01 of 12
Roasted Red Peppers in Oil, Vinegar, and Garlic
This roasted red peppers in oil, vinegar, and garlic recipe is a verduras aliñada, a marinated vegetable salad. It is also the perfect example of how using just a few simple ingredients can have a big impact on a dish. By marinating roasted peppers in Spanish sherry vinegar, minced garlic, and extra virgin olive oil, the bright red vegetable takes on delicious and complex flavor. Serve room temperature or cold on a platter with slices of rustic bread.
02 of 12
Berenjena con Vinagreta: Grilled Eggplant in Tomato Vinaigrette
Like summer on a plate, this grilled eggplant in tomato vinaigrette tapa highlights the foods of the sunny Mediterranean. Eggplant is broiled (or grilled) and topped with a tomato-basil sauce studded with capers, garlic, and onion. This is a great make-ahead dish, which you can take out just before serving.
03 of 12
Pimientos de Padrón Fritos: Fried Padrón Peppers
All these little fried padrón peppers from northwest Spain need is a quick fry and a sprinkle of coarse salt to become a delicious tapa everyone will love. For the most part, green padron peppers are mild, but depending on where they are grown you can come across a spicy one. They are a specialty of Spain so if you have trouble finding them you can substitute Japanese shish*to peppers.
04 of 12
Coliflor Rebozada: Spanish Fried Cauliflower
Instead of coating the florets with a thick batter, this recipe calls for simply dipping steamed cauliflower in beaten egg and lightly dusting with flour, making for a light, tender, and crispy tapa. The cauliflower pieces are quickly pan-fried until brown on all sides. Serve this Spanish fried cauliflower with creamy, garlicky alioli sauce, or another Spanish sauce for dipping.
Continue to 5 of 12 below.
05 of 12
Patatas Bravas: Spanish "Fierce" Potatoes
Always a favorite and one of the most popular tapas in Spain, patatas bravas, may have several variations but are always spicy (hence the "bravas," or "fierce.") Little wedges of potatoes are fried until crispy and then served warm covered with sauce made of tomato, paprika, Tabasco, and garlic. Serve these Spanish "fierce" potatoes with small forks or toothpicks.
06 of 12
Patatas Alioli: Alioli Potatoes
This is a garlic lover's tapa—fried, warm chunks of potatoes are smothered with alioli sauce, a garlic mayonnaise. Traditional Spanish alioli includes only olive oil and garlic which gets its thickness from intense emulsifying so this alioli potatoes recipe includes egg yolks to speed up the process.
You can serve patatas alioli with patatas bravas as the "bravas" and alioli sauces will compliment each other.
07 of 12
Queso en Aceite: Cheese in Olive Oil
This Spanish goat cheese is firm, similar to feta, and when marinated in a mixture of olive oil and spices, takes on wonderful flavor. Put the mixture in the refrigerator and let sit overnight so the garlic, thyme, and rosemary have time to infuse into the oil. Serve this cheese in olive oil with slices of crusty bread.
08 of 12
Goat Cheese With Paprika, Garlic, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Capers
This goat cheese with paprika, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers recipe is perfect to have for those last-minute get-togethers. This recipe uses soft goat cheese and mixes it with roasted garlic and paprika to create a flavorful cheese with a pinkish tint. The tangy, creamy goat cheese combines perfectly with the rich flavor of roasted garlic and the salty flavors of the tomatoes and capers. Spread the cheese over slices of bread and arrange sun-dried tomatoes and capers on top.
Continue to 9 of 12 below.
09 of 12
Salmorejo: Cold Tomato Soup
Salmorejo is a classic cold tomato soup that originates in southern Spain and is popular throughout the country. A summer staple, it's one of the most popular hot weather tapas in Spain along with its more liquid cousin,gazpacho. Traditional salmorejo is topped with hard boiled egg and diced ham, but there are other versions that are topped with tuna.
10 of 12
Tortilla de Patatas: Classic Spanish Omelet
There's nothing more traditional than a freshly madetortilla de patatas, the classic Spanish omelet made with eggs, potatoes, and onions. At a summer barbecue in Spain there is alwaystortilla de patatason the buffet, usually sliced up and served room temperature.Every family has its own recipe, and everyone claims that theirs is the best. The secretto a fantastic Spanish omelet is having the best quality ingredients—farm fresh eggs, the right potatoes, and extra virgin olive oil. Vegetarians can get creative with add-ins like mushrooms, asparagus, and bell peppers.
11 of 12
Setas con Ajo: Mushrooms With Garlic
A safe bet for vegetarians in Spain is usually mushrooms, called setas. Spaniards love mushrooms of all types and they are prominently featured in seasonal cuisine, whether simply prepared with minced garlic or scrambled in arevuelto(a scrambled egg dish). Mushrooms make the perfect alternative to meat when barbecuing, too!
In this mushrooms with garlic recipe, mushrooms are sauteed in oil with garlic and then simmered in a bit of white wine. The mixture is delicious served on slices of toast.
