American and other cooks who haven’t traveled widely in Spain may be puzzled to hear that there isn’t a great deal of use of herb and spice seasonings in the Spanish kitchen. A little basil, a sprig of thyme, half a bayleaf, a bit of ground cinnamon or cumin, a few leaves of yerbabuena or mint—these are used occasionally, or locally, or for special dishes that often have a link to Spain’s Arab or Jewish heritage. Cilantro, for instance, so ubiquitous in Mexican cuisine and almost certainly brought to Mexico by early Spanish settlers, is today only used in the southeast, around Cadiz, and in the Canary Isles.

Two important aromatics do show up, over and over again, in Spanish dishes—saffron, often called the world’s most expensive spice , and capsicum peppers, pimientos, sweet, hot, and in-between. Capsicums originated in the New World and were one of the first products brought back by Columbus who found bitingly hot ají chilis in the Caribbean. Spanish cooks use many different varieties of capsicums but ground pimentón or paprika is even more widely used. Read more about Spanish Pimentón. Or discover more information about saffron.

Other products on Spanish pantry shelves include:

Anchoas/Anchovies:

• Anchoas (anchovies) from the Mar Cantabrico, Spain’s northern sea, have been salt-cured, then rinsed and packed in olive oil
• Boquerones are also anchovies, but the name refers specifically to “white” anchovies, that have been pickled in oil and vinegar

Anchoas are more apt to be used in prepared dishes, while boquerones make wonderful tapas, especially accompanied by bread and unsalted butter

Atún/Tuna:

Spain produces some of the highest quality canned tuna available, not surprising since canned tuna is another ubiquitous ingredient, often served as part of an ordinary green salad as well as in delectable Galician pies called empañadas (see recipes). Conscientious cooks, however, should be aware that bluefin tuna is severely over-exploited; albacore, yellowfin, or bonito are the kinds of tuna to look for.

Another traditional tuna product is mojama, the salted and dried loin of tuna, served as a tapa, like a fine jamón, in papery slices briefly marinated in olive oil.

Bacalao/Salt Cod

Shoppers in Barcelona’s Boqueria and in other great markets in Spain will be stunned at the quality of salt cod and other salted fish products that are available—moist, dense, and enticing, utterly unlike the dried-up slabs of cod that are more often available on this side of the Atlantic. Cod doesn’t actually come from Spain—most of it is currently from Iceland where there’s a major industry in salt preservation—but it has been so ubiquitous for generations that it has to be part of the Spanish pantry. And Spanish preparations, especially those from the Basque Country, show the glory to which this humble ingredient can be brought.

Aceitunas y Aceite/Olives and Olive Oil:

Spanish extra-virgin olive oil is very high in quality; in fact, Spain was one of the first European countries to establish controlled denominations (denominaciones di origine or DO) for its olive oil production. There are now eight distinctive denominations, covering much if not all of the olive-producing regions. Olive oil is probably the most widely used cooking fat throughout the country, though there are regions, such as Galicia in the northwest, where olives don’t grow and consequently other fats (butter, lard) are used. Flavors of various olive oils vary greatly depending on the harvest and the type of olives used (arbequiña in Catalonia, picudo-picual in Andalucia, cornicapra in Segovia, etc.).

Olives, black, green, or brownish, dried, cured in oil, cured in brine, and/or with added aromatics, are omnipresent, in restaurants and home dining alike, always on the table, always part of a tapas selection, often offered free at the bar with a chilled glass of fino sherry. Like olive oil, olives themselves come in a vast number of varieties (empeltre, arbequiña, gordal, manzanilla). Olives are also an important ingredient in some dishes, especially meat and fish stews. Learn more about olives and olive oil.