! What is the shredded side dish, by chance? And how do you make it? Thanks!
Hi Sue! It’s just finely shredded cabbage. Usually fried dishes like Tonkatsu and Croquettes are served with shredded cabbages in Japan. We use some Japanese dressing or Tonkatsu sauce to enjoy the shredded cabbage salad. 🙂
I just wanted to know if there was a substitute for the ground beef. I’m a pescatarian so I can’t eat beef or chicken, but these look so good! No worries if that’s not possible. No harm in asking. 🙂
Keep up the hard work! I love this website!
Hi Ali! I’m so glad you asked! You can put cooked salmon or crab or anything that goes well with potatoes. You have to cook and shred first. Hope you enjoy this fish with seafood! 🙂
Hi Nami,
I was wondering if you can use this method for kani cream croquettes, since they require refrigeration. Because the mixture for kani cream croquettes are pretty much based of a bechamel sauce + refirgeration rather than mashed potato, I was just wondering if you’ve ever tried baking cream based croquettes and if not, would you reccommend frying for those instead?
Cheers.
Hi Lisa! I am terribly sorry for not being able to respond when you wrote this comment.. Somehow I probably deleted your comment in my inbox by mistake and didn’t get to read it till now (when I came to respond to the person below your comment)…. So sorry!
I haven’t tried, and I’m not sure if the cream croquettes would hold the shape for the long baking time (despite the cool mixture to roll). Deep frying is quick and it makes it crispy outer shell immediately but baking requires some time…. and during the process, maybe it may not hold the shape… so I haven’t tried the experiment yet (especially it takes time to prepare and get to the last stage of cooking). If you have tried, please let us know!
No worries, I tried the baking method and it worked! What i did was cook the mixture with enough flour/evaporation to hold the shape even whilst it was still hot (I was able to form shapes with a spoon even during the initial cooking stage). Then I left it in the refrigerator to cool, formed into logs, and dipped into flour, egg, the panko (which I toasted before for colour). I baked it at 400º for 20 to 25 mins, just about enough to heat through. I think I will probably continue to bake the cream based korroke because it’s less messy.
Thanks SO MUCH for your quick and wonderful feedback on cream croquette! That is great! Cream croquette can be scary when you deep fry because once the filling starts to come out, it can splatter the oil. I’ve made enough to know how to avoid it, but it can be frightening for the beginners. So this news is wonderful! Thank you for sharing your experience with me and my readers. I appreciate it! 🙂
Also, thanks for getting back to me! Love the site and your recipes! Looking forward to more.
Hi Nami, I was wondering if these will last well in a bento lunch box for children.
Also, when freezing, will you bake through fully (as if to serve), cool and freeze?
Hi Sonia! I grew up eating bento with korokke in it (and it’s a pretty common dish to be in bento as well). If the expectation is not “just fried out of the deep fryer (or oven)”, then it is okay. Just make sure to let cool first before adding into the bento box so it won’t create condensation inside the bento box which causes the korokke to be wet etc.
Yes, that’s the correct method for freezing. 🙂
Ni Nami,
Sorry that (since my Facebook message) I haven’t picked the time to review this recipe, but having now some time (after being back at my place in UK) I can do that now. I still remember how delightful the croquettes were 😀
Until I found your recipe for these croquettes I never experienced meatballs that are bound with mashed potatoes. As I don’t own a pan for deep frying and am not a particular fan of deep frying, I liked that you had this baked alternative that I could try. The experience was fantastic with the soft potato flavor combining with the minced meat. It also had a warm texture that I also enjoyed even for lunch as a sandwich filling.
If you should ever run your own restaurant it’ll probably be one of the most visited and best in California. You really are that good from what I have learned about Asian cookery. Personally, I have learned anything from foreign cuisines mainly from people like you who share their experience and kitchen experiments. So I thank you for running this website and sharing your world with everyone around the globe! Always looking forward hearing from you!
Hi Leo! Thank you so much for writing your kind feedback! I always appreciate when you leave your feedback. Thank you!
Croquettes or Korokke are very popular in Japan, and as a potato lover, I always enjoy this more than meatball (I think). 🙂
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe and even made a sandwich! yay!
