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3 different types of turrón on a rustic looking wooden cutting board.

Top Traditional Spanish Christmas Foods

Last Modified: December 18, 2019 // by Tracy Ariza, DDS // December 18, 2019 I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. Learn more here.

es_ES Español

Christmas time in Spain focuses on delicious, high-quality food. Hopefully, this comprehensive list of traditional Spanish Christmas foods and recipes will inspire you to try something new over the holidays. #christmas #spain #spanishcuisine #spanishchristmasfood #holidayfood #christmasrecipes

Christmas time in Spain focuses on delicious, high-quality food. Hopefully, this comprehensive list of traditional Spanish Christmas foods and recipes will inspire you to try something new over the holidays.

3 different types of turrón on a rustic looking wooden cutting board.
Pin this recipe for later!

Table of contents

  1. Appetizers & Entremeses
    1. Seafood Dishes
      1. Other Main Dishes
        1. Beverages
          1. Spanish Christmas Sweets
            1. 3 King’s Day

              Living in a new country can be especially difficult during the holidays. When I first moved to Spain in 1997, I missed some of my old holiday traditions.

              Luckily, I was able to soothe my sorrows in some delicious Spanish food. In fact, I have to admit that I prefer traditional Spanish Christmas food to what I was eating back home.

              So, what do they eat in Spain at Christmas time?

              While it may slightly vary from region to region, one thing probably holds true for the entire country: Christmas is the time to buy and serve the highest quality foods that you can afford.

              A tablescape with wine, sliced ham and dried sausgaes, crackers, and cheese.

              Appetizers & Entremeses

              Before the main meal is served, it very typical for people to have a glass of vermouth or wine while snacking on a variety of small snacks.

              One of the most common of these is a platter with sliced serrano ham, cured sausages, cheeses, olives, and other small treats typically referred to as “entremeses.”

              Entremeses are meant to give you something to snack on while waiting for the main dishes to arrive, but also serve as a way to clear your palate between dishes.

              They are often served with crusty Spanish bread and some aioli for spreading on it. For those who want to give making aioli a try, check out my easy recipe…

              Easy Homemade Aioli (All-i-oli/Alioli)

              The perfect accompaniment to fish, rice dishes, bread, or anything that could benefit from a creamy, garlic sauce, this easy aioli recipe will be ready in 5 minutes flat. If you've got more spare time, and are more adventurous, though, try the traditional vegan aioli.
              Check out this recipe
              Pouring homemade aioli off the spoon to show its texture.

              Jamón Serrano

              Each year, we buy a high-quality jamón serrano for Christmas. Jamón serrano is a type of salt-cured ham that is typical to Spain and that can often be found in high-end Christmas baskets here.

              We choose hams that are at least 50% Iberian breed, the “pata negra” hams (those that normally have black hooves) which have an intense flavor and with the fat perfectly integrated into the meat. This makes them smoother and less dry.

              The best serrano hams come from free-range pigs that ate only grass and acorns (although in some cases that only applies to the last months of their lives). Their restricted, wild food diet, of course, comes with a significant rise in price.

              We usually buy our ham at the beginning of December and snack on a few thin slices each day over the course of the next month or so, until it’s gone. Some ham slices also find their way to our entremeses platter at Christmas.

              • Jamon serrano Spanish Christmas food

              Chorizo and other sausages

              Christmas baskets also include delicacies like manchego cheese, chorizo ibérico, and a good bottle of red wine. (They also have a lot of Christmas sweets. More on that below…)

              If you can’t find a good quality chorizo where you live, why not try making it yourself?

              How to make Spanish Chorizo: Dry Cured and Fresh Varieties

              Enjoy Spain’s signature sausage no matter where you live when you learn how to make Spanish chorizo at home. You can cook it fresh, as the Spanish would at a BBQ, or iedy cure it and eat it sliced with other sliced meats and cheeses.
              Check out this recipe
              Enjoy Spain's signature sausage no matter where you live when you learn how to make Spanish chorizo at home. You can cook it fresh, as the Spanish would at a BBQ, or dry cure it and eat it sliced with other sliced meats and cheeses.

