15 vegan and vegetarian tapas dishes for a Spanish-inspired feast
Crowd-pleasing vegetarian and vegan tapas recipes, perfect for a posh party. Take your pick from smoked cheddar croquettes, olive bread swirls, padron peppers and more
Bring sunny Spanish flavours to the table with our best tapas recipes, which just happen to be vegetarian or vegan. We cover the staples essential to Spanish food culture (including patatas bravas, padron peppers and fluffy tortillas), as well as fresh spins on everyone's favourites, so you can add something new and exciting to your meat- and fish-free spread.
Though perfect for entertaining, tapas doesn't have to mean feeding a crowd. Simply pick a couple of your favourites and turn them into a varied meal for one. For more Spanish-inspired recipes that cater for meat eaters and pescatarians, take a look at our Spanish recipes collection.
15 vegan and vegetarian tapas dishes for a Spanish-inspired feast
1. Padron peppers
Serve these salty, blistered peppers to a crowd and they'll disappear in seconds. They're easy to make, requiring little prep and just five minutes of cooking. Fried until wilted, the peppers should be soft and slightly charred.
For more starter and sides inspiration, take a look at our simple summer side dishes.
2. Spanish tortilla
When it comes to tortilla, homemade always tastes better than shop-bought. Layered with pan-fried potatoes and onion, it works as a hot centrepiece for a vegetarian spread, and sliced cold for a summery picnic. For more takes on Spanish tortilla, see our Spanish omelette, sweet potato, spinach & feta tortilla and picnic tortilla.
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We have more easy vegetarian picnic-proof recipes for you to choose from, including vegetarian sausage rolls, veggie wraps and cheese & piccalilli tart.
3. Patatas bravas
Transport yourself to sunny Barcelona with this Spanish staple (after all, tapas isn't complete without patatas bravas). This crowd-pleasing classic is just potatoes in a punchy tomato sauce, flavoured with sweet paprika and fiery chilli.
It's easy to remove the chorizo from this recipe – you can get some of the fiery flavour back with an extra pinch of smoked paprika. If you find yourself with left-over potatoes, put them to good use in refried roasties, a classic potato salad or an oven-baked rösti cake.
4. Piperade on crusty bread
Evoke the vibrant flavours of northern Spain with this Basque-style tapa, where sweet fried peppers and onions top slices of baguette. It serves up to eight guests and requires just 10 minutes of prep.
Take your pick from more meat-free snacks with our quick nibbles recipes, each ready in 20 minutes or less.
5. Smoked cheddar & chilli jam croquettes
Usually stuffed with ham, Spanish croquettes are transformed into irresistible vegetarian bites with smoked cheddar and chilli jam in this clever recipe. Serving up to 16 people, these croquettes are best served piled high on a sharing platter with a generous sprinkle of sea salt on top.
Try more of our vegetarian croquette recipes, including potato croquettes, cauliflower croquettes and parsnip croquettes.
6. Olive bread swirls
Bake a batch of these pretty bread swirls, stuffed with black and green olives, when you're next hosting a dinner party. Anchovies are an optional extra, if you want to make a separate batch for those who eat fish.
For more homemade bread recipes fit for a party, browse our bread roll recipes and party food recipes.
7. Spinach & sweet potato tortilla
A healthy tortilla with a sweet potato twist, this Spanish-inspired dish can be prepared a couple of days ahead. Serve cold, or warmed in a low oven covered with foil.
Got left-over sweet potatoes? Choose from one of our sweet potato recipes for your next weeknight meal.
8. Spanish stuffed peppers
These colourful pepper halves come stuffed with baby tomatoes, lots of garlic and a sweet sherry vinegar glaze. It's a great dish to serve at your Spanish-themed evening or BBQ – just make sure you omit the chorizo to keep it vegan.
Like what you see? We've got plenty more stuffed pepper recipes for you to try.
9. Citrus & fennel marinated olives
The beauty of these citrus and fennel marinated olives? The longer you leave them, the more flavour the olives will absorb. Make ahead of time and serve when it's time to eat.
Take your love of olives further by recreating our deep-fried olives or our garlic and black olive sharing board.
10. Baby potatoes in sea salt with herb salsa
A piquant herb salsa cuts through new potatoes in this impressive tapa recipe. You only need a handful of ingredients to make it, and you'll likely have most of them at hand already.
You can find more baby potato recipes here.
11. Stuffed & grilled vegetable bites
Work these stuffed veggie bites into your tapas menu. Creamy ricotta is balanced with sundried tomatoes and basil, and the finished rolls are best served scattered with parsley leaves and paprika.
For more dinner party nibbles, browse our quick nibbles collection, including grilled aubergine stacks and mini crostini with goat’s cheese & artichokes.
12. Parsley omelette with olive ricotta
If you want a dish that strays from traditional Spanish tapas, try these herby parsley omelettes. Wrapped around a creamy ricotta filling and topped with juicy oven-roasted tomatoes, they make a delicately flavoured nibble for your spread. Plus you can assemble these eggy spirals ahead of time.
Discover more easy entertaining recipes here, designed to give you more time at the party.
13. Smoky Spanish tomato and garlic dip
Plenty of garlic, smoked paprika and sherry vinegar give this tomato dip such Spanish flavour. Pair with breadsticks as part of your spread.
We have more dip recipes to choose from, such as this spicy sweet potato hummus and courgette and tahini dip.
14. Tortilla tapas
Turn a quintessential Spanish tapa into a bite-sized party nibble. This recipe makes 16 squares, perfect for feeding a crowd. You could also add left-over cheese, mushrooms or peppers to the mix, if you like.
Try more of our feed-a-crowd recipes, including ham & cheese croquetas and a grazing platter.
15. Churros
Complete your tapas spread with these Spanish-style doughnuts, dipped in thick dark chocolate sauce. This recipe makes 20 bite-sized churros, so everyone at the table can enjoy them.
We have more traditional Spanish sweet treats for you to discover, such as torrijas with sherry and burnt Basque cheesecake.
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What's your favourite tapa recipe? Leave a comment below