Thank you for your kind words. I spend way too much time to blog and this is actually a very nice flexible job compared to a restaurant. 🙂 The bad part is that I am always working, and rarely sleep, but it allows me to spend time with my children when they are not in school. 🙂 Plus, website can reach to many people in the world. I really love that I am able to talk to people all around the world, encouraging them to make Japanese food. 😀
Thanks so much for your support Leo!
Those look delicious. I might have to make some vegetarian, maybe with cabbage instead of meat.
Hi Heather! You can make it to vegetarian version if you like. 🙂 Hope you enjoy! 🙂
I first came across your blog about a year ago and I still remember that baked tonkatsu was the first recipe I followed! I’ve since started cooking dishes from JOC regularly, like Hamburg steak and chicken meatballs! The videos are extremely useful and the website is really easy to navigate too:) thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
Hi Xuan! I’m happy to hear you tried baked tonkatsu recipe and you’ve tried my recipes since! Thank you for your very kind feedback! 🙂
Hi, I am a big fan of your recipes! I would love to try this for my 20month old son but he is allergic to eggs. What would be a good substitute for egg wash? I don’t mind fried version either. Thanks!
Hi Brenda! You can skip the egg and use milk or somethign similar instead. 🙂
Hi Nami,
Love your recipes! I was just wondering with the freezing option, do you freeze the korokke after you coat them in Panko or do you cook then freeze them?
Thanks heaps 🙂
Hi Cassandra! You can freeze after you finish making this dish. Then let them cool and freeze. When you are ready to eat the leftover, don’t defrost. It gets soggy, so you can put the frozen piece directly to the oven or toaster oven and reheat. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Hi! Thank you for the recipe. I just tried this recipe and it come out great. One problem, the croquette doesn’t seem to hold its shape, it’s kinda mushy inside, eventhough the outside is crispy. What did I do wrong? I think I didn’t drain the potato perfectly, is that the reason? Or is there any other thing that could end like this?
Hi Lys! From what you describe, I’m thinking the same. Probably the potatoes weren’t drained water/moisture. After you mashed, did you see some liquid? While mixing etc, the steam will evaporate, but if there is “liquid”, it’s hard to evaporate. Also, the meat mixture. At Step 8, avoiding adding juice is important so the potato mixture is not too wet. Hope this helps! I’m glad you liked the recipe and hope next time will come out perfectly. 🙂
Hihi Gd morning, just saw your video which is very easy to follow. Just some queries;
1. if i do no not take beef can this be replaced by chicken or pork
2. can panko be omitted
3. I do not have an oven and i do not like to deep fry, can these be pan fried instead.
Hi Evelyn! Here are my answers:
1) Sure you can do that. Not as flavorful with chicken, but yes you can.
2) No, panko is the key for croquette. How do you want the final dish want to be like? Just the patty only?
3) I see… I would highly suggest similar dishes like this but not croquette. The feature of this dish is deep fried (or oven baked like this) with crispy panko shell. If you omit all that, there is not much to it in this dish. Here are some suggestion I have:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/hamburger-steak-hambagu/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/chicken-meatballs/
I love this recipe. My family likes it better than the fried version. It’s so light and leftovers perfect for breakfast with an egg. I substitute turkey for the beef as we try not to eat beef. And I put peas in the recipe “cause that’s how my mom did it! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Hi Caroline! Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear your family enjoys it too! Good to know that turkey works just fine too. Love the peas in the croquette too! Thank you for your kind feedback, Caroline! xo
Can I bake the croquettes the next day after coating with panko? Thanks.
Hi Cleris! Sure, you can. HOWEVER, the panko will absorb moist from the onion/potato/meat, so I will recommend breading the panko AGAIN before baking again (so that croquettes have good texture panko around it when you bite into it).
Also when you save in the fridge, place a sheet of paper towel UNDER the croquette, and ON TOP of croquette, then wrap with plastic wrap. Extra moisture will be absorbed and no condensation will affect croquette.
You can do it only one day before. No more than that. 🙂
Hope this helps!
Nami, thanks for your reply. I shaped the croquettes in oval shape the day before. Before dinner, I started to coat the croquettes with flour, egg and panko for baking. They worked out well except they were not hot enough for 10 minutes at 400 degree in the oven. I’m wondering if I should bake them longer because the croquettes have been kept in the fridge for 1 day and they are colder.
