{"id":75628,"date":"2023-07-18T12:22:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-18T10:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/visitanddo_1790.test\/?p=75628"},"modified":"2026-10-01T00:02:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T22:02:34","slug":"typical-malaga-dishes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitanddo.com\/en\/typical-malaga-dishes\/","title":{"rendered":"Traditional dishes from M\u00e1laga: 12 must-try dishes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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To understand M\u00e1laga\u2019s cuisine, one must look out to the sea and to the vegetable gardens at the same time. On the one hand, there is the coastal seafaring tradition, with fish grilled over charcoal or fried in olive oil; on the other, there are the hearty stews from inland areas, originating from the Montes de M\u00e1laga and the Antequera region.<\/p>\n

Almost all of these dishes originated as meals for fishermen or day labourers, made from whatever was to hand, and over time they have become a hallmark of the region. Here are the Twelve traditional dishes from M\u00e1laga<\/strong> what\u2019s worth trying, what they\u2019re like, where they come from and when they\u2019re at their best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Excursions from Malaga<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Sardine skewers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Espeto, the most iconic dish of the Malaga coast.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The province\u2019s most iconic dish. The sardines are threaded onto a cane<\/strong> and are stuck into the sand at an angle next to a boat laden with firewood, so that they are roasted by the heat radiating from the embers rather than directly over the fire. They remain juicy on the inside and smoky on the outside, and are eaten with your hands, with bread and without cutlery.<\/p>\n

When:<\/strong> The rules that everyone in M\u00e1laga follows are the months without an ‘r’<\/strong> \u2014May, June, July and August\u2014, when the sardines are at their fattest. Outside this period, the espeto is still available, but the fish is drier.<\/p>\n

Where:<\/strong> at the beach bars in the old fishing districts, El Palo<\/strong> and Pedregalejo<\/strong>, where the chef works in full view. Combine that with the sunset and you\u2019ve got the perfect evening: we\u2019ve got some ideas for you at The best sunsets in M\u00e1laga<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where to eat in Malaga<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Fried fish and Malaga-style fried mixed fish<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Freshly
Fried food, to share, and always straight from the frying pan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The M\u00e1laga-style fried platter combines the following on a single tray anchovies, squid, baby squid, red mullet, young squid and red seabream<\/strong>, sometimes with a slice of dogfish. The secret lies in the batter and very hot olive oil: the fish comes out crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and not at all greasy.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s meant to be shared, eaten fresh \u2014 waiting for it to go off ruins it \u2014 and seasoned only with lemon. It\u2019s the starting point for almost any meal on the coast.<\/p>\n\n

3. Victorian anchovies<\/h2>\n

The anchovy is so closely associated with the city that the people of M\u00e1laga are known as \u00abboquerones\u00bb<\/strong>. The one in M\u00e1laga Bay has its own name: the Victorian anchovy<\/strong>, smaller and finer than that found in other waters.<\/p>\n

It can be prepared in two ways. In vinegar<\/strong>, marinated in garlic and parsley and served cold, is one of the most popular tapas in the city centre. Fried<\/strong>, dusted in flour and often arranged with their tails joined together to form a fan shape, it is eaten in a single mouthful. Both versions stem from the same idea: there were so many fresh anchovies that they had to be eaten or preserved quickly.<\/p>\n\n

4. Gazpachuelo from M\u00e1laga<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Gazpachuelo is served hot: it\u2019s nothing like gazpacho.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be misled by the name: Gazpachuelo is served hot<\/strong>. It is a fish stock soup thickened with a mayonnaise or egg emulsion<\/strong>, with a dash of vinegar or lemon juice to give it its characteristic tang. It contains boiled potato and pieces of white fish, usually hake, and has a creamy texture that is nothing like that of cold gazpacho.<\/p>\n

It originated as a dish made by fishermen, who used the broth and unsold fish to prepare something nutritious and inexpensive. Today it is one of the most highly regarded dishes of M\u00e1laga\u2019s cuisine and is eaten mainly in winter.<\/p>\n\n

5. Ajoblanco<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Ajoblanco
Ajoblanco with Muscat grapes \u2013 the contrast that defines it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cold soup made from raw almonds, garlic, bread, olive oil, water and vinegar<\/strong>, blended until it forms a smooth, white cream. It is served very cold and topped with Muscat grapes<\/strong>, which provide a sweet contrast to the sharpness of the garlic. Some people serve it with melon.<\/p>\n

