The 10 most popular Spanish tapas you need to try | Catalonia Hotels & Resorts Blog (2024)

Tapas are an essential ingredient of Spanish culture and one of the most popular in the world and are a must try when you come to Spain. Tapas have an appealing aroma and it is impossible to resist eating them. We have already talked about typical food in Granada, now, let’s take a look at the ten most popular tapas you must try in Spain.

Jamon Serrano

Jamon Serrano is one of the most common tapas dishes in Spain. It is a cured and dried meat that is salted then kept for a particular period to get the perfect texture and color.

Jamon Bellota is a type of hams removed from pigs that got to be the best quality. These types of pigs are fed with pasture and acorns until they reach fifty kilograms of weight. According to the percentage of the Iberian breed, the red color is the color label for those with fifty percent Iberian ham and the black color label for those with a hundred percent Iberian ham. The other types of Iberian feeding pigs apart from bellota are cebo and cebo de campo.

The 10 most popular Spanish tapas you need to try | Catalonia Hotels & Resorts Blog (1)

Tortilla Española (Spanish Omelette)

This is an egg and potato omelette that is very tasty. Seasoning the egg with salt beforehand helps it retain moisture when cooking and the slow cooking of the potatoes and onions in plenty of olive oil helps it to have a soft texture that shows its perfection.

Boquerones en Vinagre

Boquerones en vinagre is an incredible appetizer that you can find all over Spain. They are fresh anchovies marinated for three hours in salt water and for six hours in vinegar. They are then drained and seasoned with salt, garlic and parsley. Since it contains so much vinegar, it is usually served with beer.

Albondigas en Salsa

This is a type of food with beef and pork meatballs cooked in a spiced tomato sauce. Because of these spices, they have perfect aromas making you just want to eat them they have the most appetizing aromas tempting you to just eat them.

Patatas Bravas

Patatas bravas are one of the quintessential dishes in Spain. It consists of boiling the potatoes in salted water for several minutes, then they are fried and served with a tomato sauce with a mixture of different spices, depending on the city where you eat them.

It can be ordered by adding extra ingredients such as fried fish, baked chicken or chorizo.

Croquetas (Croquettes)

They are fried béchamel sauce fritters flavored with ham, cheese, or shrimp flavored with loads of different ingredients such as: ham, cheese, chicken or shrimp just to say a few. Their end result is a crispy exterior and a soft inside.

Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach with Chickpeas)

It is a dish of cod with chickpeas and spinach where the cod is the main ingredient. The dish is prepared by submerging the cod in salt at least one day before preparing. Chickpeas and white beans are afterward added, followed by spinach, oil, garlic, onion, and paprika.

Calamares fritos (Fried Squid Rings)

Fried squid or also called calamares a la romana, is one of the most typical and popular dishes in Spain and is very easy to prepare. They are squid rings lightly breaded and fried.

These in turn, are a typical dish of Madrid of the “fast food” type. They are usually eaten as a snack around the Puerta del Sol, in places as emblematic as the Plaza Mayor.

The 10 most popular Spanish tapas you need to try | Catalonia Hotels & Resorts Blog (2)

Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Prawns)

Gambas al ajillo is a typical dish that can be found mainly in central and southern Spain, especially in Madrid. It is usually served with your drink in bars. The dish consists of cooking the prawns in a clay pot, then frying them with parsley and garlic in olive oil. It is usually accompanied by a glass of red or white wine.

Pá amb tomàquet (bread with tomato)

Pan tumaca is a typical catalan dish, also known as pa amb tomàquet. It consists of toasting a piece of bread, spreading crushed tomato on top, adding a little garlic and olive oil and, depending on the tastes of each person, you can also add sausage, tortilla, ham or cheese.

Did you like this review about tapas? Then, do not miss our article explaining what is the difference between pintxos and tapas.

If we have whetted your appetite with this list of the most popular Spanish tapas and you want to know all the gastronomy that this country has to offer, do not hesitate to visit it and stay in our hotels that we have all over Spain. You will feel at home thanks to .

