Delicious Mallorcan food you must taste

The largest Balearic island is known for its beautiful beaches, towns, and villages, but also its delicious Mediterranean cuisine. Mallorcan food is based on a rich island tradition of preparing local ingredients, which you can find all over the island.

When it comes to Mallorcan food, you will come across fantastic dishes with quality local ingredients, such as garlic, olives, and olive oil. This cuisine is characterized by numerous delicious specialties with freshly caught fish, seafood, meat, and vegetables. In addition, various treats and snacks can be found with almonds, juicy lemon slices, walnuts, and natural spices from the fertile soils of the south of the island.

You can enjoy the rich traditional Mallorcan cuisine in some of the best gastro restaurants around the island. Your trip to Mallorca can also be completed by sampling locally grown food at one of the famous markets held in the island’s numerous towns and villages.

If you are in Mallorca, you will surely enjoy one of the local restaurants and delicious Spanish dishes on the menu. So that you know which dishes you must not miss, we have prepared a list of delicious Mallorcan food you must try.

The Famous Mallorca Cuisine

Mallorcan food is right for you if you are a fan of simple, traditional dishes full of flavor. The food from this island is also called Mallorquin food, characterized by the preparation of ingredients with a lot of olive oil, and is a favorite among many tourists.

When it comes to popular places to try the tastiest food in Mallorca, the capital city of Palma de Mallorca is the gastronomic center of the island. What is particularly attractive about Mallorcan food is that you can enjoy delicious food in different places that complete your gastronomic experience. So you can try Mallorcan specialties in luxurious restaurants in the city center, in one of the centuries-old windmills, or one of the small coastal fish restaurants. That way, you can have a unique culinary experience on this beautiful island.

Gastronomy is a great way to get to know a place and its culture. Mallorca is an ideal destination for food lovers, partly due to its rich history, which is why today we have a variety of local ingredients. Olives and grapes were brought to the island by the Romans, while the Moors brought lemons, figs, oranges, and almonds. The Romans made wine from grapes, while the Moors used them as dried fruit.

The diverse landscape that characterizes Mallorca is responsible for the rich bounty of delicious ingredients:

• The sea provides fresh seafood and fish
• Top-quality mushrooms and truffles are grown on the mountain ranges
• The plains in the interior are ideal for growing local vegetables and fruits, such as tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, olives, grapes, almonds, oranges, lemons, and persimmons (Japanese apples).

A large part of Mallorcan food consists of home-grown fruits and vegetables, often on private farms and within a family tradition. The same applies to other products, such as olive oil or salt, another vital ingredient this island offers.

Lovers of different pastries can also enjoy the offer of numerous bakeries throughout the island, as Mallorca offers many delicious baked goods of different shapes, sizes and tastes. Among them are bread, various cakes, as well as confectionery products. You can try coffee or hot chocolate in some of these lovely bakeries with the popular delicacy ensaïmada.

Local Products in Mallorca

Mallorcan food is distinguished by traditional recipes and domestic ingredients or products used to prepare popular specialties. Although small, this island can boast of exceptional local products, popular among them being various types of sausages and cheeses.

Botifarra

Botifarra (botifarrón) is a typical Mallorcan food made from the meat of the Negro Mallorqui pig. This characteristic Mallorcan sausage resembles a black pudding in appearance and is made from back fat, blood, and pure meat. Various spices, such as fennel and black pepper, give this Mallorcan specialty a unique aroma and excellent taste. Botifarra can be ideally combined with smoked peppers, local mushrooms, and naan bread or similar flatbread.

You can try some of the best botifarra at the TaPalma festival, mostly as an integral part of tapas. TaPalma is one of the popular gastronomic festivals you must visit if you like the local cuisine of Mallorca.

Tomatoes

The next characteristic domestic product in Mallorca is the tomato. You can find two delicious types of tomatoes on the island:

• A large salad tomato, which is known by that name
• Homemade Ramellet tomato variety

The tomato typically used for salad is distinguished in the first place by the fact that it is larger than the usual tomato and gives the salad a richer taste. Their taste is sweet and sour, so that they can be a great snack on their own, with the addition of local spices such as salt from the south of the island.

The Ramellet type of tomato is much smaller in size and has a regular round shape. It is often used when cooking various specialties or to rub bread when preparing traditional dishes such as Pa amb Oli. You can often see Ramelle tomatoes hanging from the roofs of houses on the island, tied with string.

Sobrasada

Another typical Mallorcan food for lovers of quality meat is Sobrasada, a dried sausage that is one of the most popular Mallorcan products when it comes to processed meat. Sobrasada is made from a mixture of ground ham, belly, shoulder, loin, and back of the Negro Mallorquí pig. It is rich in fats and can mostly be seasoned with salt and dried paprika.

Sobrasada is often used as a type of spread on bread precisely because of its full flavor and soft texture, and it can also be found as an integral part of numerous recipes. When cooking multiple specialties, sobrasada is used to give the dish a better and fuller taste.

If you want to find organic sobrasada sausage, look for it in one of the many markets around Mallorca or from other local producers.

Exquisite local dishes in Mallorca

Mallorcan food belongs to the cuisine characteristic of the Mediterranean, with its locally grown ingredients and products and full flavor that is achieved through special preparation.

We have prepared a detailed overview of some of Mallorca’s most impressive local specialties that you must try if you are a fan of top-quality food.

Coca Mallorquina

Mallorcan food that is extremely simple but has a fantastic taste is exactly Coca Mallorquina. This unique dish can also be briefly described as a Spanish-style pizza, but that is an incomplete explanation and cannot convey its exquisite taste.

