Top 5 Summer Foods in Spain You Must Try

Spanish summer is not only about the brilliant sunlight covering ancient squares, endless blue beaches or the sound of guitars echoing in the night, but also a culinary symphony full of colors and flavors. Below are the top 5 summer dishes in Spain that anyone who sets foot in the Iberian land should try once in their life. Each dish is a story, a summer scene filled with light and laughter, waiting for you to enjoy and keep as a beautiful memory.

1. Cool Gazpacho to cool off on summer days

Gazpacho is a cold soup that is a symbol of Andalusia (Image source: Collected)

When it comes to summer foods in Spain, gazpacho – the iconic cold soup of Andalusia – is a must-have. In southern Spain, where the sun burns the whitewashed walls of ancient villages, gazpacho is the saving grace of summer.

Gazpacho is made from ripe red tomatoes, cool cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, fragrant garlic and finely ground dry bread, mixed with golden olive oil and amber sherry vinegar. All mashed, chilled and served in a rustic ceramic bowl, it brings a fresh, rich but light taste, like a breeze blowing through the sun-drenched streets of Andalusia.

When visiting a traditional tapas bar, you might find gazpacho poured into a glass like vegetable juice, sipped with a small spoon to savor the smoothness and natural sweetness of the summer vegetables. The sun-kissed aroma of premium olive oil melts on your tongue, while the sherry vinegar adds a subtle tartness, making this Spanish summertime treat a true symphony of flavors.

2. Sweet and seductive Salmorejo

Salmorejo is like a richer and more seductive version of gazpacho (Image source: Collected)

Also from the hot land of Andalusia, Salmorejo appears as a richer and more seductive version of gazpacho. If gazpacho is the gentle invitation of summer, then salmorejo is a passionate but cool hug in the hot noon.

The main ingredients of this Spanish summer dish are still ripe tomatoes and stale bread softened in water. But salmorejo is ground finer, thicker, with more olive oil, resulting in a velvety cream that is as bright orange as the sunset over Córdoba square.

The highlight of salmorejo is the topping: finely chopped hard-boiled eggs and thinly sliced ​​jamón ibérico on top. The richness of the eggs, the rich saltiness of the bacon, and the coolness of the soup create an explosion of taste buds. Each spoonful of salmorejo is a journey to ancient alleys, where the sun shines on the stone walls, and the rich aroma of Spanish cuisine seems to want to hold the traveler's feet.

Salmorejo is not only a summer dish in Spain, but also a vivid picture of the harmony between past and present, between the land, the sun and the love of the people here.

3. Seafood Paella with vibrant Mediterranean flavors

Seafood paella brings the Mediterranean to the table (Photo source: Collected)

It would be an unforgivable omission to mention summer dishes in Spain without forgetting paella. Especially seafood paella, a dish that brings the whole Mediterranean to the table.

Seafood paella is a feast for the eyes and taste buds. The golden rice is tinged with precious saffron, the grains of rice are soaked in a rich sea-flavored broth. On top of the rice are bright red lobsters, shiny black mussels, and white squid, all meticulously arranged and cooked to perfection. When the hot paella pan is placed in the middle of the table, the aroma of fresh seafood mixed with saffron, bell peppers, and olive oil spreads like a Mediterranean love song.

Summer in Spain is the perfect time to enjoy seafood paella. Afternoons on the balcony overlooking the sea, with the sound of waves lapping the shore and a glass of cool sangria beside, paella is not just a dish but a ritual of enjoying life. The Spanish believe that paella is meant to be shared – the whole pan, everyone gathered around, spoonfuls of rice, chatting animatedly, laughing heartily. That is the spirit of the Spanish summer – close, warm and full of joy.

4. Ensalada rusa is fresh and convenient

Ensalada rusa becomes the perfect choice to dispel the heat (Photo source: Collected)

In the scorching August heat, ensalada rusa – the Spanish version of Russian salad – is the perfect way to beat the heat. Don’t let the name fool you, this Spanish summer dish has become so “Spanishized” that it has become a staple of traditional tapas menus.

Ensalada rusa is a delicate blend of soft boiled potatoes, sweet carrots, green peas and fatty tuna marinated in oil. All are tossed in a smooth mayonnaise, sometimes with a poached egg and pickles for a pop. The result is a sweet, creamy, refreshing salad that is incredibly easy to eat.

In the summer, ensalada rusa is everywhere – from humble tapas bars to fine dining restaurants. Spaniards often eat ensalada rusa with crusty bread, as an appetizer or a light main course for lunch. The creamy mayonnaise hugs the cool potato slices, the rich tuna flavor reminds them of the blue sea beyond.

Enjoying ensalada rusa in the summer is enjoying the rustic, simple but equally sophisticated Spanish cuisine. Each piece of salad is like a cool lullaby in the hot afternoon, making summer more pleasant and poetic than ever.

5. Pulpo a la gallega with the fragrant scent of the sea

Pulpo a la gallega conquers diners with its simplicity and perfection (Photo source: Collected)

If you’re looking for a Spanish summer dish that’s deep and free of the sea, Pulpo a la gallega is the perfect choice. This Galician octopus dish hails from Galicia, northwestern Spain – a land of misty oceans, rugged cliffs and renowned sea cuisine.

Pulpo a la gallega conquers diners with its simplicity and perfection. The octopus is boiled until soft but still retains its characteristic crunchiness, cut into thick slices, and served on a wooden plate. The surface is covered with a layer of bright red paprika powder, coarse salt and pure olive oil. All create a rustic yet captivating culinary picture.

Summer in Spain is when people gather on the beach, ordering a plate of hot pulpo a la gallega, enjoying it with crusty bread and a glass of cold white wine. The sweetness of the octopus, the light smokiness of the paprika, the richness of the olive oil all combine in each bite, evoking images of the deep blue ocean and the majestic Galician coastline. It is not just a dish, but also a slice of coastal life, of regional pride and love for nature.

If you have the opportunity to visit Spain in the summer, do not miss the opportunity to enjoy the top 5 summer dishes in Spain that this article has introduced. Each dish is not only a delicious taste but also a piece of culture, of people and of love for life. The Spanish summer will appear completely in each dish, in each experience, so that when you leave, you still carry its echoes in your heart, like a song that never stops.

Source : https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/mon-an-mua-he-o-tay-ban-nha-v17457.aspx