Spanish food is known around the world for its fresh, flavorful Mediterranean ingredients. Think olive oil, fresh vegetables, and cured meats — all high-quality and delicious.
When you’re in Spain, you might get confused about what constitutes a meal. What’s a snack? Is it the same thing as tapas? How is it different from a full meal? In Spain, a snack is more of a mealtime “gap filler,” especially between lunch and dinner, when it might be a long time before your next meal.
This article will introduce you to the wide range of snacks in Spain, with a focus on the diverse flavors and regional variations. Get ready to explore both savory and sweet options!
Savory Spanish Snacks: A Culinary Journey
Spanish snacks are a delicious mix of flavors and textures, from cured meats and cheeses to bread-based bites and fried goodies. Here’s a little tour of some of the best:
Cured Meats and Cheeses
The Spanish take their cured meats and cheeses seriously, and they make for some seriously good snacking.
- Fuet: This popular Catalan dry-cured sausage is a must-try. It’s got a mild, slightly peppery flavor that pairs perfectly with a crusty bread or a sharp cheese.
- Queso con Anchoas: Simple but satisfying, this combo of cheese with anchovies is a flavor bomb. The saltiness of the anchovies really brings out the umami notes in the cheese.
- Mojama: This salt-cured tuna has a unique texture and a concentrated, briny flavor. It’s a regional specialty, often thinly sliced and drizzled with olive oil.
Bread-Based Delights
Bread is a staple in Spain, and these snacks show off its versatility.
- Bocadillos/Bocatas: These sandwiches are a Spanish snacking essential. They’re typically made with a “barra de pan” (a Spanish baguette) and filled with all sorts of deliciousness. A “Bocadillo o Bocata de Huevos Revueltos” (scrambled egg sandwich) is a classic.
- Pan con Tomate (Pa amb tomàquet): Simple, delicious, and quintessentially Catalan, Pan con Tomate is just bread rubbed with tomato, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt. The origin story involves resourceful Catalans looking for a way to soften stale bread.
Fried and Grilled Goodness
When it comes to snacks, sometimes you just need something fried or grilled. Spain delivers on that front, too.
- Berenjenas con Miel de Caña: Fried eggplant drizzled with cane honey offers a delightful sweet and savory contrast. The crispy eggplant and the rich, molasses-like honey are a match made in snacking heaven.
- Patatas Bravas: These potatoes with spicy sauce are a tapas bar staple. The potatoes are typically fried until crispy and then topped with a brava sauce, which can range from mild to fiery depending on the recipe.
- Chicharrón: Fried pork rinds, or Chicharrón, are another crispy, savory treat. Regional variations abound, but they all share that irresistible crunch.
Empanadas and Croquetas: Handheld Comfort Foods
When hunger strikes between meals, Spaniards turn to a range of tasty snacks, including empanadas and croquetas.
Empanadas: The Versatile Turnover
An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries in Latin America and Southern Europe. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread.
Spanish empanadas come with a variety of fillings, including tuna, meat, or vegetables. They’re often seasoned with spices like paprika, cumin, or garlic.
You’ll find different regional variations of empanadas throughout Spain. For example, in Galicia, they often make a large empanada, called an empanada gallega, filled with tuna, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. In other regions, you might find empanadas filled with chorizo, pork loin, or even seafood.
Croquetas: Creamy Bites of Deliciousness
Croquetas are another popular snack in Spain. They’re small, breaded, and fried rolls typically filled with a thick béchamel sauce and other ingredients. The creamy texture of the béchamel combined with the crispy coating makes these a satisfying snack.
Croquetas de Jamón
One of the most popular types of croquetas is croquetas de jamón, or ham croquettes. To make these, finely chopped ham is added to the béchamel sauce, which is then cooled, shaped into small cylinders, breaded, and fried until golden brown.
Croquetas de Bacalao
Croquetas de bacalao, or cod croquettes, are another popular choice. These are made with salt cod, which is soaked in water to remove the excess salt before being flaked and added to the béchamel sauce. Like the ham version, the cod-filled béchamel is cooled, shaped, breaded, and fried.
