Traditional foods of Spain

Nobody doubts the great gastronomic diversity that our country offers us. In each of the communities that make up Spain they have their own way of making recipes and even typical dishes that you can only find if you visit that region.

Here we bring you a list of the traditional foods of Spain, typical dishes that if you have not tried them yet, you are taking time to do so. The gastronomy of our country is one of the most varied, healthy and rich on the planet.

Our fields, farms, provide us with raw materials of the highest quality, which makes the dishes dazzle not only for their appearance, but above all for their taste.

traditional spanish dishes

In the list that you will find in this section on traditional foods in Spain, you will not only find food, but also culture.

Omelette

If we talk about Spain, we talk about potato omelette, one of the most typical dishes of the country. It is a classic among classics, there are different types of potato omelette, with chorizo, courgette, with or without onion, asparagus, etc. You can add any ingredient you want.

The basic ingredients are potatoes, eggs and here the eternal question, Do you prefer the tortilla with or without onion?

Paella

This dish has become one of the most international, with a thousand and one interpretations, but where there is a good Valencian paella in front of the beach, take it all away.

It has its origin with the Valencian day laborers, who mixed different foods that they had at their disposal, such as rabbit, chicken, green or white beans, snails and other vegetables that they had on hand.

Madrid stew

Traditional food from the capital of Spain, a complete stew as they say there. It is a stew made up of chickpeas, potato, vegetables, meat and bacon. In restaurants that have it on their menu, first a plate of noodle soup or just broth is offered and a second with all the ingredients mentioned above.

A consistent dish with which to warm up in the colder months of the Spanish capital.

Serrano ham

Another of the most famous foods, consumed and exported from our country. This sausage is exclusively produced in Spain, so you will find pieces with great quality and flavor, an unrepeatable experience.

serrano ham It is obtained from the hind legs of pigs, which are salted and then cured.. The hind legs are larger than the front legs, the latter can also be made in the same way, but they are called shoulders.

Salmorejo Cordobés

Salmorejo is one of the typical foods of southern Spain, specifically from the city of Córdoba. The main ingredients of this recipe are tomato, garlic, bread, oil and vinegar.

It's a kind of A slightly thick cold soup, very refreshing in the summer months and very simple to make.

Gazpacho Andaluz

Gazpacho and salmorejo are considered almost first cousins. In case, the Andalusian gazpacho is another of the typical dishes of this community. It is a cold soup made from bread, water, oil, vinegar, tomato, cucumber, onion, garlic and pepper.

With the arrival of good weather both in Andalusia and in other communities, it is one of the most popular dishes.. As we tell you, there are typical dishes of a region that are offered in different communities, we advise you to go to the community of the typical dish to taste it in a traditional way.

Galician octopus

In Galicia, also known as octopus a feira, it is a very simple dish to make and at the same time a delight for the palates. You will find the best octopus on the Galician coast, but in other communities they also offer it.

The octopus is cooked giving it shocks, that is, introducing it for a short time in the boiling pot and removing it repeatedly. You will find it served on a wooden board cut into slices and accompanied by oil, salt and paprika.

Crumbs

A very typical food dish of the Spanish lands. It is well known that we Spaniards eat bread with everything and even alone, and it is that many years ago, bread was one of the main elements of the diet, so much so, that everything that was left over was used.

The migas are so popular that you can find them in different communities made in various ways, such as Extremaduran crumbs, Aragonese crumbs, Murcian crumbs, Andalusian crumbs, Manchegan crumbs, etc. This dish is made with breadcrumbs that are normally accompanied by chorizo, egg, garlic, pepper, grapes, etc.

Asturian bean stew

In the northwest area, in the Asturian community, there is another of the most traditional dishes in Spanish gastronomya, the Asturian bean stew.

A dish of consistency, with which you will not have a hole in your stomach. It is made with beans, chorizo, black pudding and bacon. Due to these ingredients and its forcefulness, it is generally a dish that is consumed mainly in winter.