              Seafood Dishes

              Seafood is also very popular here in Spain during the holidays, especially along the coast.

              We usually serve a mariscada with red prawns and cigalas, some mussels, and a creamy seafood salad. Sometimes we add some erizos (sea urchins) to the platter.

              Seafood markets in Spain

              Denia’s Red Prawns

              My husband’s boat fishes for the famous red prawns of Denia. They are probably the most prized seafood this time of year, at least in our area of Spain. So prized, that the largest-sized prawns can sell for over 200 Euros a kilogram in the days right before Christmas!

              The Denia red prawns are prized as one of the most flavorful and highest quality shrimp. They have helped Denia earn a denomination as a UNESCO city of gastronomy. (In fact, the logo for the city happens to be a red prawn.)

              While they are most prized by the people in the Valencian community, people from all over Spain love serving them at their Christmas Eve feast.

              Red prawns of Denia

              Mariscadas

              The Denia red prawns are often served with cigalas and langostinos in beautiful platters called “mariscadas.” Cigalas are a type of small rock lobster and langostinos are other types of shrimp.

              Depending on the region of Spain, the mariscadas often also include shellfish such as mussels and “navajas.” They may also feature lobster tails and different types of crabs.

              • cigalas
              • cigalas and Denia red prawns

              Other popular seafood dishes

              Northern delicacies

              Other prized (and expensive) Christmas treats from Northern Spain include angulas and percebes.

              Angulas are small baby eels that are served whole in what looks like a platter of thin noodles. Percebes, on the other hand, are a type of barnacle from the region of Galicia.

              • Anglulas del Norte
              • Percebes

              Shellfish

              Berberechos (cockles) are another expensive and popular treat. As are navajas (razor shells), vieras (scallops), and tellinas (coquina clams).

              Somewhat less pricey, one can also find almejas (clams) or mejillones (mussels) at many a Christmas feast.

              Fish

              It isn’t all about shellfish, though. Some people prefer to serve fish like besugo (sea bream), rape (monkfish), or the less expensive bacalao (cod).

              • Fancy enough for your holiday dinner, yet simple enough for your neighborhood potluck, this Spanish creamy seafood salad is sure to please your guests all year round.
                This creamy seafood salad garnished with red Denia shrimp is the perfect appetizer or side dish for your holiday dinner.

              Seafood recipes to try

              Many of these Spanish seafood dishes find their way to our Christmas Eve dinner.

              Spanish Creamy Seafood Salad: Ensaladilla de Marisco

              Fancy enough for your holiday dinner, yet simple enough for your neighborhood potluck, this Spanish creamy seafood salad is sure to please your guests all year round.
              Check out this recipe
              Fancy enough for your holiday dinner, yet simple enough for your neighborhood potluck, this Spanish creamy seafood salad is sure to please your guests all year round.

              Steamed mussels with tomato sauce

              These easy steamed mussels in tomato sauce are quickly made and sure to impress. They're a delicious yet healthy appetizer or light meal. Even my toddler loves scooping up the sauce with the empty shells.
              Check out this recipe
              These easy steamed mussels in tomato sauce are a quickly made and sure to impress. Even my toddler loves scooping up the sauce with the empty shells.

              Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician Style Octopus) – Slow Cooker Method

              Pulpo a la Gallega, Galician Style Octopus, is one of my favorite healthy seafood dishes. Simple, yet flavorful, it's an easy dish to prepare, yet sure to impress.
              Check out this recipe
              Pulpo a la Gallega, Galician Style Octopus, is one of my favorite seafood dishes. Simple, yet flavorful, it's an easy dish to prepare, yet sure to impress.

              Calamar al Vino Tinto: Red Wine Braised Squid

              This braised squid is slowly cooked with red wine and onions, resulting in a tender seafood with a sweet sauce that you’ll want to dip your bread into.
              Check out this recipe
              Calamares al vino tinto, or red wine braised squid, as seen from above served with bread and red prawns

              Other Main Dishes

              While seafood is probably the most common choice along the coast, there are other prized meats that are popular during the holidays. Even along the coast, many holiday menus feature seafood appetizers and side platters with a main meat dish.

