Spanish Dishes have been prepared with foods being the same as they were several hundred years ago. Spanish Desserts are world famous and have been copied in many cultures. Probably the most eaten food in Spain is Tapas which many people would call finger foods.
History of Spanish Food
Endless cultures, as they passed through or settled in Spain, have influenced the history of Spanish dishes. The Phoenicians left their sauces, the Greeks introduced Spain to the wonders of olive oil, and Romans, Carthaginians, and Jews integrated elements of their own cooking into that of Spain.
For instance, Spanish dishes routinely uses Arabic ingredients such as rice, sugar cane, eggplant, almonds, and lemon in their cooking. Today, Spain remains one of most important countries in the world in terms of cuisine. Over time, Spain has truly become one of the world’s first and most important “fusion” cuisines.
The two basic ingredients of Spanish food are olive oil and garlic; in fact, it’s not uncommon for the only common ingredients used throughout the country to be garlic and olive oil. Pimentón, saffron and garlic are the three defining spices of Spain.
The biggest thing you’ll notice about Spanish dishes is that there is a huge emphasis on freshness, regional dishes and most of all, seafood and produce. These elements combine to make up one of the tastiest cuisines out of any country in the world, let alone Europe.
The recipes are divided into 3 sections: Spain Snacks and Spanish Appetizers, Popular Spanish Dinners, and finally, Sweet Snacks and Spanish Desserts.
8 Spain Snacks and Spanish Appetizers
1. Patatas Bravas – Spanish Dishes
Patatas bravas, meaning ‘spicy potatoes’ are one of Spain’s most popular tapas. They’re the go-to choice for an appetizer or a snack. It typically consists of white potatoes that have been cubed, then fried in oil and served warm with a spicy sauce.
2. Bravas Sauce – Spanish Food
An authentic bravas sauce recipe is based on just a few essential ingredients. Olive oil, seasonings, flour, and broth are combined to achieve the right flavor and consistency. The truly traditional bravas sauce gets its color and its spiciness from hot smoked paprika.
3. Chistorra Sausage Rolls with Lemon Aioli – Spanish Popular Food
If you want a crowd pleaser, this is your pintxo. The flaky puff pastry soaks all the flavour from the chistorra sausage. I like to pair mine with a tangy lemon aioli to balance the buttery pastry and spicy sausage.
4. Boquerones al Limon (Anchovies with Lemon) – Spanish Dishes
The boqueron is a large blue fish, practically a bigger anchovy. Marinating the anchovies is what makes boquerones al limon so delicious and elevates the recipe’s flavor. How to make boquerones al limon, a variation of the fried anchovies, in which the fish is marinated first and then fried.
5. Pan Tumaca (Tomato Bread) – Spanish Dishes
Nothing beats the taste of some crusty bread rubbed with the ripest of tomatoes and drizzled with some quality extra virgin olive oil. Because bread baking was done only once per week, the bread would dry quickly, so it makes absolute sense to rub tomato on to it to make it soft. Pan Tumaca is often served at the start of a meal or as a side dish to some tapas or jamón ibérico.
6. Croquetas de Jamón Serrano (Spanish Ham Croquettes) – Spanish Popular Food
With only a handful of ingredients, this traditional Spanish ham croquettes recipe is the best I’ve ever tried. In only 30 minutes you can whip up a batch of croquette dough too. Being a traditional poor man’s food, ham croquettes are basically a fantastic bechamel sauce (olive oil, butter, flour, and milk) enriched with leftover scraps of Serrano ham and deep-fried to crispy perfection.
7. Empanadas (Beef Turnovers) – Famous Spanish Food
The perfect pastry for all meals! Empanadas, or beef turnovers, are discs of pastry packed with meat. Some turnover recipes call for all manner of fillings, but this Empanada recipe features a delicious tomato, onion, garlic and beef mixture. You can enjoy empanadas as an appetizer, a main dish, or even after your main course.
8. Tortillita de Camarones (Shrimp Fritters) – Spanish Dishes
Tortillitas de camarones (Andalusian shrimp fritters) are the crispiest, flakiest, and tastiest way to enjoy long weekends at the beach. The crispiness of the fritter, filled with the sweetness of the shrimp, is sure to instantly transport you to the shores of southern Spain! For the best results, use fresh, raw shrimp and a good virgin or extra virgin quality olive oil.
