Spain has a vibrant cuisine. Small plates or tapas steal theshow, but there are plenty of soups, stews and roasts to go around. Spanishfood shines for its simplicity and the quality of its ingredients. Even if you haven’ttried much Spanish food, the country’s signature dishes just taste like Spain!
One of the secrets behind Spanish food is its sauces. Usedsparingly, these accentuate the flavors in the food, and there seems to be asauce for your every need! Here are 10 Spanish sauces you need to try.
1. Romesco
Perhaps one of the most famous sauce in Spain, Romescois a specialtyin Catalonia, in the country’s northeast. The base of the sauce is tomatoes,red peppers and garlic, often roasted in wood-fired ovens. What makes Romescounique, though, are the toasted almonds and hazelnuts. Breadcrumbs or croutonsare typical ingredients in Romesco as well, as they help thicken the bright redsauce. This sauce is a beautiful dip, but you can serve it with grilledseafood, meat and veggies — it’s incredibly versatile.
2. Alioli
If you’re a foodie, you’re surely familiarized with theapparently simple emulsion of olive oil and garlic oralioli. There’s no doubtthis sauce, although sometimes spelled differently, has found a place in everyMediterranean kitchen, but it has a special place in Spain. Roasted garlic,high-quality olive oil, and sometimes condiments and seasonings make thiscreamy sauce a lovely dip that goes great with fries, rice dishes, fish andeven red meat and sausages.
3. Mojo rojo
There are several types of mojo, a typical sauce from theCanary Islands. The red variety is perhaps the most common, thanks to itsspiciness and bright flavors. Olive oil, chili peppers, garlic, vinegar and ahefty addition ofpaprika make this velvety red emulsion a beautiful additionto grilled meat and potatoes. Mojo is a local term for a dip, so you canimagine this red sauce is ideal for dipping all foods, especially fried fingerfood. There’s another type of mojo sauce we’d like you to meet, the green one.
4. Mojo verde
Mojo verde is another Spanish sauce from the Canary Islands,and its name means green dip. For this beauty, people blend coriander leaves orcilantro, parsley, green peppers, olive oil, vinegar and garlic. The result isan oily emulsion with intense herbal scents and a savory flavor that make itirresistible. The herbal and veggie-like sauce is usually served with fish,like cod, but it complements roasted baby potatoes and other small bitesnicely. Mojo can be spicy but it doesn’t always contain hot peppers.
5. Cabrales salsa
Blue cheese salsa is as pungent and aromatic as you canimagine, but it’s also addictively salty, creamy and flavorful. This Spanishsauce calls for Spain’s famous blue cheese, Cabrales, a specialty fromAsturias, Northern Spain. To make this cheesy sauce, you need blue cheese,heavy cream, butter, salt and pepper. The cheese alone is savory enough to givepersonality to this unique sauce. How to cook with blue cheese sauce? Thismasterpiece is excellent with pasta, scallops and other shellfish.
6. Almond salsa
The Romesco sauce is not the only typo of Spanish sauce thatcalls for nuts. There’s a sauce in Spain dedicated to almonds, and it’sdelicious. The almond sauce or “salsa de almendra” is made with toastedalmonds, garlic and parsley, and it might look and taste a bit like pesto. Tomake this sauce, the ingredients are mixed and fried in a saucepan, sometimeswith a tablespoon of flour to give it thickness and a richer mouthfeel. Thisnutty sauce is typical of chicken dishes.
7. Vizcaina sauce
This Spanish sauce is a specialty from the Basque Country inNorthern Spain, and it’s a sophisticated combination of red peppers, onion,garlic, tomato, breadcrumbs, fish stock, salt and pepper. There are manyversions of this iconic sauce, but everyone agrees it’s what gives flavor tothe region’s cuisine. This sauce is commonly served with fish, but it alsoshines with pork and veal. Vizcaina-style cod is a holiday staple, and it’salso enjoyed outside Spain. After Romesco, the Vizcaina sauce is the mostpopular sauce outside Spain.
8. Tomate frito
Not all types of Spanish sauce are complicated or unusual;some are relatively uncomplicated and familiar. The fried tomato sauce is similarto what you’d find in Italy — a red sauce made with fried tomatoes, garlic,onion, olive oil and aromatic herbs, including bay leaves and sometimes basil.This Mediterranean-inspired sauce is immensely popular in Spain, mainly usedfor stews, broths and pasta dishes. This is Spain’s version of your typicaltomato sauce, and it’s glorious when made with local ingredients.
9. Sofrito
Remarkably similar to the French mirepoix and the Italiansofritto, the Spanish sofrito is stir-fried onion, garlic, peppers andtomatoes, cooked over a low flame to tenderize the ingredients. Seasoning thisflavor base is common, and salt, pepper, paprika are the typical flavorings.What you get is a base to prepare a wide variety of stews, from slow-cookedmeat to paella. The sofrito might not be a sauce to add to food, but it’s abase for many dishes on the Spanish menu.
10. Scallop sauce
Known in Spanish as “salsa de vieira,” this is a specialtyin Galicia, “the Green Corner of Spain,” where seafood is what’s for dinner.Fried tomatoes, onion, garlic, a splash of vinegar and salt become a red, tangysauce that complements scallops beautifully, but also any other bounties of thesea, from squid to octopus. Fish is also compatible with scallop sauce, as itgains color and flavor intensity when tossed with this bright sauce. Not allsauces complement seafood, but salsa de vieira does wonderfully well!
Explore the World Through its Flavors!
Spanish sauces are undoubtedly exciting. Now, explore otherlands and cuisines — explore our Food Guide and learn moreabout your favorite dishes and ingredients. Food knowledge is a sure way toenjoy your meals even more.
You’ll never stop learning about food and world cuisines,but it’s always a great time to start. Food is culture, and it’s best enjoyedwith your friends and family! Let’s explore the world through its flavors andmake our time around the table more enjoyable!
At Le Gourmet Central, you can find all types of unique gourmet food including authentic Iberian cured ham from Spain, gourmet risottos and pasta from Italy, truffles specialties and so much more.
To find the best gourmet foods and gift baskets online, begin your search at legourmetcentral.com.
