My wife and I love to travel and try new things, and one thing we came across on our travels is Spanish style pizza. When we think of Spanish food, we think of smoky chorizo, creamy Manchego cheese, salty olives, crispy fried anchovies, other strange pizza toppings, and delicate little plates of tapas.
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Since we love Spain and Spanish food, we were excited when we tried Spanish style pizza for the first time years ago, and it didn’t disappoint. Since then, Spanish pizza has been in regular rotation on our weekly pizza night menu.
What is Spanish Style Pizza?
You may not have seen these pizzas on the menu at your local pizzeria; Spanish pizza isn’t as popular as other varieties of pizza, like Chicago deep dish or New York style pizza. Spanish pizza is characterized by local delicacies and varies from region to region, just like other countries pizza styles, for example Thai Chicken pizza or Turkish style pizza.
Spain is a large country with an extensive history that is showcased through its cuisine. Spain has been heavily influenced by their neighbors in North Africa and the Mediterranean, so Spanish style pizza isn’t really one thing. It is a mix of flavors from the entire Mediterranean region.
You will find Spanish pizza with seafood, chorizo, and local vegetables and spices, making it a unique style of pizza. We have chosen a few of our favorites to share so you can incorporate Spanish pizza into your next pizza night.
They all start with your favorite pizza dough. You can use homemade pizza dough (which you should), but you can also use store-bought dough or even flatbreads too.
Spanish Style Pizza in Four Ways
Catalan Coca
Coca refers to a pastry in Catalan, the language of the northwestern region of Spain. In that region, coca is a pastry that can be sweet or savory and comes either opened or closed.
The closed coca resembles the Italian calzone, and the open coca resembles the Italian focaccia. So even though the name is different, it is the Spanish version and essentially pizza.
They can be sold in slices or whole and are inexpensive local food. However, the biggest thing that makes them unique is that they don’t have cheese like a typical pizza and instead are topped with smoked meats and vegetables. The sweet ones have a mix of fruit, honey, sugar, and nuts.
To make Spanish coca, roll out your dough but leave it on the thicker side. Spread it onto your pizza pan. We recommend a pan with a lip, like a deep dish pan.
Stretch the dough and use your fingers to make indents similar to focaccia. Cover in olive oil and let rise. When the dough has risen, you can add caramelized onions and thin slices of tomatoes or zucchini.
Add a bit more olive oil, salt, and pepper, then bake for ten minutes at 400º F. You won’t miss the cheese, we promise.
FYI: The Catalan language is different than Spanish. If you are speaking Spanish in Mexico or Central/ South America, if you order coca, you will either get a popular soda or cocaine, so be careful.
Chorizo and Peppers
Spanish chorizo is a cured, seasoned sausage made from pork and regularly listed as one of the best meats for homemade pizza. It gets its deep red hue from smoky paprika and can be spicy hot, or mild.
It’s different from Mexican chorizo, which is typically fresh and removed from the casing when cooked. Spanish chorizo is similar to hard salami, and it’s the quintessential Spanish meat.
The best way to use Spanish chorizo on pizza is to combine it with a mix of onions and bell peppers. We love spicy chorizo with sweet caramelized onions and colorful peppers; mild chorizo is great too.
Tapas
If you have never had tapas, you are in for a treat. Tapas are small plates of food served with drinks. Tapas are bigger than appetizers but not as big as a meal. They can be elaborate with grilled octopus in aioli or quite simple with garlic bread rubbed with tomato, similar to bruschetta.
And tapas can be like mini pizzas. We included them on the list because many tapas have a base of bread or dough and a topping, viola mini pizzas.
If you want to make tapas at home, you can use flatbread or pizza dough. Either way, the pieces should be bigger than a canape appetizer but not quite the size of a personal pan pizza either. We like to roll out the dough and use an upturned drinking glass to cut out the shape.
Now that you have a mini canvas, you can brush the small rounds with olive oil and par bake, then add toppings. There really is no end to toppings that you can use in tapas. Here are a few of our favorites.
- Marinated shrimp
- Anchovy spread
- Roasted and marinated zucchini slices
- Marinated eggplant
- Minced meat spread
- Slices of Spanish cheese
- Thick slices of chorizo marinated in red wine
- Jamon serrano with green olives
- Olive tapenade
Pizza tapas are great for parties because you can make them ahead of time, and they are so easy but look fancy. They are one of our go-to appetizers that everyone loves.
Pizza Portuguesa
Yes, we know Portugal is its own country. But we included this pizza because Portugal is close to Spain and we have also seen this pizza in Brazil and Argentina, too. Close enough, right?
So since Portugal colonized Brazil and the Spanish colonized Argentina, it’s really the chicken or the egg as to which culture claims fame for it. And it is more egg than chicken since it’s a pizza with hard-boiled eggs.
The Pizza Portuguesa has a tomato base and is covered in sliced Spanish ham, green or black olives, onions, and peppers. The order of the toppings is important and starts with tomato spread, then one chopped hard-boiled egg, ham slices, olives, peppers, and onions.
After the pizza has come out of the oven, it’s time to add slices of a hard-boiled egg for the final touch. It’s a tasty and protein-heavy pizza that you should definitely try. And if you think you can only eat eggs for breakfast, try Pizza Portuguesa as a breakfast pizza.
Pro Tip When Making Spanish Style Pizza
- Use good olive oil.
- Splurge on good chorizo.
- Give Manchego cheese a try. It’s different than mozzarella but still melts well and has great flavor.
- Get inspired with the ingredients and create your own version of Spanish pizza.
- Pair your Spanish pizza with Spanish wine for the ultimate dinner.
Have you tried Spanish style pizza? What is your favorite type?
