Spanish Food Glossary
Read a glossary of Spanish words and phrases relating to food and cuisine. The list includes meals, dishes, ingredients, menu items and useful phrases for dining out in Spain.
Further information on many of the listed terms is available via accompanying links, plus information on related products.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Aceite - oil.
Aceite de oliva - olive oil.
Aceite girasol - sunflower oil.
Aceitunas - olives.
Afuega'l pitu - unpasteurised cow's milk cheese from Asturias.
Agua - water.
Agua mineral - mineral water.
Ahumado de Aliva - soft to semi-hard cheese from Cantabria.
Ahumados - smoked foods.
Ajo - garlic.
Albaricoque - apricot.
Albondigas - meatballs in tomato sauce.
Anchoas - anchovies.
Anguila - eel.
Arròs caldós - Ibizan rice broth.
Arròs negre - cuttlefish (or squid) and rice.
Arroz - rice.
Arroz caldoso - rice cooked in fish stock.
Arroz con conejo - rice with rabbit.
Asado - grilled, roast.
Atún - tuna.
Azúcar - sugar.
B
Bacalao - salted cod.
Bacallà a la llauna - "cod in a tin" - salted cod baked in tomato, garlic, paprika and wine.
Batata - (sweet) potato.
Bocadillo - sandwich made with baguette type bread with a variety of fillings including jamón, salchichón, cheese, sobrassada and pechuga.
Bodega - (wine) cellar or wine bar.
Borrego - lamb.
Botifarra - type of Catalan sausage.
Botifarra amb mongetes - Catalan sausage with fried white beans.
Brema - bream.
C
Cabra/o - goat.
Cabrales - blue cheese from Picos de Europa in Asturias.
Cabrito - kid.
Café - coffee.
Calamar - squid.
Caliente - hot.
Callos - tripe.
Camarero, camarera - waiter/waitress.
Camarones - prawns.
Caña - small glass of beer.
Cangrejo - crab.
Caracoles - snails.
Cargols - snails (Catalan).
Carnicería - butcher.
Carta - menu.
Cazón - dogfish.
Cebolla - onion.
Cena - dinner.
Cerdo - pork.
Cereza - cherry.
Cerveceria - beer bar.
Cerveza - beer.
Champiñón - mushroom.
Churro - fried dough.
Ciruela - plum.
Cocido a la madrileña - chickpea stew.
Cocina - kitchen, cuisine, cooking, stove, cookery, galley.
Col - cabbage.
Comedor - dining room.
Comida - food; lunch.
Comida vegetariana - vegetarian food.
Cordero asado lechal - roast spring lamb.
Crema catalana - Catalan version of crème brûlée.
Croquetas - croquette.
Cuchara - spoon.
Cuenta - bill, check.
Cuchillo - knife.
Cuina Catalana - Catalan cuisine.
D
Desayuno - breakfast.
E
El Rinconcillo - said to be the birth place of tapas in Seville. Read more
Escalivada - red peppers and aubergines in olive oil.
Escudella - Catalan meat and vegetable stew.
Espinacas - spinach.
Esqueixada - Catalan salted cod salad with tomato, white beans and olives.
F
Fabada (asturiana) - bean stew.
Fideuà - type of pasta similar to vermicelli usually cooked in paella.
Fresa - strawberry.
Frita/o - fried.
Fruta - fruit.
Frutería - greengrocer.
G
Gambas al ajillo - prawns fried in olive oil with roasted garlic.
Garbanzos - chickpeas.
Garbanzo con espinacas - chickpea and spinach stew in a rich tomato sauce.
Garrofó - a type of lima or butter bean.
Gazpacho - tomato-based Andalusian soup served cold.
Gracias - thank you.
Guisantes - peas.
H
Huevo - egg.
Huevos rotos - fried eggs and potatoes.
Horno - baked; oven, furnace, kiln, stove, bakery oven.
Huerta - orchard.
I
IVA - impuesto sobre el valor añadido (VAT).