Skewered snacks and vegetable delights
Spanish snacks aren’t all about cured meats and cheeses, although those are certainly delicious! You can also find an abundance of tasty skewers and vegetable-centric snacks.
Pinchos: The art of the skewer
In northern Spain, particularly in the Basque region, pinchos (spelled pintxos in Basque) are king. These small snacks are typically skewered and served on a piece of bread.
Pinchos Gilda
The Gilda is a classic pincho named after Rita Hayworth’s character in the 1946 film Gilda. It’s a simple yet bold combination of an anchovy, an olive, and a guindilla pepper (a pickled pepper) threaded onto a skewer.
Pincho de Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos de Atún
These are piquillo peppers stuffed with tuna. Piquillo peppers are sweet with a slightly smoky flavor, and they pair beautifully with tuna. You’ll often find them served simply, drizzled with olive oil, or stuffed with other ingredients like cheese or meat.
Vegetable-forward snacks
If you’re looking for something lighter, Spain offers a variety of delicious vegetable snacks that highlight the country’s fresh produce.
Chips de Alcachofa
Artichoke chips are a crispy and addictive snack. Thinly sliced artichoke hearts are fried until golden brown and crunchy, then sprinkled with sea salt. They’re perfect on their own or served with a dipping sauce like romesco.
Seasonal vegetable snacks
Spain celebrates seasonal produce, so you’ll often find snacks featuring what’s fresh and in season. Grilled asparagus in the spring and roasted peppers in the summer are common and delicious.
Sweet Spanish Snacks: A Treat for the Senses
If you’re looking for something sweet to nibble on in Spain, you’ll find plenty of pastries and treats to satisfy your cravings.
Fried Dough Delights
The Spanish truly shine when it comes to fried dough. Here are a couple of examples:
- Churros with Hot Chocolate: These ridged batons of fried dough are served with thick, dark, and intensely flavored hot chocolate for dipping. This is a classic Spanish treat often enjoyed for breakfast or as an afternoon pick-me-up. Dunking the churros into the rich chocolate is practically a national pastime!
- Buñuelos: These little fried dough balls are another popular treat, especially around holidays. They’re often associated with both Jewish and Christian communities, and each family seems to have its own secret recipe.
Refreshing and Unique Sweets
Spain also offers some unique and refreshing sweets that you won’t find anywhere else:
- Horchata con Fartons: Horchata, made from tiger nuts, is a milky, slightly sweet, and incredibly refreshing drink that’s particularly popular in the Valencia region. It’s often served with fartons, sweet, elongated pastries that are perfect for dunking.
- Torrijas: Think Spanish-style French toast! Torrijas are slices of bread soaked in milk and eggs, then fried and dusted with sugar and cinnamon. They’re traditionally prepared around Lent.
- Paparajotes: These are truly unique! Paparajotes are lemon leaves dipped in batter and fried. You eat the batter, but not the leaf, which infuses the dough with a wonderful citrus aroma and flavor. The presentation alone makes this snack a standout.
Simple & Satisfying
Sometimes, the simplest things are the best:
- Almendras Fritas: These fried almonds are a simple yet satisfying snack. They’re typically fried in olive oil and sprinkled with salt, creating a delightful savory-sweet flavor profile. Some versions also include a touch of sugar for extra sweetness.
In Conclusion
From salty, cured jamón to sweet, cinnamon-dusted churros, Spanish snacks offer an incredible range of flavors and textures. Each region of Spain boasts its own unique snacking traditions, making every bite an adventure.
If you’re planning a trip to Spain, be sure to dive headfirst into the snacking culture! Visit local markets, tapas bars, and restaurants to sample the incredible array of treats on offer. Don’t be afraid to try something new – you might just discover your next favorite snack.
And remember, snacking in Spain isn’t just about the food; it’s about the social experience. Sharing tapas with friends and family is a cherished tradition, so grab a plate, pour a glass of wine, and enjoy the lively atmosphere of Spanish snacking culture.