21 Spanish Small Plates, From Pintxos to Tapas (2024)

Popular throughout Spain, tapas are festive and delicious appetizers and snacks from bite-size pintxos to shared small plates that make up a meal. Traditional tapas include mixed olives, garlicky shrimp, fried baby squid, meatballs, and chorizo. Whether you're craving briny seafood or crispy potatoes, these are our best tapas recipes.

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Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic Sauce)

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One of Spain’s most castizo (rootsy) tapas, Gambas al Ajillo is made to order at countless rustic taverns throughout the country, particulary in Madrid and the south. The F&W Test Kitchen version is ready in 20 minutes.

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Pintxos Matrimonio

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Frozen puff pastry and tinned anchovies mean you can make these popular Spanish tapas in a flash.

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Extra-Crunchy Calamares Fritos

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We often think of calamari as an Italian appetizer, but fried squid is eaten widely throughout Spain as well, where it's called calamares fritos. Skip the marinara and serve with lemon wedges or aïoli instead.

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Empanadillas Gallegas

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Cúrate chef Katie Button's handheld versions of empanada Gallega, the large savory pie from Galicia, Spain, are stuffed with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and chopped olives. The filling is held together with jammy sofrito, an aromatic vegetable base of long-cooked tomatoes, onions, and garlic.

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Pork Belly, Shrimp, and Pickled Tomato Pintxos

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Pintxos are the Basque region's answer to tapas. These simple, one-bite snacks are quick to assemble and grill just as your guests arrive. Sticky-sweet pork belly; tender, meaty shrimp; and bright, quick-pickled tomato variations offer something for everyone.

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Vegetable Tortilla

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The key to this delicious Spanish vegetable tortilla, which is packed with spinach, zucchini, bell pepper, and potato, is cooking it on the stovetop the entire time, which creates a lovely custard-like texture. To serve as tapas, cut into bite-size squares and skewer onto toothpicks.

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Albóndigas with Mushrooms

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Devoured at tapas bars, passed around at co*cktail parties, enjoyed for Sunday supper, albóndigas are the embodiment of Spain’s carnivorous vigor — especially as served at bullfighting taverns. The classic pan-Spanish recipe is usually served with salsa española: a sauce of pan drippings, carrots, flour, a bit of tomato and a splash of white wine.

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Stuffed Fried Sardines

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The traditional Galician preparation is to simply grill the freshly caught sardines over hot coals. Instead, cookbook author Janet Mendel fills the tender fish with a sweet-salty ham and raisin stuffing and fries them to make a crunchy starter that loves a crisp Albariño. For a light meal, serve these sardines with a mesclun salad and fresh lemon juice.

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Open-Faced Crab Empanadas

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Chef José Andrés says: "I love America! Without a doubt, one of my favorite American ingredients is blue crabs, a true delicacy! And a great value, I think." This recipe is his twist on the traditional Basque txangurro (crab simmered with tomato), crossed with a Galician empanada (a savory pie). "Part of my efforts to build a bridge between America and Spain," he explains.

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Fingerling Papas Bravas with Smoky Aïoli

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This twist on classic Spanish fried potatoes is paired with lemony aïoli, which gets its deep flavor from smoked paprika.

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Chicken Croquettes

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Although crisp and creamy croquettes are made throughout much of Spain, cooks in Rioja's wine country are unique in using boiled or Serrano ham mixed with leftovers like roasted chicken, as in this recipe.

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Berenjenas con Miel (Fried Eggplant with Honey)

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Fried eggplant and honey is a classic combination served across Andalusia, especially in Córdoba.

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Chorizo-Filled Dates Wrapped in Bacon

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This timeless tapa from Spanish cookbook author Penelope Casas has everything going for it — it's sweet, smoky, and savory, all in one bite.

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Cauliflower Fritters

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To create these wonderful tapas, José Andrés makes a batter with crunchy nubs of chopped cauliflower florets, fries spoonfuls in a skillet, and then tops the fritters with yogurt sauce and a dollop of caviar.

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Lamb Meatballs with Mint

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The bar at Seville's Enrique Becerra restaurant serves a standout tapa, Albóndigas de Cordero a la Hierbabuena, meatballs made with the classic combination of lamb and mint.

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Chorizo Poached in Red Wine

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Restaurateurs Jim German and his wife, Claire Johnston, make wonderfully simple snacks to accompany his co*cktails. A favorite at their now-shuttered Jimgermanbar was this smoky Spanish sausage with garlic, cooked gently in red wine until plump and juicy.

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Shrimp and Chorizo Flatbreads

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Chef Jose Garces prepares fresh coca dough, a Spanish dough similar to pizza dough, for the flatbreads. He also cooks dried garbanzos for the bean puree that's spread on top. In this simplified version, store-bought pitas take the place of coca dough, topped with good-quality prepared hummus, fresh shrimp, and spicy slices of chorizo.

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Olives Stuffed with Almonds, Anchovies, and Peppers

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"For me there is no better tapa than a really good stuffed olive," José Andrés says. "If you love almonds, use good marcona almonds. If you love anchovy, use good Spanish anchovies. If you love peppers, use peppers; I like the wood-roasted piquillo peppers from Navarra. Or if you are like me, you use all three."

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Tomatillo Toasts with Prosciutto and Manchego

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Inspired by classic pan con tomate, a Spanish dish of bread rubbed with fresh tomato, F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple tops crunchy toasted bread with tangy grated tomatillos. To round the toast out, he also adds thin slices of prosciutto and shaved Manchego cheese. If you'd like to keep more in line with the traditional dish, you can use Spanish jamón instead.

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Pan-Fried Tuna Croquettes

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Julian Serrano pairs his make ahead croquettes with Manzanilla Sherry.

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Pincho Ribs with Sherry Glaze

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These ribs are named after Spanish snacks known as pinchos. Chef Jason McCullar rubs them with a smoked-paprika spice blend, then lacquers them with a sherry-spiked glaze. For an ideal co*cktail snack, look for riblets, a half portion of baby back ribs; they're especially meaty. Or ask your butcher to split your rib racks crosswise.

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