250px, '' Oranges, typical fruit from Valencian Community'' Valencian cuisine is a

Mediterranean cuisine Mediterranean cuisine is the food and methods of preparation used by the people of the Mediterranean Basin. The idea of a Mediterranean cuisine originates with the cookery writer Elizabeth David's book, '' A Book of Mediterranean Food'' (1950 ...

as cooked in the

Valencian Community The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wi ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

. Its basic ingredients are

vegetables Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems ...

seafood Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...

and

meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...

. It is famous worldwide for its

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

s, such as paella, and its

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...

fruits. The cuisine of neighbouring regions have given and received important contributions from Valencian gastronomy, amongst them

Balearic cuisine Balearic cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine as cooked in the Balearic Islands, Spain. It can be regarded as part of a wider Catalan cuisine, since it shares many dishes and ingredients with Catalonia and the Valencian Community. Others view it ...

Catalan cuisine Catalan cuisine is the cuisine from Catalonia. It may also refer to the shared cuisine of Northern Catalonia and Andorra, the second of which has a similar cuisine to that of the neighbouring Alt Urgell and Cerdanya '' comarques'' and which ...

, Aragonese cuisine,

Manchego cuisine Manchego cuisine (Manchegan cuisine or Castilian-Manchego cuisine) refers to the typical dishes and ingredients in the cuisine of the Castilla–La Mancha region of Spain. These include '' pisto'' (a vegetable stew with tomato sauce), '' gaz ...

and Murcian cuisine.

Main dishes

'' Allioli sauce'' * Paella. The most famous Valencian dish is one of the most recent. Although many towns claim to be the birthplace of paella, it is usually considered native to

Albufera The Albufera, La Albufera or L'Albufera de València (, meaning "lagoon" in Valencian, from Arabic ''al-buhayra'', "small sea"), is a freshwater lagoon and estuary on the Gulf of Valencia coast of the Valencian Community in eastern Spain. ...

and Ribera, just south of Valencia. It can be found in two main varieties, with chicken and rabbit or with seafood. Nowadays paella can be found around the world and especially throughout Spain and Latin America. The name comes from the large pan ('paella' in Valencian) where it is cooked. *

Arròs negre ''Arròs negre'' (, es, arroz negro) is a Valencian and Catalan dish made with cuttlefish (or squid) and rice, somewhat similar to seafood paella. Some call it ''paella negra'' (''"black paella"''), although it is traditionally not called a pa ...

. Rice with squid and squid ink cooked in a paella. *Arròs amb conill i caragols. Rice dish with rabbit and snails, amongst other ingredients cooked in a paella. It is typical of the south of Valencia and especially in the Vinalopo districts. *Arròs al forn. A rice dish baked in the oven and usually containing sausages, chickpeas and potato amongst other ingredients, usually made with the surplus of the local typical

stew A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables a ...

. * Fideuà. A dish based on noodles and seafood, typical of the Valencian coast and originally from Gandia. *Arròs amb costra A kind of ''arròs al forn'' but covered with an egg which provides the "crust" in the name. It is typical of most of the south of Valencia and especially of

Elche Elche ( ca-valencia, Elx) is a city and municipality of Spain, belonging to the province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community. According to 2014 data, Elche has a population of 228,647 inhabitants,Gazpacho. A famous Spanish dish typical throughout south and central Spain. In the Valencia region it is typical of the southern and inland areas and is the quintessential summer dish. *

Arròs a banda Arròs a banda ( Valencian term for ''rice on the side'', translated as ''Arroz a banda'' in Spanish) is a dish of rice cooked in fish stock, typical of the coastal area of Alicante (and, per extension, in most of the Valencian Community), Spai ...

. A humble preparation typical of the Valencian coast with rice,

fish Fish are Aquatic animal, aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack Limb (anatomy), limbs with Digit (anatomy), digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous and bony fish as we ...

