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VEGETARIAN

Thirteen mouthwateringly delicious reasons to be a vegetarian in Spain

Foodie experts, Devour Spain, share their tips for the best vegetarian food in Spain.

Published: 20 May 2016 14:42 CEST
Thirteen mouthwateringly delicious reasons to be a vegetarian in Spain
Calçots are a seasonal treat. Photo: Gerard Romans Camps / Flickr

Long feared by vegetarians as the land of jamón, Spanish cuisine also boasts a host of delicious traditional alternatives.

Guidebooks warn vegetarians coming to Spain that they are entering the land of jamón. And it’s true – Spaniards love their pork products with passion, and ham and tuna are both considered acceptable vegetarian fare in some old fashioned tapas bars.  

But Spain is also home to a variety of delicious vegetarian dishes that locals love. Here’s what vegetarians in Spain should be eating.

1. Tortilla de Patatas
 
 
Let’s start with a classic choice— the famous potato omelette. You’ll find the tortilla de patatas all over Spain, and everyone has an opinion on the best way to make it. Onions or no onions? Fully cooked through or runny? Whatever your preference, there’s a tortilla for everyone and never a wrong time of day to indulge. 
 
2. Escalivada
 
A Catalan specialty, this dish of roasted pepper and aubergine (eggplant) is smoky and delicious. Generally cooked until charred, it’s the perfect combination for some 'pan con tomate' that’s been smothered in extra virgin olive oil.
 
3. Gazpacho
 
 
Possibly the most refreshing Spanish food that exists, gazpacho is a chilled vegetable puree that Spaniards swear by as a cure-all superfood. Vegetarian friendly and full of vitamins, who could resist a cold glass of gazpacho during the hot Spanish summers?
 
4. Berenjenas con Miel
 
These crispy fried aubergine (eggplant) are smothered in sweet honey or sticky cane sugar syrup— and either way they're are absolutely delicious. Found primarily in tapas bars in southern Spain, they’re one of those dishes that you’ll crave long after the last bite. 
 
5. Papas Arrugás con Mojo Picón
 

Photo: Spanish Sabores
 
A popular vegetarian dish in the Canary Islands, these tiny wrinkled potatoes are cooked in heavily salted water and then served with savory mojo picón sauce. They make the perfect snack, and it’s impossible to grab only one!
 
6. Huevos Rotos
 
A simple dish of homemade fried potatoes and runny fried eggs on top, huevos rotos is a true Spanish comfort food. Order as is or enhance with some grilled vegetables for a hearty vegetarian meal.  
 
7. Espinacas con Garbanzos
 
 
One of the best vegetarian options in Spain is a savoury spinach and chickpea stew called espinacas con garbanzos. This delicious dish is often served as a small tapa in Seville, and is easy to make at home too. 
 
8. Pimientos de Padrón
 
In the north of Spain you’ll find some of the world’s best green peppers. Pimientos de padrón used to be quite spicy, but over the years have  been adapted to become mild. However, every now and then a super spicy pepper is hidden among the others, making ordering a plate of these akin to playing Russian Roulette!

 
9. Patatas Bravas
 
 
One of Madrid and Barcelona’s most popular raciones to share, patatas bravas consist of deep fried potatoes smothered in slightly spicy homemade bravas sauce. Many Barcelona bars also add a healthy heap of alioli on top— and we won’t complain! We like our bravas extra spicy and served with a very cold beer. 
 
10. Pimientos asados
 
This cold roasted red pepper salad is one of the most satisfying Spanish salads come summertime. Dressed with sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, the flavour is outstanding. They’re best enjoyed on a terrace with a cold glass of sherry. 
 
11. Calçots con Romesco
 
 
Calçots are one of the most delicious seasonal treats in Spain, and vegetarians visiting Catalonia between November and March must partake in a calçotada— a special barbecue where the star of the show is a seasonal local onion called the calçot. Dipped into a nutty sauce made with ground almonds and hazelnuts, this is one barbecue where vegetarians will never feel left out!
 
