Essential Spanish dishes | CNN

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Essential Spanish dishes

Updated 2:01 PM EDT, Fri September 29, 2023
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<strong>Paella:</strong> Originating in the region around Valencia, paella traditionally comes in two varieties: paella Valenciana (with rabbit and chicken) and seafood paella.
Paella: Originating in the region around Valencia, paella traditionally comes in two varieties: paella Valenciana (with rabbit and chicken) and seafood paella.
Maria Galan Still/Alamy Stock Photo
<strong>Patatas bravas: </strong>These delicious shallow-fried potato cubes are served with a spicy sauce.
Patatas bravas: These delicious shallow-fried potato cubes are served with a spicy sauce.
Erlantz Perez Rodriguez/Alamy Stock Photo
<strong>Gazpacho: </strong>This cold tomato-based soup is ideal for a hot Seville summer. In addition to tomato, it's usually flavored with peppers, garlic, bread and olive oil.
Gazpacho: This cold tomato-based soup is ideal for a hot Seville summer. In addition to tomato, it's usually flavored with peppers, garlic, bread and olive oil.
Ramon Grosso Dolarea/Alamy Stock Photo
<strong>Pimientos de Padrón:</strong> A perfect complement to a cool beverage, these salted Padrón peppers are addictively sweet, salty and sometimes fiery hot.
Pimientos de Padrón: A perfect complement to a cool beverage, these salted Padrón peppers are addictively sweet, salty and sometimes fiery hot.
Alexander Spatari/Moment RF/Getty Images
<strong>Fideuà: </strong>This is a Spanish pasta similar to vermicelli. It's popular in Catalonia and Valencia in seafood dishes that rival paella for their taste and intricacy.
Fideuà: This is a Spanish pasta similar to vermicelli. It's popular in Catalonia and Valencia in seafood dishes that rival paella for their taste and intricacy.
JackF/iStockphoto/Getty Images
<strong>Jamón:</strong> "Jamón is the staple of the Spanish table," says chef José Pizarro, who helms several restaurants in London. Jamón Serrano (from white pigs) is the most common kind. Jamón Iberico (from black pigs) is the more expensive kind.
Jamón: "Jamón is the staple of the Spanish table," says chef José Pizarro. Jamón Iberico (from black pigs) is the more expensive kind.
Javier Zayas Photography/Moment RF/Getty Images
<strong>Tortilla: </strong>The humble Spanish omelet can be made with chorizo, peppers and onions, among other ingredients, but purists will tell you it should only contain potatoes and eggs.
Tortilla: The humble Spanish omelet can be made with chorizo, peppers and onions, among other ingredients, but purists will tell you it should only contain potatoes and eggs.
Magdalena Bujak/Alamy Stock Photo
<strong>Churros: </strong>Few places make deep-fried dough as finger-licking good as Spain. Often doused in sugar and dipped in hot melted chocolate, churros are a favorite during street festivals.
Churros: Few places make deep-fried dough as finger-licking good as Spain. Often doused in sugar and dipped in hot melted chocolate, churros are a favorite during street festivals.
Roberto Machado Noa/Moment RF/Getty Images
<strong>Croquetas</strong>: These are tubes of bechamel sauce encased in fried breadcrumbs. Jamón  and salt cod are popular fillings.
Croquetas: These are tubes of bechamel sauce encased in fried breadcrumbs. Jamón and salt cod are popular fillings.
Rafa Elias/Moment RF/Getty Images
<strong>Albondigas: </strong>Found all over Spain, albondigas (or meatballs) is a classic tapas item served in a tomato sauce.
Albondigas: Found all over Spain, albondigas (or meatballs) is a classic tapas item served in a tomato sauce.
nito100/iStockphoto/Getty Images
<strong>Migas: </strong>Essentially dry breadcrumbs torn up and fried with ingredients like chorizo and bacon, migas has evolved from a peasant food to a dish served in fancy restaurants. It's the ultimate Spanish comfort food.
Migas: Essentially dry breadcrumbs torn up and fried with ingredients like chorizo and bacon, migas has evolved from a peasant food to a dish served in fancy restaurants. It's the ultimate Spanish comfort food.
Juana Mari Moya/Moment RF/Getty Images
<strong>Bacalao: </strong>Salted cod is served in many ways but is popular with pil-pil sauce, made of olive oil, garlic and the juice of the fish -- especially in the Basque Country.
Bacalao: Salted cod is served in many ways but is popular with pil-pil sauce, made of olive oil, garlic and the juice of the fish -- especially in the Basque Country.
Al Gonzalez/iStockphoto/Getty Images
<strong>Fabada: </strong>An Asturian favorite based around the white fabe bean, fabada is a one-pot feast usually served with a mixture of pork meats -- including chorizo, pork belly, bacon and Spanish blood sausage.
Fabada: An Asturian favorite based around the white fabe bean, fabada is a one-pot feast usually served with a mixture of pork meats -- including chorizo, pork belly, bacon and Spanish blood sausage.
Cris Cantón/Moment RF/Getty Images
<strong>Leche Frita: </strong>Milk, egg yolks and flour are whipped up, chilled and solidified before being coated in breadcrumbs and fried to create leche frita, one of the most popular desserts in Spain.
Leche Frita: Milk, egg yolks and flour are whipped up, chilled and solidified before being coated in breadcrumbs and fried to create leche frita, one of the most popular desserts in Spain.
Azahara Marcos de Leon/Alamy Stock Photo

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