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According to ABTA, the UK’s largest travel association, Spain was the number one destination for British tourists seeking a little bit of sun, a little bit of sand, and some good food in 2022.
It’s clear that we Brits love a little taste of Spain. With that in mind, we’ve put together our top tips to create a fantastic Spanish-themed party from the comfort of your own home. Whether it’s the food, the décor or even the music, our in-depth guide will help you astound your guests and impress the neighbours.
Spanish party food: what to serve
The great thing about hosting a Spanish-themed party is that you can create a menu with a wide variety of tastes that cater to the palettes of your guests.
Tapas is the perfect choice as it allows people the opportunity to try a number of different items over the course of the day or evening – whenever you choose to host your party.
What kind of food is tapas?
Traditionally, tapas are small savoury dishes, snacks or appetisers served across Spain. The best thing is there are a number of different options. It could be a range of breads and meat, or a selection of dishes with everything from ham, fish and fried squid to moreish olives, mushrooms and a mix of other vegetable dishes like artichokes.
Traditionally, tapas are small plates or servings, and it's a fabulous way to try something new and different to your regular cuisine.
Traditionally, tapas are small plates or servings, and it's a fabulous way to try something new and different to your regular cuisine.
Thinking about how to serve your tapas with flair? The Typhoon collection of tapas dishes features a traditional terracotta base with a beautiful high gloss top in either aqua or navy blue.
What do you serve at a tapas party?
The great thing about tapas is that you can serve whatever you want. Check out some of our tapas ideas for your dinner party below:
- Traditional Spanish tortilla
- Mixed olives
- Patatas bravas
- Spanish potato salad
- Authentic gazpacho
- Spanish cheeses like Manchego
- Mixed meats like Ibérico ham
Our favourite tapas recipes
Jamie Oliver Patatas Bravas
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 4 potatoes, peeled and halved if Maris Piper/large sized, or approximately 800g of using Charlottes or new potatoes
- 2 finely sliced garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary – only use the leaves not the stems
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Bravas Sauces
- 23 tsps. olive oil (to oil the pan)
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped finely
- 4 cloves of garlic finely sliced
- 3 fresh red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme – only use the leaves not the stems
- 1 x 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Method
- Boil the potatoes over a medium heat for 10 - 15 minutes, the potatoes should be tender, not soft. Drain the water, and leave to steam in the pan until dry and cool.
- To start the sauce, put another pan on a low heat and add the olive oil. Once the pan has come to temperature, add the onion and garlic.
- Cook for 5 - 8 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent, just before they begin to brown.
- Then, add your chillies, carrot and thyme to the pan, stir and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, sherry vinegar and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Bring your sauce to the boil and then decrease the heat and simmer sauce for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are soft and the sauce thick.
- Whilst simmering, put a large frying pan on a medium heat and add a little bit of olive oil.
- Cut your potatoes into neat bite-sized chunks. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the potatoes into the pan and cook for about 8 minutes.
- Keep the potatoes moving in the pan, but not too rigorously - you want a nice golden colour without breaking up the potatoes.
- Once golden, add the garlic and rosemary leaves to the pan.
- Transfer the potatoes, garlic and rosemary on to a plate lined with kitchen paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- Remove the paper and sprinkle over the paprika, fennel seeds and a good pinch of salt and toss together like a salad until well coated.
- Then blend your sauce until lovely and smooth. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Serve the sauce in a separate jug next to your potatoes or, if you want to emulate that bar on Las Ramblas you visited, get some small dishes, toss your potatoes in a bowl with the sauce.
Top tip: Cook in batches if you don’t have a large enough pan, so the potatoes aren’t overcrowded.
Nigella’s Spanish Omelette
Ingredients
- 225g baby new potatoes chopped into halve
- 4 large eggs
- 75g drained and chopped chargrilled or flame-roasted peppers from a jar
- 3 finely sliced spring onions
- 75g Manchego cheese, grated - or Cheddar cheese as an alternative
- 1 tsp butter
- Small drop of olive oil
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Method
- Turn your grill on to a medium/high heat so that it is ready for the final stage of the recipe.
- Prepare a pan of boiling water and cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until cooked through and then drain off the water.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs and combine with peppers, spring onions and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper and then add the cooked potatoes.
- In a heavy, oven proof pan, heat the butter and oil until the butter has melted. Then, pour in the omelette mix and cook gently for 5 minutes.
- After this time, the bottom of the omelette should be set, place a plate over the top, flip and cook on the other side.
- Turn the omelette out onto a plate and let it cool. If the omelette feels a little wobbly in the middle, it should continue to cook and set as it cools.
- Once cool, slice into 4 large or 8 smaller wedges on your tapas plates.
Top tip: Instead of trying to flip the omelette in the pan, sit it under your pre-heated grill for a few minutes to set the top.
Gordon Ramsay’s Gazpacho
Ingredients
Gazpacho
- 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1kg ripe plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves
- 2 finely sliced spring onions
- 75g stale crusty white bread, chopped into pieces
- 2–2½ tbsp sherry vinegar to taste
For the toasts (optional)
- 8 thin slices of Country-style white bread
- Olive oil, for brushing the bread
Method
- Put the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and spring onions in to a large mixing bowl.
- Then add the bread to the bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Add the sherry vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Mix together with your hands, pressing down to squeeze out the juices. Cover and chill, making sure you leave to marinade for at least 30 mins or overnight.