Hi Cleris! Yes, it’s important to bring back to the room temperature because it affects the final result. Since everything is all cooked, the baking time is just 10 minutes, which may not be enough to heat up inside. 🙂
If I want to freeze them probably best to do before breading them? Then when the time I want to bake, take them out from the freezer, coat with panko then bake?
Hi Jos! I do recommend finishing to cook first, let cool, and freeze. All you need to do is to defrost and reheat in the oven to make it crispy again. It’s hard to make the inside of the croquettes warm when you deep fry the frozen croquettes. It won’t be warm enough.
Very good recipe. The baked katsu technique is awesome (I have used it for chicken also). These turn out tasty even when made with ground turkey instead of beef, and they do in fact reheat really well. They took me longer than the recipe says, and the cooking time was also longer… so not a meal i can make on weekdays, but still very good.
Hi Kate! Thank you for your kind compliment. Croquette is my favorite food but I can’t make it as often as I like too. it’s just time consuming process so it’s always a special treat. Thanks so much for trying this recipe! I now want to eat some… 🙂
Hi Nami,
Can I substitute kabocha or sweet potatoes for the russet potatoes? I used to have kabocha koroke a lot when I was living in japan. And I love them. Would it affect cooking time?
Thank you,
Mela
Hi Carmela! Sure! Kabocha tends to have more moisture so you might need to adjust a little. You might experience a bit harder to roll than potatoes (but it depends on kabocha too). Add more panko if necessary. 🙂 Cooking time will be same as both potatoes and kabocha are cooked through. Enjoy!
Thank you for the quivk reply! I cant wait to try this and your baked version of menchi katsu! Tonight i’ll be making your recipe for tsukune. My absolute favorite kushiyaki. Thank you so much Nami. Because of you, I can enjoy authentic tasting homemade Japanese food (Most Japanese restaurant around here in SD just dont do it for me) and bonus that there are healthier versions!
Hi Mela! Hope your Tsukune came out well! I’m happy to hear you enjoy cooking Japanese food at home. 🙂
I made this today and found the patties to be too soft to properly shape and it got even worse after applying flour (which I believe dries the patties out?).
Where I think I may have gone wrong: I used half pork/half beef minced meat and when mixing it in with the mashed potatoes I mashed a bit again causing all the juice inside the minced meat to make the whole thing too wet (plus probably hurt the texture, or is it supposed to be like a potato/meat mash?).
Also, next time I will shape them more like croquettes, I’m not a big fan of big mouthfuls of mashed potato to be honest 🙂
Thanks again for another great recipe Nami!
Hi Lawrence! I see – probably the liquid makes the mixture too wet. Was it so wet that it stuck to your hand while making shapes? I kind of imagine what you went through. Be careful with the liquid that goes into the mixture as you can’t undo it. Thank you for trying this recipe! xo
Is there anything i have to do if I just want to make potato croquette and just leave out the hamburger? Should I increase the potato amount?
Hi Devon! Are you including onion? I haven’t tried this recipe without ground meat, but it should work. You probably need to adjust the amount of onion vs. mashed potatoes. 🙂
Hi, do I freeze baked patties or unbaked ones? Hope you can help me as I will be making this for dinner tom. Thanks!
I apologize for my late response. Always freeze after baked and cooled. Food manufactures freeze before baking/deep frying, but we don’t have the same process, so the food will not stay well compared to after being baked. Hope this helps!
I absolutely this recipe, I’ve made it so many times and a few times replaced the mince with a meat substitute this is such a wonderful and versatile recipe
Thank you so much
Hi Dana! I’m so happy to hear that you liked this recipe! It’s slightly lower calories than real deep fried croquette too. 🙂 Thank you for your kind feedback!
To make them Dutch kroke, add about 5cl of cream and 5-10cl of gravy to the mixture. It will make creating them more difficult ,but the end result is a nice change
Hi Niels! Thanks for sharing Dutch version!! 🙂 Sounds delicious!
I made these the other night and they didn’t get crispy in the oven. The appearance was basically the same as when they went in – probably why the toasting of the panko, of course. I did hope for some crispier texture or something like it’d be if deep fried. Now I realize the texture cannot be the same, so I am curious – can this baked version be picked up in one piece? Or are they eaten by cutting away bites at a time? Thanks!
Hi Susan! In short, we can achieve pretty “close” to deep frying texture but nothing beats REAL deep fried version. Simply we can’t beat it.
