With its cultural ties to cuisine worldwide, Spain has incredible food to offer. One of the best aspects of traditional Spanish cuisine is its side dishes, many of which can also be eaten as tapas.
Popular Spanish side dishes include smaller appetizers and vegetable stews accompanying main courses. Traditional side dishes include patatas bravas, escalivada, and chorizo al vino. Pisto is a popular side stew similar to ratatouille, and salmorejo is a flavorful cold soup.
In the remainder of this article, I will cover the best Spanish side dishes for you to try.
1. Patatas Bravas
While patatas bravas translates into “brave potatoes,” if you like spicy food, you’ll have no trouble tackling this famous tapas.
Spanish tapas are commonly known as appetizers, but their light and delectable quality make them perfect as side dishes.
Patatas bravas consists of peeled and fried bite-sized chunks of potato served with a light and spicy sauce. The potatoes are often cooked the same, crispy and golden brown, while the sauce varies.
The traditional sauce from Madrid is a tomato base flavored with chili powder and cayenne.
If you’re making it at home, I suggest making the sauce with our recipe and then watering it down if you need to lower the spiciness.
2. Escalivada
Made with simple roasted ingredients, escalivada is a simple go-to side dish that’s delicious and vegan.
Vegetables are grilled over an open flame, then peeled and sliced before coming together.
This side dish hails from Catalonia, Spain’s eastern Meditteranean coastline, which borrows influence from the Pyrenese Mountains to the north and its Italian neighbors to the east.
Common vegetables to roast include:
- Eggplant
- Bell peppers (orange, red, and yellow)
- Tomatoes
- Onions
The eggplant and peppers’ smoky flavor is what takes this Catalan roasted vegetables dish to the next level. Additional red and yellow vegetables add color and depth of flavor.
3. Chorizo al Vino
If you love chorizo, this popular side dish is a must-eat.
To make chorizo al vino, take slices of spicy chorizo sausage and saute them with onions, garlic, and bell pepper until all the ingredients are caramelized.
To finish this simple and delightful Spanish dish, deglaze the pan with plenty of red wine and then simmer the mixture until the vegetables are soft and the chorizo has absorbed the wine’s flavor.
The aromatic and bitter notes of the wed wine pair beautifully with the spicy and umami chorizo flavors.
4. Pisto
Pisto is a hearty and flavorful Spanish stew that’s perfect for brisk days when served hot.
Alternatively, you can eat it cold, like a gazpacho, if you need a refreshing pick-me-up during warmer weather.
Ingredients you can find in pisto include:
- Tomato
- Garlic
- Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
As opposed to many other stews, which are one-pot recipes, pisto involves roasting vegetables individually to seal in their flavors before adding them to the final dish.
When all the vegetables are added, the stew is slow-cooked to develop its flavors further.
In addition to the herbs and spices, this method gives a layered flavor and unmatched texture.
5. Salmorejo
Salmorejo soup is a close cousin to gazpacho that uses similar ingredients and is served cold as a refreshing side dish during warm weather.
What sets Salmorejo apart from gazpacho is peeling the tomatoes before blending them and incorporating stale bread into the soup to give it a thicker consistency.
Typically made with blended tomatoes, bread, and garlic, it provides a thick and creamy consistency and can be garnished with several toppings.
These toppings include cheese, ham, or a fried egg.
6. Ensaladilla Rusa
Ensaladilla, often referred to as Ensaladilla Rusa, is a Spanish potato salad that initially traces its roots back to Russia.
However, it’s a great Spanish side dish that you’ll find in tapas bars and restaurants all over Spain.
It has a potato base and adds carrots, peas, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, and mayonnaise.
7. Fried Padron Peppers
Brought to the country by monks in the 16th century, Pimientos de Padrón are a favorite tapas dish of Spain.
Pimientos de Padrón or padron peppers, are fried green chili peppers and one of the most popular Spanish side dishes.
They are usually served with spanish extra virgin olive oil and a touch of salt.
