Spanish Vegetable Snacks

"Tapas have gone green!"

Vegetable dishes in Spain are inventive and are often eaten as a tapas dish, a course of their own, or perhaps as a supper. Simple ingredients are cleverly paired to show off their qualities to perfection and are typical of Spain's attitude to cooking, using fresh, local seasonal ingredients.

They often include meat as there is little purely vegetarian cooking tradition, but - as usual in Spanish cuisine - you can make your own arrangements to suit your particular taste, so there is usually no problem in not using meat if you don't want to!

Our Vegetable Tapas selection

• Ensaladilla Rusa (Spanish Potato Salad): This is a popular tapa recipe, made of vegetables and mayonnaise... It is served free in most bars in Spain, along with a beer or a glass of wine.
• Piperada. Piperada is a filling egg dish, which makes a delicious brunch, and it can also be served as a tapa. A popular variation of this recipe serves the piperada on toasted bread rounds dripping with butter. Either way, this simple egg dish is sure to become a part of your culinary repertoire.
• Artichokes with clams: Artichokes are a popular vegetable in Spain, especially fresh from the market. They are often served sautéed with ham or stuffed with white sauce and ham or meat, etc. Sometimes served cold, they combine well with anchovies and piquillo peppers, or with salmon and capers, or tuna fish with a good olive oil.
• Green Aparaguses with Salmon: This innovative tapa recipe puts together traditional Spanish ingredients with northern salmon... Try this new classic tapa!
• Stuffed Tomatoes tapas: This one is a simple recipe, very handy when preparing a barbeque or a picnic party. Tomatoes here are used as a container for a delicious Spanish stuffing.
• Patatas bravas: A classic! Spicy and hot fried potatoes, with a Brava sauce to match!
• Pimientos rellenos (Rice-stuffed peppers): The rice to fill these stuffed peppers, which are typical of the mountain towns of Alcoy and Bocairent, cooks in the sweet juices from the tomato and pepper.
• Spanish omelette: This is THE tapa! There is nothing more typical than a Spanish omelette! Learn how to prepare the real one!
• Champiñones al ajillo: Few tapas taste more Spanish than champiñones al ajillo (ajillo mushrooms), dripping with olive oil, garlic and dry Spanish Sherry.
• Red Onion and Orange Salad: This popular and colorful salad lends a festive note to any tapas table, and is featured in many tapas bar throughout Spain.

What to drink?

Sherry, or even a young red wine is usually a good choice when accompanying vegetable tapas. We've made a short selection of wines you might like with those green tapas recipes!

Tio Pepe Fino

Classic Bone Dry Sherry: Rating: 91

Gonzalez Byass is one of the few bodegas remaining that are still in the hands of the original families. Why this matters is that they are traditionalists; having worked together for many generations. Their fino is a mark of their family.

Fortunately for us, they continue to make classic sherries such as Tio Pepe whether or not they are "cost effective".

Tio Pepe is a classic aperitif wine, which in Andalucía is also served with the meal. If you ever want to catch the essence of traditional Andalucía, a copa of Tio Pepe will transport you back to a finer time.

Agricola La Bastida - El Primavera - 2005

REGION: Rioja

COMPOSITION: Tempranillo

TASTING NOTES: Medium ruby colored, it has a pleasant nose of cedar, tobacco, red currants and cherry.

Epifanio Rivera - Erial 2005

REGION: Ribera del Duero

COMPOSITION: 100% Tempranillo

TASTING NOTES: Aged in barrels for 10 months, of which 80% are French oak and 20% are American oak. Ribera del Duero is famous for its powerhouse red wines, and Erial is no exception. It has the quality of famous bodegas like Pesquera, yet has an amazing price. As this winery gets better known, we expect the coming vintages to increase in price by $10 or more a bottle.

Erial is a lively and colorful wine that is open and clear to the nose; with flavors of mature blackberries, black licorice, and mineral reminiscences; with creamy and smoky tones from the oak wood; and a spicy finish. Neatly structured in the mouth, with friendly and well-melted tannin, beefy and concentrated fruit, extremely flavorful, balanced and with a refreshing sensation due to a balanced acidity.

Find Spanish Recipes!

If you're looking for Spanish Recipes, just type what you're looking for and hit the search button!

Keep in touch with Tapas Recipes!

Subscribe to our e-zine!

 check out the tapas-recipes swicki at eurekster.com