10 Easy Tapas Recipes for a Tapas Dinner Party

* This is a sponsored post for Skinny Booze *
Enjoy all the flavours of Spain with these 10 Easy Tapas Recipes, that when put together make the most delicious tapas dinner party feast. From Spanish Tortilla, to Albondigas (smokey meatballs), Patatas Bravas, garlic prawns and the EASIEST Spanish Rice, and so much more. All delicious when served with reduced calorie wine from Skinny Booze.

If you love eating out at a tapas restaurant, then why not recreate the recipes at home? These 10 Easy Tapas Recipes are a favourite on any Spanish restaurant menu. These little dishes are packed with garlic, paprika, and herbs and are perfect for sharing.

Jump to:

• What is Tapas food?
• What wine to serve with tapas
• Lower calorie wine
• 10 Easy Tapas Recipes
• Extra tips

What is Tapas food?

In Spanish, you can have one 'tapa' and two or more 'tapas'. It is basically a small plate of Spanish cuisine and translates to 'top' or 'lid'. 

It is said that when people drank Sherry, they often covered their wine glasses with a slice of bread or meat to keep the flies from doing a nose-dive into the wine, and that is how tapas began and where it got its name. Tapas is classic Spanish cuisine.

Nowadays it is a popular cuisine all over the world and has moved on from a slice of ham covering a wine glass. There are many types of Tapas Bars and recipes can vary regionally, but popular tapas choices include chicken skewers, meatballs, cod croquettes, garlic prawns and crispy smokey potatoes - many of the Spanish tapas recipes you will find in this post.

The benefit of tapas is you can enjoy 4-5 smaller plates, and even share, so you get to have a hearty meal without being stuffed and you get to try a few different things.

What wine to serve with tapas

A good selection of wine is a must at any tapas dinner party, as tapas is made to be shared and enjoyed together, just like a good bottle of wine. Tapas food can be quite rich and heavy, which is why we like to keep the booze light.

That's why we have teamed up with Skinny Booze who have an amazing selection of reduced calorie wines (as well spirits and wines and ciders).

Experience all the satisfaction of drinking wine with fewer calories and less sugar with the fantastic selection of wine available on the Skinny Booze website. Selected not just for their calorie savings, but these wines are high in quality and flavour too.

When it comes to calories we don't like to drink too many, which is why we love the choice of reduced calorie wines from Skinny Booze. But quality and taste is important to us too, as it is to them. Many of the wines are vegan-friendly, as well as zero sugar – most notably the hugely popular Slimline Wine collection.

Lower calorie wine

Usually, lower calorie wines are only so because they have a lower ABV%, however the wines at Skinny Booze maintain a comparable ABV%. Full Strength, Full Flavour & Fewer Calories - just how we like it.

SkinnyBooze is the only place on the internet you can find products like that. They have sourced wines from all over the world which have significantly reduced Sugars and Carbs to offer the leanest portfolio of ‘better for you’ alcoholic alternatives in the market.

We went with one of the mixed cases of wine that are available on the Skinny Booze website, because then you can get a mix of red, white and rose which is ideal for a tapas dinner party where there is a mix of food like with these tapas dishes. You have red that goes really well with the chorizo (and is even used when cooking it), white to pair with the prawns and rose and a good in between wine.

10 Easy Tapas Recipes

Paprika Chicken Skewers - These skewers are smokey, a little bit spicy, and a delicious way to make chicken a little bit more exciting. Served with a smokey aioli dip, they are a must at a tapas dinner party. If you don't include the marinating time, these are ready in just 10 minutes! Get the Paprika Chicken Skewers recipe here.

Gambas Pil Pil - This is a recipe for garlic lovers. 6 whole garlic cloves go in to making this really quick and simple garlic shrimp dish. Gambas Pil Pil is a traditional Spanish dish that will transport your tastebuds to the Mediterranean. Get the Gambas Pil Pil recipe here.

Patatas Bravas - Crispy chunks of roasted potato topped with a smoky tomato sauce is another tapas classic. Delicious served with a simple aioli. Get the Patatas Bravas recipe here.

Chorizo in Red Wine - This is a really quick and simple tapas dish to put together. Slice up some rounds of chorizo and fry them with a little garlic until the edges start to crisp. Add a generous glug of Spanish red wine and cook until it reduces. Get the Chorizo in Red Wine recipe here.

Tortilla - Also known as a Spanish omelette, it is made with eggs and potato and is a classic traditional Spanish tapas dish. You can also add some red onion and chorizo to make it a bit more indulgent. Get the Tortilla recipe here.

Spanish Olives - These olives are a really easy side dish and not only great for a tapas dinner party, but just to keep in your fridge as a delicious Mediterranean flavoured snack. Juicy green olives marinated in garlic, lemon, coriander seeds, thyme and red chili pepper flakes for a little bit of a kick. Get the Spanish Olives recipe here.

Albondigas - These Spanish meatballs are really simple and easy to adapt. Take you favourite meatball recipe and add a generous spoon of paprika to it. Take the recipe for the smokey tomato sauce from the Patatas Bravas, but add a good glug of Spanish red wine to it to add some depth. Fry the meatballs to brown them and then finish cooking them in the sauce. Get the Albondigas recipe here.

Easy Spanish Rice - also known as Mexican Rice, it is a simple and delicious way to make rice more exciting. Perfect fluffy rice with smokey paprika and a hint of chilli, it is all made in one pot and has lots of uses. Get the Spanish Rice recipe here.

Serrano Ham Salad - What is a dinner party without a salad? We kept with the Spanish vibe by making this Serrano ham  and Manchego salad. We took a base of rocket lettuce (arugula) and dressed it in olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice and red wine vinegar and then topped it with Serrano ham (a traditional Spanish ham), shavings of Manchego cheese and some figs.

Extra tips

• Put out a selection of wines. A red, white and rose, so that there is something for everyone to go with all the different dishes on offer.
• Have a selection of breads out (including crusty bread, breadsticks and slices) with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a bowl for dipping.
• Put some Spanish meats, roasted red peppers and cheeses on a board as a filler if you have lots of guests. It's always better to have too much food and have leftovers than not have enough. Why not include our Antipasto Platter?
• Try to make as much as you can earlier on in the day or the night before. The olives can be made in advance and will keep in the fridge for a few days. The chicken skewers and meatballs can be made and kept in the fridge until they are ready to cook.
• Tapas makes great leftovers. Slices of tortilla make for a great snack as you are passing the fridge. The olives can be used in other meals like pastas and salads and the cooked chicken skewers are delicious in wraps.

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If you’ve tried any of these Easy Tapas Recipes please leave a comment below, we love hearing from you!
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