I recently hosted the ultimate Spanish tapas themed dinner party and felt I absolutely needed to share it with you!! This Spanish tapas menu features 10 crowd-pleasing small plates made for sharing. The majority of them have options to either prep in advance or serve immediately depending on how many you are making. This dinner should be plenty of food for 6-8 dinner guests.
I am so excited to be bringing you my first dinner party blog post! After hosting several dinner parties so far I have finally got the hang of prepping the day before to make my dinner parties a success. I had the best time putting this one together
The Menu - Spanish Tapas Themed
I use Canva to create digital invites. It’s super simple to use and they have a lot of great free templates! You can access my template here and edit it for your dinner party.
My 10 Recipes to make for your Spanish Tapas themed dinner party!! -
1. Serrano & Cheddar Croquettes (Makes 12)
Crispy, cheesy, and loaded with smoky ham - these never last long.
Ingredients:
- 500g potatoes, peeled & quartered
- 50g cheddar, grated
- 80g Serrano ham, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 75g plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 80g panko breadcrumbs
- 100ml vegetable oil
- To serve: aioli, chopped chives
Method:
- Boil potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes until soft. Drain and mash until smooth.
- In a bowl, mix the mash with cheese, ham, paprika, garlic, parsley, cayenne, salt, pepper, and cornflour.
- Set up 3 bowls: one with flour, one with beaten egg, one with panko. Shape the mix into 12 croquettes. Dip each one in flour, then egg, then panko to coat.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high for 3–4 minutes. Fry croquettes in two batches for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Top with a dollop of aioli and sprinkle with chives to serve.
Make-ahead tip: Refrigerate uncooked croquettes after breading, then fry just before serving. Or fry, chill, and reheat in the oven.
2. Patatas Bravas
Crispy potatoes, smoky-spiced tomato sauce, and creamy aioli—an iconic bite.
Ingredients:
- 650g potatoes, diced into chunks
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 150ml chicken stock
- To serve: 2 tablespoon aioli, chopped chives
Method:
- Parboil potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and leave to air dry.
- In a pan, heat oil over medium. Fry the onion for 4–5 minutes until soft, then add garlic for 1 minute.
- Stir in paprika, cayenne, flour, and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato purée and cook for another minute.
- Pour in chicken stock and sugar, stir well, then simmer for 3–4 minutes. Blend the sauce until smooth and keep warm or chill to reheat later.
- Fry potatoes in hot oil for about 10 minutes per batch until crisp, or roast at 200°C for 35–40 minutes.
- To serve: spread a layer of sauce on the plate, pile on the potatoes, then drizzle more sauce, add dollops of aioli, and finish with chives.
3. Spanish Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce (Makes 12 meatballs)
Juicy beef meatballs simmered in a red wine-spiked tomato sauce.
Ingredients:
For the meatballs:
- 500g beef mince (20% fat for juiciness)
- 1 egg
- 20g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 5g parsley, finely chopped
- Salt & pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil (for frying)
For the sauce:
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 100ml red wine
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Method:
- In a bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients. Mix well and shape into small balls (makes about 16–18). Chill for at least 15 minutes to help them hold shape.
- Heat a pan with a drizzle of oil. Fry meatballs in batches over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until browned.
- For the sauce, sauté garlic for 1 minute in the same pan. Add red wine and simmer for 3–4 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in tomatoes, paprika, cayenne, parsley, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the meatballs to an oven dish, pour over the sauce and store in the fridge until just before guests arrive. When almost ready to serve bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes until bubbling and hot.
If serving right away, 10 minutes in the oven is enough to bring it all together after browning.
4. Gazpacho Shots (Makes 10)
Chilled tomato soup in mini glasses for a refreshing and elegant palate cleanser.
Ingredients:
- 500g ripe tomatoes
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 cucumber, peeled
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Pinch of salt
Method:
- Roughly chop all veg and add to a food processor or blender. Add oil, vinegar, and salt. Blend for 1–2 minutes until very smooth.
- Pass through a sieve, pressing with a spoon to extract the liquid. Discard or save pulp.
