Dorada a la Sal: Spanish Salt-Baked Sea Bream Recipe
Dorada a la sal is Spain’s salt-baked sea bream: a whole fish sealed in coarse salt and roasted until juicy, then cracked open at the table.
Spanish Cooking: Ingredients, Guides & Where to Start
✦ October’s Featured Dish
Marmitako
A Basque fishermen's stew of bonito, potatoes and peppers, originally cooked in one pot on deck. It belongs to the late-summer bonito run that carries into autumn.
Get the Recipe →Explore Spanish Food
Breakfast Dishes
Churros, tomato toast and Spain’s favorite morning pastries.
Desserts
Churros, flan, and Spain's favorite sweets.
Drinks
Sangría, sidra and refreshing Spanish beverages.
Holiday Dishes
Nochebuena and festive Spanish traditions.
Ingredients
Olive oil, saffron, and the staples of Spanish cooking.
Main Dishes
Paella, pulpo a la gallega and bacalao al pil pil.
Seafood Dishes
Fresh catches from Spain's Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.
Side Dishes
The perfect plate, completed.
Soups & Stews
Comforting gazpacho, fabada and other classic stews.
Street Foods
Bites and snacks from Spain's markets and streets.
Tapas
Spain's small-plate classics, from patatas bravas to croquetas.
Turrón
Jijona, Alicante, the flavored bars and the brands worth buying.
The Complete Spanish Food Guide
50 traditional dishes, ingredients, and cooking guides in one place.
Explore the Guide →Jamón Ibérico, Spain's Prized Cured Ham
Spain's prized cured ham, aged for deep, nutty flavor.
Explore the Guide →Spain's Best Tapas
Discover Spain's best tapas, from classic favorites to regional specialties.
Explore Tapas →Patatas Bravas, Spain's Favorite Fried Potatoes
Crispy fried potatoes with a smoky, spicy tomato sauce.
View the Recipe →Churros con Chocolate, A Spanish Classic
Fried dough pastries served with thick, rich hot chocolate.
View the Recipe →Latest Spanish Recipes
View All Recipes →Dorada a la Sal: Spanish Salt-Baked Sea Bream Recipe
Fideuà: Spanish Seafood Noodle Paella Recipe
Bacalao a la Vizcaína: Basque Salt Cod in Red Pepper Sauce (Recipe)
Empanada Dough: Easy Homemade Recipe for Baking or Frying
Pimientos de Padrón: How to Cook Spanish Padrón Peppers
Mantecados: How to Make Spain’s Crumbly Christmas Cookies
Chorizo al Vino (Spanish Chorizo in Red Wine) Recipe
Pulpo a la Gallega: How to Make Tender Galician Octopus
Almendras Rellenas: How to Make Spain’s Filled Christmas Almonds
Rebujito: Seville’s Feria Sherry Drink (Recipe, Ratios & History)
A little Spanish curiosity
Fun Facts About Spanish Foods
Big flavors. Little surprises. There’s a story in every bite.
Behind the nameA tapa is a “lid.”
Tapa comes from tapar, “to cover.” The popular story says bartenders once set a slice of bread or ham on top of a glass to keep the flies out.
Food fightA whole town throws 100+ tons of tomatoes.
Every last Wednesday of August, thousands of people pack the streets of Buñol, near Valencia, for La Tomatina: an hour-long tomato fight that turns the town red.
Spanish Food FAQs
A little curious? Open a question.Is Spanish food spicy?
Usually, no. Spanish cooking gets its flavor from olive oil, garlic, pimentón (smoked paprika) and saffron rather than hot chiles. Even spicy dishes like patatas bravas are mild next to Mexican food.
Explore the Spanish pantry →What’s the national dish of Spain?
Spain has no official national dish. Paella from Valencia is the one most people name, with tortilla española a close second. Every region has its own favorites.
Get the paella valenciana recipe →What makes jamón ibérico special?
It comes from Spain’s black Iberian pigs and is cured for years. The top grade, jamón ibérico de bellota, comes from free-range pigs that fatten on acorns in the oak pastures of the southwest.
Read the jamón ibérico guide →Is a Spanish tortilla the same as a Mexican tortilla?
No. A Spanish tortilla is a thick omelet of eggs, potatoes and often onion, served in wedges. A Mexican tortilla is a flatbread made from corn or wheat.