, and garlic. * Embotits. Cured sausages. * Sobrassada a typically Majorcan meat-product which is produced in the Marina. *Bollit. Vegetable stew. *Suquet de peix. An eel, potato, garlic and fish stew, similar to Bouillabaisse. *All i pebre. a signature dish for the area around Valencia city and immediately to the south, containing peppers, garlic and potatoes with eels. * Esgarrat or ''Pericana'' in the mountains of

Alcoi Alcoy ( ca-valencia, Alcoi) is an industrial and university city, region and municipality located in the Valencian Community, Spain. The Serpis river crosses the municipal boundary of Alcoy. The local authority reported a population of 61,135 res ...

. It is a mixture of roasted peppers and strips of salted cod. The pericana also adds garlic. *Espencat. Roasted vegetables, typically peppers and aubergine but other vegetables can be added. * Coques. Ancient local salty pastries with a common origin with Italian Pizza.

Sauces

Allioli Allioli may refer to: * Allioli, the Valencian variant of the garlic sauce Aioli Aioli, allioli or aïoli ( or ; Provençal oc, alhòli or ''aiòli'' ; ca, allioli ; es, alioli ) is a cold sauce consisting of an emulsion of garlic and ol ...

. This is a thick sauce, common to most of the Western Mediterranean, based on mixing

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Welsh onion and Chinese onion. It is native to South Asia, Central Asia and northeas ...

and olive oil to which egg is sometimes added. It usually has a characteristic yellow colour. *Mullador. A sauce whose ingredients may vary but always includes tomatoes. The remaining ingredients depend on the time of year and the vegetables available in each area. There are similar preparations throughout the Mediterranean. Other names for this kind of sauce are "samfaina" in Catalonia, "tomacat" or "tombet" in Majorca and

ratatouille Ratatouille ( , ), oc, ratatolha , is a French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables which originated in Nice, and is sometimes referred to as ''ratatouille niçoise'' (). Recipes and cooking times differ widely, but common ingredients include ...

in France; much simpler is the "salsa napoletana" in Italy. In Alcoi and further south, this sauce may include tuna as is the case with "pisto", typical of Castile la Mancha. *

Picada Picada () is one of the characteristic sauces and culinary techniques essential to Catalan cuisine. The technique is typically found in Catalonia and Valencia and subsequently Catalan cuisine and Valencian cuisine. It is not an autonomous sauce ...

. This is a sauce composed of crushed nuts - usually almonds - olive oil, parsley and a little milk. It usually accompanies fish dishes.

Sweets, apéritifs, desserts and drinks

'' Bunyols_(Bunyols_de_carabassa)''.html" ;"title="Buñuelos.html" ;"title="Pumpkin Bunyols_(Bunyols_de_carabassa)''">Buñuelos.html"_;"title="Pumpkin_Buñuelos">Bunyols_(Bunyols_de_carabassa)'' image:Mistela.jpg.html" ;"title="Buñuelos">Bunyols (Bunyols de carabassa)''">Buñuelos.html" ;"title="Pumpkin Bunyols_(Bunyols_de_carabassa)'' image:Mistela.jpg">thumb.html" ;"title="Buñuelos">Bunyols (Bunyols de carabassa)'' thumb">150px.html" ;"title="image:Mistela.jpg">thumb">150px">''Mistelle glass'' *Pestinyos. A small, sweet and dry pastry folded into three and flavoured with orange and aniseed. *Pastissets, a typical sweet made of pastry with a sweet almond or sweet potato filling. It is of probable Arab origin and is typical of most of Valencia and the south of Catalonia. A similar dish, called ', is typical in Majorca. *Arnadí typical of Xàtiva *Coca (pastry). A kind of pizza or pie which can be either sweet or savoury. It is typical to most of Valencia as well as in some parts of Catalonia. The most common kinds in Valencia are the ''coca de llanda'', a kind of sponge-cake, often pumpkin-, lemon- or apple-flavoured; ''coca de mullador'' - or ''coca de Sant Joan'' in Alicante - a small pizza-like pastry with ratatouille on top and occasionally tuna or other titbits; and ''coca de xulla'', a flat bread with bacon and sausages on top. "Coca de molletes" typical of Alicante with soft salty flour crumbles. *Coques de dacsa, originally from

