I bet you've heard it all before. "YOU want to go to SPAIN?! Don't even think about it! The Spaniards think tuna is a vegetable!" All too often, vegetarians and vegans are made to think that they will be scorned as complete outcasts the minute they step foot in the country.
Well, don't believe a word of it! Spain is a lot more vegan-friendly than you've been led to believe. The truth is, most places are. The key word here is friendly. For the most part, its inhabitants will go out of their way to meet your needs and make you feel at home, even if they don't quite understand why you wouldn't want pig flesh tossed in your salad, floating on top of your soup, or wrapped around your asparagus.
"Spain is more vegan-friendly than you've been led to believe. The truth is, most places are."
The availability of specialty vegan products and restaurants catering specifically to vegans will of course depend on where exactly in Spain you are. The two largest cities, Madrid and Barcelona, are a paradise for vegan travellers. You will find scores of vegan and vegetarian restaurants there, and even mainstream establishments are starting to cater for vegans. For example, you can pick up a vegan croissant at Le Pain Quotidien or a vegan brownie at Shanti Gelato in Barcelona.
In smaller towns, it's a different story. It's certainly true that traditional Spanish cuisine focuses heavily on meat, particularly ham. That said, there are a number of Spanish dishes that are as traditional as chorizo and yet are completely and naturally vegan, and even more that can be easily adapted and made vegan.
Fresc Co, Gino's and Sandwich Club Café are all restaurant chains with branches throughout the country that offer vegan options.
And let's not forget the local markets. They offer fruits and vegetables galore, and a fascinating cultural experience to boot.
Produce markets in Spain are great for exploring
The following is a list of just some of the naturally vegan or easily veganized dishes Spanish cuisine has to offer. While I've attempted to break them down into different categories, these are flexible. Is a parrillada de verduras a starter or a main dish? Are churros a breakfast item or a dessert? You get to decide!
As a vegan in Spain, your lunch may be made up of a combination of soups, salads and side dishes that come together to create a delicious meal. Don't worry, this isn't weird, and in fact you'll find locals doing the same thing. This is the beauty of tapas culture.
Vegan Dishes
Breakfast
Spanish name | Description |
|---|---|
pan con tomate (a.k.a tostada con tomate) | Bread rubbed with puréed ripe tomato, olive oil, and salt or garlic |
coca de vidre con tomate | similar to pan con tomate, but served on a thinner flatbread |
tostada con mermelada churros | toasted baguette spread with jam long sticks of fried dough sprinkled with sugar |
Soups and Stews
Spanish name | Description |
|---|---|
gazpacho | a cold, raw soup made of blended tomatoes and other vegetables |
gazpacho de espárragos | a variation of gazpacho made with asparagus instead of tomato |
salmorejo | a cold soup similar to gazpacho, but creamier as it's made with stale bread and olive oil |
crema de verduras | a thick and hearty soup made from a variety of vegetables blended together |
ajo blanco (a.k.a gazpacho blanco) | a cold soup made with garlic, stale bread and almonds |
sopa de tomate | this one is a hot (cooked) tomato soup |
[Note that, while these soups themselves are usually vegan, they are often topped with ham or egg, or both, so be sure to order them "sin jamón y sin huevo". In some places (especially in Extremadura), ajo blanco is made with egg yolks.]
Salads
Spanish name | Description |
|---|---|
ensalada mixta | mixed green salad, often served on a large platter in the centre of the table |
ensalada de pimientos | roasted peppers, onion, tomato and olive oil |
ensalada de zorongollos | An Extremaduran version of ensalada de pimientos made with a special type of pepper, and sometimes with potatoes |
ensalada de pepino | tomato, cucumber and onion salad |
ensalada verde asd tomate aliñado | lettuce, tomato and onion salad tomato slices with salt, garlic and olive oil |
[Note: The first two salads listed above often contain eggs, ham or tuna, so order them with "solo verduras, sin jamón, huevos o atún" (only vegetables, no ham, eggs or tuna). On the bright side, creamy salad dressings are rare, and salads are usually dressed simply with olive oil and vinegar.]
