When it gets hot in Spain, there are a few dishes you’ll see on our table all summer long. With a focus on cold soups and salads using market-fresh produce, simple seafood and refreshing wine-based drinks, these are the Spanish summer recipes that we turn to when the thought of turning on the oven is just too much.
Spanish Summer Recipes: Cold Soups
Gazpacho
By far Spain’s most famous contribution to the world of cold soups, gazpacho is a tried-and-true classic, and Spanish summer staple. Our co-founder Lauren’s recipe takes the best part of some 20 gazpacho recipes and combines them to make the ultimate cold soup.
Watermelon Mint Gazpacho
When you’re ready to take your gazpacho to the next level, add watermelon and mint for a surprising and refreshing combination.
Watermelon mint gazpacho recipe
Salmorejo
Gazpacho’s richer cousin, salmorejo is also a cold, tomato-based soup, but it takes things to the next level with additions of stale bread and lots of olive oil.
Ajoblanco
This Malaga staple is a creamy white soup, with a base of almonds! It dates back to the times of Moorish rule in Spain—centuries before tomatoes made it to the Iberian Peninsula, making ajoblanco the original cold Spanish soup, and one of our favorite Spanish summer recipes.
Spanish Summer Recipes: Salads
Ensalada Mixta
Vegetarians might be surprised to learn in Spain that your typical Spanish mixed salad isn’t a vegetarian dish—it usually includes tuna! Our recipe is no exception, but the beauty of this recipe is that you can customize it to your heart’s content.
Ventresca Salad
We’re back with the tuna! Ventresca is tuna belly, one of Spain’s gourmet tinned goods that will make you re-think your whole relationship with canned tuna. This fresh salad pairs it with blood orange and avocado to bring out the flavors in each ingredient.
Ventresca, blood orange and avocado salad recipe
Ensalada Malagueña
Ensalada malagueña is a summer salad of potatoes, oranges, cod and olives. It’s a refreshing salad with Moorish origins. This surprising combination is incredibly helpful in keeping locals – and visitors – cool during the hot summer months..
Papas Aliñás
If you want to get particular, “papas aliñás” are really patatas aliñadas—but it’s a recipe from Cádiz and that’s just too many syllables! Papas aliñás are potatoes “dressed” in olive oil and tuna, and they’re perfect for a summer day.
Zanahorias Aliñadas
Cousin of the above papas aliñás, these marinated carrots are vinegary, garlicky, and one of our absolute favorite Spanish summer recipes.
Ensaladilla Rusa
Step up your potato salad game by bringing Spanish potato salad (or is it Russian?!) to your next barbecue! Potatoes, tuna, hard boiled egg, peas, carrots and lots of mayonnaise come together to make this summer classic.
Spanish Summer Recipes: Seafood
Boquerones en Vinagre
If you think you don’t like anchovies but you’ve never tried boquerones en vinagre, we beseech you to withhold your judgement and give them a try. And if you still don’t like them afterwards—sorry, we can’t be friends.
Gambas Cocidas
There’s a wealth of delicious fresh shrimp to be found at your local Spanish fish market, and they’re best enjoyed simply. Boil them up, pair with cold beer or manzanilla sherry, and enjoy on a terrace. Best. Summer. Day.
Spanish Summer Recipes: Drinks
Tinto de Verano
You’ve heard all about sangría, we’re sure. But tinto de verano is the local’s choice for a refreshing summer wine cooler. It doesn’t get much simpler than red wine + lemon soda, but if you need a recipe, we’ve got you covered.
Summer Sangría
This super fruity and light sangría is perfect for a summer cookout. As an added bonus, you can serve it on the Fourth of July because of the red, white and blue fruit included!
Cherry Ginger Gin and Tonic
If you’re surprised to see a gin and tonic on this list of Spanish summer recipes, then you clearly don’t know that Spain was the country that consumed the most gin in the whole world in 2017! Join the Spanish gin-tonic craze with this cooling cherry ginger combo.
Cherry ginger gin and tonic recipe
Looks delicious!!
You’re right about that!
Do bars serve non-alcoholic drinks or cocktails? My husband and I are visiting Madrid in July, one of the hottest months, I believe. My husband would definitely enjoy some cerveza and rioja. As for me, it would be great to enjoy refreshing drinks without alcohol.
Bars definitely serve things like water and soft drinks. Most traditional bars will barely serve cocktails at all, and definitely not non-alcoholic cocktails. Newer/more trendy spots and dedicated cocktail bars would be a good bet for that! One non-alcoholic drink you can find at more traditional spots in “mosto,” grape juice from the winemaking process before fermenting! Enjoy!