However, mine gets pretty close to deep frying, and I also get pretty good feedback from my readers. I’m trying to see what went wrong or what was missing. Maybe oven temp was lower for you? Did you use Japanese panko (it won’t work with breadcrumbs)? Did you use beef? And yes, you can pick up in one piece. Maybe your onion and potato has more moisture. This happens, when I change potatoes or the particular ingredient. Sometimes onion has more moisture than usual, etc. We can bite or use a chopsticks to cut into small pieces and eat. Hope this helps.
Hi Nami, thanks for this recipe. I can make it ahead then bake it in the oven later. I actually made 9 large croquettes but I will definitely try to make smaller ones for younger kids. My family like to eat shepard’s pie and I think this will become a favorite dish too.
Hi Darlene! Thank you for trying this recipe! Oh yeah shepard’s pie has similarity to croquette. 🙂
Hi Nami! I plan on making this dish tonight, so I don’t expect a reply on time, but will still try to make the croquettes! 🙂 I was just wondering, do you bake them in a conventional oven or convection (fan-oven)? I’m assuming you will use a regular oven, so for convection oven I would have to lower the heat perhaps? Thank you kindly and love all your recipes. 🙂
Hi Lauren! Sorry for my late response. Thanks for asking – I have convection (fan) oven, but for everyone who doesn’t have it, I use conventional oven for all my recipes shared on JOC. I do test my recipes with conventional oven, so temperature is correct. 🙂 If you use convection oven, then subtract 25 ºF. Sorry this information is written in my FAQ page, but I know it’s impossible to guess it’s there…
Thank you for your reply! The first batch turned out great (Jan. 23), and tonight I will reheat some of the frozen leftovers.. Already a favorite of mine, will try the baked katsu next time, as before I’ve always fried it, but I’m sure it will taste just as great.
Hi Lauren! Thank you for your kind feedback. Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Hope your Baked Katsu came out well too! 🙂
Is there a substition for the eggs? I have seen suggestions of applesauce. I realize this isnt traditional, but do you think it will work? Thanks.
Hmm… applesauce is interesting option. But I wonder if that will affect the taste (especially in this recipe). It’s not a bad idea though. But it won’t be the purist choice (but can be delicious). I’m not familiar with egg-less recipes. What do you use for breading normally? Maybe milk helps? Flour, dip in milk and then panko? At least taste is subtle and won’t affect the overall taste of Croquette. 🙂
I use panko breadcrumbs. I ended up using milk and they were delicious. I have seen some Korroke recipes using carrots in addtion to the beef and potatoes. Do you recommend this? Just looking to add more vegetables without ruining the taste.
I have a korokke recipe with carrot and shiitake mushrooms:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/korokke-croquette/
My kids love it. 🙂
Thank you so much!
I love potatoes and meat and when I tried this recipe I absolutely loved it. I am glad that there is one that you can do in the oven as I am not much of a big fan of deep frying much.
They are absolutely delicious.
I am glad that you can freeze the leftovers for at least a month and reheat them but if you were to take them in your lunch how would the best way to go about defrosting them should you do it the night before and then heat them up again in a microwave at work?
Hi Rebecca! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! I usually do not defrost ahead of time and go straight to reheat. When you defrost first, the korokke will be wet and panko coating may be removed due to excess moisture.
Hi, thanks for the recipe. I love croquette.
If I want to save them later, do I bake them first then freeze or I could put freeze them after I coated the panko?
Hi Athena! Yes, bake them first, let them cool completely, and then freeze. That’s the best way to preserve the quality of Korokke. 🙂
Can you use sweet potatoes as a substitute for russet potatoes ?
Hi Newbie! Yes, you can. The texture may be slightly different but you can definitely make sweet potato korokke. 🙂
I enjoy these the usual way, but they were also a good way to use up some aging supplies from our hurricane kit — a few packages of instant potatoes. If you try that way (or while camping), I’d use less water for the instant potatoes. You can always add more.
Hi M! Great idea! Thank you for sharing the idea with us. And thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂
Hi Nami,
Just wondering if it is possible to add some frozen vegetables (such as peas, carrots, corn) in the mix. I was afraid if I do so, there is going to be more liquid and difficult to shape the croquette.
