Did you know that according to poll results, 165 million people in the US are vegetarians? Apart from that, a further poll reveals that in the US, a third of people eat at least one vegetarian meal per week.
Did you also know that tapas can act as an ideal vegetarian dish, meal or snack?
Tapas recipes that do not incorporate meat are — like all tapas — delicious, which is why we have rounded up five mouth-watering vegetarian tapas recipes for you to try!
And you don’t have to be vegetarian to enjoy meat-free tapas. Tapas are inherently tasty and bursting with flavor — they don’t need meat to taste delectable!
If you want to snag six simple and flavorful vegetarian-friendly tapas, then read on, because we have some good ones for you.
1. Gilda
To start off with a boost of umami, Gildas are a simple and super savory tapa to try.
Hailing from the Basque country, these are comprised of spanish green olives, anchovies, and guindilla peppers wedged onto a skewer for easy eating.
This Spanish tapas dish actually gets its name from the American film Gilda. It was one of the first American pop cultural influences in Spain after World War II.
2. Pimientos de Padrón Fritos
Pimientos de Padrón translated into English means fried Padrón Peppers.
They are little, bright green peppers that come from Padrón, Galicia located in the northwestern part of Spain.
All you need for this easy vegetarian tapas recipe is padrón peppers and some salt. Simply give the peppers a quick fry and season with salt.
If you cannot get any padrón peppers you can substitute with Japanese shishito peppers.
3. Patatas Bravas
Patatas Bravas translated means “fierce potatoes”.
This tapas dish gets its name from its fierce heat!
If you are a lover of spice and heat, then this is definitely a great tapa to try.
The basic recipe for Patatas Bravas is to fry up small wedges of potato until crispy and then top with a spicy sauce of tomato, garlic, paprika, and Tabasco.
4. Eggplant Rolls Stuffed with Feta Cheese
To make this vegetarian tapas recipe, start by slicing up an eggplant lengthwise, then frying the slices in the pan and draining the oil off of them between two sheets of paper towel.
Then crumble up some feta into a bowl and season with thyme, salt, pepper and add a dash of olive oil.
Spoon this mixture onto the eggplant slices, roll them up, secure with a toothpick and enjoy!
5. Goat Cheese Combined with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Capers, Paprika and Garlic
To start making this vegetarian tapa you will need some queso de cabra, otherwise known as goat’s cheese — one of the must-have cheeses for tapas — garlic, and paprika.
Roast the paprika and garlic, then mix this into the cheese, spread onto toast and top with sun-dried tomatoes and capers.
6. Escalivada
Escalivada is a dish from Catalonia, Spain.
It is made with peppers and eggplant in the most basic version of the recipe, but other ingredients, like onion wedges or thick slices of tomato, can also be added.
Use a combination of yellow, orange, and red peppers to make it even more colorful.
Similar to ratatouille, escalivada is a delicious, easy-to-make recipe that’s sure to become a new comfort food.
Vegetarian Tapas Are Not Only Delicious — They Are Easy to Make!
As you can see, vegetarian tapas can be just as tasty and delectable as those that include meat.
And what’s more, many vegetarian tapas recipes are super easy to make and healthier too!
So what are you waiting for? Go on and try some of these vegetarian tapas recipes today.
Oh, and if you need something to wash those delicious tapas down with, check out these refreshing Spanish drinks.
And remember, if you need to stock up on prime imported Spanish ingredients, you can visit Amazon for all their Spanish offerings.
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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.