J
Jabali - wild boar.
Jamón ibérico - Iberian ham.
Jarrete(s) - lamb stew.
Jerez - sherry.
Judías - beans.
Jugo de limon - lemon juice.
Jugo de manzana - apple juice.
Jugo de piña - pineapple juice
K
L
Langosta - lobster.
Langostinos - king prawns.
Lechazo asado - roast lamb.
Leche - milk.
Leche frita - dessert made with fried milk, egg yolks and flour then left to cool.
Lechuga - lettuce.
Legumbres - legumes.
Lenguado - sole.
Limón - lemon.
M
Maíz - corn.
Mandonguilles amb sèpia - meatballs and cuttlefish.
Manzana - apple.
Marcha - the action, the scene.
Mejillones - mussels.
Melocotón - peach.
Mercado - market.
Mercado municipal - city (municipal) market.
Mermelada - jam.
Mesa - table.
Miel - honey.
Migas - dried, fried breadcrumbs.
Movida - lively, party zone.
Morcilla - blood sausage.
N
Naranja - orange.
Navidad - Christmas.
Nueces - nuts.
O
Olivos - olives.
Ostras - oysters.
P
Paella - a rice dish originally from Valencia. Ingredients may include green beans, butter beans, peas, duck, rabbit, chicken, cooked in olive oil and chicken broth. The yellow color is achieved with saffron or turmeric.
Pan - bread.
Panadería - bakery.
Pastel - cake.
Pastelería - cake shop.
Patata - potato.
Patatas bravas - spicy potatoes.
Pato - duck.
Pavo - turkey.
Pechuga - chicken fillet.
Pedir - to order.
Pescado - fish.
Pescadería - fishmonger.
Pescaito frito - fried fish.
Pez patinador - skate (fish).
Pimiento - capsicum.
Pimientos de Padron - fried peppers.
Piña - pineapple.
Pinchos - tapas.
Pintxos - Basque version of tapas.
Pisto - ratatouille-type dish made with tomatoes, onions, and eggplant.
Plátano - banana.
Plato - plate.
Pollo - chicken.
Postre - dessert.
Pulpo - octopus.
Pulpo a la gallega - boiled octopus.
Q
Queso - cheese.
Queso manchego - sheep's cheese from La Mancha region.
R
Ración - portion, serving, dish.
Restaurante - restaurant.
Revuelto de huevos - scrambled eggs.
Rioja - a wine region of Spain.
S
Sal - salt.
Salmón - salmon.
Salmonete - red mullet.
Salmorejo - cold tomato soup with sherry vinegar, olive oil, and bread.
Salsa - sauce.
Salud - cheers!
Sandía - watermelon.
Sangria - a punch made with red wine and chopped fruit.
San Simón - semi-soft, smoked Galician cheese.
Sardinas - sardines.
Sidra - cider.
Solomillo Ibérico - pork fillet.
Sopa - soup.
Sopa de lentejas - lentil soup.
Supermercado - supermarket.
Suquet - fish and potato hotpot.
T
Tabaquería - tobacconist.
Taberna - tavern.
Tapas - appetizer or snack.
Té - tea.
Tempranillo - variety of grapes.
Tenedor - fork.
Ternasco - sucking lamb.
Ternera - veal.
Tetilla - dessert cheese from Galicia. Its name means "small breast" which it resembles.
Tienda da comestibles - grocery.
Tocino - bacon.
Tomate - tomato.
Torta del Casar - sheep's milk from the Extremadura region.
Tortilla - omelette.
Tripa - tripe.
Trucha - trout.
U
Uvas - grapes.
V
Vaca - beef.
Vaso - glass.
Verdura - vegetable.
Vino blanco - white wine.
Vino tinto - red wine.
W
X
Xouba - small sardines popular in Galicia.
Y
Z
Zanahoria - carrot.
Zarzuela - mixed seafood stew cooked in sofregit (tomato sauce).
Zumo - juice.
Zumo de naranja - orange juice.