Tapas
Spanish name | Description |
|---|---|
aceitunas | olives |
berenjenas fritas | fried eggplant, served with either honey (miel), molasses (miel de caña), or salmorejo (see soups above) |
pimientos asados | roasted bell peppers |
champiñones salteados | sautéed mushrooms |
alcachofas salteadas | sautéed artichoke hearts |
patatas bravas | chunky fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce |
espárragos salteados | sautéed asparagus (ask for no mayo [sin mayonesa]) |
espinacas con garbanzos | spinach with chickpeas |
escalivada | roasted red pepper, eggplant and onion |
espinacas con pasas | spinach with raisins, often also served with pine nuts (piñones) |
patatas a la campesina | potatoes in a tomato sauce with onions and bell peppers |
pimientos de Padrón | little green peppers from Galicia (some are hot and some are not!) |
salsa de berenjena romesco
| a cold dip made from puréed eggplant sauce made with tomatoes, garlic and nuts |
tumbet | fried vegetables, stacked and topped with tomato sauce - a Mallorcan specialty |
There is an almost endless variety of tapas in Spain, and the above is really just a sampling of what you might find. As recipes vary, always check to make sure that what you order is vegan.
Main dishes
Spanish name | Description |
|---|---|
parrillada de verduras | grilled mixed vegetables |
pisto | similar to ratatouille, with tomatoes, onion, bell peppers and eggplant or zucchini (ask for no egg on top) |
champiñones al ajillo | sautéed mushrooms with garlic and olive oil |
paella de verduras | rice and vegetable dish seasoned with saffron |
Desserts
Spanish name | Description |
|---|---|
nuestro músico | assortment of nuts and raisins - a Catalan specialty |
churros | long sticks of fried dough sprinkled with sugar |
fruta fresca | fresh fruit (a common option in set lunch menus) |
Useful Words and Phrases
Non-vegan
Spanish | English |
|---|---|
carne | meat |
pescado | fish |
caldo de carne or pescado | meat or fish broth |
mariscos | seafood |
leche | milk |
polvo de leche | powdered milk |
mantequilla | butter |
queso | cheese |
huevo | egg |
jamón | ham |
atún | tuna |
suero | whey |
mayonesa | mayonnaise |
nata xxx miel xxx gelatina xxx manteca xxx productos lácteos xxx yema | cream xxx honey xxx gelatin xxx lard xxx dairy products xxx egg yolk |
Words to watch for: Of those listed above, the animal products that are most common in Spanish cuisine (and tend to sneak their way even into otherwise vegan dishes) are jamon, atún and huevos. Especially jamón. Curiously, dishes that are listed as vegetariano will often contain atún. Because we all know tuna is a vegetable :-/
Vegan
Spanish | English |
|---|---|
verduras | vegetables |
fruta | fruit |
setas, hongos, champiñones | mushrooms |
soja, soya | soy |
garbanzos | chickpeas |
leche de soja/soya | soy milk |
arroz | rice |
pan | bread |
pepino | cucumber |
tomate | tomato |
patata | potato |
berenjena | eggplant/aubergine |
habas | lima beans |
lechuga xxx nueces, frutos secos xxx caldo vegetal xxx aceite vegetal xxx margarina xxx zumo, jugo* | lettuce xxx nuts xxx vegetable broth xxx vegetable oil xxx margarine xxx juice |
*Some packaged juices in Spain have milk added to them. This should be clear from the packaging (there's usually an image of a splash of white liquid on the box), but look for leche in the ingredients list to be sure.
Phrases
Spanish | English |
|---|---|
Soy vegano/a* | I am vegan. |
con/sin | with/without |
No como ningún producto de origen animal. | I don't eat any animal products. |
¿Este plato lleva carne/pescado/huevos/lácteos? xxx ¿Puedo pedir esto sin...? | Does this dish contain meat/fish/eggs/dairy? xxx Can I order this without...? |
gracias | thank you |
por favor | please |
la cuenta | the bill |
¡buen provecho! | bon appetit! |
*If you are male, say "soy vegano". If you are female, say "soy vegana".
Brands that Make Vegan Products
A number of vegan products are available in regular supermarkets, such as Mercadona and Consum Cooperativa. Aldi is recommended by locals as a particularly vegan-friendly supermarket chain. In addition to those chains' store brands, the following brands also make vegan products:
Brand name | Products they make |
|---|---|
Vivesoy | Soy milk |
Alpro | Various types of plant-based milk, soy cream for cooking, margarine |
Sojasun | Soy milk, yogurt, pudding-type desserts, soy-based meat products |
Gerblé | Soy milk, cookies, crackers, etc. |
Violife | Vegan cheese |
Divina Teresa | Vegan meats and cheeses |
Royne | Vegan ice cream (also makes dairy ice cream) |
Gut Bio | Organic brand sold at Aldi, make plant-based milk and meat products |
Many thanks to my fellow vegan bloggers, Kim from Brownble and Iosune from Simple Vegan Blog for their helpful local insights. You ladies rock! Thanks also to the vegan Spaniards who were kind enough to answer my questions on social media.
