15 Top Most Popular Dishes in Spain – You must try before leaving

November 15, 2023

When visiting Spain, tasting the delicious local cuisine is a must. Spanish dishes highlight the country’s diverse cultural influences and high-quality ingredients in each region. From hearty rice dishes and tapas appetizers to seafood specialties and sweet desserts, these foods offer a delicious taste of Spain’s culinary traditions. This guide shares the 15 most popular dishes in Spain that should be on every tourist’s Spanish food bucket list. With a valid Online Spain Visa, you can visit Spain with your family and indulge in lavish Spanish cuisine landscape. From hearty rice dishes and tapas appetizers to seafood specialties and sweet desserts, these foods offer a delicious taste of Spain’s culinary traditions.

Dishes in Spain – 15 Must-try Traditional Spanish Foods

1). Paella – One of the popular Spain dishes

No list of iconic Spanish foods is complete without the national rice dish, paella. Saffron gives the rice its characteristic golden hue in this Valencian specialty combining meat, seafood, vegetables, and legumes. Varieties like Paella de Mariscos (seafood paella) and Paella Mixta (mixed paella) are popular foods in Spain that you’ll find throughout the country.

Seafood lovers will delight in Paella de Mariscos loaded with fresh local catch like shrimp, clams, mussels and squid simmered with rice, tomatoes and spices. Inland regions show off Paella Mixta with chicken, pork, beans and artichokes alongside the rice. Other colorful paella varieties spotlight vegetables or duck and rabbit.

The key to amazing paella is the socarrat, the prized crispy browned rice crust that forms at the bottom of the pan. Scooping out this crispy rice topping is a matter of prestige in Spain!

2). Tapas – A Common Delectable Snack in Spanish Cuisine

Tapas are quintessential Spanish dishes perfect for sharing. You’ll find tapas bars all over Spain serving small plates like grilled shrimp, stuffed olives, smoked chorizo, bacon-wrapped dates, assorted cheeses, and regional delights. Going on a tapas crawl is a favorite local pastime!

In lively tapas bars across Spain, you’ll encounter seemingly endless varieties of these tasty shareable bites. Crispy calamari, garlic mushrooms, marinated anchovies and pork meatballs in tomato sauce are other typical favorites.

Tapas culture in Spain encourages lingering for hours over drinks, savoring one flavorful bite after another. Don’t hesitate to ask for recommendations, as the Spanish meals can be dizzying! To cover more ground, try ordering a mixed platter of regional specialties.

Also see, 7 Best Places to Stay in Madrid for Tourists

3). Gazpacho – A Popular Spain Traditional food

On hot summer days, cool off with a refreshing cold soup like gazpacho from Andalusia. Gazpacho combines vine-ripened tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, olive oil, garlic and breadcrumbs for a colorful, chilled treat. Salmorejo and ajoblanco are other popular Spanish chilled soups.

Beyond gazpacho, salmorejo also proves incredibly refreshing on a hot day. Originating from the Castilla La Mancha region, this cold soup purées tomatoes and day-old bread with garlic and olive oil for a thicker textured delicacy. It comes topped with jamón serrano ham and chopped hard boiled eggs.

Yet another summer cooler is Andalusia’s ajoblanco, a white chilled almond and garlic soup with fresh grapes for sweet fruity contrast. These chilled soups showcase incredible food culture of Spain using the season’s freshest vegetables and fruits.

4). Tortilla Española – A National Spanish Dish

For a true taste of Spain, order the iconic tortilla Española (Spanish omelet). Eggs, potatoes and onions come together in this easy, protein-packed tapa bar snack that’s great any time of day. Regional variations like tortilla de patatas con cebolla (potato and onion omelet) are also very popular.

Spain’s beloved tortilla Española offers incredible variety from province to province. Some regions showcase colorful additions like roasted red peppers or chorizo sausage. Look for the dense, filling tortilla de bacalao featuring salty dried codfish in Basque Country. There are even dessert versions with sugar, cinnamon and raisins sprinkled in the egg batter.

No matter the preparation, the humble tortilla Española encompasses the flavors of Spain. It’s comforting simplicity draws Spaniards and tourists alike to tapas bars day and night. No wonder it is considered a national cuisine in Spain.

Also see, Top 10 Spanish Cities For Every Traveler Itinerary

5). Pisto – An Original Mouthwatering Spanish Recipe

Pisto is Spain’s version of ratatouille, named after La Mancha’s iconic fictional hero Don Quixote’s favorite innkeeper. It’s a piping hot sauté of summer vegetables like zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and olive oil that looks almost like a vegetable stew.

Unlike France’s more formal ratatouille layered in casseroles, pisto takes on a heartier chopped consistency almost resembling a lumpy mashed potato. Additional vegetables like eggplant and green beans can also be featured in this famous Spain food depending on the season and the cook’s preference.

