In shortNumber 1 in our ranking is Spanish omelette (tortilla de patatas), followed by Valencian paella and Croquetas.
Choosing the best Spanish dishes is almost as controversial as football: every region defends its own, and rightly so. We looked for the best loved and most recognised from north to south.
And the big question: Spanish omelette with or without onion? Vote for your favourite dish below.
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We'll publish the readers' ranking once there are enough votes for it to be representative.
1. Spanish omelette (tortilla de patatas)
All of Spain
Egg, potato, olive oil and the eternal onion debate. It's in every bar, home and lunchbox in the country, and every family swears theirs is the best.
2. Valencian paella
Valencia region
Rice with chicken, rabbit, green beans and garrofó, cooked over an open fire with its crispy socarrat. The world's most famous Spanish dish, and the most controversial when someone adds chorizo.
3. Croquetas
All of Spain
Creamy béchamel, a crunchy coating and a thousand flavours: ham, chicken, salt cod, cocido. Homemade makes all the difference.
4. Cocido madrileño
Madrid
Chickpeas, vegetables and meats served in three courses: first the soup, then the chickpeas with vegetables and finally the meats. A winter ritual.
5. Andalusian gazpacho
Andalusia
Tomato, pepper, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and vinegar, served ice-cold. The most refreshing way to eat vegetables ever invented.
6. Galician-style octopus (pulpo a la gallega)
Galicia
'Pulpo á feira': boiled, cut with scissors and served on a wooden plate with olive oil, coarse salt and paprika. Perfect simplicity.
7. Fabada asturiana
Asturias
Large white beans slow-cooked with chorizo, black pudding and pork belly. As hearty and comforting as few dishes are.
8. Salmorejo cordobés
Córdoba
Tomato, bread, olive oil and garlic blended into a thick cream, topped with hard-boiled egg and ham. Gazpacho's richer cousin.
9. Iberian ham (jamón ibérico)
Dehesa pastures of south-western Spain
More than a dish, a national treasure. Hand-carved into thin slices, it is one of the most prized products in world gastronomy.
10. Roast suckling pig (cochinillo asado)
Segovia
Crispy skin and meat so tender that tradition calls for carving it with the edge of a plate. A classic of Castile's roast houses.
Frequently asked questions
Does Spanish omelette have onion in it?
It is Spain's great national debate. In a 2023 survey by the CIS, Spain's official sociological research centre, 70.4% of Spaniards said they preferred it with onion.
What goes into a traditional Valencian paella?
Rice, chicken, rabbit, flat green beans (ferraura), garrofó butter beans, tomato, olive oil, saffron or food colouring, and sometimes snails or rosemary.
What is the most typical Spanish dish?
Spanish omelette and paella are the best-known dishes in Spain and abroad, and they take the top two places in our ranking.
Would you change the order?
Tell us what's missing, what shouldn't be here or what you'd put at number 1.