Hi Crystal! You can, but don’t overdo it because more chunks in the patty, it’s easier to break (not meant to have bulky ingredients in mashed potato mixture). Make sure to drain well.
In this recipe, I included carrot and shiitake mushrooms but try to mince them so it will be easier to make into shpaes: https://www.justonecookbook.com/korokke-croquette/
Hi Nami, just wondering, why do we need to rest the Croquette in the fridge for 15-30mins before baking? thanks for sharing this great recipe 🙂 I tried the baked tonkatsu recipe and my family loves them.
Hi Baking Scientist! Resting and cooling down the patties prevents the korokke from exploding while deep frying. The cold patties in the hot oil will not release any steam; therefore korokke will not explode in the oil. It also helps the ingredients to meld together.
Hello Nami, so if I used the baking method, do I still need to rest the korokke? I made this last night and did not rest the korokke before baking. It turned out fine but the texture is quite soft, not crunchy, is that right? When I made the baked Tonkatsu, it was somehow crunchy, perhaps cos there’s no mashed potatoes? I got the Bull dog tonkatsu sauce from local supermarket and it complements the korokke nicely 😀 Surprisingly, the supermarket sesame sauce for salad somehow complements with the baked tonkatsu too 😀
Oven temp is pretty high so it applies to the baked korokke too. 🙂 Probably mashed potato contains more moisture? I’m not 100% sure. I’m happy to hear the tonkatsu sauce and sesame dressing complimented the Korokke well! 😀
Hi Naomi
I am thinking of them for a party. I had made them with beef and my little one loves them. Can these yummy croquettes be made a few days ahead and freeze uncooked?
Or made a day ahead bake and heat up and serve?
Can I replace with pork?
Thank you 😊
Dorothy
Hi Dorothy! I would make one day before, and reheat in the oven the next day. 🙂
I think you can make it with pork, but usually, it’s made with beef, so I actually never eaten pork croquette… 🙂
These reheat really nicely. Still crispy. I used diced ham instead of ground beef since I was feeling a little weird. Delicious.
Hi Jace! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for your kind feedback! 🙂
I tried out this recipe today. Since my boyfriend is vegetarian, I made two kinds of korokke: one filled with smoked tofu and one filled with corn and peas. The pea and corn one didn’t taste like much… Can you maybe recommend a seasoning for the veggies?
The korokke with smoked tofu however were great, so I can recommend this alternative to any vegetarian out there.
Also I really love how crunchy the korokke are!
Thank you for this great recipe!
Hi Ricarda! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! In Japan, we have curry flavor korokke and it’s popular. Just add in some curry powder to the potato mixture. 🙂 Thanks for your tip on smoked tofu for a vegetarian option! Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hello Nami,
Hope you are doing well. Just a quick question, but can this recipe possibly be halved? Please let me know. Thank you.
Hi Emmie! Thank you for asking! I’m doing well. Yes, you can make half of this recipe. 🙂
Hope you and your family are safe and healthy during this time. 🙂
Once again your recipes never cease to amaze, dear Nami!
My husband is on a diet at the moment because he‘s suffering from heartburn and excess stomach acid be he craves some hearty dishes once in a while. So I made your korokke the other day and we loved it! It’s the perfect comfort food during winter and it’s quite healthy as we can use extra lean meat (I made beef and chicken korokke and both turned out well) and we can omit unnecessary fat because it’s baked! Moreover, they taste exactly how I remember korokke in Japan!
Thanks a lot!!!
Hi Lily! Aww thank you so much for your kind words and feedback. I’m so glad to hear you and your husband enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for trying it!
First of all thank you so much for your delicious recipes ,easy to make and wonderful videos and instructions. Can I use fish sauce in place of oyster sauce for the Tonkatsu sauce ?
Hi Rosamaria! Thank you for your kind feedback! Hmm fish sauce and oyster sauce are quite different food. You can just omit the oyster sauce in this recipe. 🙂
Why do you include refrigerating in this recipe if we are not deep frying? If using convection oven, would it be beneficial to place the croquette on a rack to make it crunchier?
Hi Mk! Here are my answers to your questions.
1) Thanks for catching the deep frying note, I’ve removed it. I’d still rest in the fridge, as we don’t want the trapped steam to explode.
2) Yes, if you have one. When I made this, I wasn’t using the wire rack, but now I do use wire rack. I’ve updated the recipe.