18 Pintxos Varieties
Ranked From the Best To the Worst

Pincho de tortilla is a traditional appetizer or bar snack originating from Basque Country. This classic pincho is made with Spanish tortilla omelet, which is nothing like the Mexican one – it's a cross between scrambled eggs and a crustless potato pie. The ingredients include potatoes, onions, milk, eggs, olive oil, and seasonings. The potatoes are sautéed in olive oil with the onions until both begin to soften, and the eggs are then scrambled in the same pan until the whole mixture becomes firm and fully cooked. This pincho is typically sliced into portions and skewered with a toothpick on a piece of baguette. It's recommended to use potato varieties such as Yukon Gold, Mona Lisa, or Kennebec when making the tortilla.Expand

Pincho de croquetas is a traditional appetizer or bar snack originating from the Basque Country. These simple pinchos are made with only two ingredients – ham croquettes (croquetas de jamón) and a piece of baguette. Of course, there are variations depending on the bar where it's prepared, so it's not uncommon to see a slice of pepper or tomato, or a bit of mayonnaise on top of the croquette. The croquetas de jamón are typically made with minced Spanish jamón, flour, milk, nutmeg, eggs, breadcrumbs, olive oil, and seasonings. Once prepared, they should be crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The croquetas are simply placed on a piece of baguette, then skewered with a toothpick and served.Expand

Pinchos Gilda are traditional Spanish pinchos originating from San Sebastian, Basque Country. They're made with a combination of pitted green olives (preferably of the manzanilla variety), anchovy fillets, and small hot pickled peppers such as guindillas or pepperoncini. In order to make pinchos Gilda, an olive, a folded anchovy, a pepper, and another olive are skewered on a toothpick, then served. This pincho variety was named after Rita Hayworth's character in the 1946 movie called Gilda. It's also the first pincho in history.Expand

Pincho de pimentos del piquillo rellenos de atún is a traditional appetizer or bar snack originating from Basque Country. This type of pincho is made with tuna-stuffed piquillo peppers. These hand-picked roasted peppers originate from Lodosa in Navarra. They're stuffed with tuna, usually bonito del norte or Albacore tuna, which is individually caught in the Bay of Biscay and it's prized for its light-colored flesh and rich flavor. The tuna is usually mixed with chopped shallots, a bit of mayonnaise, olive oil, some lemon juice, and seasonings. The stuffed peppers are typically skewered with a toothpick on a piece of baguette.Expand

Pincho gambas al ajillo is a traditional appetizer or bar snack originating from the Basque Country. These pinchos are made with a classic tapa called gambas al ajillo in which shrimps are sautéed in a small clay pot with lemon juice, paprika, olive oil, and minced garlic. Parsley is sometimes used as a garnish. Once prepared, a few shrimps are simply skewered with a toothpick, then served. There are variations on this pincho, so it's not uncommon to see the shrimps skewered with a piece of baguette on the bottom.Expand

Pincho de champiñon is a traditional appetizer or bar snack originating from Basque Country. These pinchos are usually made with a combination of small mushrooms, garlic, parsley, olive oil, white wine vinegar, paprika, and salt. A mixture of minced garlic and chopped parsley is spooned into each mushroom cap. The mushrooms are cooked in a bit of olive oil over low heat, sprinkled with vinegar, paprika, and salt, then cooked until heated through and aromatic. Three mushrooms are typically skewered on a toothpick, and the pinchos are always served warm, even though most others are either served chilled or at room temperature. There are a few variations on these pinchos, so it's not uncommon to see the mushrooms on a small piece of bread before they're skewered.Expand

Pincho dátiles con bacón is a traditional appetizer or bar snack originating from Basque Country, and it's especially popular in Bilbao. The pincho is made with bacon-wrapped dates. In order to prepare it, the dates are pitted, then stuffed with Marcona almonds, if desired. The bacon is thinly sliced, wrapped around the dates, and the combination is then baked until the bacon is browned and crispy. A toothpick is pierced through each pincho before serving. There are variations on this pincho, so it's not uncommon to see goat cheese in the combination as well.Expand

Pincho de cangrejo is a traditional appetizer or snack originating from Basque Country. These pinchos usually consist of thin baguette sliced that are topped with shredded crabmeat, mayonnaise, and scallions. The crabmeat should be as fresh as possible, the mayonnaise can be homemade or store-bought, while the scallions should be minced, and only the white parts are used. The crab meat is mixed with the mayonnaise and minced scallions, and the mixture is then spread on the baguette slices. This bar snack is typically served at room temperature.Expand

Pincho ensaladilla rusa is a traditional appetizer or bar snack originating from the Basque Country. These pinchos are made with ensaladilla rusa (Russian salad) and Cantabrian anchovies. The salad is prepared by mixing boiled potatoes, boiled carrots, bonito del norte (Albacore tuna), manzanilla olives, boiled eggs, and mayonnaise. The mixture is spooned on a piece of baguette, and it's then topped with an anchovy on top. Depending on the bar, the pincho can come with a toothpick pierced through it or not. This classic pincho has a few variations, so it's not uncommon to see it prepared with slightly different ingredients.Expand

Pincho de huevo y gamba is a traditional pincho originating from Basque Country. This bar snack is made with hard-cooked eggs, cooked shrimp, and mayonnaise. The eggs are peeled, sliced in half lengthwise, then topped with a shrimp and a teaspoon of mayonnaise, which can be homemade or store-bought. Each pincho is skewered with a toothpick, and the bite is served immediately. This pincho can be found in most bars in the Basque Country, both during the day and in the evening.Expand