29 Traditional Spanish Tapas Dishes, Explained

Spain is known for a good many things: Flamenco dancing, siestas, bullfighting, and enjoying historically late dinners, to name a few. But if there is one prominent aspect of the Spanish lifestyle, it's probably the tapa. Citylife Madrid calls tapas an integral part of Spanish culture, although it admits the origin story is murky. One story tells of how tapas were created by King Alfonso X of Castile in the 13th century, who decreed that all drinks be served with food after recovering from an illness that forced him to eat small bites. In another, the king decreed that food should be served with alcohol to keep the lower class workmen from getting drunk, and a third story found King Alfonso XIII being served a slice of ham to cover his drink (the Spanish word tapar means "to cover"), keeping sand from blowing into the beverage.

Regardless of their beginning, tapas are all characterized by being small plates of food that might be called "appetizers" or "snacks" in another country. They vary widely by region, with southern cities like Granada boasting free plates with every drink while northern cities like San Sebastian charge per bite, calling them pinchos (or pintxos) after the toothpick that's used to secure them in place.

Whether you're planning a trip to Spain to explore its famous wines or you want to throw a tapas-inspired party, these are the traditional Spanish tapas dishes you'll want to get to know.

Italy may be celebrated for its olive oil, but Spain is the largest producer of olives in the world, cranking out a massive 5,965,080 tons each year (via Atlas Big). So it's no surprise that olives are a popular tapa throughout Spain. Unesco places the important olive towns in the southern province of Andalucía, but Spain's love for this salty treat spans throughout the country. Gastronomic Spain says it's common to find a plate of aceitunas or olivas — marinated with garlic, herbs, onion, or citrus for added flavor, or sometimes stuffed with anchovies — at most bars or restaurants.

The word "mojama" is derived from an Arabic word meaning "dry," so the literal translation of this dish is "dried tuna." You won't find this lean tuna dish all over Spain, but it's celebrated in the south (especially in Cádiz, where the dish is believed to be founded). Mojama is often compared to jamón as both are salt-cured and aged before being sliced and served. Salted tuna loin only takes about a month, compared to jamón's two- to four-year cure. It's recommended to enjoy this intensely savory bite simply with a drizzle of olive oil.

Anchovies have a dicey relationship in American cuisine, being acceptable in Caesar salad dressings but dreaded as a pizza topping. In Spain, these tiny fish are a fundamental part of the diet. According to Culinary Backstreets, anchovies might be called anchoa, bocarte, or boquerón, depending on the region and how the fish is prepared. One of the most common ways to enjoy them as a tapa is by marinating the fresh fish in vinegar, curing the raw meat and giving it a sharp taste. It's not uncommon to find these in Barcelona served alongside an olive oil and paprika sauce.

While boquerones fritos refers specifically to fried anchovies, there's another tapa that can be made with a variety of fish: pescado frito (or pescaíto frito in Andalucía). According to Meet the Tapas, this dish originated with the Sephardic Jewish tradition of having fish for lunch after Saturday morning services. Classic fish selections include sardines, cuttlefish, sole, hake, red mullet, and dogfish. It seems that there's an unspoken rule, too, that the fish must come from the sea, and that salmon, trout, sea bass, and cod should not be used for this tapa.

Papas bravas might be renowned throughout Spain, but bombas rule in Barcelona. According to Barcelona Ambassadors, the dish was invented in the 1950s at a restaurant called La Cova Fumada. Balls of mashed potatoes were filled with meat, breaded, and deep-fried before being topped with a spicy sauce. As the legend goes, a patron took a bite and exclaimed that it was "a bomb" — referring to the spicy sauce on top — giving the dish its name. Today, you can choose the option of a mild aioli topping instead of a spicy topping.

This dish might not sound like much — bread with tomato — but pan con tomate is an integral part of Spanish culture. The Foodolic dates the dish back to the 16th century when dried bread was rubbed with raw tomatoes to give it new life. In most of Spain, it's prepared by grating a tomato until it turns into a pulp, which is scooped onto toasted bread with olive oil, salt, and sometimes garlic. In Catalonia, the dish is called pa amb tomàquet and it's made a little differently: The toast is simply rubbed with a thick-skinned tomato instead of using the pulp.