              Cochinillos

              One of the most commonly seen specialty meats this time of year is cochinillos, or suckling pigs.

              I have to admit that, even after years of being here, as a mother I have a hard time seeing 2-6 week old baby piglings at the meat counter. While it’s not something I’ve ever served, this wouldn’t be a complete listing of traditional Spanish Christmas food if I didn’t at least mention them.

              The suckling pigs are normally halved and roasted and served in one piece on a platter, with head, hooves and all. I’m sure it is delicious, but, again, it’s something I have personally never tried.

              cochinillo (roasted suckling pig) on a platter

              Other meats

              If suckling pigs turn you off too, don’t worry. There are plenty of other traditional options.

              Some people choose to roast a turkey, or a capon (a rooster that has been castrated and fed a special diet to make it more flavorful).

              Lamb dishes are also popular at Christmas meals.

              Puchero

              My mother-in-law usually makes a Valencian puchero on Christmas Day. She serves the broth alongside our tasty Christmas Eve dinner leftovers.

              Puchero is a traditional winter stew filled with hearty meats and lots of root vegetables. The broth is often served with rice or tiny pasta noodles referred to as fideos.

              This is probably one of our favorite winter recipes.

              Valencian Puchero Recipe – Winter Spanish Stew

              Well balanced and nourishing, this Valencian puchero recipe will show you how to make a simple yet hearty Spanish stew that is sure to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.
              Check out this recipe
              Well balanced and nourishing, this Valencian puchero recipe will show you how to make a simple yet hearty Spanish stew that is sure to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.

              Beverages

              While some people may start off the meal with an aperitif like Bitter Kas, beer, or a glass of vermouth, most people have Spanish wine with their holiday meals.

              Spanish Wine

              No Spanish Christmas meal would be complete without a good bottle of Spanish wine. My favorite is vino tinto (red wine).

              In the past, I almost always favored red wines from the Ribero del Duero region or the more famous Rioja wines. Nowadays, though, the Valencian community offers some of my favorite wines. I also quite like those from El Bierzo. They don’t have that oak-y flavor I normally love, but as a trade off are very smooth.

              For those who prefer white wine, my region, Alicante, serves up some of the best white wines made with moscatel grapes. These sweet grapes add a nice touch of sweetness to even the drier wines of the region. That makes for a well-balanced wine that isn’t too dry nor too sweet.

              After dinner drinks

              Once the meal is over, desserts are usually served with a bottle of Spanish sparkling cider, and/or a quality Spanish cava. A shot of liqueur often follows them.

              Spanish Cava

              Cavas are Spain’s sparkling wines. They are made in the traditional champagne method, but use the more local grape varieties. Most Spanish cava comes from the Catalonia region. Cava can be sweet, semi sweet or dry (brut).

              While it is usually served alone, cava also finds its ways into mixed drinks or cocktails. At holidays, sorbetes combine cava with lemon ice cream or slushies.

              Another regional drink made with cava is the delicious agua de Valencia made with freshly squeezed orange juice.

              Sorbete de Limón al Cava: Spanish Lemon Champagne Sorbet

              One of Spain’s signature desserts, the sorbete de limón al cava, or lemon champagne sorbet, is often served at weddings and fancy restaurants, but is simple enough to easily make at home.
              Check out this recipe
              Two champagne glasses filled with a lemon champagne sorbet and garnished with fresh spearmint leaves.

              Agua de Valencia Recipe

              Fresh orange juice and cava take center stage in this agua de Valencia recipe. Learn how to make this popular Spanish cocktail reminiscent of the mimosa.
              Check out this recipe
              A martini glass filled with agua de Valencia next to a carafe of more of the orange-based cocktail.

              Sidra

              Some people prefer drinking a glass of sidra with their holiday sweets instead. Sidras are hard ciders made from apples in Northern Spain. Asturias is especially known for their delicious ciders.

              Liqueurs

              After dessert and coffee, many restaurants will offer a shot of a liqueur on the house. In my region, the most popular liqueur offered is mistella, a locally made wine liqueur.

