🧊 Cool

🫑 Escalivada

Roasted/Grilled red peppers and eggplant ripped into shreds and smothered in garlic, salt, and olive oil.

This is absolutely one of my favorite Valencian dishes (just, overall).

It’s the perfect aperitiu to go with some bread and cheese.

You also have the option of replacing the eggplant with codfish and you’ll get esgarraet instead. Another Valencian dish that is super common!

It’s so much better if you can flame-cook the red peppers and eggplant. But if you want to avoid the heat altogether, you can either:

• Buy them pre-cooked (it’s super common in Spain)

• Cook them in the microwave

Option 2 won’t be as tasty. But you get less sweaty.

In any case, the recipe is simple. Roast/cook the peppers and eggplant. Remove the skin. Shred with your hands into strips. Then cover generously with olive oil. Add some garlic and salt to your taste, and let it marinate for at least an hour in the fridge!

Pro Tip: High-quality olive oil makes ALL the difference here.

🥔 Ensaladilla Rusa

Ok, this one might not be 100% Valencian. It’s common all over Spain. And as the name suggests — it was invented by a Russian.

But that doesn’t change the fact that Valencians love their ensaladilla rusa in the summer!

Potatoes, carrots, peas, piquillo peppers, and lots of mayonnaise all mixed together and topped with olives and boiled eggs.

This is the go-to “I want something easy to feed a lot of people” dish.

Boil all the veggies, add salt and mayo to your liking, then decorate the top. Simple, easy, and refreshing.

➡️ Here’s a good recipe I found (in English!)

🍅 Chickpea Salad

Okay, maybe this is the easiest dish out of the whole email.

Chickpeas + tomatoes + garlic + parsley + olive oil.

And salt to your liking.

That’s it.

The key is good tomatoes and good olive oil. And as simple as it sounds — it is super flavorful. My (Valencian) mother-in-law makes this all the time in the summer and everyone loves it!

You literally don’t even need a recipe. Just measure with your heart.

🥛 Orxata i fartons

You might only be able to get this while you’re in Valencia.

But if you’re here — you can’t get through the summer without some orxata.

Think of it like almond milk’s sweeter, Valencian sister.

You can get it in a liquid or a slushie format. Then you dip fluffy, sweet breadsticks in it.

I recommend going to Daniel’s for an authentic taste. (I prefer the slushie version!)

Need help planning your trip?

➡️ See what to do in València
🥘 Find the best restaurants
🛌 Discover the best hotels
✈️ Get cheap flights
💳️ See if you need the tourist card

And if you want personalized support from a local: