Being vegetarian in Spain

Being a veggie in Spain

As only my most devoted fans will know (Hi, mum), I follow a vegetarian diet which involves removing meat, fish, and products such as gelatin and rennet. The Mediterranean is well known for its love of these food groups, so when I learnt that I would be moving to Granada for 6 months, renowned for its fresh swordfish, prawns and Spanish sausage, I was filled with fear. What would I eat? Would I be able to find Quorn or soya substitutions?  How would I survive?!

Only being one week in to my semester abroad in Granada, I don’t have much experience, but I am here to tell you what I have learnt so far. Firstly, when in restaurants ordering a salad or dish which appears vegetarian, always be sure to ask for “sin carne o pescado”. I can’t tell you how many waiters tell me that a dish is “definitely vegetarian”, yet the tentacles and eyes staring back at me, would beg to differ! 

• A side note relating to this is that it is certainly possible to ask for a dish without the meat or fish advertised on the menu. Most of the waiters are very accommodating as – simply – they want you to spend your hard earned cash in their restaurant, so ask and you will receive.

At home in England, Quorn or other meat substitution products form a large part of my diet. Being fairly new to cooking (and obviously being a student), I find it much easier to have a “bung in” macaroni cheese or some Tesco's vegetable nuggets for my tea to get an adequate amount of protein (cheese is protein, honest!!) in my diet. However, in the last 9 days, I have not touched a veggie burger or a Quorn chicken nugget, and I feel much healthier (as does my dwindling student loan) for it! I have been using fresh ingredients, sauces, beans, lentils and rice, to cook healthy and filling meals. A quick tip to up your protein (and to feel super Spanish) is to add a fried egg on top of a meal, instantly more health benefits!

If you’re not quite ready to let go of the soya substitutes, in the big supermarket "Carrefour" (which I could write a whole other blog post on – it is epic!!) you can find some vegetarian products in the freezer and fridge sections such as spinach croquettes, vegetable fingers and tortilla Española. There is also a Carrefour’s own range of veggie sausages, burgers and other such delights to which you are so accustomed but beware! They are incredibly pricey for a minuscule portion of food so don’t rely on these for your sole protein consumption.

Considering all this, I can’t wait to expand my foodie horizons, sampling both the “interesting” and delicious vegetarian cuisine that Granada has to offer, and if in doubt, chickpeas will always have your back.

Rebeka