Have you ever been to Spain? Is it your first holiday in this country? Then you should probably know that the Spaniards have a good taste. You do not have to visit specific places because you can taste the best Spanish foods around the whole country! However, the regions have their own specialities, of course, like every country. If you want to taste Spain at it fullest, read our recommendations and try them yourself during your next vacation in Spain!
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Our recommendations: the best Spanish foods
Let’s travel to the east first, to a city called Valencia. We are sure you once heard of -or even tried- the famous paella. Actually the paella originates from Valencia with as the traditional one: Paella Valenciana. The most important ingredient of the paella is -of course- the rice. Valencia even has its own rice fields in the area of Albufera. Other ingredients of the Paella Valenciana are chicken, rabbit, string beans, broad beans and sometimes snails.
In Spain the families enjoy the best paellas on a Sunday afternoon all together. Besides the traditional paella of Valencia, they also love to cook the dish with fish or vegetables. It is something you must try when you visit Valencia!
The second important Spanish dish is Gazpacho. This chilled tomato soup can be found everywhere in Spain! In the whole world actually, but nothing tastes better than a gazpacho made with the fresh Spanish tomatoes. Besides tomatoes they use green peppers, cucumbers, onions, garlic, vinegar and herbs. Further to the south, in Andalusia, they created their own version called Salmorejo. They combine pureed bread, tomatoes, garlic and vinegar, with sometimes ham or egg slices on top.
Potatoes and bread together?? Well in Spain, anything is possible. A very popular lunch dish is bread with tortilla de patata, made of potatoes and eggs. The tortilla is also called Tortilla Española, Spanish omelette, since the Spaniards eat it also without bread. It is something you should really try, because it’s actually pretty delicious. The Spaniards know how to cook their dishes!
Spain is also known for its octopus dishes, called pulpo. There are many ways to cook it but the best one is pulpo a la gallega, from the Galician region. The ingredients are paprika, crusty rock salt and a little bit of olive oil. In addition, it is often served with boiled potatoes. If you travel to the north, you cannot leave the country without having tried this delightful dish.
What else should be on our list with Spanish foods? Hmm, what do you think about the cured legs of pork you see hanging in most bars and restaurants? A plate with cured meats as an entree is very popular in Spain, or with a glass of wine around 6pm. The cured pork, jamon, is a big business in Spain. After ordering a plate with cured meats they will cut it in the bar or restaurant itself, even better if you can see it yourself. The best one is the jamon iberico, you will love that one.
There are so many more Spanish foods you can try during your holidays in Spain, but with this list you can start discovering the Spanish culture. Have you tried one of these dishes after reading our recommendations? Let us know what you’ve tried and how your experience was!