Empanadas are typically associated with Latin America, but the history of empanadas has its roots in Spain. The first traces of the word "empanada" was found in a 1520 Spanish cookbook, and the dish is thought to have originated in Galicia. Here, empanadas are full-sized pies cut into slices, but they can be found as hand pies in other regions of Spain (via Go! Go! España). You'll find them stuffed with a variety of fillings, although the most traditional are gallega (tuna and sofrito), batallón (spicy potato and chard), or Menorca (pork, onions, and saffron).

Translated to "garlic shrimp" in English, this classic tapas dish is popular in central Spain and coastal regions where seafood is abundant. Taste Atlas describes the dish as shrimp sautéed in garlic, lemon juice, paprika, and olive oil before being topped with fresh chopped parsley. While it can be served as a main dish, it's more typically enjoyed as a tapa alongside bread. The bread is an important component because the sauce is as good as the shrimp, so don't forget to mop it up before sending the plate back!

It might seem strange that a classic tapa would be called the "little Russian salad," but Spanish Sabores says the dish is as Spanish as it gets. In fact, the dish was briefly renamed Ensaladilla Nacional and proclaimed the national dish of Spain at the end of the Spanish Civil War. The tapa was invented in Moscow by Belgian chef Lucien Olivier, where it was composed of expensive ingredients like caviar. The Spanish version is much simpler, made by combining mayonnaise with vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and peas. Depending on the region, it may contain boiled eggs, canned tuna, or chopped shrimp.

Spain is well-known for chorizo, but it wasn't always a bright red sausage. According to Great British Chefs, Spaniards would slaughter their pigs in November and cure the meat to last the long winter ahead. Chorizo was the result of all the scraps, trimmings, and off-cuts that remained, finely minced and stuffed into a "short piece of gut." When smoked paprika came to Spain in the 16th century, chorizo was transformed into the red-hued sausage we know today. These garlicky, smoky sausages are sliced into bite-sized pieces and simmered in red wine for a tapa that's served all over Spain.

You know you're in the north if they call their tapas pintxos. San Sebastian is particularly famous for these toothpick bites, and gilda pintxo is the most well-known of them all. It combines two of Spain's traditional tapas — anchovies and olives — on a skewer with pickled Ibarra chiles, creating a salty, vinegary tapa that's designed to kick-start your appetite. Smithsonian Folklife Festival dates the gilda's creation to 1940 at bar Casa Vallés. It's remained the same over the years, but chefs put their own spin on it. It's not unusual to see a gilda that includes other peppers or pickled cucumbers.

Many traditional tapas dishes contain meat or seafood, but there are a few classic vegetarian options like this eggplant and honey dish. Taste Atlas associates the origin of the dish with Moorish influence, which can be seen in both the choice of eggplant and the addition of sesame seeds sprinkled the top of the battered and fried slices. The dish is well-liked in Andalucía — specifically, Córdoba, where it's served with thick molasses called miel de caña.

This tapa roughly translates to "broken eggs" and features eggs cooked in olive oil and served over fried potatoes. Depending on the restaurant, the dish may also include jamón, chorizo, or bits of fish. According to the Culture Trip, some of the best huevos rotos can be found in Madrid, but the tapa may have originated in the Canary Islands in the early 1800s. It comes from humble origins as a way to use leftover scraps of meat or fish that were served with inexpensive stable foods (potatoes and eggs).

You'll find croquetas all over Spain, but this tapa is a bit unique: It's a croquette made inside a mussel shell. Chef H. Delgado says they're called "tigres" because they're spicy. The dish can be found in Galicia, the Basque Country, Valencia, and Madrid. In Bilbao, the breaded and fried mussels are served with a spicy tomato and anchovy sauce, and the shells are often discarded onto the floor (via Taste Atlas). If you're in Galicia, this dish will likely be called mejillones rellenos (stuffed mussels) instead of mejillones tigres.