Typical Spanish tapas: accompany your appetiser with the best recipes

Spanish gastronomy is universal, its flavours and dishes have become part of the traditional culture in many countries, for example in the case of the typical Spanish tapas, which have reached all corners of the world.

There are always moments to share typical Spanish tapas with special people. These dishes are very diverse, can be made with a wide variety of ingredients and are often based on healthy recipes. In Your Spanish Shop we offer you a wide variety of ingredients, with which you can cook your typical Spanish tapas.

What are Spanish tapas?

In a very broad way, tapas can be described as a not too large portion of food with various ingredients that usually accompany drinks.

Tapas accompany drinks such as beer, wine or soft drinks, but can also be enjoyed as a general tasting of Spanish cuisine.

Their history is ancient, there are comments about tapas already in Don Quixote, Cervantes refers to tapas as "llamativos", since then they have been served in taverns and taverns to accompany drinks. What is clear is that their name comes from the use of cheeses, hams and other foods that were served with wines and canes, and which were placed on top of the glass, precisely to cover the top, hence their name.

The quality of Spanish sausages is one of the reasons why tapas have triumphed all over the world, but as we will see below, there are all kinds of tapas or pinchos typical of Spanish gastronomy.

Types of Spanish tapas

Tapas can also be identified as Spanish appetizers, based on flavours that whet the appetite for formal, more hearty meals.

Typical Spanish tapas can be classified according to several criteria, one of them being the cooking method.

• Hot tapas: These are dishes that must be cooked and are therefore served hot. Some examples are callos a la madrileña, meatballs, prawns in pil pil sauce, chorizo in cider, etc.
• Cold tapas: They may not need to be cooked or they are prepared long before being served and are therefore chilled. These include Russian salad, stuffed eggs, salmorejo, cheeses, cold meats, pickles, pâtés, etc.
• Fried tapas: Fried tapas are a must in a Spanish bar, among the most popular are calamari, tortillas or rabas.

There are other preparations such as those made with bread, known as tostas. In this case, a toasted bread base is prepared, to which other ingredients are added.
Another common name is preserves. These are high quality products, usually from the garden or the sea, although there are also meat preserves. You can find mussels, anchovies, artichokes and other products with different preservation processes.
Traditional Spanish tapas that never fail
The diversity of these dishes is very wide, and they can be easily combined with different ingredients, which allows for many experiments with flavours and aromas.

Some of these dishes are true classics that never go out of fashion, they are simply a safe bet. In this group we should mention the Spanish omelette, patatas bravas, stuffed peppers, the different uses of ham (Iberian, Serrano) and sausages in general, gazpacho, mussels in vinaigrette, croquettes or prawns with garlic.

Spanish tapas with beer: the best Spanish aperitif

Beer goes very well with different appetizers. In many cases we can opt for cold preparations that include tomatoes or peppers, sausages or olives.

A group of foods that mix very well with beer are those from the sea, including seafood tapas, octopus, crab or rabas, a classic that we cannot forget.

There is also the possibility of buying Spanish cheeses that are perfect with beer. Manchego cheeses are one of the best options offered by Spanish gastronomy.

10 Spanish pinchos and tapas to enjoy for your aperitif

It is not easy to make a recommendation of only 10 tapas, however, from Your Spanish Shop we have chosen the ones we consider the most typical.

1. Patatas bravas: The important thing is not the potatoes themselves, but the sauces that are added and give them a special flavour. There are different criteria according to taste, but without a doubt, the spicy sauce and garlic are indispensable.
2. Calamares a la romana: With the right breading, calamares a la romana is a delicious tapa, which can be accompanied by various sauces.
3. Galician-style octopus: One of the best-known tapas in the world. It has an intense flavour and can be served with wine or beer.
4. Croquettes: They are prepared in many different ways and fillings. Ham or stew are the most popular, but all kinds of flavours are possible.
5. Mussels in vinaigrette: In general, all the vinaigrette options are delicious tapas. Mussels are prepared with different vinaigrettes and vegetables.
6. Mushrooms in their own sauce: Mushrooms are also very present in our bars, with different sauces.
7. Potato omelette: We cannot forget the potato omelette, one of the best known recipes in Spanish gastronomy.
8. Anchovies: Boquerón (anchovies) are also prepared in different ways depending on the area.
9. Pinchos de jamón: We cannot forget the ham as part of the tapas culture in Spain.
10. Gilda: This is a combination of olives, anchovies, chilli peppers and olive oil. A spicy and delicious creation.

In Your Spanish Shop we offer you all the ingredients you need and some of these tapas already prepared.