It has Andalusian roots and before the tomato gazpacho<\/strong>, because tomatoes did not reach Europe until later. It represents the cuisine of the drylands: with no irrigated vegetable gardens, just what the almond trees provided. The most famous one in the province is the Alm\u00e1char ajoblanco<\/strong>, in the Axarqu\u00eda, where a food festival is held in its honour every year.<\/p>\n\n

6. Antequera cheerleading squad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Antequera-style
Porra from Antequera, which is thicker than salmorejo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Chilled cream of ripe tomato, bread, garlic, green pepper, olive oil and salt<\/strong>, which is thicker and heartier than salmorejo. It is garnished with a hard-boiled egg and chopped ham, and depending on the restaurant, also with tuna, cod or orange.<\/p>\n

It comes from Antequera<\/strong>, in the interior of the province, where it was a country dish: it was filling and made good use of stale bread. Its thickness means it can almost be eaten as a meal in its own right on the hottest days.<\/p>\n\n

7. Dish from the mountains<\/h2>\n

The \u2018plato de los montes\u2019, or \u2018mountain dish\u2019, is the opposite of all of the above: pork loin in lard, chorizo, black pudding, chips, egg and fried peppers<\/strong>, all in one serving. A winter meal, designed to restore your strength.<\/p>\n

The name comes from the sales of the Montes de M\u00e1laga<\/strong>, on the old road that wound its way up from the capital towards Colmenar and the inland villages. Mule drivers and travellers used to stop there, and the dish has remained a symbol of the cuisine of the inland region.<\/p>\n\n

8. Malaga-style salad<\/h2>\n

Also known as country-style salad<\/strong>, combines orange, desalted cod, boiled potato, spring onion, olives and hard-boiled egg<\/strong>, dressed with olive oil. What makes it special is the contrast between the sweetness of the orange and the slight saltiness of the cod.<\/p>\n

It is a humble, traditional dish, linked to the province\u2019s citrus fruit cultivation, and is mainly eaten in autumn and winter<\/strong>, when oranges are in season. It goes very well with a skewer of grilled fish.<\/p>\n\n

9. M\u00e1laga-style cabbage<\/h2>\n

A hearty stew with chickpeas, beans, vegetables such as chard or cardoon, and pork from Av\u00edo<\/strong>: bacon, black pudding, chorizo and ribs. It\u2019s a hearty, slow-cooked dish \u2013 the sort of home-cooked winter food \u2013 and every part of the province has its own version.<\/p>\n

It forms part of the family of Andalusian stews and shares its origins with \u2018berza gitana\u2019. It isn\u2019t a dish you\u2019ll find on a tourist menu: you\u2019ll have to look for it in neighbourhood bars and roadside eateries.<\/p>\n\n

10. The country boy<\/h2>\n

The least well-known outside the province and the most commonplace within it. The \u2018campero\u2019 is a a round, flat bun, grilled on a griddle<\/strong>, usually filled with ham, cheese, chicken, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, and cut into four portions.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a Malaga speciality, and there are places that specialise in nothing but this. It doesn\u2019t feature on any haute cuisine lists, but it\u2019s what people in Malaga eat in the late afternoon, after a day at the beach or on their way out for a night out.<\/p>\n\n

11. Sweet wines from M\u00e1laga<\/h2>\n

Sweets are a staple of the Malaga table, not just for dessert. They are mainly made with Alexandrian Muscat and Pedro Xim\u00e9nez<\/strong>, produce intense and aromatic wines, and are protected by the M\u00e1laga Designation of Origin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

They have been produced in the Axarqu\u00eda and the Montes for centuries, and are served with both sweets and mature cheeses. In the capital, the Former Guard House<\/strong>, which has been open since 1840, still serves them in bulk straight from the barrels, keeping track of the bill with a piece of chalk on the counter. You can find the details in our guide to the best traditional wines from M\u00e1laga<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

12. Borrachuelos and olive oil fritters<\/h2>\n

The borrachuelos<\/strong> They are the province\u2019s sweet speciality: deep-fried pastries filled with angel hair or sweet potato<\/strong>, flavoured with sweet wine, aniseed and matalah\u00fava<\/strong>, and coated in sugar or honey. They\u2019re a Christmas treat, although they\u2019re available for much of the year.<\/p>\n

The oil cakes<\/strong>, thin and crispy, are made with olive oil, aniseed and sesame<\/strong>, and order a glass of muscatel to go with them. Both of these sweet treats are a direct legacy of Andalusian pastry-making.<\/p>\n\n

Where to sample M\u00e1laga\u2019s cuisine<\/h2>\n

Each category of dishes has its place, and mixing them up usually goes wrong:<\/p>\n