Spanish cuisine is celebrated for its vibrant colors, bold flavors, and passionate preparation methods. Whether it’s the aroma of a sizzling paella, the taste of jamón ibérico, or a refreshing gazpacho on a hot summer day, Spanish dishes are as diverse as the regions they hail from.
If you’re learning Spanish, it’s worth learning the vocabulary for talking about its food. Check out over 650 essential Spanish kitchen vocabulary, from common ingredients to cooking techniques. Plus, see how to talk about items, tools and appliances around the kitchen.
The cake is ready; we can take it out of the oven.
Es hora de voltear los panqueques.
It's time to flip the pancakes.
La receta indica dos tazas de harina.
The recipe calls for two cups of flour.
La salsa debe cocinarse a fuego lento durante al menos 15 minutos.
The sauce needs to simmer for at least 15 minutes.
La salsa debe cocinarse a fuego lento durante al menos 20 minutos.
The sauce needs to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
Necesitamos descongelar el pollo para la cena.
We need to defrost the chicken for dinner.
Necesito un cuchillo afilado para cortar esto.
I need a sharp knife to cut this.
No olvides poner el temporizador para las galletas.
Don't forget to set the timer for the cookies.
No olvides sazonar las verduras.
Don't forget to season the vegetables.
Nos quedamos sin azúcar, lo agregaré a la lista de compras.
We're out of sugar, I'll add it to the shopping list.
Pongamos la mesa antes de que lleguen los invitados.
Let's set the table before the guests arrive.
Por favor, lava los platos cuando terminemos de comer.
Please wash the dishes after we're done eating.
Por favor, pásame la tabla de cortar.
Please pass me the cutting board.
Ten cuidado con la sartén caliente, usa manoplas.
Be careful with the hot pan, use oven mitts.
Ten cuidado, la estufa está caliente.
Be careful, the stove is hot.
Voy a batir los huevos para la tortilla.
I'll whisk the eggs for the omelet.
Voy a precalentar el horno.
I'm going to preheat the oven.
Yo picaré las cebollas mientras tú pelas las papas.
I'll chop the onions while you peel the potatoes.
Cultural Spanish Cuisine Names
Here are some dishes from Spanish-speaking regions that you need to know, courtesy of our YouTube channel. With the vocab above, see if you can follow along with the recipes.
You’ll also want to get to know these dishes:
Paella
: A famous Valencian dish made with rice, saffron, vegetables, and a variety of meats like chicken, rabbit, and seafood.
Tapas
: Small, flavorful dishes often served as appetizers or snacks. Common tapas include patatas bravas (fried potatoes with spicy sauce), tortilla española (Spanish omelette), and gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp).
Gazpacho
: A cold tomato-based soup made with vegetables like cucumbers, bell peppers, and onions, seasoned with olive oil, vinegar, and garlic.
Jamón Ibérico
: A type of cured ham made from black Iberian pigs. It comes in different grades, with acorn-fed jamón (Jamón Ibérico de Bellota) being the most prized.
Churros
: Fried dough pastries, often served with a cup of thick hot chocolate for dipping.
Tortilla Española
: A traditional Spanish omelette made with eggs, potatoes, and sometimes onions.
Bacalao
: Dried and salted codfish, a common ingredient in Spanish cuisine.
Pisto
: A vegetable stew made with tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, onions, and eggplant, often served with a fried egg on top.
Fabada Asturiana
: A hearty bean stew originating from Asturias, made with large white beans, chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), and pork.
Flan
: A popular Spanish dessert, a creamy custard topped with caramel sauce.
Pulpo ala Gallega
: Galician-style octopus, boiled and served with olive oil, paprika, and coarse sea salt.
Patatas Bravas
: Fried potato cubes served with a spicy tomato-based sauce.
Gambas al Ajillo
: Garlic shrimp cooked in olive oil and chili peppers.
Horchata
: A refreshing drink made from tiger nuts (chufas), sugar, and water.
Escabeche
: A traditional preservation method for fish or meat, marinated in vinegar, oil, and spices.
Crema Catalana
: A custard dessert similar to crème brûlée, topped with a caramelized sugar crust.
Tacos
: Traditional Mexican street food, consisting of tortillas filled with various meats, vegetables, and salsa.
Ceviche
: A popular dish in many Latin American countries, made with raw fish or seafood marinated in citrus juices, spices, and vegetables.
Empanadas
: Savory pastries filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables, widely enjoyed throughout Latin America.
Arepas
: A staple in Colombian and Venezuelan cuisine, these cornmeal cakes are often split open and filled with meats, cheese, or beans.
Pupusas
: Traditional Salvadoran dish, thick corn tortillas filled with cheese, meat, or beans.
Ropa Vieja
: A Cuban shredded beef stew cooked with tomatoes, peppers, and onions.
Cuy
: A traditional dish in the Andean region, particularly in Peru and Ecuador, where guinea pig is roasted or fried.
Arroz con Pollo
: A popular Latin American chicken and rice dish, cooked with various spices and often vegetables.
Pisco Sour
: A famous Peruvian cocktail made with pisco, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white.
Pozole
: A traditional spicy Mexican soup or stew made with hominy (large corn kernels) and meat, usually pork or chicken.
Hungry for more? The FluentU program has plenty of cooking and kitchen vocabulary. The program uses videos to show you new vocabulary in natural context, which is a surefire recipe for success.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
Now you’re ready to head to the kitchen and cook up a storm… in Spanish!
And One More Thing…
If you've made it this far that means you probably enjoy learning Spanish with engaging material and will then love FluentU.
Other sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the Spanish language and culture over time. You’ll learn Spanish as it’s actually spoken by real people.
FluentU has a wide variety of videos, as you can see here:
FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive transcripts. You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don’t know, you can add it to a vocab list.
Review a complete interactive transcript under the Dialogue tab, and find words and phrases listed under Vocab.
Learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU’s robust learning engine. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.
The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning with the same video.
