Spanish Appetizer Recipes

These fried potatoes are fiercely textured, fiercely flavored, fiercely presented, and fiercely enjoyed. How fierce is really up to you and your inner Spaniard. There are as many patatas bravas recipes as homes in Spain, and this is nothing more than my latest rendition.

Unlike most omelets, a Spanish tortilla is served at room temperature. It is the classic tapa, prepared all over Spain.

These fried empanadas are the best! Raisins and eggs make this recipe extra delicious believe it or not!

Living in Spain I have come across a literal plethora of tapas. This is a light, healthy tapa that goes best with crisp white wines and crunchy bread. This recipe is great for experimenting with a variety of different vegetables, spices, and vinegars.

This recipe can be eaten as a side dish or as a light meal. It's great with a grilled pork chop and some crusty bread. Its origins date back to North African cultures and is one of the very popular choices of tapas in Seville's bars.

Spanish tapas are tasty small plates that when combined can create a light supper or serve as a great appetizer. Patatas Bravas are tasty fried potato cubes served with a smoky, spicy dipping sauce.

Tortilla Espanola is a dish I make all the time at home. My boyfriend's family are Spanish, and he just loves this authentic dish. It's easy to prepare and always a crowd pleaser. Traditionally this dish only uses only onions, potatoes and egg; however I like to add a little green, either parsley or chives depending on your taste. They're both wonderful.

A favorite tapas dish, these Spanish shrimp are infused with the flavors of garlic, olive oil, and chile peppers. Easy and authentic! Use as many chile peppers as you can take.

The quince is an old-fashioned, intensely aromatic, and dearly loved fruit. It is not an easy fruit to prepare, as it needs to be poached or cooked before it can be used in recipes. Quince paste is a wonderful accompaniment to cheese and crackers-try chevre as well as other mild, firm cheeses. You can also serve it for breakfast in place of jam.

When we lived in Barcelona we used to eat this all the time. Warning! Everyone has to eat this. If you don't the garlic smell will drive you out of the room. We bought a garlic jar in Spain for seasoning the garlic to make the taste a bit more concentrated. It's basically a ceramic jar with holes in the back to keep the garlic out of the light so it doesn't sprout, but the holes in the back allow the garlic to dry, in order to concentrate the flavor. It works fantastic and keeps garlic for 2 to 3 months.

Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, and chorizo is a classic Spanish dish sometimes served as tapas and sometimes as a full stew. This recipe adds potatoes to make a it little more hearty as a full meal. Serve with a citrus and fennel salad and some crusty bread for a full meal. I like to leave the garlic cloves whole as above and spread the cloves on the bread during meal. If you don't, then reduce garlic but chop and don't add until after liquid has been added or it may scorch.

This is a fairly quick and easy recipe for empanadas. A friend recently gave it to me, and my whole family loved them!!! Just about any kind of fruit, including melon, is fine. Or make the meat filling by using your favorite type of meat. Make one of the fillings or double the dough and make both!