Spanish Christmas food is incredibly delicious. A suckling pig for the main course? Yes, please! Seafood in paella? Why not? And polvorones for a nice holiday snack?
Delicioso! It can't get any better than all of that! Spanish cuisine is already delicious no matter the time of the year. But there's something about the country's traditional Christmas food that leaves a more delicious impact. The meats are heartier, the seafood is more scrumptious, and the desserts taste sweeter. Perhaps it's simply because they're prepared for the holidays? Could be! In any case, if you're spending Christmas in Spain this year, you need to have these treats on your dinner table!
Galets
If you're not familiar with Galets, they're actually a type of shell-shaped pasta. But in Spain, specifically in Catalonia, where the city of
Barcelona is located, it also refers to a popular holiday dish. Every Christmas, the Spanish serve them in warm soup with a savory and oftentimes meaty broth. It's the type of comfort food you'd enjoy when the weather gets to be a little chilly. The holiday season is in winter, after all. And though Spain is known to be a sunny country, it gets its fair share of cold and even snowy winters. So a big bowl of Galets is just what the doctor ordered.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Entremeses
It's no secret that the Spanish are huge fans of cured meat. That's why charcuterie boards are pretty popular here, even during Christmastime. As the entire family—often entire neighborhoods too!—gather around for the holiday feast, the first thing they year is the Entremeses. It's a whole host of cured meats laid out for the taking. There's
jamón, chorizo, and even some Spanish and
French cheeses too. They're not so heavy that you'll feel full before the main course but they will whet your appetite more.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Seafood Paella
No matter the time of the year, seafood remains a dinner table staple among the Spanish. Christmas is no different. You'd be surprised at how much seafood they'll serve for the big holiday feast. Think big lobster dishes, juicy prawns on cocktails, scrumptious scallops, and more. The most popular of them all is the seafood paella. Since there are many to serve, Spanish people
make large paellas at home that they fill with all sorts of seafood. It makes for a fine main course where the flavors of the Mediterranean are ever-present!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Suckling Pig
Speaking of the main course, expect many Spanish households to serve
Cochinillo (suckling pig) for Christmas too. Roasted just right, this meaty delicacy is pretty popular for a big feast. And more often than not, they don't even chop the pig up. They just display the entire roasted pic on the table and let the guests help themselves. It's quite a delicious sight, almost akin to how the
Thanksgiving turkey is often the main dish and main centerpiece during the
American holiday. Also, if you want some, it's up to you to carve out the skin and meat for yourself.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Ewan Munro
Roast Lamb
Not a fan of pork? Then how about some roasted lamb instead? It's a fairly popular Christmas dinner staple in the Castilla y León region, right outside the capital city, Madrid. Not to mention the rest of the country as well. Lamb is a common delicacy in the Mediterranean and Spain is no different. Every holiday season, families roast them up, season them just right, and serve them with steamed potatoes and vegetables. They also serve them a'la lamb chops to make it easier for kids to enjoy the meat as well. What's not to love?
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Turrón
Now, let's move on to desserts. First up is
Turrón, a common Spanish Christmas treat made out of egg whites, almonds, honey, and sugar. Some would also include pistachios, coconuts, or truffles for a richer flavor. Served in long rectangles or bite-sized cubes, the turrón is basically the Spanish version of the nougat. You'll even find it in other holiday cuisines around the world. And every year, the Spanish make them for their loved ones. Many would use them as gifts while others would serve them as dessert. Parents and grandparents would also give them to the little ones as gifts or rewards for being nice.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Polvorones
Another Spanish holiday treat to look forward to is the
Polvoron. Like the turrón, this is a Christmas candy that both adults and kids enjoy. But in terms of taste and texture, they couldn't be any more different! While the turrón is often hard, sticky, and filled with nuts, polvorones are powdery buttery biscuits. They're made out of toasted wheat flour, ground almonds, sugar, and even lard. They're also so delicate that the slightest touch will disintegrate them to dust. So whenever you get one, make sure to put it directly into your mouth immediately after unwrapping it.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Tamorlan
Roscón de Reyes
For a more traditional Spanish Christmas food, specifically a dessert, there's the
Roscón de Reyes. If you're familiar with
France's Galette des Rois, it's basically Spain's own version of it. It's a sweet, round, bread-like cake made with dried fruits, topped with crushed almonds, and even sprinkled with confectionary sugar. Some parts of the country serve theirs with cream, while others simply pair theirs with hot chocolate. And while it's a popular Christmas treat, they mostly prepare and serve it on January 6th, known to the Catholic world as the Three Kings’ Day.
Source: Flickr.com/ Secrettenerife.co.uk
Cava
And finally, you can't celebrate any
holiday in Spain without a bubbling glass of
Cava! What's cava, you ask? It's basically the Spanish version of champagne. It's sparkling white wine that's perfect to serve during Christmas dinner and for New Year's Eve too. Though, just like its French counterpart, the Spanish pop open bottles of the stuff on every special occasion. Either way, you can't have a true Spanish Christmas celebration without cava. No matter what you're serving, a bottle of cava will make your feast—and your holiday celebration—that much better!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
To ensure you have a delicious holiday dinner this year, consider serving Spanish Christmas food. These dishes and desserts are bound to leave quite an impact on your loved ones at first bite! They might even ask for them next year too.
