Why Vegetarians are Spoiled for Choice in Spain

This is a guest post that is filled with vegetarian options for travelers to Spain. While Spain is often known as a place to eat ham, this post will shed some light on some much healthier options.

Traditional Spanish cuisine does have an emphasis on fish and meat, but if you’re a vegetarian heading over to Spain this summer, the last thing you’ll be doing is going hungry! You’ll have an endless choice of mouth-watering, veggie-friendly dishes to take your pick from in Spain’s restaurants, and while you’ll have fun finding your favourite, there are a few you should definitely aim to try. Here are just a few.

Gazpacho

You might have heard of gazpacho before – it’s usually described as a ‘cold soup’, but this makes the dish sound far less appealing than it actually is. Gazpacho consists of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, olive oil and various seasonings, which are then blended with bread for a healthy, nutrient-packed dish that’s just perfect for lunch on a hot day.

Paella Vegetariana

Yes, paella is typically a seafood dish, but whenever you enter a restaurant in Spain that has a great selection of paellas on its menu you’re likely to find a vegetarian version too. This is especially true around the more touristy areas of Spain, but if you struggle to find a veggie-friendly paella, simply tell your server ‘Soy vegetariano’ (I’m vegetarian) and they should be able to help!

Pan Con Tomate

Sometimes the simplest dishes are the most delicious, and that’s definitely the case with pan con tomate, which is a piece of lightly toasted bread scrubbed with garlic, and then rubbed with half a tomato before being lightly drizzled with olive oil. It can be a light snack or a tapas dish, but watch out vegetarians, as some restaurants may try to serve it with ‘jamon’ (ham) on top – very sneaky.

Berenjena Con Miel

Spaniards like to combine sweet and savoury flavours, and a great example of this is berenjena con miel, which are fried strips of aubergine covered with honey. It may be a sweet, clear honey, the darker, bitter version or even molasses, but berenjena con miel are very tasty and surprisingly moreish!

Tortilla de Patata

Step into any restaurant while on your holiday in Spain and you’re likely to see tortilla de patata on the menu, a tasty and filling dish of eggs, potatoes, olive oil and sometimes onions, that’s then fried into a thick omelette. You might see a few extra vegetables included in the tortilla de patata, depending on the restaurant, but this dish is almost always vegetarian so if in doubt, make this your choice.