What to try in Spain on holiday from traditional cuisine? Let’s look at all the national dishes that we recommend eating in restaurants and street fast food joints in order to finally feel the flavor of the country and get inspired by the idea of gastronomic travel. We will find out the prices for food and catering in Spanish cities, where it is cheaper to shop when on an independent holiday, and which establishments you must visit.
A visit to the Iberian Peninsula is highly valued by our compatriots, because almost everyone loves to visit hot corners of the world where they can lie on the beach. But a culinary program would naturally be a reasonable addition to enjoying the climate. It is compiled individually, but it is worth starting from national traditions.
What to try in Spain?
The question of what to eat in Spain can hardly be called an idle topic. The bad tourists are those who miss the chance to get to know this side of the Pyrenean flavor. Spanish cuisine is a whole conglomerate in which Arabic, Spanish, and Jewish vectors are intertwined. The Spaniards love to cook food using meat and seafood. Undoubtedly, tapas takes first place among dishes.
This name can hide a variety of light foods, but the most common option is small sandwiches. All establishments have at least slightly different tapas recipes. For your information: this word itself is translated into Russian literally as “lid”. In the distant past, miniature sandwiches were placed on top of glasses or glasses to prevent drinks from becoming clogged. Speaking about food prices in Spain in 2023, we point out that the cost of tapas is 1.8 euros individually or from 14 euros for a set on a plate.
Among the traditional dishes in Spain, they also call those that look everyday (without losing their taste). We are talking about bread with tomatoes. Catalan chefs were able to create a stunning mix from “banal” ingredients. The dish was also appreciated in other regions of the country. Nowadays it is used at any lunch or dinner, and not a single Spaniard would decide to go on a picnic without bread and tomatoes.
The third place deservedly goes to gazpacho soup, which makes people happy in hot weather. Vegetarians can safely eat the soup, since it contains no animal fat. We must remember that gazpacho is made especially cold by adding crushed ice. But it is appropriate to continue the conversation about Spanish food by mentioning fabada. It is less known to a wider audience in our country, and yet the Spaniards love to cook it.
Fabada – white bean soup with added smoked meats. These are the TOP dishes that you should try first on a trip to Spain, no matter if you are alone or with children.
Therefore, adherents of any culinary traditions will find suitable offers there. Reviews of tourists about food in Spain in recent years increasingly mention mobile kitchens (street markets), operating all summer and half of autumn. A prime example is the Plates elector Food Tour. You shouldn’t think that food in street establishments is prepared by “no one knows who.” People who have undergone Michelin-level training willingly flock to this segment of the culinary market. Among them you can meet both beginners and experienced chefs. Food prices in mobile establishments are quite low.
We’ll tell you what dishes you need to try in Spain to get a sense of the local flavor. We will advise you on what to buy for home as gifts for loved ones or ingredients for repeating these culinary masterpieces in your kitchen. Gazpacho in Spain is prepared from juicy fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, garlic, white bread (this is what makes the soup creamy) and aromatic spices. A similar soup, salmorejo, is served with pieces of jamun – it’s also worth trying.
Paella
In Valencia they claim that you can cook a completely new dish from rice every day for a year. By the way, the Spaniards counted more than 300 options for its preparation. The base, of course, is rice, colored with saffron or other spices. Paella is prepared with seafood, chicken, rabbit, and sometimes just vegetables (usually beans). Also contains white wine.
You can bring home saffron or a ready-made spice mixture for paella from Spain. And we advise the most responsible cooks to buy a special frying pan for paella.
Spanish tortilla
Eggs, potatoes, onions – these are all the ingredients of the classic Spanish dish that tourists love so much. It is curious that onions are not always added: in some regions this is considered a gastronomic crime. Despite such a simple set of ingredients, the Spanish omelets turns out incredibly tasty. The potatoes are simmered in olive oil and then topped with fluffy beaten eggs. With a little chorizo, jamun, spinach, zucchini or whatever, you can make a great meal out of almost nothing. In tapas bars in Spain, you can try tortilla as a cold appetizer.
