Finding home-country foods in Spain and good substitutes

Key rules

• Big cities: Large cities and expat coasts have the widest choice of imported and ethnic foods.
• Small towns: Inland towns often have only a limited supermarket international aisle, so plan to order online.
• Substitutes: Learn the Spanish names of ingredients, since swaps are often sold under them.

Where to look first

You can find many home foods in Spain, but the choice depends on where you live. Big cities have the most. Small inland towns have the least. Where something is missing, a substitute usually works.

Start with the supermarket. Mercadona, Carrefour, Lidl, Dia, Alcampo and El Corte Inglés all have a small international aisle. Expect Mexican, Asian and British items, and some Middle Eastern ones. El Corte Inglés Gourmet and Carrefour have the widest range.

Ethnic and import shops

Ethnic shops cover Latin American, Chinese, Indian and Pakistani, Moroccan and halal, and Eastern European foods. Most are in large cities. In Madrid, try Lavapiés. In Barcelona, try the Raval.

British and American import shops exist on the coasts and in areas with many expats.

Online

If nothing nearby stocks what you want, order online. Options include the official website, supermarket delivery, specialist importers and Asian grocery webshops.

What to expect by area

• Large cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Sevilla): many ethnic shops and wide imported ranges.
• Coastal expat areas (Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, the Canary Islands, the Balearics): British and northern European products.
• Small inland towns: usually only the main supermarkets with a limited international aisle. For specialty items, order online or plan a trip to the nearest city.
• Farming areas with large immigrant communities: halal and Latin American items are often fairly common.

Swaps when you can't find it

Learn the Spanish names, because labels and market stalls use them. Common swaps:

• Cheddar: queso curado or Mahón.
• Cream cheese: queso crema or requesón.
• Sour cream: nata agria or yogur griego.
• Buttermilk: kefir, or milk with lemon.
• Maple or corn syrup: miel. Molasses: miel de caña.
• Bacon: panceta or beicon. Spicy sausage: chorizo.
• Canned pumpkin: roasted calabaza.
• Self-raising flour: plain flour plus levadura química.
• Brown sugar: azúcar moreno.
• Sweet potato: boniato. Zucchini: calabacín. Scallions: cebolleta.
• Cilantro: look for culantro or cilantro in markets, or use perejil (parsley) in a pinch. Flour tortillas are sold in supermarkets.

The list below shows where to buy each swap. The questions below cover small towns, British and northern European products, and the best city neighbourhoods.

Home-country food substitutes you can buy in Spain

What to ask for in a Spanish supermarket or market

• Supermarket cheese counter: Ask for queso curado or Mahón instead of cheddar.

• Supermarket dairy aisle: Use kefir, or milk with a little lemon, instead of buttermilk.

• Supermarket baking aisle: Buy miel instead of maple or corn syrup, and miel de caña instead of molasses.

• Supermarket or butcher counter: Ask for panceta or beicon instead of bacon.

• Greengrocer or market stall: Ask for boniato (sweet potato), calabacín (zucchini) and cebolleta (scallions).

• Greengrocer or market stall: Buy fresh calabaza and roast it instead of using canned pumpkin.

• Supermarket baking aisle: Pick up azúcar moreno for brown sugar, and plain flour plus levadura química (baking powder) for self-raising flour.

• Supermarket bread or wraps aisle: Look for flour tortillas, which most supermarkets sell.

Frequently asked questions

What can I do if I live in a small inland town with few imported foods?

Order specialty items online or make a trip to the nearest big city. Small inland towns usually have only the main supermarkets with a limited international aisle. Halal and Latin American items are often easier to find in farming towns with large immigrant populations.

Where can I find British or northern European products in Spain?

Look in the coastal expat areas, such as the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, the Canary Islands and the Balearics.

Which city neighbourhoods have the most ethnic food shops?

Lavapiés in Madrid and the Raval in Barcelona are well-known examples.

References

1. amazon.es