Best Tapas Recipes to Enjoy This Summer

Summer parties are always fun - firing up the barbecue grill and enjoying some summer tapas and wine. Spanish tapas come in all types of flavors and some can be served cold or warm. They are often considered as an appetizer or a simple snack before a meal, but they can be great little dishes to entertain guests. You can just mix and match some dishes to make a delicious meal out of them!

Take advantage of the summer warm nights by entertaining your guests outdoor with some of Spain's fashionable tapas or small plates of tasty food shared among guests. To get you started, here are some of the best tapas recipes to enjoy this summer.

Vegan Mushroom Croquettes

These are Vegan Mushroom Croquettes or croquetas de setas are one of the most popular Spanish tapas. They are golden brown, nice and crispy on all sides. And the inside is smooth and creamy filled with bits of mushrooms and non-dairy milk. Check out this recipe from Cilantro and Citronella.

Total prep time: 3 hours and 15 minutes

Yield: 4

Here's what you need:

• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• ½ diced onion
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 215 grams (7.5 oz.) finely diced mushrooms (you can use any type of mushrooms, Asian, button, cremini, oyster, Portobello, etc.)
• ½ cup (75 grams) flour
• 2 ¾ cups (650 ml) unsweetened plant-based milk, divided
• ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable stock
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for the mushrooms
• 1 ½ cups (135 grams) bread crumbs
• Oil, for frying
• Pepper, to taste

Here's how to prepare it:

1. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the onion, fry until transparent. Add the garlic, fry until soft and fragrant. Transfer on a plate.
2. In the same pan, you used to fry the garlic and onions, fry the half the chopped mushrooms for a few minutes until browned on the first side and stir to brown on the other side. Once all sides are browned, season with salt and pepper and transfer to the plate with the garlic and onions and fry the second batch of mushrooms. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine 1 ¾ cups (400 ml) of the non-dairy milk and the vegetable stock in, stir to mix and set aside.
4. In a small pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sift in the flour carefully while stirring it in as you add it so that it doesn’t lump. Allow it to cook, stirring constantly until the raw flour smell goes away for a minute or two.
5. To make a sauce, add a small amount of the milk-stock mixture and whip it well. At first, it will dissolve, but keep on adding the liquid little by little, beating constantly to avoid lumps, until the mixture turns into a sauce. Once all the milk-stock mixture has been added, keep on stirring for a couple of minutes until it turns into a thick sauce.
6. Remove pan from the heat and add in ½ teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and stir. Transfer in a plate and let it cool to room temperature. Once cool, cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap onto the top of the filling, and refrigerate until completely cold.
7. When you’re ready to fry, in a small pot, heat oil for deep frying over medium heat.
8. In a large bowl, put the remaining cup (250 ml) of non-dairy milk and the breadcrumbs in another. Take about a teaspoon of the mushroom filling and roll it into a log shape. Cover the roll in breadcrumbs, then dip it into the milk and back into the breadcrumbs once again.
9. Fry the rolls batches of 5 or 6, turning as necessary, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain oil.

Baked Chicken Empanadas

These chicken empanadas from Food with Feeling are easy to make, delicious and typical Spanish tapas.

Total prep time: 30 minutes

Yield: 10

Here's what you need:

• 10 empanada disks, defrosted
• 2 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• 1 ½ cups of shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 4 oz. can of diced green chilies
• 1/2 cup of red bell pepper
• ½ cup of Greek yogurt (I used non-fat 0%)
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of pepper
• ½ teaspoon of paprika
• Optional: 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha for heat
• 1 Egg, beaten for wash

Here's how to prepare it:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, bell, pepper, green chilies, Greek yogurt, cumin, S&P, paprika, and sriracha.
3. Onto one side of defrosted empanada discs, put about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Leaving about ¼ inch clean around the edge.
4. Brush egg around the edges of half of the disc and fold the circle over the top of the filling. If the filling is coming out the sides at all, gently stuff it in and make sure that the edges are completely sealed.
5. Press the edges with a fork and brush the top of each empanada with the egg wash. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the tops of the empanadas just start to turn golden.
6. Let cool slightly and ENJOY!

Spanish Style Cheese Board

In this Spanish style board by My Kitchen Love, your guests can enjoy an assortment of Spanish cheeses, flavorful spreads, and meat with grapes, olives, figs, bread, and nuts.

Total prep time: 45 minutes

Yield: 8

Here's what you need:

Cheese Board:

• 1-2 cups Romesco sauce (see recipe below)
• 4 cups grapes on the vine, green and black
• 8 dates
• 3 links cured chorizo (the hard cured chorizo)
• 16 thin slices Serrano ham (prosciutto as a substitute Serrano is unavailable)
• 5 oz. Drunken Goat cheese
• 6 oz. Manchego cheese (aged 6 or 12 months)
• 5 oz. Iberico Cheese (or another Manchego as a substitute)
• 3 oz. (8 tbsp.) Cabrales cheese (creamy mild blue cheese as substitute)
• 3/4 cup mixed olives
• 1/4 cup pickled peppers
• 1/3 cup whole almonds
• 1 tbsp. sweet smoked paprika (pimenton)
• 1/4 cup quince paste (or quince jam)
• 1 large baguette

Optional Garnishes:

• 4-6 fresh figs
• 1/4 cup pea shoots

Romesco Sauce:

• 2 slices white sandwich bread (crusts on), toasted and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
• 1 tbsp. sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 large jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained (around 850 ml jars total)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 medium Roma tomatoes, halved (or tomatoes on the vine)
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar

Here’s how to prepare it:

Cheese Board:

1. Serve Romesco Sauce in a bowl on the board.
2. How to prepare the dates: On each date, make a small incision to remove the pit. Then stuff dates with Cabrales or blue cheese.
3. Slice 1-2 links of chorizo into 1/4" pieces and leave 1 link whole for the board.
4. In a small bowl, toss the almonds with the smoked paprika. Serve the almonds scattered around the board or in a small bowl.
5. Prepare the board in a style that works best for you (start with the big pieces such as cheeses, grapes, figs, etc. then move onto the smaller pieces). Arrange everything on and around the board. Top it off with optional garnishes if preferred.

To make Romesco Sauce:

1. In a food processor, add almonds, toasted bread pieces, paprika, salt, and sugar. Pulse until it turns into a crumb mixture. Pour mixture into a medium mixing bowl.
2. In a food processor, add the drained roasted red peppers, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, and vinegar and pulse until smooth.
3. Combine the pepper-tomato mixture and crumb mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until it turns into a thick dip/sauce.

To add more excitement to your summer party, this super cute summer themed magnetic wine glass charms will charm your guests! These best wine charms will dress up your glasses and make them unique on your summer parties, picnics and BBQ!

Enjoy the warm summer nights with delicious dishes and wine or even cold sangria. The Spanish culture of tapas is about conversing with friends and family gathered around makeshifts tables outdoor and enjoying some tapas and drinks on a warm night. Kick-off your party with these best summer tapas. As soon as summer arrives, bring on the tapeo outdoors and enjoy it!