You may know the Pedro Almodóvar’s movies scenes filmed in the city, you may know the flamenco dancers, you may even know Sobrino de Botin’s record for being the oldest restaurant in the world (with almost 300 years of history), but do you know the flavours behind the city’s history? Here, we propose a guide through the dishes that define an icon placed in the very heart of Spain.
Madrid: Best Known Recipes
While Spanish cuisine is popular overall, there are some dishes that stand out in every Madrid food tour. Some examples are:
Croquetas (Croquettes)
Your leftovers from last night’s dinner become a bite-sized roll, coated with breadcrumbs and then deep-fried. The stuffing can go from ham to chicken, fish, mushrooms or cheese, that are mixed and shaped into small balls. The most popular ones are the ham and cheese croquettes, but you can find alternatives such as onion and cheese.
Cocido Madrileño
Some claim that this is Madrid’s signature dish. A stew with meat (beef, pork, chicken, chorizo), blood sausage (“morcilla”), chickpeas and vegetables whose origins go back to the Middle Ages and to a Sephardic Jewish dish called adafina. The usual serving is divided: the broth comes first, chickpeas and vegetables are presented as a second course and meats come last.
Bocadillo de calamares (Calamari Sandwich)
When calamari rings are battered and fried in olive oil and served between slices of baguette, you get a calamari sandwich (also known as “Bocadillo de calamares”).
Callos a la Madrileña (Madrid-style tripe)
When your classic tomato-based sauce (often seasoned with paprika, garlic and “pimentón”) meets Iberian meat (from the cow’s stomach lining to blood sausage and ham) and Spanish sausage (“chorizo”), you get this beloved stew that has become a Madrid icon. Almost a compulsory dish to have during wintertime, it is often served with bread to eat with the sauce.
Patatas bravas
Simple yet efficient, this dish includes fried or roasted potatoes that are topped with aioli and a spicy tomato-based sauce (which includes sweet and hot paprika, onion, choricero and pepper, among other ingredients). The final result? A plate of golden, crispy cubes of potatoes with a soft interior, covered with sauce.
Jamón Ibérico (Serrano or Iberico Ham)
You know ham, a part of the pig’s legs. But do you know the Iberico variant? Iberico pigs are a breed close to wild boars and eat mostly corn and acorns. Ibero ham is made by salting and hang-drying the meat in a process that lasts up to almost 50 months. Subtle, aromatic and usually served with bread or croutons, this is one of Madrid’s most known flavours.
Tortilla Española o Tortilla de Patatas (Spanish Omelet)
Eggs, fried potatoes and onions fried in olive oil: a winning mixture that becomes the “tortilla española”. You can find it in more juicy or drier versions, thicker or thinner, with or without onion, but the recipe is often firm on the outside, creamy on the inside.
Dessert Time
Those with a sweet tooth will have plenty of options in Madrid. Some of them are:
Churros con Chocolate
A winning combination: crispy churros meet hot, thick chocolate. Churros are made of flour dough, salt and sugar, and are then fried and dusted with sugar. They are known for its crunchy and airy texture, which goes hand in hand with the molten chocolate.
Often served as breakfast or morning snacks, they are particularly famous during New Year’s Day. If you want to spot a particularly renowned stop on your Madrid food tour, try the historical Chocolatería San Ginés, close to Plaza Mayor.
Torrijas (Spanish Style French Toast)
You know toast, you know French toast, but do you know the Spanish outtake to toast? Imagine a day-old bread that is soaked in a mixture of sugar, milk, white wine, vanilla, cinnamon, honey and citrus zest, then dipped in beaten egg and fried in olive oil. You may think that only then you have a “torrija”, but not yet: you still need a mix of cinnamon and sugar to dust the toast and honey or syrup to drench them.
While you can find them almost on any food tour, all year round, locals cherish them the most during Easter.
Whatever your choice, make sure to arrive in Madrid hungry, for there are a lot of things to eat.