Ròtova Ròtova (; es, Rótova ) is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the Comarques of the Valencian community, ''comarca'' of Safor in the Valencian Community, Spain. Main sights * Church of Sant Bartomeu Apòstol. * Palace of the Counts of ...

near

Gandia Gandia ( es, Gandía) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, eastern Spain on the Mediterranean. Gandia is located on the Costa del Azahar (or ''Costa dels Tarongers''), south of Valencia and north of Alicante. Vehicles can acc ...

and commercially available in the area around Denia and Gandia. These are flat pastry bases similar to Mexican

tortilla A tortilla (, ) is a thin, circular unleavened flatbread originally made from maize hominy meal, and now also from wheat flour. The Aztecs and other Nahuatl speakers called tortillas ''tlaxcalli'' (). First made by the indigenous peoples of M ...

s, and topped with various titbits such as mullador. A similar preparation are coques de mestall, from the neighbouring county Valldigna. *Arrop i tallaetes. A dessert which immerses fruit pieces in a sweet syrup made from grape

must Must (from the Latin ''vinum mustum'', "young wine") is freshly crushed fruit juice (usually grape juice) that contains the skins, seeds, and stems of the fruit. The solid portion of the must is called pomace and typically makes up 7–23% of th ...

. * Fartons. These are pastry fingers designed to be dipped in orxata. *Orxata ( Horchata). A drink made from submerging rice or other products in water for long periods. There are at least two kinds made locally. The first is ''Orxata de Xufa'', made with tigernuts, quintessentially Valencian and produced only in the area of

Alboraya Alboraya () or Alboraia () is a town and municipality of the province of Valencia, Spain. It is situated very close to the city of Valencia. Originally a farming community, Alboraya has grown in recent decades following the development of the me ...

, just north of Valencia. The second is ''Orxata d' Ametlla'', made and consumed in the

Alicante Alicante ( ca-valencia, Alacant) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 , the second-largest in ...

and Xixona. *Peladillas ( Jordan almonds). Typical from Casinos. * Torró. A kind of nougat, with strong tradition of Xixona and

with, available in two styles, hard and soft. *Figues albardaes (a kind of

fig The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...

fritter A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables or other ingredients which have been battered or breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-fried. Fritters are prepared in both sweet and savory v ...

that are traditional in Falles) * Bunyols. Yet another Arab-inspired pastry, these are dough-balls which are fried and covered with sugar, which can be found in various parts of Mediterranean Spain such as

Cadaqués Cadaqués () is a town in the Alt Empordà '' comarca'', in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is on a bay in the middle of the Cap de Creus peninsula, near Cap de Creus cape, on the Costa Brava of the Mediterranean. It is two-and-a-qua ...

, as well as in Madrid or even Latin America although in these cases they are not sweet. The Valencian variety habitually includes pumpkin in the dough, though often in commercial preparations this is not so. They are typical of Falles.

Wines and liquors

Valencian wines are also well-regarded, with three Protected Designation of Origin:

Utiel-Requena Utiel Requena is a Spanish Denominación de Origen, Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) for wines located in the province of Valencia (province), Valencia (Valencian Community). It takes its name from the two neighbouring towns of Utiel and Re ...

and

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...

. In Utiel-Requena, sparkling wine is made under the cava denomination. Meanwhile, muscat (known as "moscatell" also called "

mistela Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commanda ...

") is produced in the

Marina Alta Marina Alta (, "Upper Marina") is a central and coastal ''comarca'' of the autonomous community of Valencia, Spain. The ''comarca'' is located in the area of Alicante and its capital and largest settlement is the city of Dénia. Marina Alta b ...

(near Denia) under Alicante DO and also in Turís, Cheste, Godelleta and surroundings, under the Valencia DO.

External links

Official tourist board guide to cuisine in the Land of Valencia

La cuina valenciana

Popular Valencian tapas
{{cuisine

Main dishes

Sauces

Sweets, apéritifs, desserts and drinks

Wines and liquors

See also

External links