Did I miss anything? If you know of any other vegan dishes or have a helpful tip for travel in Spain, leave a comment below and share it!
It’s amazing!!! Great job 🙂
Thanks Iosune! I’m so glad you approve.
I mean- this is really a gift, thank you! I feel well prepared now. Thank you!
My pleasure, Sarah. Have a great trip to Spain!
one thing- they usually use caldo de pollo (chicken stock)for the soups like crema de verdura!
the tapas around spain vary a lot- in andalucia you can try garbanzos con espinacas (chickpeas with spinach and lots of garlic and oil)
in some restaurants that serve bocadillos (baguette sandwiches) like 100 montaitos you can ask for bocadillo de pimiento con tomate
Hi Marta,
Thanks for your input! I will look out for the bocadillo de pimiento con tomate next time I’m there.
Great job, Wendy – you’re right, there are loads of possibilities, including menestra de verduras, quite common on a menú del día. As you’ve noted, you’d have to specify that you’d like it “sin jamón” 🙂
Thanks Philippa!
Good job!
Just one comment. In Sapin, Alpro brand is commercialized by Central Lechera Asturiana, a dairy company. Not sure why is that. But buying vegan Alpro milk in Spain we are supporting dairy industry.
Thanks Valle! It’s not always possible to completely avoid giving money to the animal agriculture industry, but of course it’s good to do so whenever we can. What other brands would you recommend instead?
Wendy! I finally had a good chunk of time to read this AMAZING post! I’m sharing it right now on Brownble’s twitter and facebook. I thought it was comprehensive, so clear, delicious, and that guide to words you can learn … wow!! It’s so exciting to have someone like you writing a blog like this. I need a guide like this for when I visit Paris again and Rome! I can’t thank you enough for the mention.. you’re always too kind to me! I’ll be sharing to help spread the word. I laughed so hard about the vegan tuna I almost spit out the smoothie I was drinking! Here in Madrid when you order a “sandwich vegetal” it is basically a tuna, mayonnaise and lettuce sandwich. If you had to make it vegan it would be a lettuce sandwich! Crazy! And I remember once ordering a gazpacho and have shredded pig served on top of it. Oh boy! Fortunately vegan food is growing, especially with all the wonderful veg restaurants popping up all over. And there are a ton of traditional tapas. It isn’t Greece but we’re moving in the right direction… slowly 🙂
Hi Kim! Yay, I’m so glad you like it! And yeah, the tuna thing really makes me scratch my head. I’ve seen it a lot in France too, unfortunately. But you’re right about the veg restaurants popping up, especially in Madrid and Barcelona, and I’ve even seen a couple in small towns too. If you’re ever in Cáceres, be sure to eat at Brotes Verdes!
Funny you should mention Paris, because I’m actually writing a post right now about vegan food in the airport there. I have lots of info to share about Rome too. Are you planning a trip there anytime soon? If so, let me know and I’ll be sure to get it out in time for you to use it.
I’ve been thinking about you, with the launch of Brownble coming up. I hope it’s epic! You’re doing a great job, and I hope lots of people get to see it.
Wendy Werneth recently posted…The Nomadic Vegan Celebrates Its Birthday in Chamonix!
That’s great!!! and thanks for your kind words Wendy! Not yet, but I think Rome might be my next one. I’ll let you know and will be glued to your blog to see if anything comes up. Yum!
Awesome, Rome is my favourite place in the world, so be sure to hit me up for tips when you go. Did I ever tell you I used to be a tour guide there?
Wendy@TheNomadicVegan recently posted…Sky High Vegan – Paris Airport
Las patatas bravas usually comes with mayonaise and tomatosaus. Ask them with the sauce aside! It is saver!
Hi Elena, thanks for pointing that out. Yes, sometimes it does come with mayonnaise, so you could ask for it “sin mayonesa” to be safe. The spicy tomato sauce should be vegan.
Fantastic article! I will be walking a portion of the Camino this spring and am so grateful to have come across this very helpful and useful information! Now to brush up on my Spanish pronunciation…
Thanks so much, Alison! That’s quite a coincidence actually, because I’ll be walking the Camino this spring too! I’ll be starting from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port around the 24th of May. If you think there’s a chance we might run into each other, do let me know. Have a great trip!