- Chill the strained liquid in a jug for at least 1 hour. Stir well before pouring into shot glasses to serve.
5. Tapas Skewers – Gildas & Manchego-Chorizo (Makes 12 each)
Two no-cook tapas bites that are salty, satisfying and totally addictive.
Ingredients:
- 24 green olives
- 100g manchego cheese, cubed
- 100g cured chorizo, sliced
- 12 guindilla peppers
- 12 anchovies
Method:
- Gildas: Skewer 1 guindilla, 1 anchovy, and 1 olive (I like Perello for their size and flavour. Repeat to make 12.
- Manchego Skewers: Start with a cube of manchego, add an olive, a slice of chorizo, another manchego cube, and finish with an olive.
Prep these just before guests arrive for max flavour and texture.
6. Pan con Tomate
Fresh, vibrant, and deceptively simple, the essence of Spanish summer.
Ingredients:
- 1kg large ripe tomatoes
- Generous pinch of salt
- 1–2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 ciabatta loaf
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
Method:
- Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally, then toast or grill the bread until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side.
- Grate the tomatoes using a box grater into a large bowl. You should be left with the skins only, discard those.
- Strain the grated tomato pulp through a sieve into a second bowl. Add back a little tomato juice for looseness, but keep it thick and spoonable.
- Stir in salt and olive oil.
- To serve, rub the toasted bread with a cut clove of garlic, then spoon over the tomato mixture.
Best served fresh so the toast stays crunchy and the tomatoes zingy.
7. Gambas Pil Pil
Sizzling garlicky prawns served bubbling hot, minimal effort, max flavour.
Ingredients:
- 300g cooked prawns
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- Pinch of salt
- 5g fresh parsley, chopped
Method:
- In an ovenproof dish (or two small tapas-style dishes), add the olive oil, garlic, chilli, and a pinch of salt.
- Heat in the oven at 180°C for 8–10 minutes, or until the oil is hot and the garlic just begins to sizzle.
- Add the prawns, give everything a stir, and return to the oven for 5–10 minutes until heated through and fragrant.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve while still sizzling.
Serve with crusty bread to mop up that glorious oil.
8. Baked Chorizo
Spicy, smoky bites of chorizo roasted in rich, bold flavour.
Ingredients:
- 150g cured chorizo, sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
Method:
- Add all ingredients to an ovenproof dish and mix to coat the chorizo evenly.
- When ready to cook, bake at 180°C for 15–20 minutes, or until the edges start to crisp and the oils have coloured the dish deep red.
This dish smells amazing and reheats well, so feel free to prep it earlier in the day.
9. Frittata Bites (Makes 14–18 cubes)
A crowd-friendly tray bake of cheesy, veggie-packed frittata, ideal warm or cold.
Ingredients:
- 9 eggs
- 150ml double cream
- Salt & pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 50g spinach, chopped
- 100g fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 100g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 50g mozzarella, torn
- 100g feta, crumbled
Optional toppings:
- Roasted red pepper paste
- Aioli
Method:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, oregano, and plenty of salt and pepper.
- Line a deep baking dish. Scatter in half the spinach and both kinds of tomatoes.
- Pour over the egg mixture, then add the remaining spinach and tomatoes. Top with mozzarella and feta.
- Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes until golden and set.
- Cool completely, then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Slice into cubes.
- To serve, dollop with roasted red pepper paste and/or aioli.
These hold their shape beautifully and make great leftovers, too.
10. Jamon-Wrapped Melon (Makes 12–15 pieces)
Salty, sweet, and effortlessly chic, a two-ingredient classic with a fresh twist.
Ingredients:
- 1 cantaloupe melon
- 100g Jamón Serrano or similar
- 5g fresh basil, finely chopped
Method:
- Peel the melon, slice in half, and scoop out the seeds. Cut into 12–15 wedges.
- Wrap each melon slice with half a slice of jamón.
- Arrange on a platter and scatter with chopped basil just before serving.
Serve chilled for the ultimate contrast in textures and flavours.