10 Popular Spanish Dinners
1. Authentic Paella Recipe with Seafood – Spanish Dishes
Learn how to make this authentic Spanish Paella recipe that is loaded up with vegetables, chicken, and fresh seafood. This version of paella is known as Paella de Valencia. We oftentimes think of paella being a combination of proteins such as chicken, sausage, and seafood.
2. Authentic Gazpacho – Spanish Popular Food
Traditional Spanish gazpacho is easy to make, super healthy, bursting with flavor, and absolutely delicious! It’s usually served as an appetizer in a small bowl with toppings, or from a glass as a drink. Either way, it really hits the spot on a hot day!
3. Crispy Fried Calamari – Famous Spanish Food
Light, golden brown crust and tender calamari that is not grease-heavy or rubbery. This fried calamari recipe will be your go-to! I used wild-caught frozen calamari tubes, which are already cleaned. Frozen calamari rings are also available and will work in this recipe.
4. Tortilla Española (Spanish Egg and Potato Omelette) – Spanish Dishes
Name one dish that can be eaten as a snack, an appetizer, and a main course; that’s equally delicious both hot and cold; that almost anyone would be happy to eat at any time of day or night; that is just as perfect for your kid’s lunchbox as it is alongside a stiff drink; that’s considered as much the domain of home cooks as of restaurant chefs; and that’s composed of only a few very ordinary ingredients.
5. Spanish Chorizo – Spanish Dishes
Enjoy Spain’s signature sausage no matter where you live when you learn how to make Spanish chorizo at home. You can cook it fresh, as the Spanish would at a BBQ, or dry cure it and eat it sliced with other sliced meats and cheeses.
Why not try making the fresh Spanish chorizo first. You don’t need any special curing salts, and you can cook them in a frying pan or on a grill. You could always hang an extra leftover chorizo or two just to see how the curing process goes.
6. Fabada Asturiana (Spanish Pork and Bean Stew) – Famous Spanish Food
You may well have heard of cassoulet – well fabada Asturiana is it’s Northern Spanish cousin. A hearty, warming white bean stew with lots of porky goodness, it’s incredibly easy and perfect for a cold day.
These days it’s a bit more planned, but I can imagine it was originally made using leftover pieces of meat. For something so simple, the result is delicious. Use whatever white beans you can, ideally relatively large and ones that hold their shape.
7. Sauteed Pimientos de Padron (Russian Roulette Peppers) – Spanish Dishes
They are very popular in Spanish tapas bars and have quickly gained popularity in the US as well. And it’s easy to see why! Not only are they deliciously sweet, nutty and ever so slightly bitter, but every now and then you’ll get a really hot one in the bunch, earning them the nickname of “Russian Roulette” peppers.
8. Albondigas (Spanish Meatballs) – Spanish Popular Food
Spanish Meatballs, or Albondigas, are traditionally served at tapas bars in Spain. Whether you serve them for an appetizer, tapas party, or dinner main dish, these small meatballs in a flavorful tomato sauce. The biggest difference between Spanish meatballs and Italian meatballs is their size. Spanish meatballs are small, only about an inch in diameter. Remember, these are an appetizer after all!
Spanish meatballs are traditionally made with pork, veal, or beef, or any mixture of the three. They are pan-fried before being simmered in the sauce, which really infuses these little guys with lots of great flavor. The seasonings in Spanish meatballs can vary depending on the chef. Most commonly though, Spanish meatballs are seasoned minimally, which really lets the flavors of the sauce shine through.
9. Traditional Spanish Migas – Famous Spanish Food
Migas is a popular Spanish dish consisting of leftover bread and ingredients such as bacon, chorizo and grapes. There are variations on the dish depending on the region it is made, such as using corn bread or pinto beans. It is most often served as a side to other main dishes.
Migas is a traditional dish that is popular in Spanish cuisine. The name ‘migas’ means ‘crumbs’, pertaining to its key and main ingredient – breadcrumbs. You start off by soaking stale bread with water and some seasoning.
The breadcrumbs will be cooked along with lard, garlic, and meat until it’s golden brown. Once cooked, it is served hot and most commonly in the same pan it was prepared in, or on a large plate.