8. Pan con Tomate
Spanish side dish, Pan con tomate consists of a thick slice of toasted bread, tomato, olive oil, and garlic.
You can use tomato slices if you prefer, but the traditional Spanish way to make pan con tomate is to grate the tomato on top of the bread.
Either rub a cut ripe tomato against the rough surface of the bread or grate it with a cheese grater.
Drizzle olive oil and add the smashed garlic.
You can lay some jamon iberico on top to make the tapas dish of more substance.
9. Champinones al Ajillo
Champinones al Ajillo is a popular Spanish side dish that consists of sautéed mushrooms in a garlic and olive oil sauce.
The Spanish side dish is typically made with sliced button mushrooms, although other types of mushrooms can also be used.
The mushrooms are cooked in a pan with garlic and olive oil until they are tender and infused with the flavors of the garlic.
The Spanish dish is often served as a tapas dish or side dish, and can be enjoyed simply on its own.
The Spanish garlic mushrooms are a simple, yet delicious side dish that are easy to prepare and a staple in Spanish cuisine.
10. Tortilla Española
Tortilla Española, also called tortilla de patatas, is a traditional Spanish omelet filled with potatoes.
You might not think of an omelet as the perfect side dish, but in Spain, tortilla española is served everywhere.
Best served at room temperature with some crusty bread, spanish tortilla recipes may differ as restaurants might serve the dish warm or cold, spiced with red pepper or flavored with scallions.
11. Gambas al Ajillo
Gambas al Ajillo is the translation of garlic shrimp, and that’s exactly what it is.
It is a popular Spanish side dish of juicy garlic drowned shrimp in spicy, rich olive oil sauce with garlic.
The garlicky tang with the spice of red pepper in the oil matches exquisitely with the shrimp’s tender texture.
12. Croquetas
With a crispy fried shell that surrounds a creamy filling, croquetas or Spanish croquettes are a perfect side dish.
Be sure to try the croquetas de jamón or spanish ham croquettes, which are essentially deep-fried balls of mashed potatoes and cured ham.
The spanish ham croquettes are usually made with jamon serrano (serrano ham).
Other popular types are croquetas de bacalao (codfish) and croquetas de pollo (chicken).
13. Chorizo a la Sidra
Chorizo a la Sidra, or Spanish sausage with apple cider, is precisely what it sounds like: spiced meat braised in sidra.
You’ll most likely find this popular chorizo dish in the Andalusia region of Spain.
It comes together with just three ingredients: chorizo fried in extra virgin olive oil, then simmered in cider until it takes on the sweet, spicy flavors of the liquid.
14. Papas Arrugadas
Papas arrugadas (“wrinkled potatoes”) are a traditional side dish from the Canary Islands, Spain.
They are small potatoes boiled in heavily salted water — historically seawater — until the liquid evaporates and a thin white salt crust forms on the skin.
The potatoes wrinkle on the outside but stay soft and creamy inside.
They’re typically served whole, skin on, as a tapa and paired with mojo rojo (a red pepper-garlic sauce) or mojo verde (a cilantro or parsley sauce).
Simple ingredients, bold flavor, and one of the most iconic Spanish potato dishes.
Final Thoughts on Spanish Side Dishes
In conclusion, Spanish cuisine offers a diverse array of side dishes that are sure to complement any main course.
From the traditional tortilla española to the hearty patatas bravas, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
If you’re looking for a simple dish to add to your next meal or something more complex, Spanish side dishes are a great way to bring a touch of Spain to your dinner table.
So, the next time you’re looking to add some variety to your meals, consider exploring the delicious world of Spanish side dishes. Buen provecho!
Sources
- Amigo Foods: 50 Delicious Dishes to Try in Spain
- Amigo Foods: Patatas Bravas
- Amigo Foods: Pisto
- Amigo Foods: Salmorejo
- Amigo Foods: Escalivada
- Amigo Foods: Chorizo al Vino
- Go Go Espana: What is Tapas Food?
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.