Like much of Europe, Spain is a country that carries with it a lofty sized history. Their history is rich and vibrant at its best, and unsavory at its worst. Spanish food is no different. A quick rundown of the history of Europe shows that much of today’s countries where once occupied by foreign invaders.

According to All About Spain, the Spanish country was visited by civilizations like Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, and the Goths. They were most famously occupied by the Moors, who were there between the 11th and 17th centuries, according to Britannica.

Because of this, Spanish food truly became a fusion of influences. The Spruce Eats explains that olive oil and garlic are the two ingredients can be found in almost every dish. Other very common ingredients are pork, seafood, sausages, lamb, and legumes, to name a few. Below, we’ve listed a few dishes that have become synonymous with Spain worldwide.

Jamón Ibérico | Iberian ham

In Spain, jamón ibérico (Iberian ham) is a form of religion. According to Jamon, the practice of raising Ibérico pigs goes back millennia. This dish, like wagyu, stands as a testament to meticulous cultivation and honing

In the world of jamón ibérico, the philosophy “ham is ham is ham” does not work. Like wagyu beef, that comes from very specific breeds of cattle, jamón ibérico is sourced from four hogs, per Food & Wine.

• Jamón Serrano: Made from white hogs and carries less fat than Ibérico. Farmers typically raise this hog indoors.
• Jamón Ibérico: Farm-raised hogs that crossbred. The most well-known of the four.
• Jamón Ibérico Cebo de Campo: Free-range hogs that are fed acorns and hay. A level above Ibérico.
• Jamón Ibérico de Bellota: A free-range black hog that is only fed acorns. The most expensive of the four.

Patatas Bravas

Patatas bravas is the perfect dish for the carb lover in all of us. You can find this dish on the tapas menu at any bar in Spain as it is a delicious stable. Spanish Food explains how the exact timeline for the creation of the dish is somewhat hazy. The publication points to the absence of potatoes in Europe before 1542 as evidence that the dish was created after this date.

So, what does the dish consist of? Roughly chopped potatoes are tossed in this dish, then finished with a drizzle of spicy and/or creamy sauce.

Pulpo a la Gallega

Hailing from Galicia, Pulpo a la Gallega reigns as the region’s signature dish, as declared by KFN Travel Guide. The Galician dish “Pulpo á feira,” translating to “fair-style octopus,” boasts a history dating back over a century to the region’s cattle fairs. Spanish Food details that muleteers (mule herders) would bring in octopus, which they’d prepare with olive oil and paprika.

Fabada Asturiana

The Christian Science Monitor describes Fabada Asturiana as a hearty stew typically served in the afternoon, featuring white beans, pork (or bacon), morcilla (black sausage), and chorizo.

As the name would suggest, the dish is from Asturias and is a local delicacy, per Turismo Asturias.

Paella

What would a food list about Spain be without a paella on it? Paella calls the region of Valencia home, according to The Spruce Eats. This internationally recognized dish boasts diverse variations.

It can have anything from chicken to pork to seafood. This crunchy dish also incorporates saffron, which is the ingredient that gives it the yellow color.

• Paella valenciana: Think of this as the “meats” paella. It uses rice, green vegetables, beans, seasoning, snails, and dealers choice of chicken, duck, or rabbit, according to Lingua Schools.
• Paella de marisco: This is the “seafood” paella. Building on the Valenciana base, this dish adds a seafood topping.
• Paella mixta: The “combined” paella and it has everything in it (seafood and meat).

Tortilla Española | Spanish Omelette

Tortilla española is Spain’s take on the omelet from France and the frittata from Italy, per andaspain. It is a fairly simple dish to create and requires few ingredients.

To recreate this at home, all you’d need is eggs, potatoes, onions and olive oil, The Spruce Eats notes. There are also different varieties of it such as bacalao (cod), tuna, gambas (shrimp), chorizo, jamón (ham), gambas and setas (shrimp and mushrooms), or angulas (baby eels).

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a cold soup and perfect for those scorching summer days. This dish is made combining tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, water, vinegar, onions, cucumbers, green peppers, and bread for thickening.