12. Pisto
 
The Spanish version of ratatouille is called pisto, and it’s one of the most delicious stewed vegetable dishes in Spain. Usually consisting of peppers, tomatoes, onions and aubergine, many people like to make this dish a full meal by topping it with a fried egg. 
 
13. Chocolate con churros
 
 
Let’s not forget the sweet stuff. Vegetarians in Spain can still enjoy the sweetest of Spanish breakfasts, chocolate con churros. Sticks of fried dough dipped in melted chocolate? Yes, please!
 
Devour Spain was founded by Spanish food lovers as a way to connect hungry travelers with the local, family run businesses that make amazing food. Offering fun and delicious food tours in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville. Follow them on Instagram,  Pinterest,  Facebook and Twitter for Spanish food news, tips and recipes.

 

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FOOD AND DRINK

Why do they pour cider like that in Spain’s Asturias?

The green northern region’s drink of choice is cider but it’s the method waiters have of pouring it from a great height that catches the attention of ‘out-ciders’.

Published: 29 February 2024 15:40 CET
Why do they pour cider like that in Spain's Asturias?

They say Asturian blood is 50 percent water and 50 percent cider, and given the 40 million bottles produced every year in the region, it doesn’t seem too hard to believe.

However, it’s the method of serving cider in Asturias which really captures the imagination. 

The bottle will either come attached to a contraption which sucks up the cider and splurts it into a wide but thin-rimmed glass.

Or the waiter will come out every few minutes to grab your bottle and glass, lift the former high up with one arm and the latter down low around waist height before pouring some of the cider into the glass from at an arm’s length. 

There’s even a verb for this action – escanciar – to decant.  

The objective is for the cider to be shaken and aerated so that its natural carbon dioxide ‘awakens’.

When it is poured from above and hits the glass, carbon dioxide bubbles are produced that make the aroma of the cider come alive.

It’s good and normal for there to be splashback when pouring Asturian cider, but the aim is still to get most of it in the glass. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP)

These bubbles go away quickly so once served, the customer should quickly drink the culín (small bottom) up in one swig. 

The action of escanciar imitates how cider would be traditionally served when it went directly from big oak barrels to the glass, as cider has been the drink of choice in Asturians since before Roman times. 

READ ALSO: Why Spaniards’ habit of drinking alcohol every day is surprisingly healthy

This is after all natural cider which doesn’t come with the sugar, additives and pre-carbonated mixes of brands such as Strongbow, Magners or Kopparberg.

“It took me some time to get the hang of pouring cider, I missed the mark a lot, and my arm used to get very tired at first,” a Latin American waitress at a bar in Gijón told The Local Spain. 

Many sidrerías (cider houses) and restaurants have cylindrical tubes on wheels where escanciadores (the waiters in charge of pouring cider) can put the glass in to avoid making a mess on the floor or splashing customers, as there is always some splatter even if they don’t completely miss the mark. 

A waiter pours cider for customers at a cider bar in the northern Spanish city of Oviedo (Photo by RAFA RIVAS / AFP)

The more old-school chigres (cider house in Asturian) prefer to have sawdust all over the floor to absorb the spilt cider.

To pour, tirar (throw) or escanciar (decant) cider like an Asturian, you should tilt the bottle slowly from above and aim for the cider to hit the top part of the inside side of the glass, which has to be held at a 45-degree angle. It’s this that brings out the effervescence out in la sidra natural.  

So when you visit the beautiful region of Asturias and you tuck into their famously ample servings of fabada asturiana (Asturian bean stew) or cachopo (meat, cheese and ham all together in breadcrumbs), washed down with one or two bottles of sidra, now you’ll understand what’s behind this eye-catching tradition.

READ ALSO: Eight fascinating facts about Spain’s Asturias region

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