The Best Spanish Tapas Dishes To Eat When It’s Cold Outside

When the weather turns cold we want hearty, filling dishes to warm us up and fill us up. While winters in Spain are rarely as cold as in other North European countries, such as the UK, there can still be a chill in the air and a desire to return to the balmy heat of summer.

The solution? Head to your nearest tapas bar and a table full of hearty tapas dishes. Reports say that Spain has more bars per square foot than any other country in the world. These tiny Spanish bars are full of atmosphere and often crowded with locals laughing and sharing stories with drink in hand.

Most of these bars will serve tapas, and Spain has become famous for this. An integral part of Spanish culture, each tapas dish is just a delicious bite to accompany your drink and good company. You can also reproduce many of these tapas dishes at home.

Here are the best Spanish tapas dishes to eat when it’s cold outside:

Albóndigas (meatballs)

One of the most delicious and popular winter tapas dishes in Spain is Albondigas, more commonly known as meatballs. But these aren’t anything like the Italian meatballs you might serve with pasta. A tapas will include just one or two meatballs smothered in a homemade sauce. This will vary from cook to cook but the best is a homemade almond sauce. Rich, warm, and satisfying.

Champiñones rellenos (stuffed mushrooms)

Affordable, hearty, and abundant in Spain, mushrooms are a popular option for tapas dishes. And what makes this stuffed mushroom dish even more appealing is because it’s so easy to make. Take button mushroom tops, fill them to the brim with olive oil, garlic and bits of Iberian ham and throw them under the grill. Delicious and easy!

Dátiles con beicon (dates wrapped in bacon)

This is an incredible popular canape dish the world over. You may recognise the dish as ‘devils on horseback’. It is sweet, delicious, and needs very little explanation. Take a date, wrap it in bacon, and pop it under the grill until it’s crispy. It really is that easy! 

Morcilla de Burgos (Burgos blood pudding)

This delicious tapas dish doesn’t have the most appetizing name but if you can work through that the taste is delicious! This is another simple dish and one that's rich and satisfying when it’s cold outside. A slice of blood pudding served with a little slice of bed for a savoury treat.

Croquetas (Spanish croquettes)

Another popular and well-known Spanish tapas dish, croquettes are a little trickier to make than some of the other dishes on this list. Croquettes are thee perfect creamy mix of béchamel sauce and bits of chicken or ham, mushroom or spinach in a fried crispy outer shell. Croquettes are often made using leftovers and they are a wonderful addition to your tapas board. 

Callos a la madrileña (Madrid-style tripe)

Another tapas dish with an unappetizing name, and tripe is certainly not an ingredient for everyone. But if you can get past that, you might be surprised by how delicious this dish is. Popular in Madrid (as the name suggests) tripe is cooked slow with chickpeas to make a thick and hearty stew. 

Chorizo a la sidra (chorizo cooked in cider)

There is no way to cook Spanish chorizo sausage that doesn’t taste delicious. This dish is fairly typical of the region of Asturias and chorizo is simply simmered in cider until it’s tender. Serve with a little bread to soak up the sauce. 

Buñuelos de bacalao (salt cod fritters)

Salt cod is one of the most common fish used in Spanish cooking. These fritters are similar to a fish cake and are often served with delicious garlic mayonaise for extra flavour.  

Patatas revolconas (paprika mashed potatoes)

Tapas dishes don’t come cheaper or more affordable than this. Homemade mashed potatoes are mixed with sweet red paprika until they are orange and delicious. If you have leftover ham or bacon then you can add these to the dish for extra flavour.

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