              Other sweet choices are apple schnapps and limoncello or creamier drinks like crema de orujo. On the less sweet side is plain orujo.

              Orujo is distlled, mainly in Northern Spain, from the residual grapes after wine production. Orujo is often served plain, but also served infused with herbs meant to be digestive. This infused orujo is called orujo de hierbas. (I wrote more about infusing digestive herbs in my post about how to make bitters.)

              Spanish Christmas Sweets

              While some of the foods already presented are common all around the world at Christmas time, what really sets Spain apart is its wide array of traditional Spanish Christmas treats. Here, almonds take center stage and are the protagonists of most of them.

              After holiday meals, one is normally presented with a plate filled with different types of turrón, marzipan, mantecados and polvorones, and other pastries. The are typically served with sidra, cava, or liqueurs such as mistella or orujo.

              • Different types of mantecados and polvorones
              • Peladillas are candy covered almonds

              Turrón

              Traditionally there were two main types of turrón. Turrón de Alicante is a hard nougat fillled with whole almonds. Turrón de Jijona is a softer, creamier tablet made from an almond paste.

              The traditional versions of turrón were made from almonds, honey, sugar, and eggs. Nowadays, though, you can find all sorts of “turrones” in the stores. My son’s favorite is a white chocolate turrón with crispy white rice.

              Pretty much any bar of chocolate or any sort of sweet paste formed into a bar for cutting and serving at Christmas time is now referred to as turrón. In fact, each year, crazier non-traditional turrón flavors such as “bubble gum” and “chorizo” show up on the market. While I love the unusual and wacky, I’m not too sure about either of those. ?

              Turrón de Alicante is a hard white nougat filled with whole almonds. Turrón de Jijona is a softer nougat made with an almond paste. Chocolate turrones are also popular at Christmas.

              Turrón recipes

              For those ready to try their hand at making the more traditional turrones, I have a couple of recipes up on the blog…

              Turrón de Jijona Recipe (Soft Spanish Almond Nougat)

              Homemade with toasted almonds and honey, this turrón de Jijona recipe will allow you to enjoy the sweet, smooth, popular Spanish Christmas treat anytime of the year, even if you aren’t in Spain. (Makes 2 tablets.)
              Check out this recipe
              Homemade turrón de Jijona (soft almond nougat) on a black slate platter with small pieces cut from it.

              Turron de Alicante Recipe (Spanish Hard Almond nougat)

              One of Spain’s most popular Christmas treats, turrón is an almond nougat made with almonds and honey. Today I’ll share my recipe for turrón de Alicante, the hard, white almond nougat. Makes 2 tablets
              Check out this recipe
              A tablet of homemade turrçon de Alicante (Hard Spanish almond nougat) wrapped in paper and decorated with baker's twine.

              Pastissets

              Some of the other traditional sweets vary by region.

              In my area, the Valencian community, pastissets de boniato are probably the most common Christmas pastry.

              The outer pastry is sometimes made with wheat flour and other times made with only almond flour. The filling also varies. While the more common pastissets use a white sweet potato filling called dulce de boniato, others are filled with an almond paste or cabello de angel (a sweet made from a specific type of pumpkin).

              For those wanting to try making pastissets de boniato, I have recipes for both the pastries and the filling on the blog.

              Pastissets de Boniato: Sweet Spanish Christmas Pastries

              The most popular Spanish Christmas pastry in my area of Spain, pastissets are a type of empanadilla that is often filled with a sweet boniato (white sweet potato) filling.
              Check out this recipe
              Homemade pastissets, a dessert empanadilla filled with a sweet boniato filling, on a baking tray with one broken open to show the filling.

              Dulce de Boniato – A Spanish Christmas Pastry Filling

              Dulce de boniato is a sweet Spanish pastry filling used mostly around Christmas for filling pastries like pastissets (pastelitos) or empanadillas dulces. While most people use the canned variety here, it is quite easy to make and tastes much better when you make it at home. 
              Check out this recipe
              A small bowl of dulce de boniato, a sweet Spanish pastry filling made from white sweet potatoes.

