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From tasty tapas to superb seafood and traditional roasts, food in Spain is all about making the most of the best local produce. We asked travel writer Annie Bennett to pick 10 of the best dishes to try on your travels.
Discover even more fabulous foodie travel experiences and our top eats across the globe in our travel hub.
Don’t leave Spain without trying…
1. Gazpacho
Try making your own… gazpacho or salmorejo
2. Paella
Try making our next level paella recipe and check out our top 10 tips for perfect paella.
3. Tortilla Española
Try making your own… Tortilla Española
4. Gambas al ajillo
Try making your own… garlic prawns
5. Tostas de tomate y jamón
Black pigs roam among the holm oak trees in western Spain in search of the acorns that give marbled magenta Ibérico ham its distinctive nutty flavour. Rub thick pieces of toast with garlic and tomato, pour on some olive oil and top with slices of jamón for a quick, delicious lunch.
6. Patatas bravas
Try making your own… patatas bravas
7. Pollo al ajillo
Any Spaniard will tell you that the best garlic chicken ever is the one their grandmother makes. And of course they are right. Unpeeled cloves of garlic are fried in olive oil to flavour it, then taken out before adding pieces of chicken. When that’s cooked, the garlic goes back in with some rosemary, thyme and some dry sherry or white wine. But there is no definitive recipe for this much-loved dish.
8. Cochinillo asado
People might claim they are going to Segovia to see its astounding Roman aqueduct, fairytale castle or elegant cathedral, but really all that is just to build up an appetite for lunch. And in Segovia that means either roast suckling pig or lamb. The meat is cooked in huge wood-fired ovens and is so tender it is cut with the side of an earthenware plate.
9. Pisto
Try making our pisto con huevos – serve this traditional Spanish recipe with rustic bread and a fruity red wine.
10. Turrón
Spaniards devour massive amounts of turrón, or almond nougat, at Christmas, although it’s available all year round. Most of it is made in the small town of Jijona in the province of Alicante, using locally-grown almonds mixed with honey and egg white. There are two basic types – a soft, smooth version, called Jijona, and hard Alicante turrón, which contains pieces of almond.
Are you a fan of Spanish cuisine? Do you agree with our selection or have we missed your favourite? Share your must-try dishes below…