Zaragoza is already smelling of croquettes. This noon, at the Hotel Zentral Ave, the eighth edition of the Croquette Contest of Zaragoza and the province was presented, one of the most established and anticipated gastronomic events of the Aragonese spring. Between May 8 and 17, 35 establishments from the capital and the province will showcase 60 proposals competing to become the Best Croquette of Zaragoza 2026.
The event, hosted by journalist Cristina Arguilé from El Gastrónomo Zaragozano, was attended by sponsors, collaborators, and representatives from the hospitality sector. Alberto Ascaso, director of the Hotel Zentral Ave, welcomed attendees to an event that is already “a classic in the gastronomic calendar” of the city.
The public, the grand jury of the semifinals
For ten days, Zaragoza residents and visitors will be the true protagonists. By visiting the 35 participating venues, they will taste and vote for the croquettes that make it to the grand final. Additionally, each voting ballot is a «scratch and win» with over a thousand direct prizes: gastronomic books, subscriptions, wines, AOVE, beers, and other products from the sponsors.
The grand final will take place on May 25 at the Aura hospitality complex, where a professional jury will choose the absolute winner from those preselected by the public. There will be specific categories that reward excellence with high-quality differentiated products: best croquette made with Jamón de Teruel DOP, Ternasco de Aragón IGP, with Aragonese foods of differentiated quality, and, of course, the most innovative.
Prizes with lots of flavor
This edition is packed with new features in the awards. In addition to the traditional ceramic plates from Muel, the winners will receive valuable product prizes:
- Best pairing with wines from Bodegas Aragonesas: 25 boxes of wine valued at 1,000 euros.
- Best croquette of Ternasco de Aragón IGP: 500 euros in product.
- Best croquette with poultry meat: 500 euros in product from Aldelís.
- Best croquette with vegetables: 500 euros in product from Frutas Javier Mené.
Support from the sector and recognition of creativity
The sponsors and collaborators highlighted the importance of the contest. Eric Paré (Bodegas Aragonesas) emphasized the classic pleasure of pairing a good croquette with a great wine. Ricardo Mosteo, president of the CRDOP Jamón de Teruel, celebrated that Zaragoza residents and people from Huesca feel the Jamón de Teruel is their own thanks to initiatives like this. Patricio Pérez (Ternasco de Aragón IGP) praised the versatility that chefs are demonstrating with this meat, while Óscar Abad (Aldelís) recalled the company’s more than 50 years of making croquettes.
Ángel Campo (Cervezas Ambar), on the 125th anniversary of the brewery, invited everyone to “celebrate by eating croquettes with beer.” Rafael García (Almazara La Olivera de Magallón) and Javier Mené (Frutas Javier Mené), a collaborator since the first edition, also spoke.
Cristina Arguilé especially thanked the efforts of the 35 participating establishments —many of them from rural areas— and recognized the growing creativity of the proposals, increasingly sophisticated pairings, and the effort to include options suitable for celiacs, making the contest more inclusive.
At the end of the event, the winners from the past edition —Dalai Valdespartera, Mara, El Truco, and El Burgolés— offered tastings of their champion croquettes, paired with products from the sponsors. A preview of the feast to come.
Go Aragón is one of the collaborators of the VIII Croquette Contest of Zaragoza and the province. As a social media partner, the platform supports this gastronomic contest to give greater visibility to the 35 establishments and their 60 participating croquettes.
From May 8 to 17, the mission is clear: go out and find the best croquette in Zaragoza. The city, once again, demonstrates that its passion for gastronomy not only remains but is reinvented year after year with local products, technique, and lots of love.
For more information and a complete list of participants, visit the website of El Gastrónomo Zaragozano.
