Spanish Tapas Salad with Tomatoes and Olives

This recipe for Spanish Tapas Salad was inspired by a 3-week trip to Spain I took a while back. We started in Barcelona and then took trains to Valencia, Granada, Torremolinos, Seville, and Madrid. It was magical and it is still one of my very favorite countries for its history, rich culture, and laid-back atmosphere.

There are tapas bars and tavernas everywhere where they serve small bites as appetizers throughout the day. The recipe below is just one of the many amazing side dishes you will find there.

Enjoy this recipe!

Spanish-Style Tapas Salad

Rebecca Forstadt Olkowski

A delicious Spanish-style salad that can be served as tapas and great with a little Sangria!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine Spanish

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 2 Tbsp Spanish Sherry can substitute red wine vinegar
• 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Try a Spanish Brand
• 1 Tbsp capers pickled in brine
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• 4 medium tomatoes ripe diced
• 12 whole Spanish Olives stuffed with pimento anchovy or garlic
• 1/2 cucumber peeled and diced. With Persian or hothouse you can leave the skin on
• 2 shallots finely chopped
• mixed lettuce or chicory

Instructions

 

• Whisk together the sherry, olive oil, garlic and paprika in a small bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper and set aside
• In a large bowl place the tomatoes, cucumber, shallots, and capers.
• Pour the dressing over and toss lightly
• Line individual bowls with lettuce or chicory leaves. Spoon a serving size into the center of each bowl and serve.

Everywhere you turn you will find a tapas bar

Lunch is the biggest meal in Spain and during “fiesta” workers will take long lunches at home, in the park, or at their local tapas bar. Dinner is served late often after 10 pm but the tavernas are always swarming with customers who come to socialize while whetting their taste buds with small bites of meat, fish, vegetables, and salads.

If you visit the Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona, you can purchase fresh vegetables, Spanish olives, fish, and meats, or eat tapas sitting at food stalls inside. It’s one of the most appetite-inducing public markets I’ve ever seen.

Here are some of the tapas plates and salads we found at Plaza Mayor in Madrid.

The food throughout the country is incredible but always different depending on the region you are in.

A little history of tapas

Tapas originated in the Southern province of Spain called Andalucia. It can be as simple as a piece of Jamon (ham) or a bowl of olives. Spanish King Alfonso the 10th, the Wise wasn’t feeling well and had to take small bites of food when he drank wine as a snack between meals. He made a decree that inns couldn’t serve wine without something to eat.

These small bites are typically served at Tavernas where people gather throughout the day to socialize with business partners, family, and friends. It keeps them from getting drunk during the day because many Spanish people drink wine at all hours.

Traditional Spanish salads are made with tomatoes, olives, and onions and sometimes with fish or eggs.

Small plates are a smart choice

The Spanish have it right by serving meals on small plates. It’s a good way to avoid overeating. You can employ this philosophy during meals and snacks by only using salad, dessert plates, or bowls rather than our oversized American-style dinner plates.

Find salad bowls on Amazon, here.

Have you eaten Tapas? Please leave a comment below and let us know.