10. Bacalao Espanol (Spanish Cod) – Spanish Dishes
This dish is usually made with salted cod (bacalao) in a delicious tomato sauce, flavored with onions, garlic, peppers and smoked paprika. Spanish cuisine is delicious by default. Most Spanish recipes are easy and make use of whole ingredients that are nutritious and good for you.
20 Sweet Snacks and Spanish Desserts
1. Arroz Con Leche – Spanish Dishes
Arroz con leche, Spanish rice pudding, is an easy and comforting dessert. With warm cinnamon and fresh lemon flavors mixed in with the creamy rice, it’s the perfect end to any meal.
Arroz con leche is believed by many to have been introduced to Spain by the Moors when they occupied a large part of the country. This is particularly believed to be the case since the Spanish version uses cinnamon that was brought to the country by the Moors.
2. Turron de Jijona (Spanish Soft Nougat) – Spanish Desserts
The soft turrón is one of the most typical along with the hard one, also known as Jijona (soft) and Alicante (hard) when they have the stamp of the designation of origin.
Possibly the most difficult to imitate nougat due to the unique machinery used for it, the so-called ‘boixets’. That’s why we bring you the definitive recipe for making turrón at home.
3. Easy Spanish Churros – Spanish Dishes
Spain’s equivalent of doughnuts, churros, are famous throughout the world. They are commonly enjoyed for breakfast or for the Spanish afternoon snack called the merienda, and are sold at cafes, churros bars, and from street vendor carts. Traditional Spanish churros come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the most common being a loop or a stick.
4. Bunuelos de Viento (Nun’s Puffs) – Spanish Desserts
Meaning ‘light-as-air fritters’ in Spanish, buñuelos are light, fluffy, and they melt in your mouth. They are perfect for an afternoon snack and are commonly served as dessert with Spanish meals.
Buñuelos are a lightly fried egg and flour dough with a hint of lemon zest. After frying, they’re dusted with powdered sugar to create an irresistible, bite-sized dessert.
5. Cinnamon and Sugar Puff Pastry Palmiers (Palms) – Spanish Dishes
The most incredible part of this worldwide recipe is how easy it is. Three ingredients + 15 minutes: delicious cinnamon and sugar puff pastry palmiers. So, keep in mind that this recipe is for lazy cookers that want something yummilicious without all the stress.
6. Torrijas (Torrijas – Decadent Spanish Toasts) – Spanish Desserts
Torrijas are a very simple dish, quite similar to French toast and pain perdu, most often made by soaking slices of stale bread in sweetened milk, also flavoured with cinnamon or vanilla, then bathed in beaten egg, fried in oil and sprinkled with a mixture of sugar and powdered cinnamon.
7. Spanish Flan – Spanish Dishes
We make our flans the old fashioned way, honoring this ancient egg custard that has traveled continents and centuries eventually making its way to Latin America via Spain the 1500s. Flan’s history dates back to ancient Rome.
8. Tarta de Queso (Basque Cheesecake)
This “Burnt” Basque Cheesecake recipe (known here in Spain as ‘tarta de queso’) is uniquely light, creamy, delicious, caramelized, and so easy to make that it’s nearly foolproof!
It’s a stunning cheesecake that breaks all of the rules and is outrageously delicious. And best of all for home cooks, it’s insanely easy to make with just a simple list of ingredients!
9. Crema Catalana – Spanish Dishes
There is nothing better than ending a leisurely Spanish lunch with a Crema Catalana and a strong café solo. Never heard of this delicious Spanish dessert?
It turns out that making homemade Crema Catalana could not be easier. Apart from having to wait for the custard to chill, there’s nothing difficult about it!
10. Tarta de Santiago (Spanish Almond Cake) – Spanish Desserts
A traditional Spanish dessert that requires little effort to make, it is delicious. If you love almonds, this recipe is for you. The recipe is suitable for holidays, dinners in the family, or any other events when an easy dessert is required.
This cake is a classic traditional Spanish dessert created a long, long time ago. Traditionally, the cake is marked with the cross of the Knights of Santiago and makes a perfect dessert for the holidays.
11. Panellets (Catalan Almond Sweets) – Spanish Dishes
Panellets are bite-sized cookies made with almonds and sugar that are coated in pine nuts, cocoa powder, coconut flakes, or candied cherries.