Make a tortilla española →A Culinary Journey Through Spanish Cuisine
Spain is home to one of Europe’s most celebrated culinary traditions, where centuries of history, regional diversity, and exceptional local ingredients have created a cuisine admired around the world. From lively tapas bars and seafood-rich coastal dishes to hearty stews, cured meats, artisan cheeses, and unforgettable desserts, Spanish food is known for its simplicity, bold flavors, and emphasis on high-quality ingredients. Every region—from Andalusia and Catalonia to Galicia, Valencia, the Basque Country, and Madrid—offers its own distinctive specialties and culinary traditions.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Spain, searching for authentic Spanish recipes, or discovering the country’s most iconic dishes, you’ll find everything you need here. Explore classics like paella, tortilla española, gambas al ajillo, croquetas, gazpacho, and patatas bravas, along with regional specialties, traditional Spanish desserts, refreshing drinks, cooking guides, and the rich culinary heritage that has made Spain one of the world’s premier food destinations. Start with tapas favorites, continue through hearty regional dishes, and discover the incredible variety that makes Spanish cuisine so unique.
If you’re new to Spanish cuisine, start with our comprehensive guide to Spanish Food: 50 Traditional Dishes You Need to Try, then continue exploring our authentic recipes, desserts, drinks, and regional food guides. Whether you’re cooking at home or planning your next trip to Spain, AmigoFoods is your trusted resource for authentic Spanish food.
Fideuà: Spanish Seafood Noodle Paella Recipe
Fideuà is Valencia’s seafood noodle paella: short noodles toasted in olive oil, simmered in saffron fish stock with prawns, squid and monkfish, and served with allioli.
Bacalao a la Vizcaína: Basque Salt Cod in Red Pepper Sauce (Recipe)
Bacalao a la vizcaína is salt cod in a thick, brick-red sauce of dried choricero peppers and slow-cooked red onions, … Read more
Empanada Dough: Easy Homemade Recipe for Baking or Frying
A tender, sturdy homemade empanada dough with flour, cold butter, egg and ice water, plus disc sizes, baking vs. frying, variations and freezing tips.
Pimientos de Padrón: How to Cook Spanish Padrón Peppers
Pimientos de Padrón, or Padrón peppers, are small green peppers from Galicia in northwest Spain, blistered in hot olive oil … Read more
Mantecados: How to Make Spain’s Crumbly Christmas Cookies
Mantecados are crumbly Spanish Christmas cookies made with toasted flour, lard and powdered sugar. This cinnamon version has a sesame … Read more
Chorizo al Vino (Spanish Chorizo in Red Wine) Recipe
Chorizo al vino is the tapa that Spanish bars keep warm on the back of the stove all evening: coins … Read more
Pulpo a la Gallega: How to Make Tender Galician Octopus
Authentic pulpo a la gallega (polbo á feira): how to cook tender Galician octopus, with a timing chart, step-by-step photos, serving tips and a printable recipe.
Almendras Rellenas: How to Make Spain’s Filled Christmas Almonds
Almendras rellenas are Spanish Christmas sweets with crisp, almond-shaped wafer shells and a soft filling of toasted almonds, powdered sugar … Read more
Rebujito: Seville’s Feria Sherry Drink (Recipe, Ratios & History)
The rebujito is Andalusia’s feria drink: dry sherry, lemon-lime soda, mint and plenty of ice, shared by the jarra. Here’s its real history, the ratio debate and a pitcher recipe for six.
Types of Sherry: From Fino to PX, Explained
From salty manzanilla to syrupy Pedro Ximénez, here are the types of sherry explained with official ABV ranges, serving temperatures, tapas pairings and how long an open bottle really lasts. Plus an easy fino sherry tonic.
Patatas a lo Pobre: Andalusia’s Slow-Cooked Poor Man’s Potatoes
Patatas a lo pobre are Andalusia’s humble potatoes, slowly cooked in olive oil with onion and green pepper until meltingly soft. Here’s the real technique, how to reuse the oil and an easy recipe.
Seafood Paella: Authentic Spanish Recipe for Paella de Mariscos
Seafood paella, or paella de marisco, brings saffron rice, shrimp, squid and shellfish together in a wide, shallow pan. A … Read more
Pan con Tomate: Authentic Spanish Tomato Bread Recipe
Pan con tomate is Spanish tomato bread: crisp toast rubbed with ripe tomato and finished with olive oil, salt and … Read more
Pan de Cádiz: Spain’s Marzipan Christmas Loaf (Recipe & History)
Pan de Cádiz is a Spanish Christmas confection with layers of marzipan, sweet egg-yolk cream and fruit preserve beneath a … Read more