Features of Spanish cuisine: top national dishes. What dishes are worth trying in Spain? What drinks are worth trying in Spain?
Many national Spanish dishes are among the world’s top delicacies; they are prepared in restaurants all over the world. What dishes and drinks should you definitely try on holiday in Spain? We offer you an overview of the most delicious and colorful local dishes that will not leave you indifferent!
The Spaniards know how to cook fish and seafood, they love meat, vegetables and rice
Spanish dishes contain a lot of aromatic spices and herbs; many dishes are prepared with the addition of olive oil.
The Spaniards love garlic and add spice to many savory dishes.
First meal
- Gazpacho is a light, refreshing summer soup, an ideal dish in the heat! It is prepared from fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and garlic, with pieces of white bread and aromatic spices added.
- Tabasco sauce, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice add the piquant taste of gazpacho. We recommend the soup to vegetarians, and if you love meat, order salmorejo – gazpacho with pieces of jamun.
- Coccid is a thick soup especially popular in Madrid. The dish is based on beans or chickpeas, small vermicelli, meat and sausages. The soup is generously seasoned with spices and garlic and served sprinkled with fresh, finely chopped herbs.
- Fabada is a thick, hearty white bean soup with smoked meats or blood and salted lard, in tomato sauce. The aroma of the soup is given by garlic and spices, and the dish gets its name from a variety of beans – large and very tasty.
Second courses
Tortilla is a favorite breakfast among the Spaniards, an omelet with potatoes. Onions, garlic, cheese, spices, pieces of jamun and herbs are added to the dish and baked in the oven in a well-heated frying pan. At the end of cooking, turn over so that the tortilla turns out with an evenly fried crispy crust.
Paella is rice with seafood or meat and vegetables, the most popular Spanish dish, originally from Valencia. The Spaniards have long prepared paella for dinner, mixing rice with leftover fish or seafood. The dish is generously seasoned with garlic and spices and served on a large plate. According to legend, a fisherman first prepared paella for his beloved, and called it Pala Ella – for her.
Olga podrida is a stew of meat and vegetables, a dish known since the times of the Crusades. Pieces of pork are stewed in broth with garlic and spices, then sausage, white beans, tomato juice and carrots and onions are added. Served hot, this is a favorite dish of the Spaniards during the cold season.
Cuttlefish in ink is seafood stewed in pieces in its own juice. For piquancy, onion, garlic, cayenne pepper and finely chopped parsley are added to the dish and served with a glass of cold white wine.
Snacks
Partitas braves are pieces of deep-fried potatoes with spices and garlic. Tapas are a popular snack to accompany beer or wine. Small sandwiches on which they put everything they can find: cheese with olives, jamun with olives, pieces of kebab, chorizo sausage or marinated seafood.
Malaga salad is a dish that will replace a full meal. A salad is prepared from boiled new potatoes, pieces of peeled orange, olives and dried cod – the result is an unusual combination of flavors.
Tomàquet is a popular street snack. Toasted white bread is drizzled with olive oil, rubbed with tomato and garlic, and topped with a slice of cheese and jamun.
Dessert
Turron is a fluffy nougat made from almonds, honey and beaten egg whites. The dish has been known since the times of Ancient Greece, the Greeks prepared it for the Olympians, and brought the recipe to Spain. There are three types of turron on the restaurant menu: traditional almond, hazelnut and walnut, and soft with added butter.
Coloron is an airy cookie, the name translates as “dust”. The dessert is prepared from sugar, flour, nuts and lard. You can only buy coloron on the eve of the Christmas holidays; this is a traditional pastry for the New Year’s table.
Catalan cream is a delicate, airy dessert reminiscent of French crème Brule. The Spaniards prepare the cream with milk, adding yolks, vanilla, sugar and lemon zest. The dessert is covered with a crust on top – before serving, the cream is set on fire and served, garnished with pieces of fruit and fresh mint.
Santiago cake is a dessert considered national pride and has a certificate; it is prepared only in Spain. The base is almond dough soaked in sherry, and the top of the cake is decorated with a cross – a reminder of the Crusades.
Churros are a popular street pastry made from choux pastry with filling, similar to a fried éclair. There are churros in the form of long sticks, served with hot chocolate or coffee, this is how the Spaniards eat the dessert.
Jamon
Iberico is a variety of jamon made from pig meat with black hooves, translated as “black leg”. Pigs are fed exclusively with acorns of a certain type, as a result the meat acquires a delicate taste and a special aroma. This is the kind of jamon that is considered elite.
Serrano is jamun made from regular pork. Pigs are raised on home farms and fed forages and other feedstuffs. The taste of this jamun is familiar to many; it is sold in our supermarkets; it is an inexpensive variety of delicacy.
