When visiting a new country, trying the local food is usually high on the agenda with Spanish food being no different. From tapas to paella to even a calamari sandwich there are endless choices to try and devour! The best foods you must try in Spain are all delicious and available throughout the country. We’ve…
8 Spanish Foods and Drinks You Must Try
Find out all you need to know about the best Spanish food and drinks before your trip.
Spanish cuisine is exotic, diverse, and as colorful as the country’s culture. Blending culinary traditions from the 17 autonomous communities within its borders, it makes use of olive oil and regional herbs such as thyme and oregano. Garlic is also an irreplaceable ingredient in Spanish dishes. As you travel across the cultural regions of Spain, you will find unique culinary accents that reflect the communities. Believe it or not, Spanish cuisine is much more than the iconic paella and exciting tapas, and we are here to get you familiar with the best dishes in Spain with this Spanish food guide. Before you arrive, also keep in mind these Spanish food tips:
Must-Try Spanish Foods
Here are the top dishes of the Spanish food scene that will help you eat like a local:
Tortilla de Patatas
A quintessential Spanish dish and breakfast staple, tortilla de patatas knows how to satisfy the palate with its plain but incredible taste. It is a potato omelette and you will hear loads of ideas when it comes to cooking it with or without onions. We vouch for both—the only things that a good tortilla requires are thickness and moisture. It is a classical Spanish tapas dish available at most restaurants and bars.
Paella
Paella is perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Spanish food. It is a Valencian original, said to have emerged on the banks of a lake in the region. The first recipe of paella includes rice, and rabbit, chicken, and duck meat. Much simpler versions are at the top of the menus in every Spanish restaurant today. Paella de marisco is one that you should try if you are into seafood. It combines Spain’s finest seafood with saffron-covered rice. For the sake of tradition, taste the different recipes of paella while you are in Valencia.
Jamon Iberico
Spanish Jamon will blow your mind with its matchless quality, cured from the higher altitudes in the Iberian countryside. It is a local deli that you grab and nibble as you explore the winding streets of Spanish cities. If you wish to understand the quality of your jamon, feel its thinness. Original jamon iberico has to be so wafer-thin that you could almost sea the other side when you look through it. Eat it with bread, cheese, and some local fruits as a tapas to accompany your drink.
Spanish Chorizo
Dry or deep-fried, these pork sausages are a common ingredient in Spanish everyday cooking. It is gives some of the most iconic main course dishes their distinctive qualities. You can try some, like chorizo a la sidra, or eat dry chorizos as a delightful deli with cheese and bread as you enjoy your wine.
Grilled Octopus
There is no end to Spain’s myriad seafood dishes, but the Galician octopus is one of the most favorite. It is yet another tapas dish that is recently making an appearance in fine-dining. Octopus arms are seasoned with garlic, olive oil, and paprika, grilled and served on wooden plates at casual bars.
Chocolate con Churros
Churros are the best Spanish sweet treat that will keep your sweet tooth satisfied. It originated as a breakfast staple and now stands at the forefront of the Spanish street food scene. Churros is deep-fried dough sticks coated in a mix of cinnamon and sugar and dipped in hot chocolate sauce. These frisky snacks make you feel overjoyed, whether at breakfast or on the street.
Must-Try Spanish Drinks
Sangria
The Spanish know how to exalt their exquisite wine with the hearty cocktail of Sangria, which has become a cultural symbol for the country if not the entire Iberian Peninsula. Slices of orange, lemon, and apple are chilled in a jug of Rioja wine. The traditional recipe may also include blueberries, grapes, and other fresh fruits. There is nothing like a cold glass of sangria as you watch the sun set after a day of sightseeing.
Wine
As the third largest wine producer in the world, Spain has a great deal of quality wine that will keep you in good company on your visit. They vary in every region, so we recommend tasting the local wine wherever you are visiting across Spain. Eating at an al fresco bistro and drinking wine accompanied by olives is a highlight activity in every trip to Spain.
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