They’re soft and chewy, with a nice crunch from the nuts. As for the flavor, you’ll get a combination of sweet, nutty, and chocolatey in one bite.
12. Spanish Sponge Cake – Spanish Desserts
Spanish sponge cake is a moist olive oil cake infused with lemon and almonds. It’s rich, flavorful, and super easy to make. The cake is finished off with a simple dusting of powdered sugar. But you can also top it with fresh fruit, sugar glaze, or chopped nuts.
The cake may be simple, but the combination of citrus and almond makes it uniquely delicious. %0AIt’s perfect for dessert, but since it has such a good balance of flavors, it’s also great for breakfast and merienda (afternoon snack).
13. Polvorón (Spanish Shortbread) – Spanish Dishes
Polvoron is a unique and extraordinary cookie. The term is derived from the Spanish word “polvo,” meaning dust or powder. It makes sense, because this treat is super powdery in the best way possible.
Polvoron is a crumbly cookie made with just 5 ingredients: flour, crushed almonds, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. These cookies are super rich and buttery. Then you bite into them, the cookies dissolve in your mouth into powdery crumbles. It really is an amazing experience!
14. Perrunillas (Shortbread Biscuits) – Spanish Desserts
Perrunillas are another traditional Christmas biscuit. They’re shortbread biscuits made with the basic ingredients of flour, water, sugar, and/or salt. As simple as the recipe may be, perrunillas are extremely tender, and they melt in your mouth.
The term perrunillas comes from the words “perruna” which means “tender,” and the suffix “illa,” meaning small. They may be small, but they’re definitely big on flavor.
15. Pestiños – Spanish Dishes
They’re deep-fried dough dipped in honey or topped with sugar. They’re wonderfully sweet, tender, and addictive. What makes them stand out among other fritters is that the dough itself is full of flavor! Nope, it’s not just deep fried flour.
Rather, it’s flavored with anise, orange, cloves, and cinnamon. Plus, it’s also fried in olive oil, making it even more irresistible.
16. Técula Mécula – Spanish Desserts
Técula mécula is a sweet pie made with almonds and egg yolks. The traditional treat originated in Extremadura, in western Spain. Interestingly, the term tecula mecula is actually an Arabic phrase that means, “for you, for me.” I’m not sure if I’m willing to share this pie with anyone, though!
It’s also called the imperial almond tart because it was the favorite dessert of Emperor Charles V. This pie is ultra-rich and creamy. The ground almonds give it such a distinct nutty flavor.
17. Panchineta or Pantxineta – Spanish Dishes
Pantxineta is another custardy dessert, this time hailing from Basque. It’s made with layers of puff pastry, pastry cream, and roasted almonds. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
It may seem too complicated to whip up, too, but it really isn’t. In fact, it’s one of the easiest Spanish desserts to make! You basically just stuff two sheets of puff pastry with custard cream, coat them in chopped nuts and powdered sugar, and devour!
18. Spanish Apple Tart – Spanish Desserts
Tarta de Manzana Casera is basically an apple pie, but with a special twist. For starters, the crust isn’t your typical butter and flour mixture. Rather, it’s made with ground walnuts, pecans, dates, and cinnamon! Talk about flavor.
The filling is a combination of apples, apricot jam, and cinnamon. It’s then sealed with a second layer of irresistible crust and baked to perfection.
19. Pastissets (Powdered Sugar Cookies from Spain) – Spanish Dishes
Pastissets are powdered sugar cookies made with flour, butter, egg yolks, lard, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon peel. The dough is formed into various shapes and dusted with powdered sugar after baking.
These cookies may look simple, but they’re truly extraordinary. They’re wonderfully sweet, zesty, and buttery! What makes them extra special, though, is their consistency. They’re so ridiculously soft and tender, they melt in your mouth!
20. Huesos de Santo (Saint’s Bones) – Spanish Desserts
Huesos de Santo is a popular dessert served during All Saints’ Day. It is called such for its strange yet charming presentation: white cylinders resembling hollow bones stuffed with yellow custard.
The bone is made with marzipan paste, which is a combination of ground almonds and sugar. The filling is made with egg yolk and sugar.