Spain is a country with a rich history, culture, and landscapes. Aside from that, it’s known for having abundant ingredients and delicious cuisine. Besides, one of the best ways to get to know a country is through their food.
Did you know there are 17 regions in Spain? So, if you’re planning to visit Spain or even Spanish restaurants, and you’re curious about the dishes you should try and where exactly they came from, this article will guide you to get to know more about Spain and the dishes you should try!
1. Andalusia
Andalusia is popular for fresh and locally produced ingredients. Some of the ingredients such as lemon, olives, orange, and rice are introduced by the Arabians. Meanwhile, the popular dishes include Pescaito Frito, assorted fried fish, and Salmorejo, a variation of cold tomato soup.
Additionally, since they had a vast supply of olives, Andalusia became the third-largest exporter of olive oil in Europe.
2. Catalonia
Crema Catalonia, as the name implies, originated in Catalonia. It’s a creamy custard dessert with a caramelised sugar crust. It can be compared to flan and other variations, but the difference usually lies in some of the ingredients and the cooking process.
One of the most popular cities in Spain is Barcelona, which is also located in the Catalonian region. It features various Catalonian dishes that everyone enjoys.
3. Basque Country
In the Basque Country, you can enjoy pintxos, small snacks that are considered tapas-like dishes. Some of the popular pintxos are stuffed red peppers and piquillos rellenos.
When it comes to the popular city, you should visit Bilbao. It doesn’t matter whether you’re adventurous or not since they have every kind of food you would want to experience.
Meanwhile, generally, Basque Country offers various seafood, such as cod, angulas, and crabs.
4. Galicia
If most of the regions in Spain offer seafood, Galicia is known as the seafood lover’s paradise. One popular dish you should try is the Pulpo a la Gallega or Polbo á feira, which means fair-style octopus. It’s cooked with simple ingredients such as olive oil, paprika, and potatoes.
But aside from seafood dishes, there are also heaty meals, like Caldo Gallego (soup with greens, chorizo, and potatoes) and Empanada (pie with various fillings).
5. Valencia
Paella is the most popular dish in Spain, which originated in the Valencia region. Travellers usually look for the best paella whenever they visit Spain or Spanish restaurants. Although other regions have other variations of paella depending on their local ingredients, the original version includes chicken, rabbit, beans, rice, olive oil, and chicken broth.
6. Castilla y León
In Castilla y Loeón, farming is the main source of living which is why it’s one of the regions in Spain where there are limited seafood dishes. Meanwhile, when you visit Castilla y Loeón, you can try dishes like Cochinillo Asado (roasted suckling pig known for its crispy skin), Sopa de Almendras a la Castellana (almond soup), and various dishes with beans as their main ingredient.
7. Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are influenced by the Latin American and African flavours. And since it’s located in the Atlantic Ocean, you can also find a lot of seafood dishes, like Sancocho Canario (fish stew) and Sama Frita con Mojo Verde (fried fish with spicy sauce).
In addition, plantains and bananas are abundant in the Canary Islands, so you can find various banana-based dishes including banana chips and banana-flavoured liqueurs.
8. Aragon
Pork dishes, stews, and sweets are popular in the region of Aragon. You can try their cured hams, longaniza, turrones, and cakes. And if you find it interesting, you can also take a bite of Caracoles Picantes a la Aragonesa (which translates to spicy Aragonese snails).
9. Asturias
In Asturias, you can find many vegetables and fish dishes. If you’re familiar with some of the popular dishes in Spain, you might’ve already heard about Fabada Asturiana. It’s a stew made from white haricot beans and pork. Kind of like the well-known pork and beans, but with an Asturian twist.
10. Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are fond of the mixture of sweet and savoury. Interestingly, mayonnaise was first prepared by a French chef in Menorca, a part of the Balearic Islands. But aside from that, you can also find sausages and Ensaimada, a popular sweet pastry.
11. Cantabria
Cantabria is known for having high-quality milk, locally raised meat, and seafood. Some of the popular dishes in Cantabria are the fried squid (known as Rabas), the traditional creamy cake (Quesada Pasiega), and white bean stew (Cocido Montañés).
12. Castilla-La Mancha
Although there are no distinct dishes in Castilla-La Mancha, it provides the most expensive spice— saffron. Without saffron, paella may not be as iconic as it is today.
Aside from saffron, another popular Castilla-La Mancha product is the Manchego cheese, since Manchego is located in this region.
13. Extremadura
Extremadura has plenty of game meet supplies, including hare and wild boar. Aside from that, it also offers different stews and cured meats.
14. Madrid
Madrid is the capital of Spain, which is why it offers various dishes that everyone will surely enjoy. If you’re familiar with the popular dishes in Spain such as Bocadillo de Calamares (fried squid sandwich), Churros, and Cocido Madrileño (traditional Madrid stew), you find them all in Madrid.
15. Murcia
Murcia is known for its fruits, vegetables, and agricultural zone. In terms of dishes, there are Ensalada Murciana (traditional Spanish salad), Michirones (chorizo and broad bean stew), and Marinera (crunchy doughnut with potato salad and anchovies on top).
16. Navarre
Navarre is known for having great horticulture, which is why spicy red peppers are popular in this area. Usually, these papers are stuffed with pork or fish.
17. La Rioja
La Rioja also offers various dishes, but it’s more popular in terms of wine. Going back to dishes, you can try cured hams, cod, and spicy sausage chorizo.
Final Thoughts
It’s great to try popular dishes exactly where they came from. So, if you’re planning to visit Spain anytime soon, take some time to try the dishes you want in their specific regions.
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