Warm Up! 5 Spanish Dishes Perfect for the Cold Months

As the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people usually look for hearty meals to warm up. Spanish cuisine offers a lot of the best meals with rich flavours that everyone should try. Whether you’re planning to visit Spain or Spanish restaurants soon, you should try the most popular dishes perfect for the cold weather. 

From the ever-popular and flavourful paella to the sweet and chocolatey churros. You can never get enough of the Spanish cuisine. In this article, we’ll discuss and give you an overview of the best dishes you should try during the cold months. 

1. Paella

Paella is one of the most popular comfort foods in the world. Whether from Spain or not, many people find it to be one of their favourite dishes. 

Traditionally, paella is cooked in a shallow pan, where various ingredients, like rice, beans, rabbit, and snails are combined. In addition, they add various spices, including the most expensive spice, saffron, that create a savoury and warm meal. 

According to its origin, paella was created when farmers mixed all their available ingredients for lunch. From there, various regions in Spain created their versions of the dish, which is why there are seafood, chicken, and mixed paella. 

Today, aside from being a regular meal, paella is also served for different events, like weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries. 

2. Cocido Madrileño

Are you looking for a hearty stew? Cocido Madrileño, which originated in Madrid, is the epitome of comfort food due to its flavorful broth simmered to perfection. The broth is usually made from chicken, chorizo, and pork. Meanwhile, other ingredients are vegetables and chickpeas. 

Another fascinating thing about Cocido Madrileño is that the traditional way of serving is in multiple courses. Starting from the broth, then the meat and vegetables, and finally the noodles or rice cooked in the broth. 

In the beginning, this was considered a poor man’s dish since it was made from all available, cheap ingredients. However, today, this is a well-loved dish available in Spanish restaurants in various countries, and local restaurants in Spain. 

3. Fabada Asturiana

Fabada Asturiana came from the northern part of Asturias. It’s a white bean stew with sausages (sometimes chorizo), pork cut into various pieces, and some spices. Traditionally, Fabada Asturiana is slowly cooked to the point that the white beans absorb all the flavours of the ingredients. Additionally, due to the cooking process and ingredients, you can also notice various textures. So, if you’re looking for a hearty meal during the cold seasons. It’s usually served with crusty bread on the side. 

Although this is a simple dish, it guarantees a flavorful experience. You can even make this yourself using the available ingredients at home. As long as you have some beans, meat, and a few species, you’re good to go. 

4. Churros con Chocolate

Do you love sweets? One of the most popular Spanish treats is churros con chocolate. It’s made of deep-fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. In addition, it usually comes with hot chocolate sauce. The combination of the soft pastry and the sweet chocolate creates a great texture that people usually look for during the cold season. 

Churros con chocolate is usually served as a snack or breakfast, but not as a dessert. However, at the beginning of the 19th century, churros were commonly served in Madrid as breakfast. 

5. Rabo de Toro

Rabo de Toro is a traditional Spanish dish from the Andalusia region. It’s a stew made of oxtail, celery, carrots, garlic, onion, tomatoes, red wine, olive oil, and other herbs and spices. This dish is believed to originate back in the Roman Times. 

One of the most delicious cold-weather dishes in Spain is a bull tail stew or rabo de toro. This Spanish recipe is a classic dish served in restaurants throughout the country. My mother-in-law’s traditional recipe will show you how to replicate this mouthwatering dish at home!

Final Thoughts

During the cold months, people usually look for warm and hearty dishes that can satisfy their cravings. And if you’re one of those people who love to try new things, you should try the Spanish cuisine. They offer various dishes that will surely warm you up. 

 

We hope this article gives you great ideas when looking for the Spanish dishes you should try during the cold season. If you want to add more to this list, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!