Top 10 Vegan Tapas Recipes (Homemade, Simple, Delicious)

October 2022 – The Spanish Radish Blog

Vegan tapas recipes in Spanish cuisine offer plenty of variety for vegans, including loads  of tasty recipes that can be made with little fuss in the kitchen. With most of the ingredients used forming part of the Mediterranean diet, the focus is usually on finding the freshest and best produce locally. 

From using ripe, succulent tomatoes to selecting the finestextra virgin olive oil, this attention to detail is what makes these dishes come alive in tapas bars across Spain. Thankfully, these can be replicated in your own home too.

All of these are simple to make at home and are a great introduction to vegan Spanish tapas options. We hope you enjoy making them and sampling them as much as we do!

Spanish Vegan Tapas

These vegan tapas recipes make our top 10 list because they are either the most common (and highly rated), the tastiest, or both:

1. Spicy patatas bravas
2. Padron peppers
3. Roast vegetable stacks
4. Papas arrugadas
5. Cocas
6. Authentic Gazpacho Recipe
7. Pan con tomate
8. Spinach with chickpeas
9. Chickpea fritters
10. Mediterranean hummus

1.Spicy potato tapas (Patatas bravas)

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Ready in: 30 minutes

Undeniably one of the most iconic vegan Spanish tapas dishes, patatas bravas is found all over Spain. Its true birthplace is disputed, but many argue that the dish originated in Madrid, home to thousands of spectacular tapas bars. 

This spicy patatas bravas recipe is ready in around 30 minutes and makes the most of hot and sweet smoked paprika to give the sauce a kick to it. 

2.

Padron peppers (Pimientos de Padrón)

• Prep time: 1 minutes
• Cook time: 4 minutes
• Ready in: 5 minutes

Named after Padrón in Galicia, these little green peppers are the stars of their own tapas dish. They require just extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and salt to accompany them but the result is exquisite. This Padrón pepper recipe takes around five minutes from start to finish.

4.

Papas arrugadas

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Ready in: 45 minutes

Papas arrugadas, or Canarian wrinkly potatoes as they are also affectionately known, is a dish with outstanding sauces originating in the Canary islands. The potatoes look wrinkly because they are boiled in salty water and they end up with a tender inside and crunchier outside texture. 

We’d say that dish is really about the sauces: mojo verde (green), mojo rojo (red), and mojo picón (spicy). They are out of this world and utterly addictive. The best thing about these is they pair so well with many other dishes and add a splash of flavor when you need it. 

The sauce is so good, its worth putting on literally anything. Here’s our Mojo sauce recipe!

5.

Coca (cake / pastry)

• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Cook time: 1.5 hour
• Resting time: 2 hours
• Ready in: 4 hours

A coca can be best described as a mini “pizza” hailing from the Valencia region, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands. However, the base and toppings differ from typical Italian pizza, and can be sweet or savory. Coques come with a range of interesting toppings, some of the most common include peas, spinach, and non-vegan ingredients too. 

This pumpkin and caramelized onion recipe also includes rosemary and pistachio nuts. One of the best things about coques is you can really get creative with the toppings, so once you get the dough down, the sky’s the limit!

   6.

Authentic gazpacho soup recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: Nil
• Resting time: 1 hour
• Ready in: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Gazpacho (also known as ‘gazpacho Andaluz‘) is typically a cold soup made from raw tomatoes and other ingredients blended together. You’ll find many recipes that have strayed far from the original concept these days, and many of them are delicious too, although not all vegan. 

This is an authentic gazpacho soup recipe that uses tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and bread. It doesn’t get more Spanish than that, with those ingredients.

   7.

Spanish tomato bread (Pan con tomate)

• Prep time: 1 minutes
• Cook time: 4 minutes
• Ready in: 5 minutes

This 5-minute pan con tomate recipe calls for tomatoes, bread, garlic, olive oil, and salt. But don’t be fooled by the simplicity of it. The flavors combine to produce something extraordinary and it makes a quick and healthy breakfast, snack, or tapas.

   8.

Vegan spinach with chickpeas (Espinacas con garbanzos)

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Ready in: 45 minutes

This tasy vegan -friendly dish is rich, super filling, and always a crowd-pleaser. It also contains many healthy ingredients so there’s no need to feel guilty. The two main stars are spinach and chickpeas, but there’s also apple cider vinegar, spices, and garlic, among others. 

Some of the health benefits of spinach include reducing blood pressure, preventing cancer, and supporting eye health. Chickpeas are also highly nutritious and help you feel fuller for longer.

   9.

Mediterranean chickpea fritters

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Resting time: 1 hour
• Ready in: 1 hour, 30 minutes

These Mediterranean chickpea fritters are also a healthy option (especially if you choose the oven-baked method). This recipe includes homemade romesco sauce, which can’t be missed, and goes amazing with chickpea fritters and many other dishes. 

Chickpeas aid your health by controlling blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, and strengthening your bones, among other impressive benefits.

   10.

Mediterranean hummus

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: None
• Ready in: 10 minutes

Hummus, in general, is so versatile because you can smear it over bread, use it as a dip, or use it as a condiment with any recipe you think it will work with. It’s healthy, flavorsome, and downright delicious. 

This Mediterranean-style hummus recipe includes paprika, which is probably the most widely used spice in Spanish cooking. You can also adapt the texture or introduce additional flavors by adding toasted nuts, olives, roasted red pepper, and other tasty ingredients.

Looking for some more Spanish cooking inspiration?

We hope you enjoy playing around with these vegan tapas recipes, and more importantly, eating them. 

If you’re looking for some vegan Spanish main meal ideas or sides, why not try:

• Mediterranean eggplant casserole with chickpeas and tomato – this is an easy dish to prepare, it’s nutritious, and is ready in around one hour.
• Seasonal roasted veggies – a veggie medley with a twist that can be ready in an hour.
• Poor man’s potatoes (patatas a lo probre) – a beautiful way to jazz up potatoes that produces a delicious result.
• Baked beetroot falafels – the beetroot gives these falafels a vibrant color and more depth to their flavor. Whip these up in around 40 minutes for a meal or snack that’s high in protein and nutrients.