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The 10 most popular Spanish tapas you need to try | Catalonia Hotels & Resorts Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is the most famous Spanish tapas? ›

The 10 most popular Spanish tapas you need to try
  • Boquerones en Vinagre. ...
  • Albondigas en Salsa. ...
  • Patatas Bravas. ...
  • Croquetas (Croquettes) ...
  • Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach with Chickpeas) ...
  • Calamares fritos (Fried Squid Rings) ...
  • Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Prawns) ...
  • Pá amb tomàquet (bread with tomato)
May 12, 2022

What are classic Spanish tapas? ›

Popular throughout Spain, tapas are festive and delicious appetizers and snacks from bite-size pintxos to shared small plates that make up a meal. Traditional tapas include mixed olives, garlicky shrimp, fried baby squid, meatballs, and chorizo.

What is the most popular tapa in Extremadura? ›

Top tapas. If you're going to eat one thing in Extremadura, make it jamón ibérico. Yes, this staple of Spanish cuisine can be found everywhere, but this region is home to the best.

Are Spanish tapas healthy? ›

Beware Excess Sodium. Some tapas, as well as meza and dim sum, are high in fat and calories and some have too much sodium. "Interestingly, this is not true of all tapas and most dishes are very good for you," says Harlan.

Do Spaniards eat tapas for dinner? ›

While you're in Spain, you simply must partake in tapas, the tradition of small dishes and drinks in the early evening (or, if you've chosen to skip a formal dinner, late into the night).

What is the Barcelona version of tapas? ›

Pinchos: This is a concept that originates from the Basque region of Spain. Pinchos are like mouth sized tapas - always served on top of pieces of bread. They are also sometimes called 'Montaditos' (this is what they are called in Quimet y Quimet).

What is a typical tapas menu? ›

Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select restaurants and bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an entire and sophisticated cuisine.

What are the 3 tapas? ›

The Bhagavad Gita (17.14–16) speaks of three kinds of tapas: austerity of body, speech, and mind. Austerity of the body includes purity, rectitude, chastity, non-harming, and making offerings to higher beings, sages, brahmins (the custodians of Hindu India's spiritual heritage), and honored teachers.

What is Valencia's most famous dish? ›

Paella is synonymous with Valencia, and you'll find paella restaurants all over this popular European food city. Paella is traditionally made with short-grain rice from the region, stock, and saffron, which gives it a bright yellow color.

Which tapa is known as Spain's national dish? ›

Spanish Tapas / Tortilla Española

This simple but delicious tapa is often referred to as Spain's national dish. A traditional Spanish omelet filled with potatoes. A few ingredients come together in the dish, with crispy egg forming a flaky crust that binds a filling of potato, onion, and spices.

How many tapas to order in Spain? ›

However, you can trust us that 2 to 3 tapas per person are really enough! In case you still want to have the feeling to have your own place ... you take a bit of each tapas on your plate and put together your very own dish. This way you know how much you ate in the end and you make sure that you really had enough.

What is the best time to eat tapas in Spain? ›

Tapas is traditionally a drink and bite to eat, so when you meet for tapas in Spain, it's usually around 1:30 to 3pm or 8:30 to 10:30pm. If you stick to the traditional Spanish times for tapas, you're guaranteed to get the freshest food and the best atmosphere.

What do Spaniards drink with tapas? ›

Sangria is an iconic Spanish drink loved around the world. There are heaps of versions, but the classic recipe is made with red wine, brandy or vermouth, sliced apples and oranges, and sparkling soda. A crowd-pleasing pitcher of sangria is the perfect drink to share with friends over tapas.

Are tapas better in Barcelona or Madrid? ›

While Barcelona seduces with its coastal beauty and creative tapas, Madrid enchants with its historical charm and traditional flavors. To truly appreciate Spain's tapas culture, why not visit both cities and indulge in a culinary journey that celebrates the best of Spanish cuisine.

What is Spain's most famous dish? ›

Paella is perhaps the most famous Spanish dish of all, and certainly one of the most abused. Authentic paella originates from the region around Valencia, and comes in two varieties: Paella Valenciana, with rabbit and chicken; and seafood paella.

What are the three types of tapas? ›

Types of Tapas

Often served with fortified wine, tapas encompass a wide variety of snacks and small plates. You can categorize tapas into three main categories: cosas de picar, pintxos, and cazuelas.

What are Spanish tapas called? ›

In some Spanish cities, like Granada, you can get great tapas for free with your drink. In other places, like San Sebastián, tapas (actually called pintxos) are more gourmet and need to be ordered. Something more new to the tradition is that most people will “go for tapas”.

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