San Jacobos is one of those Spanish dishes that sounds too simple to be this good: a slice of cheese sealed between two slices of cooked ham, coated and baked until it’s golden outside and wonderfully stretchy inside. In Spain you’ll find them in the chiller cabinet and on the tapas bar’s chalkboard alike, but the homemade version plays in a whole different league — and in the air fryer you skip the pan of oil altogether.
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The whole dish takes 47 minutes from chopping board to plate, and 15 of those are pure chilling time, while the coating simply sets. After that it’s 12 minutes at 190 °C, and eight crispy pieces are ready for four people.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love San Jacobos in the air fryer
What makes San Jacobos special is the contrast: a crust that crackles, salty ham right beneath it, and a core of cheese that stretches into long strings. Classically they’re made in a pan with plenty of oil, which is both a greasy job and hard to control — if the oil gets too hot, the coating burns before the cheese has melted.
The air fryer removes exactly that problem and makes the dish easy for every day. Two tablespoons of oil for brushing is all it takes, the kitchen doesn’t smell of frying afterwards, and the basket can be rinsed under the tap.
The difference between air fryer and pan
In the pan, the pieces get heat from one side at a time, and the oil has to be kept within a narrow temperature range. In the air fryer, the air circulates at 190 °C around the whole piece, so the coating dries out and turns crispy while the cheese melts at the same pace. You still turn them after 6 minutes, but that’s just for colour. Cooked ham is already heat-treated, so there’s no core temperature to chase — you bake them until the coating is deep golden and firm.
My kitchen test of San Jacobos
I’ve made San Jacobos several times in my Cosori Dual Blaze, and 190 °C for 12 minutes with a turn after 6 is the point where the coating is deep golden without the ham drying out. The first time I skipped the chilling time, and two of the eight pieces leaked cheese into the basket. The 15 minutes in the fridge aren’t just a formality — they let the coating seal completely tight around the edge. With 20 minutes of prep, the dish comes in at 47 minutes total, and eight pieces are enough for four people.
The cheese matters more than you’d think. Emmental and gouda melt softly and are the classic Spanish choice, while manchego gives a nuttier character and runs less. If the coating is still pale after the 12 minutes, I give them 2-3 minutes more at 190 °C rather than turning up the temperature.
Always double-coat: flour, egg, breadcrumbs — then egg and breadcrumbs again. That second layer is the whole difference between cheese that stretches into strings in the middle and a puddle of cheese in the basket.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The mistake that most often ruins the dish is cheese all the way to the edge. The cheese should sit with at least half a centimetre of free ham all the way round, and the edges are pressed together with your fingertips — if the ham is very thin, fold the edge in over the cheese first. The next one is a single coating: one layer of breadcrumbs won’t hold once the cheese starts bubbling, so repeat the egg and breadcrumbs one more time. The third is an overcrowded basket. The pieces need to lie in a single layer without touching, otherwise they steam each other soft instead of turning crispy, so it’s better to do two batches — and remember to brush both sides thinly with oil, because without oil the coating turns dry and pale.
How to serve San Jacobos
In Spain the answer is almost always chips, and it’s hard to beat. A few other things that go well with them:
- Chips from the air fryer — start them while the pieces are chilling
- A simple tomato salad with olive oil, salt and a little red onion
- Aioli or a mild mayo with smoked paprika for dipping
- Toasted bread and grilled peppers, if you want it tapas-style
- A green salad with lemon, for a lighter lunch
Storage and reheating
Finished San Jacobos keep covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 180 °C for 4-6 minutes, until the coating is crispy again — the microwave makes it soft and isn’t the way to go here. If you want to freeze them, do it breaded and uncooked: they’ll keep for up to 3 months and can be baked straight from frozen with an extra 3-4 minutes.
San Jacobos feels like restaurant food, but it’s built from three things you probably already have in the fridge. Press the edges, coat them twice, and let the chilling time do its job — then they’ll crackle just the way they should.
FAQ
Emmental and gouda are the classic choices, because they melt softly and stretch into strings. Manchego gives a nuttier, more Spanish character and runs less, because it’s firmer. Avoid very soft cheeses that turn runny right away.
Almost always because the cheese sits too close to the edge of the ham, or because the coating only has one layer. Keep at least half a centimetre of free edge, press the edges together, coat in egg and breadcrumbs twice, and let the pieces chill for 15 minutes before baking.
Yes, if they’re frozen breaded and uncooked. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months and can be baked straight from frozen at 190 °C with an extra 3-4 minutes, so 15-16 minutes in total.
Recipe
San Jacobos in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Cost of the dish
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Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 3 Dyb tallerken - For the flour, egg and breadcrumbs
- 1 Whisk - For beating the eggs
- 1 Brush - For the oil
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 16 slice cooked ham (In thick slices)
- 8 slice cheese (Emmental or gouda, in slices slightly smaller than the ham)
Coating
- 75 g plain flour
- 2 pcs eggs
- 150 g breadcrumbs (Panko gives the crispiest coating)
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground)
- 2 tbsp oil (For brushing)
How to make it
Preparation
- Lay 16 slice cooked ham out on the chopping board in eight pairs. Place one of the 8 slice cheese in the middle of the bottom slice of ham in each pair, so there’s at least half a centimetre of free edge all the way round.
- Place the other slice of ham on top and press the edges firmly together with your fingertips, so the cheese is completely sealed in. If the ham is very thin, fold the edge in over the cheese first.
- Mix 75 g plain flour with 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper in a deep plate. Beat 2 pcs eggs together in another plate, and pour 150 g breadcrumbs into a third.
- Place the breaded pieces on a plate and put them in the fridge for 15 minutes, so the coating sets and closes tightly around the edges.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 190 °C.
- Brush both sides of the breaded pieces thinly with 2 tbsp oil. The oil is what gives the breadcrumbs their golden, crispy surface.
- Place the pieces in the basket in a single layer so they don’t touch, and bake them at 190 °C for 12 minutes. Turn them gently after 6 minutes, so both sides become equally golden.
- Check that the coating is deep golden and firm. If it’s still pale, give them 2-3 minutes more at 190 °C.
Serving
- Let the pieces rest for 2 minutes, so the melted cheese doesn’t run out at the first bite. Serve them hot with chips.
Our notes for the recipe
Keep the cheese at least half a centimetre from the edge of the ham and press the edges firmly together — this is the most important safeguard against leaking cheese. The double coating (egg and breadcrumbs twice) seals the last gaps, and 15 minutes in the fridge before baking firms up the layer so it doesn’t crack in the basket. Variation:
Emmental or gouda gives the classic Spanish flavour, while manchego makes the dish more pronounced and nutty. A little grated parmesan mixed into the breadcrumbs adds extra depth to the coating. Serving:
Serve them hot with chips, the way they do in Spain, and ideally a simple tomato salad or a little aioli on the side. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches. The pieces need to lie in a single layer without touching, otherwise the coating will turn soft instead of crispy.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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