              Mantecados and polvorones

              Also normally made with ground almonds, mantecados and polvorones are smooth and silky cookies that are popularly served at Christmas. They are normally made in Southern Spain. An Andalusian town called Estepa is the most famous for distributing a wide variety of these cookies all over Spain.

              The most traditional mantecados use lard as the fat, giving the cookies a distinctive flavor unlike any other cookie I’ve tried. (Their name comes from “manteca” which means lard.) That said, you can now find mantecados and polvorones made with olive oil instead. They are also often flavored, and you can find everything from chocolate mantecados to coconut flavored ones.

              I love making mantecados, especially because I find the store-bought varieties to be too sweet. I have included both a traditional recipe and a gluten-free adaptation for those who need it.

              Mantecados and Polvorones: Typical Spanish Christmas Cookies

              Soft and crumbly, mantecados and polvorones are the most popular Christmas cookies here in Spain.
              Check out this recipe
              An assortment of homemade mantecados and polvorones on a black slate plate.

              Grain Free Mantecados Recipe: Spanish Christmas Cookies

              Smooth and silky like their traditional counterparts, these gluten-free and grain-free mantecados and polvorones are an allergy-friendly Christmas treat.
              Check out this recipe
              Two homemade mantecados or polvoron cookies on a plate with one broken open to reveal the smooth texture inside.

              Mazapán (Marzipan Candy)

              Finishing up the list of Spanish holiday treats is yet another almond-based sweet. Mazapán, or marzipan candy, is a sweet that is made from a sweet almond paste. The almond paste is formed into figures and then briefly cooked to give a golden brown appearance and a slightly crunchy exterior.

              Marzipan candy is a simple recipe that kids love helping to make.

              Toasted Marzipan (Mazapán)

              Delicious and fun to make, marzipan candy is one of the most popular holiday sweets served in Spain at Christmas time. It's a simple, easy recipe that kids will love to help you make.
              Check out this recipe
              Simple to make, yet impressive in appearance, marzipan figures, or 'figuras de Mazapán' are one of the most popular Christmas treats here in Spain. Kids will love to help you make and shape them. Learn how to make your own marzipan from scratch! #thethingswellmake #miy #marzipan #mazapan #christmasrecipes #spanishrecipes #almondrecipes #almonds #desserts #dessertrecipes #recipes

              3 King’s Day

              If you are planning a Spanish Christmas dinner, hopefully I’ve given you some inspiration for creating the perfect feast.

              Remember, though, that in Spain we celebrate the twelve days of Christmas, meaning that Christmas doesn’t end here until the Epiphany (Three King’s Day) on January 6th.

              So, when the holidays are winding down back home in the US, Christmas in Spain is just getting started.

              Roscón de Reyes

              The final day of the Christmas holiday, 3 King’s day brings a holiday treat of its own. Roscón de Reyes, served on that day, is a ring shaped cake that is often served filled with cream, chocolate cream, or cabello de angel.

              What’s even more fun about this cake, though, is that it normally hides a couple of treats inside. If, when eating your slice, you find a small figurine, you should be crowned king of the table. On the other hand, if you are unlucky enough to find a small bean instead, tradition states that you should be the one to pay for the cake.

              Update Information

              This post was originally published on December 25, 2015. It was rewritten, adding more food ideas and recipes in December of 2019.

              Wherever you may be, I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons!

              Category: Christmas, Spanish Food & Recipes

              About Tracy Ariza, DDS

              Tracy Ariza, B.A., D.D.S., left dentistry and the United States to found Oh, The Things We’ll Make!, writing to you from the Spanish Riviera. She loves making things herself in order to keep control of what goes in them. While far from perfect, she strives each day to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

              Previous Post:A plate full of homemade marzipan candy figures next to a baking sheet filled with them.How to Make Marzipan Candy Figures (Figuras de Mazapán)
              Next Post:Homemade Peppermint LiqueurA bottle of homemade peppermint liqueur wrapped in bakers twine with a sprig of fresh mint.

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              I love making my own natural products like soaps and lotions and my own pantry items like yogurt and salad dressings.
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