the arrival of autumn isn’t just about cooler evenings. Photo credit: Approved Photography/Shutterstock
For those of us who have lived in Spain for a while, it’s almost inevitable that we fall into the rhythm of the seasons. We start looking forward to different foods, pick up local traditions and find ourselves craving meals we might never have considered before moving here. Suddenly, the arrival of autumn isn’t just about cooler evenings and digging out a jumper; it’s about what goes on the dinner table, too.
From seasonal food traditions in Granada to comforting meals enjoyed in mountain villages and the countryside, residents across southern Spain have been sharing the dishes that make autumn feel like autumn. Some have fully embraced local specialities, while others have discovered unexpected favourites along the way.
When rain means ‘migas’ in Granada
Leslie, who has lived in Granada for over a decade tells us that where she lives, rainy weather means migas, a traditional Spanish dish made with flour or bread, depending on the region. Often served with a mixture of sweet and savoury accompaniments, it’s a simple, filling meal with plenty of regional variations.
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‘It’s a custom here to have migas made with flour whenever it rains. I’ve grown so used to it that I actually miss it when visiting family in England. It can be had with chorizo, melon and boquerones (anchovies) or sardines. I adore the dish and I would definitely call it one of my favourite comfort foods.’
Steve, also from Granada, looks forward to wild boar stew, a seasonal favourite in the surrounding countryside. Slow cooking makes the meat tender and creates a rich sauce, perfect for mopping up with bread. ‘I love the jabalí (wild boar) in a stew. It’s a dish they do here in the Sierra, and it’s only around this time of year you can eat it. Served with some bread for mopping up the sauce and a warm log fire in a venta (traditional country inn), and I’m complete.’
A taste of autumn beyond gazpacho
Ingrid 67, lives in Mijas, Málaga, has found a seasonal favourite that offers a change from Spain’s famous chilled summer soups. Her choice is a warm tomato soup made with local ingredients. ‘I really enjoy the Spanish version they do here in Mijas of tomato soup. It’s the autumn version of gazpacho; it’s warm, comforting and made with local tomatoes, peppers, onions, bread, garlic and asparagus. It’s a dish that, for me, welcomes the cooler months’.
While gazpacho is served cold, warm soups become appealing as temperatures fall. Málaga has its own traditional options, including gazpachuelo, a warm soup traditionally made with fish broth and a mayonnaise-based sauce.
Lentils with a meaty twist
Mateus who is 36 and lives in Cádiz, welcomes autumn with lentejas con pringá (lentils with leftover meats). Lentils are a staple of Spanish home cooking, often simmered with vegetables, potatoes or meat. Adding leftover cooked meats, usually from stews made the day before, makes this version particularly filling.
‘I welcome autumn with lentejas con pringá. It’s like your regular Spanish lentil dish but with leftover meats from other meals, such as pork, tocino (fatback), chorizo and morcilla (black pudding) cooked into it. It gets the body prepared for winter!’
Chestnut stew and seafood by the sea
Kerry, has been living in Aguadulce, Almería, for the past 4 years and finds it difficult to settle on just one autumn favourite. One takes her into the mountains, while the other brings her back to the coast. ‘My favourite autumn meal, that makes me feel like autumn is really here, is potaje de castañas (sweet chestnut stew). We take a drive up to the Alpujarra for it. It’s healthy, heart-warming and comforting.’
Chestnuts are a seasonal favourite in parts of Spain, particularly in mountainous areas. Their natural sweetness makes them well suited to savoury stews, giving traditional potaje a distinctive flavour. For Kerry, the journey to the Almeria side of the Alpujarra is part of the experience. Her second choice takes her to Cabo de Gata, where the ingredients reflect Almería’s coastal setting.
‘I also like visiting Cabo de Gata for their traditional caldo quemao (burnt broth). It’s also a stew but this time with potato, sardines, garlic, tomato and peppers. That’s my autumn surf ‘n’ turf.’ With sardines, potatoes, tomatoes and peppers, caldo quemao brings together familiar ingredients in a warming coastal dish, offering a different kind of comfort from the stews found in the mountains.
The autumn dessert that surprised a sceptic
Mike and Susan, have lived in Torrox for more than seven years, have different favourites. Mike admits that trying unfamiliar food doesn’t come naturally to him, but one autumn discovery changed his mind. ‘I’m not one for trying new things. I’m kind of stuck in my ways, I guess you could say. But what surprised me, and what I actually enjoyed, was roasted sweet potato or boniato as they call it here. It really was a bit of an unexpected food, which they have here as a dessert in autumn.’
Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes, making them a simple seasonal dessert as well as a versatile ingredient for savoury dishes. Susan prefers a more substantial option: puchero de garbanzos (chickpea stew), a traditional dish found in different forms across Andalusia. Chickpeas are often slowly cooked with vegetables and meat to create a filling broth. ‘It’s definitely got to be the puchero de garbanzos for me. Lovely dish, very filling and nice to enjoy whilst warming your feet by the heater under the table.’
Nothing beats a meal at a local venta
Johnathan, from Berja, Almería, tells us that autumn isn’t about one particular recipe. It’s about the welcoming atmosphere of a local venta, where the menu depends on what’s being cooked that day.
These country restaurants are known for comfort food, unfussy meals, with dishes ranging from rabbit, venison to steak and slow-cooked stews. ‘Oh, for me, it’s any venta food. There is nothing more homely and welcoming than eating at your local venta when the weather turns bad, a nice glass of wine and whatever they are cooking that day, rabbit, kid, steak… Nothing beats it.’
The flavours and traditions that make autumn special
Autumn in Spain brings its own flavours, whether it’s a dish you’ve grown up with, something you tried on a rainy afternoon or a meal that gives you an excuse to escape to the mountains. Sometimes, the best part isn’t what’s on the plate, but the memories and traditions that come with it.
What about you? Which dish makes you feel that autumn has finally arrived in Spain? Is it a traditional Spanish stew, roasted chestnuts on a chilly evening or something completely different that you’ve come to love since living here?