Libritos de Lomo: Crispy Spanish Pork Rolls with Paprika (60) 2026

Libritos de lomo are a beloved Spanish home-cooking classic: thin pork loin cutlets folded like little books and filled with ham and cheese. Once breaded in egg and breadcrumbs and fried until golden, they deliver a crisp shell around a soft, creamy center.

This version keeps things simple and fast. You can ask your butcher to slice the pork loin into ready-to-fill cutlets, or cut them yourself at home with a sharp knife. Either way, the whole dish comes together in about 25 minutes.

The filling is up to you: use a large slice of cheese and a smaller slice of cooked ham per roll, or adjust to your taste. Serve them hot straight from the pan, and consider making a double batch because they freeze beautifully once breaded.

Ingredients for Libritos de Lomo

For 8 servings

• 1 pork loin (about 1300 g)
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 8 slices of cheese
• 8 slices of cooked ham
• 1 medium egg
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• 100 ml olive oil (for frying)

How to Make Libritos de Lomo Step by Step

1. Cut the pork loin into little books

You can buy the cutlets already prepared and skip to step 4, or make them yourself. Place the pork loin on a cutting board and make a first cut about 1 cm thick, stopping before you reach the bottom. Then make a second cut all the way through to separate the first little book from the rest of the loin.

2. Repeat until the whole loin is cut

Continue making cuts in the same way, always leaving the first slice attached at the bottom and cutting through on the second slice. Repeat until the entire pork loin has been cut into little books.

3. You will get eight units

For a 1300 g pork loin like the one used here, you will end up with 8 open little books. Lay them flat and open on a board.

4. Cover them with plastic wrap

Arrange the open cutlets flat on a board and cover them with plastic wrap. This keeps them from splashing and helps them hold their shape while you flatten them.

5. Flatten them

Use a kitchen mallet to pound the cutlets thin, trying to keep their shape. You can also use a rolling pin or the base of a skillet or saucepan. The pork needs to be thin enough to fill easily, but take care not to tear it.

6. Fill them with ham and cheese

Season the little books with salt and pepper and fill each one with 1 slice of cheese and 1 slice of cooked ham. Close the little books. Adjust the amount of cheese and ham to your taste; about 40 g of cheese and 20 g of ham per roll works well.

7. Season the outside

Sprinkle a little more salt and pepper on the outside of the closed rolls. This gives the breading a well-seasoned base.

8. Bread the little books in egg and breadcrumbs

Beat 1 medium egg in a shallow dish and put 100 g of breadcrumbs in another. Dip each roll first in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coating sticks.

9. You can freeze them once breaded

At this point, the breaded rolls can be frozen. Place them on a tray in the freezer, and once frozen, transfer them to an airtight bag. To use, thaw in the refrigerator the day before.

10. Repeat until all are breaded

Continue breading the remaining rolls the same way until all 8 are coated. Make sure they are well covered with breadcrumbs.

11. Fry them in hot oil

Heat about 100 ml of olive oil, or enough to reach 1 cm deep, in a deep skillet until it reaches 170 °C. Fry the rolls for about 10 minutes, turning them, until golden all over. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Tips for the Best Libritos de Lomo

Keep the pork thin but intact

Flatten the cutlets until they are thin enough to roll and fill easily, but stop before they tear. A kitchen mallet, rolling pin, or the base of a heavy pan all work; covering them with plastic wrap helps them hold their shape.

Fry in a shallow layer of oil

You do not need to deep-fry the rolls. A layer of oil about half a centimeter to 1 cm deep is enough, since the thin pork cooks quickly. Heat it to 170 °C and turn the rolls so they brown evenly.

Freeze the breaded rolls for later

These rolls freeze very well once filled and breaded. Freeze them on a tray first, then store in an airtight bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the day before and fry as usual.

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