- After marinading, put the vegetable mixture into a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Check the consistency, if the mix is still a bit thick and not very rich looking, add a small amount of olive oil and mix again, repeat this until you reach your preferred consistency.
- At this point you can taste test, making any adjustments to the seasoning and adding a little more vinegar if you want to.
- Cover the bowl and chill again. Wait until the Gazpacho is really cold, and it will be ready to serve.
- Once ready, make the toast. Brush the slices of bread with a generous glug of olive oil. Prepare a large griddle pan over a medium heat and once the pan is hot, add the bread.
- Toast on both sides until crunchy and golden and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir the cold gazpacho, tasting again to check it’s seasoned to your liking.
- To serve, add ice cubes and sprinkle with chopped basil, a little drizzle of olive oil, placing the toasts alongside.
Top tip: As the Gazpacho is very cold, seasoning may have lessened so it is worth a check before serving.
For pudding, how about churros? A real talking point and absolutely delicious, these crispy treats could be the perfect finisher for your meal.
When it comes to drinks, a traditional sangria is a refreshing aperitif. This signature Spanish drink is a beautiful mix of fruits and spices. Even better, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to serving sangria, so whether you prefer it in a robust tumbler or a delicate wine glass, it really doesn’t matter.
If you’d like your guests to serve themselves, simply make your sangria in a jug or carafe.
Check out La Redoute’s gorgeous collection of glassware for serving inspiration.
Most supermarkets also stock a wide variety of European beers and ales – with customers being spoilt for choice when it comes to Spanish brands.
For the designated drives on your guestlist, fresh orange and sparkling juices are sure to go down a treat, and don’t forget to provide carafes of iced still and sparkling water for them to enjoy over the course of your event.
Setting the scene at your Spanish-themed party
Getting the décor right at your party is just as important as inviting the right guests and serving the right food.
Setting the scene outside
If you’re brave enough and the weather is looking like it’ll be on your side, you could host your party outside in the garden. This allows your guests to enjoy a day or evening in the summer sunshine.
Should you decide to host outside, it’s important to set the scene properly. Party décor is just as important as the food, the drinks and the guestlist.
The colourful Masti Light Garland is nearly 10m in length and features a garland of 20 energy efficient LEDs with a variety of multi-coloured nylon shades. Perfect for indoor and outdoor use, it will allow you to create a European vibe in your garden, with a warm hue once the sun goes down.
Sadly, even during the heights of the British summer, you can’t rely on waves of evening heat like you would on the continent. With that in mind, your garden could benefit from some added warmth.
Whether that’s by investing in an outdoor heating solution or going for something a little more intimate like throws and blankets, you’ll be able to keep your guests happy as they sip on their sangria and enjoy the amazing range of tapas you have provided.
Setting the scene inside
If anything, it’s a little trickier to get the right vibe when you are hosting a themed party indoors. Your interior design will have some part to play in making sure you can transport your guests to a world that feels typically Spanish – as this is something you can’t change up for each theme.
Tidy away any items you are concerned may get damaged and decide on the room or rooms you would like your guests to be allowed to enter, and those that you’d rather they stay out of.
Back to the entertaining space and setting up your table. To create a beautiful Spanish-inspired table setting, you’ll likely need the following items:
- Name cards
- Tablecloth(s) – look for Spanish colours to help the theme come to life
- Crockery and flatware
- Table accessories like candles and flowers
- Placemats and coasters
- Party favours for your guests to enjoy (optional of course)
When it comes to decorating your table, less is more. If you can, opt for colours that represent your theme. For Spanish, starting with colours from the Spanish flag is a great option (red and yellow).
Following this, you can accessorise your table based on these two colours, and materials you would expect to see in a Spanish villa. Marble table accessories are a great choice, evoking the picturesque white villas that dot the Spanish coastal landscape.
We particularly love these marble place settings and napkin rings – perfect if you are planning on providing name cards and adding a touch of luxury to your party.
When it comes to placemats, opt for a neutral palette, allowing the colours of your tablecloths to breathe. Jute is a great option for this and gives a rustic feel that your guests are sure to appreciate. Failing that, a simple linen placemat will also suffice.
Top tip: Matching your coasters to a placemat is a must for any table setting.
Creating the right atmosphere with music
The music you play at your event will depend on both the guestlist and what type of party you intend it to be. If you are looking for something informal with friends and family, you could create a playlist of hit Spanish songs.
For something easy, create a playlist of Spanish entries to the Eurovision Song Contest over the years. Spain takes the contest very seriously and has appeared every year since it first took part in 1961 (the only other country to do so is the UK).
Top tip: Make sure you have a good quality portable speaker on hand for your music – especially if you will be taking your party outside where the sound can easily be drowned out.
If Eurovision hits and Spanish pop music isn’t quite to your taste, a soothing collection of classical music by Spanish composers like Isaac Albeniz and Manuel de Falla will create an elegant vibe that will allow conversation to flow more naturally than with your guests having to compete with songs and lyrics.
Classics like de Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain (Noches en los jardines de España) and Albeniz’s Iberia really do have that typically Spanish feel to them.
Spanish party playlist
Here at La Redoute, we love a party playlist. Discover our songs of choice below and really set the scene for your guests.
And there you have it. Everything you need to create a fabulous Spanish-themed party. With great food, great company and a fantastic atmosphere, we’re sure your party will be a huge success!
