Spanish cuisine might not be well-known for vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipes; however, you will be surprised by the number of recipes that only use vegetables or can easily be adapted for anyone who follows a vegan diet.
Are you wondering which Spanish recipes are vegan? We’ve compiled 15 amazing recipes you want to add to your meal plan.
Vegan Spanish Recipes
1. Trempó mallorquín – Majorcan-style Salad (Mallorca)
Trempó mallorquín is one of the most refreshing and delicious salads in Mallorca. It is made with vegan ingredients like tomatoes, onions, green peppers, olive oil and salt.
The most important thing about preparing this salad is you choose the best vegetables possible.
Some locals add tuna to this salad, but if you plan to have it in a restaurant, it is usually without fish; nevertheless, you can confirm this with the server.
If you are making it at home, it won’t take you much of your time. Also, it is a very budget-friendly vegan Spanish recipe.
2. Setas al ajillo – Garlic Mushrooms
Do you like mushrooms? This recipe is all about mushrooms. It is flavourful and easy to make in a few minutes.
Apart from mushrooms, you will also need garlic, fresh parsley, white wine, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. If you wonder what type of mushrooms you must use for this recipe, the answer is simple: you can use any or even a mix of different mushrooms.
The best time to have this dish is during the mushroom season, but you can enjoy it all year round.
3. Samfaina – (Catalonia)
Another fantastic vegan Spanish recipe is Samfaina. It is a typical dish from Catalonia, often served as a side dish rather than a main dish.
It is flavourful and packed with many vegetables. The ingredients to make samfaina are aubergines, courgettes, red and green peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
You can accompany this dish with rice or pasta dish.
4. Tumbet – (Mallorca)
Tumbet mallorquín is a recipe that represents the Balearic Islands and is associated with summer. It is usually prepared when the vegetables included in this recipe are at their best, and you can have this vegan recipe as a main course or a side dish.
Potatoes, aubergines, red pepper, homemade tomato sauce, olive, and salt are the ingredients needed to make tumbet mallorquín.
It might be made with simple ingredients, but you will love the combination of these vegetables alongside the smooth tomato sauce.
5. Espinacas con garbanzos – Spinach with chickpeas (Seville)
If you are looking for a vegan-friendly traditional Spanish recipe from Southern Spain, you need to add espinacas con garbanzos to your list.
This dish originated in Seville, the capital of Andalusia, so you will find this typical tapa and also the main dish across the city.
It is made with chickpeas, spinach, bread, garlic, spices like cumin and sweet paprika, vinegar, olive oil, and salt.
Enjoy this delicious Spanish vegan tapa with a slice of bread.
6. Pisto manchego – Spanish-style Ratatouille
Pisto Manchego is a typical dish in Spain that almost everyone likes. This dish has different variations, but they don’t differ much.
For example, the main ingredients of the one made in Castile La Mancha are tomatoes, peppers, and courgettes, whereas the one made in Andalucia are potatoes and aubergines.
The vegetables are cooked in a delicious homemade tomato sauce.
7. Escalivada – Roasted vegetables (Catalonia)
Another delicious vegan Spanish recipe is escalivada. This traditional dish originated in Catalonia, and you will love how simple it is to make.
You will only need aubergines, tomatoes, red peppers, onions, garlic, and olive oil. The cooking process is also easy. Roast the vegetables, peel the aubergines, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic, cut them into slices, and dress them with olive oil and a pinch of salt.
It is a fantastic summer dish to enjoy before your main course.
8. Gazpacho – Cold Tomato Soup (Andalusia)
When the summer months are around the corner, we all like light and refreshing dishes, which is the case with gazpacho. This typical Andalusian dish is flavourful and perfect for the hot summer days.
This cold tomato soup is made with tomatoes, bread, green peppers, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, water and salt.
Not only is it delicious, but it is healthy and rich in vitamins.
9. Gazpacho de melón – Green Gazpacho Soup
Gazpacho de melon is a twist on the classic gazpacho recipe. The cooking process is very similar to the traditional recipe, but the ingredients are slightly different.
In this case, you will need half melon, green peppers, cucumbers, spring onions, garlic, wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
The result is delicious, and it will become your favorite summer recipe.
The best way to serve it is in a bowl and add some toppings like onion, cucumber, green pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
10. Patatas bravas – Potatoes with Brava Sauce
Who doesn’t like potatoes? They are a staple in many cuisines, and we Spaniards love them too.
Patatas bravas is one of the most famous tapa dishes in Spain. You can find them anywhere.
They consist of fried diced potatoes with a spicy sauce. Although the original sauce recipe usually includes chicken broth, you only need to switch the chicken broth to vegetable stock.
The other ingredients to prepare this sauce are flour, sweet paprika, spicy paprika, garlic, and olive oil.
11. Berenjenas con miel – Fried Aubergines with Honey
Berenjenas con miel is a traditional Andalusian recipe, which is even more popular in the provinces of Malaga and Granada.
The two main ingredients of this dish are aubergines and honey. The aubergines are sliced, coated in flour, fried and drizzled with honey. Although the honey isn’t vegan, the honey used for this dish is as it is sugar cane honey.
Enjoy the delightful combination of sugar cane honey with the crispy aubergine.
12. Pimientos de padrón – Padron Peppers (Galicia)
One of the best appetisers or tapas is pimientos de padrón. They consist of small green peppers, which usually have a mild and sweet taste. However, you might come across a spicy one, so just be aware of that, as you won’t find it out until you bite into it.
The cooking method for this recipe is straightforward. You must fry the Padron peppers in olive oil and add sea salt. Despite being so easy, you will love its flavors!
13. Ajoblanco – Cold Garlic and Almond Soup (Malaga)
Another typical cold soup is ajoblanco. This recipe originated in the city of Malaga, Southern Spain. It is a fantastic dish to enjoy on a hot summer day.
It is made with almonds, bread, garlic, wine vinegar, olive oil, water and salt. Once the soup is ready, it is garnished with green grapes.
14. Paella de verduras – Vegetable Paella
The traditional paella contains meat. However, there are different paella types, including those only made with vegetables. This recipe wasn’t especially created for vegetarians or vegans, but it originated from the locals who wanted to use their excellent homegrown vegetables.
The key ingredients to make this vegetable paella are short grain rice, tomatoes, bell peppers, flat green beans, cauliflower, choricero pepper, vegetable stock, and saffron.
It is a fantastic dish to share with friends and family on a Sunday afternoon.
15. Papas arrugás – Wrinkled potatoes (Canary Islands)
Papas arrugadas or papas arrugás are typical of the Canary Islands. These small potatoes are an everyday starter or side dish served with traditional sauces made with different spices and herbs.
The most important thing is to get the right potatoes. Ideally, you want to make them with the ones found in the Canary Islands, but if not, go for baby potatoes.
The potatoes are boiled with plenty of salt until they start to wrinkle.
