Top 8 Catalan Stews

Escudella i carn d'olla is a popular, traditional Catalan soup filled with pasta, meat such as chicken or lamb, prosciutto pieces, ground pork, and botiffara sausage, with the addition of vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and Swiss chard. The soup is traditionally flavored with garlic, parsley, thyme, saffron, salt, and pepper. It is often made during the colder months or around Christmas, as its bold, rustic flavors are known to warm up anyone who consumes it. Escudella is consumed in two stages – first comes the broth with pasta, then the meat and vegetables.Expand

Zarzuela de mariscos is a traditional Catalan seafood stew. Although the dish is similar to Marseille's bouillabaise, it's more rustic because it contains ground almonds, and the flavors are bolder due to ingredients such as cured pork, peppers, and tomatoes. The foundation of zarzuela de mariscos, however, are mussels, clams, and shrimp, but some people like to add scallops and calamari as well. Other ingredients include saffron, white wine, olive oil, bay leaves, onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme, with smoked paprika and parsley used as garnishes. In Spain, zarzuela de mariscos is also commonly served as a tapa. The name zarzuela means operetta or variety show, referring to the versatility of the dish – the more seafood you add to the pot, the better its flavor will be.Expand

Suquet de peix is a Catalan potato-based seafood stew. It is made with any kind of fresh fish or seafood, potatoes, white wine, and fish stock, flavored with paprika and saffron. The stew is elevated with the addition of picada – a classic Catalan sauce traditionally made with a mortar and pestle – prepared with a combination of garlic, chili powder, roasted nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), and fried bread. It is recommended to serve this delicious stew with garlic-rubbed bread on the side.Expand

Boles de picolat is a traditional Catalan dish in which meatballs and olives are simmered in a rich sauce. Other ingredients include carrots, garlic, cepes mushrooms, tomato purée, and olive oil. The meatballs are often prepared with a combination of pork and beef mince, flour, eggs, and onions. They're fried in olive oil, then combined with the sauce. Once prepared, the dish is served with white beans, chickpeas, or rice on the side. It's important to note that the dish and some of the ingredients vary from restaurant to restaurant.Expand

Faves a la Catalana is a traditional dish originating from Catalonia. The dish is made with fava beans (broad beans) that are cooked in stock with a bit of botifarra negra (blood sausage). Apart from those key ingredients, the dish also contains bacon, onions, garlic, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, and paprika. Faves a la Catalana was prepared since ancient times, and some of the recipes date back to the mid-19th century. Nowadays, this hearty stew is typically consumed during the harvest season (from February to late June), and it's traditionally served in an earthenware dish.Expand

Freginat is a traditional Catalan dish originating from the city of Lleida. Although there are many versions, the dish is usually made with a combination of thinly sliced boneless pork, pork liver, white beans, onions, lard, bacon, salt, and black pepper. The onions are chopped and sautéed in lard. The bacon, pork, and pork liver are sautéed in lard in another pan until crisp. Cooked white beans are added to the onions and lard and sautéed. After a few minutes, the cooked meats are added to the beans and onions and mixed well. The dish is seasoned with salt and a generous amount of black pepper, and it's then simmered for a few more minutes and served.Expand

Escudela barrejada is a Catalan meat stew made with a combination of hen meat, pork belly, bone marrow broth, veal shank, giblets, pig's head, rice, vermicelli noodles, botifarra negra, and a variety of vegetables such as leeks, carrots, potatoes, turnips, and swiss chard. The meat and offal are cut into smaller pieces before being added to the broth. The combination is simmered with the vegetables, rice, and noodles, while the botifarra is added near the end of cooking.Expand

Bullinada is a traditional seafood and potato stew, associated with the Catalan cultural and historical domain, which means both the Spanish Catalonia and French Catalonia (the region of Pyrénées-Orientales). Bullinada is a warm, creamy, and nourishing dish mostly prepared during winter. When talking about seafood, bullinada can be prepared several ways: with only white fish, with only shellfish and prawns, or with a combination of all. This stew is served with fresh, crusty bread and paired with a light, white wine.Expand