For more texture, locals suggest adding cubes of Spanish manchego cheese, hard boiled eggs or chorizo to complete this satisfying vegetable medley. Pisto emerges as an excellent vegetarian main course, topping bread as a sandwich or served over pasta. It captures the essence of Spain’s Mediterranean climate and produce.

6). Patatas Bravas – A Native Culture Food in Spain

Crispy fried potatoes topped with spicy tomato sauce and garlic aioli, patatas bravas make for the ultimate Spanish tapa. This Madrid creation proves so addictive that the name means “fierce” or “brave” potatoes!

While fried potatoes blanketed in sauce seem simple, the magic of patatas bravas lies in perfect execution. Crisp potato cubes or thick wedges serve as the base, fried to an ideal golden brown in olive oil. The contrasting toppings bring the heat through spicy tomato sauce laced with paprika, cayenne and garlic. Cool, creamy aioli then provides the perfect balance to round out Spain’s favorite spuds.

Once limited to Madrid, patatas bravas now rank among the most ubiquitous cuisines in Spain. But many connoisseurs claim Madrid still does them best. Stop into any local bar to judge this top tapa for yourself!

Also see, 9 Best Markets in Barcelona Spain

7). Pulpo Gallego (Galician Octopus) – A traditional Spanish food from the Galicia region

Galicia’s signature octopus’ dish, Pulpo Gallego, marinates boiled octopus with olive oil, smoked paprika and coarse sea salt. You’ll find this popular tapa at food stalls across Spain, especially near the coasts where fresh seafood shines. To satiate your taste buds with delectable Spanish meals, all you need is a Spain Visa. Simply fill Spain Visa Application online to apply visa ahead of your travel for an easy-peasy vacation.

8). Croquetas – Fritters dishes in Spain

Croquetas are crispy, breaded fritters stuffed with flavorful fillings like ham, seafood, spinach and cheese. It ranks among the top-notch delicious dishes to try in Spain. Try sampling different kinds of these irresistible Spanish croquettes at tapas bars across the country.

9). Jamón Ibérico (Iberian Ham)

Jamón Ibérico is one of the famous dishes in Spain and is considered one of the world’s best ham. Sampling Jamón Ibérico, the famous free-range Iberico black foot pig ham, is a badge of honour for visitors. This speciality ham has a rich, buttery flavor with a signature melt-in-your-mouth texture that every foodie should try in Spain.

10). Fideuà – Paella-like traditional Spanish food

Hailing from Valencia, fideuà uses short noodles instead of rice for a delicious paella-like dish. It features seafood like shrimp, clams and sometimes squid mixed with vermicelli noodles, herbs and aioli sauce for an incredible culinary experience by the Mediterranean coast.

11). Cocido Madrileño (Madrid Stew) – Authentic Spanish Cuisine from Madrid

Warm up with hearty Cocido Madrileño, a chickpea and meat stew brimming with morcilla (blood sausage), beef, pork, chicken, potatoes, cabbage and other vegetables. It’s Madrid’s quintessential winter comfort food.

12). Fabada Asturiana (Asturian Bean Stew) – Spain Famous Food from the Northern Coast

Fabada Asturiana features Spain’s treasured white butter beans as the star ingredient along with pork shoulder, chorizo and morcilla simmered in a rich onion broth. Hailing from the region of Asturias, this protein-packed stew makes for a warming, flavorful comfort food in Spain.

13). Pincho Moruno – Moorish Kebab cuisine in Spain

Pincho moruno’s Moorish spice rub makes it a popular pork, chicken or beef kebab across Spain. Cumin, garlic, paprika and oregano flavor the meat which then grills on an open flame for an incredible smoky, charred finish. These kebabs badge Arabic culinary influences on the dishes in Spain.

14). Crema Catalana – One of the Authentic Spanish Recipes for dessert

Crema Catalana is Spain’s luxurious take on crème brûlée custard. This classic Catalan dessert features a layer of hardened caramelized sugar on top of a creamy egg custard infused with cinnamon and lemon. It’s the perfect sweet ending to Spanish meals.

15). Churros – Most famous dishes in Spain popularized by Spanish explorers

No trip to Spain is complete without trying piping hot churros for breakfast or dessert. These irresistible fried dough pastries come glazed in sugar and are best enjoyed dipped in thick hot chocolate. You’ll find churrerías and countless cafes serving this iconic sweet treat across the country.

From smoky kebabs and hearty stews to colorful seafood rice dishes and hot churros, Spain offers incredible culinary variety. Trying these 15 quintessential national dishes lets you taste the regional diversity that makes Spanish cuisine so incredible.

As you journey across Spain soaking up the sights, be sure to explore the tasty local dishes in Spain at each destination. Apply online Spain Visa today and give your tastebuds an unforgettable food adventure.

FAQs