Coca Mallorquina is an excellent representative of local Mallorcan food precisely because it is simply and traditionally made, with delicious seasonal vegetables. Flatbread dough is topped with different types of vegetables and then baked to create a dish that can also be served as a snack. Each of the variants of this dish is unique and can be found in many bakeries (panaderias) around the island.

Tapas

When talking about traditional Spanish cuisine, one often immediately thinks of tapas. Tapas is also part of the typical local Mallorcan food and can be found in numerous restaurants around the island and even in bars and cafes that serve it with a drink.

Tapas is a small, traditional savory dish, often served as an appetizer, snack, or snack. It can also be combined with other ingredients to make a complete meal. Tapas usually consist of meat and bread or different products such as ham, olives, stuffed mussels, stewed mushrooms, fried squid, and various vegetables.

The name of this local food comes from the Spanish word “tapar”, which means “to cover”. Excellent tapas can be found in many places around Mallorca, and they pair well with different drinks.

Sopas Mallorquinas

Typical traditional Mallorcan food is Sopas Mallorquinas, a thick and delicious soup made from different seasonal ingredients. Fantastic versions of these soups from Mallorca are ideal for some of the cold days in the mountains around the island.

Sopas Mallorquinas are made from different ingredients that can change according to the season and can often be found in them:

• Black and garlic
• Pieces of homemade bread
• Cabbage
• Beans
• Tomato
• Paprika
• Olive oil
• Beef, pork, or botifarrón can also be found in some soups

Arroz Brut

Traditional Spanish cuisine is characterized by unique rice specialties, so each region of Spain has its own characteristic rice dish. This is especially pronounced in the Mediterranean area, and rice and rice dishes occupy a place in the local Mallorcan food.

In Mallorca, a popular traditional dish made from rice is called “Arroz brut”, which translates as “dirty rice”. This specialty is specific in that it is made from a combination of different types of meat and vegetables, which depends on the time of year. In addition to meat and vegetables, this characteristic rice soup contains spices such as cinnamon, paprika, pepper, saffron, cloves, and nutmeg. When preparing rice, excess water is used to prepare the broth.

Arroz brut is prepared and served in many luxury restaurants in Mallorca in different varieties and forms. They are often found in the local produce section of the menu and are recommended as a must-try in Mallorca.

Delicious Desserts

We’ve compiled an overview of Mallorca’s favorite local specialties, as well as popular local products and ingredients. Mallorcan food includes, of course, delicious desserts that are definitely worth mentioning.

Ensaïmada with Fruits

A typical Mallorcan food that you can find in many bakeries around the island is Ensaïmada Rellena. This delicious delicacy is made from water, eggs, sugar, flour, and reduced pork fat called saïm, and the mixture is made into a unique shape by twisting the dough.

This delicious dessert is often filled with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and similar ingredients. It can be cut in half lengthwise or sold in one piece. Ensaïmada can also be filled with fruit and served with ice cream or cream. This dessert is usually eaten after the main course and is a favorite at various celebrations, family events, and special gatherings. A special type of delicacy is prepared from the remains of the Ensaïmada dessert, usually the next day.

Greixonera de Brossat

Cheesecake is a favorite dessert of many people worldwide, and it is also part of the local Mallorcan food you must try. The Mallorcan version of the cheesecake is the Greixonera de Brossat, a semi-cured cheesecake.

Greixonera de Brossat is a baked cheesecake with a characteristic aroma of lemon and cinnamon and is made in a round shape. The extremely sweet base of this tempting cheesecake is made from crushed white biscuits, and various fruits are often used as toppings. This particular dessert is not usually found on restaurant menus, but due to its exceptional taste, we recommend that you definitely try it if you have the opportunity.

Cremadillos dolces

When it comes to the pastries called Cremadillos, you can usually find the sweet version in bakeries in Mallorca. This pastry is another must-try Mallorcan food if you find yourself on this island.

The way to prepare this pastry is extremely simple. Puff pastry is filled with delicious fruit jams such as apricot, chocolate, or vanilla cream. A special type of this pastry can also be found in some bakeries; in that case, the puff pastry is filled with an attractive combination of sobrassada sausage and honey.

Tasty snacks

Local Mallorcan food also includes delicious snacks made from different ingredients, which are ideal if you want to try something new and different.

Cocarrois

Cocarrois are part of traditional Mallorcan food, which are actually a vegetable version of the popular savory meat pie called panada. These delicious pastries are usually prepared in the shape of a crescent, and the filling can include cauliflower, cabbage or spinach, with the addition of pine nuts and dried paprika. The dough can be made with the help of fat or butter, so it is good to inform yourself about it before consumption if you are a vegetarian.

Cremadillo de Bacalao

Exciting flavor combinations also characterize Mallorcan food, and the next pastry on our list is a real example of that. Cremadillo de Bacalao is a pastry that has a unique sweet taste due to its caramelized structure and flakes. What makes it exceptional is that it is filled with a delicious filling of salt cod or red pepper. This unusual combination of ingredients will undoubtedly intrigue you, so we suggest you try Cremadillo de Bacalao at the first opportunity.

Galletas d’Oli

Another snack that belongs to Mallorcan food is the popular salty biscuit, a favorite among locals. As a true representative of Mallorcan snacks, this small, dry biscuit is a must-try food for anyone who finds themselves on the island and should take home at least one pack. This savory biscuit is also called the Inca biscuit and is often topped with sobrassada or a few olives.