650+ Spanish Kitchen Vocabulary Words to Get Cooking

Spanish cuisine is celebrated for its vibrant colors, bold flavors, and passionate preparation methods.

Whether it’s the mouthwatering aroma of a sizzling paella, the tantalizing taste of jamón ibérico, or the refreshing burst of a 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 delectable food!

Check out over 650 essential Spanish kitchen vocabulary, from common ingredients to cooking techniques and beyond. Plus, see how to talk about items, tools and appliances around the kitchen.

Contents

• Cooking Terms in Spanish
• • Cooking methods
  • Culinary techniques
• Kitchen  Utensilios (Utensils),  Herramientas (Tools) and Vajilla (Crockery) 
• Electrodomésticos de Cocina (Kitchen Appliances) 
• Muebles de Cocina (Kitchen Furniture)
• Ingredientes (Ingredients) and Comida (Food)
• • Frutas (Fruits),  Verduras (Vegetables) and Legumbres (Legumes)
  • Productos de origen animal  (Animal Products)
  • Cereales  (Grains),  Semillas (Seeds) and  Pastas (Pastas)
  • Especias (Spices)
  • Salsas  (Sauces) and  Condimentos (Condiments)
• Unidades de Medida (Measurement Units) 
• Seguridad e Higiene Alimentaria (Food Safety and Hygiene)
• Common Spanish Phrases in the Kitchen
• Cultural Spanish Cuisine Names

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Cooking Terms in Spanish

Cooking methods

Culinary techniques

Kitchen  Utensilios (Utensils),  Herramientas (Tools) and Vajilla (Crockery) 

Electrodomésticos de Cocina (Kitchen Appliances) 

Muebles de Cocina (Kitchen Furniture)

Ingredientes (Ingredients) and Comida (Food)

Frutas (Fruits),  Verduras (Vegetables) and Legumbres (Legumes)

Productos de origen animal  (Animal Products)

Cereales  (Grains),  Semillas (Seeds) and  Pastas (Pastas)

Especias (Spices)

Salsas  (Sauces) and  Condimentos (Condiments)

Unidades de Medida (Measurement Units) 

Seguridad e Higiene Alimentaria (Food Safety and Hygiene)

Common Spanish Phrases in the Kitchen

Cultural Spanish Cuisine Names

• 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 a la 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.

Now you’re ready to head to the kitchen and cook up a storm… in Spanish!