12 of 12
Berenjenas con Miel: Fried Eggplant With Honey
Summertime in Spain means lots of fried foods, especially fish. But vegetarians don't miss out, as there are plenty of fried vegetables on offer too. One of the favoritesis the savory fried eggplant with honey or sugarcane syrup (miel de caña). The dish is a delicious mix of sweet and savory that will leave you wanting more.
FAQs
How do you set up a tapas party? ›
The key to a successful tapas party is balance – both for the dishes on the table and for your own sanity. Pick a handful of tapas that provide a variety of textures, flavors, and time commitments. Mix cold and warm, meat and vegetable, and prepare-ahead and last-minute. And ask for help!
Is tapas vegetarian? ›While Spanish tapas are typically quite meaty, there are some great vegan & vegetarian tapas too like patatas bravas, delicious olives, or bread with tomato.
What foods are vegetarian in Spain? ›You will also find that paella, chickpea stew, cocido stew, migas de pastor (literally shepherd's breadcrumbs) and many other classic Spanish dishes are available in vegetarian versions. In Mallorca, you should order "tumbet mallorquín" (potatoes, tomato and aubergine).
How many tapas dishes per person? ›Portion sizes will vary by restaurant, but typically, ordering 2 to 3 tapas per person gets the job done. So a party of 4 would order 8 to 12 tapas between them. Don't be afraid to ask your server if you haven't ordered enough food, and remember, your friends are there to help if you've ordered too much.
How many tapas should you order for 2 people? ›However, you can trust us that 2 to 3 tapas per person are really enough! In case you still want to have the feeling to have your own place ... you take a bit of each tapas on your plate and put together your very own dish.
What is a typical tapas meal? ›Popular throughout Spain, tapas are festive and delicious appetizers and snacks from bite-size pintxos to shared small plates that make up a meal. Traditional tapas include mixed olives, garlicky shrimp, fried baby squid, meatballs, and chorizo.
What's the healthiest tapas? ›- Fresh fish: Grill or sear and add a salad and a side of boiled, small, new potatoes.
- Garbanzo beans and spinach: Heat and mix together with cumin and paprika.
- Spanish Gazpacho Soup: Served cold, this tomato-based soup is nutritious and light.
gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic) pinchos morunos (Moorish pork skewers) chorizo al vino (Spanish chorizo sausage cooked in wine) chorizo a la sidra (similar to the above but using Asturian 'hard' cider) salt cod stuffed piquillo peppers.
What is not allowed on tapas? ›Our content guidelines are pretty straightforward, not allowing excessive violence and gore, hateful content or copyrighted work, among other issues. Within comics, we also do not allow nudity of any kind and mature/sexual content.
How to order vegetarian food in Spain? ›Even when there is a “faux-pas” and the dish that you ordered (that you made sure had only vegetarian ingredients listed on the menu) comes out of the kitchen with meat (the Spanish love to throw ham into everything!), all you need to do is kindly tell the waiter you do not eat meat and they will replace your food with ...
Can you eat tapas alone? ›
Say yes to solo dining with tapas!
This might sound surprising, as many people know the very central idea of tapas is that they are to be shared. This is often the case of course, but not a must-do at all. To go for tapas alone, pick places that offer small portions of things like croquetes, bombes or pintxos.
- The Seychelles. The Seychelles was officially named the new go-to destination for vegetarians. ...
- Thailand. Thailand was named the world's second most vegetarian-friendly country, with a Global Vegetarian Index score of 326, only two points shy of first place. ...
- Peru. ...
- Cambodia.
- Jul 11, 2023, 03:53 PM IST. 10 countries with the highest number of vegetarians. ...
- India. India has the highest percentage of vegetarians in the world, with an estimated 20-39% vegetarian population.
- Mexico. ...
- Taiwan. ...
- Israel. ...
- Australia. ...
- Argentina. ...
- Finland.
India is ranked top in the world with 38% of the total population being vegetarian. Vegetarianism in the region became popular after the introduction of Buddhism and Jainism, which was around the 6th Century BC.
How does a tapas menu work? ›On a traditional Spanish menu, dishes are divided into three sizes. "Tapa", ½ serving and whole serving. "Tapa" is a small dessert plate or bowl. ½ the portion is roughly one portion we are used to here in the UK and the whole portion is twice as much.
How many tapas for 10 people? ›Tapas are inherently supposed to be appetizers, snacks, or small dishes. Knowing how many tapas dishes to make can be hard! Generally, 2 to 3 dishes per person makes sure that there is enough food for everyone to go around.
How to lay out tapas? ›Just take a wooden board, place a dip or sauce in the middle and then arrange all the other tapas dishes round it. Serve it with a nice bottle of red wine and let everyone help themselves. It's the best food for entertaining and hardly any washing up too!
What do you need for tapas? ›Traditional tapas include mixed olives, garlicky shrimp, fried baby squid, meatballs, and chorizo.