Trends and Insights from Spanish Cuisine

Hola from Spain!

After a month-long summer break, we're back — batteries recharged and tastebuds truly spoiled. We took a family road trip along the north coast of Spain, starting in San Sebastián, weaving through Bilbao, Gijón, Luanco, A Coruña, Vigo and finishing in the capital of Rioja, an idyllic town called Haro. This rugged Atlantic stretch is a food lover’s dream: a coastline famed for its abundance of seafood, with pulpo (octopus) at its heart, and a tradition that celebrates fresh fish in every possible form.

Spain and Ireland share more in common than one might think — a deep love of black pudding, a reliance on the sea, and a fondness for hearty simplicity. Yet Spain offers a different rhythm of life: dinners that begin when we’re thinking about bed, a culture of pintxos (those jewel-like bites served with a drink, often standing shoulder-to-shoulder at the bar), and meals that often consist of just a few perfect ingredients celebrated with confidence. With Spanish cuisine increasingly popular in the UK — brands like DeNada gaining more shelf space, as well as Sainsbury’s and M&S now offering dedicated ranges in their aisles — it felt like the right time to dedicate this week’s newsletter to five standout products and experiences that caught my eye on the trip.

As always, enjoy the read and let me know if Spanish inspired food is in your product pipeline.

Annie x

BASSK CHEESECAKE & THE IDIAZABAL REVELATION

San Sebastián’s Bassk Cheesecake caught my imagination for its beautifully simple concept: one product, executed with total clarity and focus. The same idea came alive again in Bilbao, where at Víctor Montes we tried the Idiazabal cheesecake. Idiazabal is a smoked sheep’s milk cheese from the Basque region, and when baked into cheesecake it creates something entirely new — smoky, rich, caramelised, and unforgettable. It proves how one ingredient can elevate a classic into a signature. Alongside it, I discovered Goxua, a layered Basque dessert that’s essentially a local version of trifle — cream, syrup-soaked sponge, custard, and burnt caramel. The learning? Focus breeds innovation: by zooming in on a single product or tradition, you can unlock extraordinary originality.

GALPARSORO BAKERY: BREAD AS THEATRE

In San Sebastián’s Parte Vieja, we stumbled across Galparsoro Okindegia, a bakery that’s been part of the city since 1932 and is now run by the fourth generation. The queues told us everything: locals zipping in through a clever pre-order pick-up window, tourists queueing happily to breathe in the atmosphere. Inside, bread was displayed like art, with over 30 varieties — many organic — and the reputation to supply Michelin-starred restaurants. We picked up a muesli loaf for breakfast and a focaccia for lunch, both exceptional. What struck me most was how bread here is not background, but centre-stage. The takeaway? Make the everyday product extraordinary, and you’ll win both loyalty and queues out the door.

ZAMBURINAS: SMALL SCALLOPS, BIG FLAVOUR

In Vigo and Luanco we fell in love with zamburiñas — tiny Galician scallops that pack a flavour punch far beyond their size. Served simply grilled with olive oil, they were sweet, buttery, and almost addictive. Their magic lies in the pristine waters of Galicia and the region’s mastery in cooking seafood with absolute restraint. What’s innovative here is the celebration of “small is mighty.” In a world where bigger often means better, zamburiñas prove that delicacy, provenance, and simplicity can create luxury. The lesson? Sometimes innovation is just respecting scale and letting nature do the talking.

BLACK PUDDING TAPAS: TRADITION REINVENTED

Ireland and Spain’s shared love for black pudding came alive in tapas form. In Asturias and Galicia, morcilla (Spanish black pudding) was served in countless ways: with peppers, on bread, or fried into little bites. What feels exciting is how a humble, rustic product is transformed into a bite-sized, sharable, even elegant dish — making the old feel new again. For Irish producers, there’s inspiration here: black pudding needn’t only appear at breakfast. By rethinking format and context, tradition can find new markets and occasions.

EMPANADAS: PORTABLE, VERSATILE INNOVATION

One final standout is the empanada gallega, a filled pastry that’s part of everyday life in Galicia. Baked in large slabs and cut into slices, these golden pies are filled with tuna, cod, vegetables, or meat — endlessly versatile and perfect for sharing or eating on the go. For me, they represent innovation through portability: hearty, satisfying food in a convenient, social format. With handheld savouries on the rise, there’s clear scope for adaptation in other markets. The lesson? Think about how format and sharing potential can unlock new relevance for familiar foods.

SPICE SPOTLIGHT: PIMENTON DE LA VERA

No flavour says “north Spain” quite like pimentón de la Vera, the region’s iconic smoked paprika. Made by slowly drying red peppers over oak wood fires, it delivers a deep smokiness that transforms even the simplest dish. In Galicia, it’s sprinkled over tender pulpo a la gallega; in Asturias, it enriches hearty fabada bean stews; and across the country it’s the signature note in chorizo. What’s innovative here is its versatility: one humble spice acts as the backbone of seafood, meat, and vegetable dishes alike. The takeaway? A single, distinctive ingredient can become a cuisine’s calling card — and a shortcut to transporting eaters straight to a place.