Squid and fried fish

A light and crunchy flour batter is the hallmark of good Roman style squid. You can eat them alone, with lemon, mayonnaise or in a spectacular squid sandwich at Bar el Brillante in Madrid.

If you go to the community of Andalusia you will not only find a wide range of fried foods, you should not miss the opportunity to enjoy the famous fried fish that, together with a cool drink, you will be in blessed glory.

Croquettes

It is said that they originate from France, but we must be honest, croquettes without Spain would not exist and neither would vice versa. Who hasn't been to tapas on a Saturday or Sunday and hasn't ordered a portion of croquettes, cooked ham, cod, spinach, etc.

Its base is composed of bechamel, a mixture of flour, butter and milk.e, to that ham is added, the dough is left to cool for several hours and later they are empanadas in egg and breadcrumbs before frying.

Bravas potatoes or ali oli

You will not find a bar or beach bar where these two types of dish do not appear on their menu. We do warn you, Be careful with the bravas because depending on where you order them they will be more or less spicy.

It is an economical option, but that does not take away from the quality, it is a very simple dish to make. In the case of the patatas bravas, they are served hot, cut into cubes and with the sauce on top. On the other hand, the ali oli potatoes are served cold accompanied by the sauce that becomes completely addictive.

Suckling lamb, lamb or suckling pig

Three varieties of meat that are roasted in a clay pot or in a wood oven, which leads the meat to cook in its own juices, achieving an incomparable flavor and texture.

They are plates typical of the area of ​​Castilla y León, where you will enjoy a juicy meat and a crispy skin covering it.

Wrinkled potatoes with mojo picón

You will only find this dish in the Canary Islands, where it is one of the most typical dishes par excellence. They are small round potatoes cooked in salt. There are different sauces with which these potatoes are served, but the most typical is mojo picón.

We recommend that you also try the wrinkled potatoes with green sauce, which is also spectacular.

Hake in green sauce

we go to the Basque Country, where this food is typical, hake in green sauce or also called Basque hake. This fish is one of the most consumed in Europe because it is very tender.

To make this appetizing dish, hake should be cooked together with garlic, clams, broth, olive oil and parsley, which gives it that characteristic green color.

Lentils with chorizo

Surely you have been away from home for a long time and you have dreamed of your mother's or grandmother's lentils with chorizo, because I confess that it has been so. You can find them in almost any corner of the country, although they say they are more typical of the Castilla y León area.

These legumes are very simple to make and you can prepare them at home yourself whenever you want. You make a sauce with onion, garlic, carrot, to which you will add the previously cooked lentils, the chorizo, salt and paprika, and all that remains is to cook until they are soft.

French Toast (Torrijas)

One of the star desserts of Spain, the torrijas especially at Easter. Torrijas de pan began to be made with a purpose, and that was to take advantage of stale bread in homes.

the torrijas are slices of bread dipped in milk, coated in egg and friedyes As a general rule, after frying them, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top.

Milk pudding

In any restaurant menu, you will find this typical Spanish dessert. Its origin is Asturian, although now it is spread throughout Spain.. It was a recipe that was inherited from the Arab community.

Rice and milk, as its name suggests, are the two main ingredients in this dessert.. The secret to getting the best rice pudding is to achieve a perfect texture, that is, that it is neither too soupy nor too compact.

Churros

Finally we focus on a meal for those with a sweet tooth, the churros and better if they are accompanied by hot chocolate. You can find them in many places around the world, but in Spain it is much easier to find as there are specific places for it, such as the famous San Gines chocolate shop.

They consist of a dough made from flour, water and salt, which is fried in boiling oil until a crispy batter is obtained and finally sprinkle sugar on top to finish it off.

As you can see, it is very complicated to talk about all the typical dishes of Spain, since there is a great variety, that is why we have brought you some of the best and which you should not waste time trying.

If you have in mind any typical Spanish food that does not appear in this list and is essential to know, do not hesitate to write us in the comment box so that other readers can enjoy it.