Spanish Vegan Cuisine: Yes It Exists

 As we get ready to set off for our European Vegan Cruises, you may not help but wonder if the places we are going to go to are “vegan-friendly”.

Let’s take the good ole España for example. When you ask people about the Spanish cuisine their answer would pertain to the infamous seafood-ridden paella, or Spain’s most celebrated dish, jamón. However, Spain is more vegan-friendly than you think. Here are some of Spain’s vegan dishes.

Gazpacho

Starting our course with Spain’s cold soup, Gazpacho. Gazpacho is a tomato-based soup added with a lot of olive oil, and a bit of vinegar, peppers, and garlic. This cold soup is perfect to eat during the scorching days of Andalusia’s summer. This is sometimes accompanied by onions and cucumbers to add a little texture to the soup with bread on the side.

Ajoblanco

(c) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajoblanco

Another Andalusian cold soup on this list is the Ajoblanco, sometimes referred to as the “White Gazpacho.” Ajoblanco literally translates to “white garlic” despite its key ingredient being the almond which gives it its white and milky appearance, along with its unique flavor. The main ingredients for this cold soup are almonds, bread, garlic, water, and olive oil. 

Calamares del campo

(c) foodyt.com

Shocked by the calamares? No, this does not contain any squid whatsoever. Calamares del campo is made from vegetables such as onions, peppers, and even courgettes, deep-fried with a crispy batter. These are usually formed into rings, hence, calamari. 

Patatas Bravas

(c) elespanol.com

Patatas bravas, often called patatas a la brava, is a deep-fried sliced white potato served with creamy aioli and a hot tomato sauce. Considered as one of the popular tapas in Spain, Patatas bravas is always the go-to choice as the appetizer for a meal or a snack while drinking your cañas. 

Final Course, Paella de Verduras

Ending this course-list is the famous Paella, however, as “verduras” or vegetable. Paella de verduras, as you guessed it, is a meat-free paella, where vegetables are the main ingredients. Rice, artichokes, peppers, beans, and mushrooms are only some of the ingredients used for this. However, stocks are a very important component for all paella. To ensure that your Paella de Verduras is vegan-friendly, always ask if the broth used is a vegetable broth or any vegan broth.

Vegan cuisine may be available to places you want to travel which can also be inspiringly delicious. So don’t let being a vegan hold you back from starting your backpacking journey.

If you want an ensured vegan journey, you can join our Portugal and Spain - Douro River 2021 cruise, a stress-free luxury cruise perfect for your vacation.