Escudella i carn d'olla typical of Catalonia

Gastronomy in Girona

The style of Girona's gastronomy is clearly differentiated into two subregions: the interior, called Empordà, with a strong Navarrese and Aragonese heritage, and the exterior, known as Costa Brava.

This topographical and geographical difference is highlighted in its ingredients, stews and cooking.

Roman and Sephardic cuisine

The origins of what is now Girona are Roman and Sephardic. They had an enormous influence on the gastronomic culture, especially in Empordà, whose importance has been so transcendental that it has been called the cradle of Spanish cuisine.

Thanks to this mixture of flavours and ingredients, Girona's gastronomy has been divided into contrasting dishes, from the sea and from the mountains. In addition, its dairy industry generates butter, cheeses and other high-quality by-products for export.

Empordà vegetables

Sautéed spinach with raisins and pine nuts

The interior of Girona has ideal climatic and geographical conditions for the production of vegetables, especially potatoes, which have adapted perfectly to the Girona land, as well as green cabbage, turnips and a wide variety of mushrooms.

This enormous abundance of vegetables makes it possible to prepare many dishes such as the popular “Trinxat amb crosta”, a small cabbage and potato omelette accompanied by strips of fried bacon, and especially Pyrenean vegetable soup, one of the most traditional dishes in Girona.

Slaughter and fishing

The products of the slaughter are very important in Girona, especially the pig, from which a large number of by-products are taken.

These include black and white sausage, “fuets”, “salchichón”, “bisbe”, a very popular type of blood sausage, “bull”, a kind of “morcón”, and “botifarra dolça”, among others.

In addition to these sausages, the Girones menu contains many stews, such as “escudellas”, beef stew with peas and the famous “callos”.

The cuisine of the Costa Brava takes advantage of the immense variety of fish and shellfish by creating an abundant and select menu of seafood, especially anchovies, with which a delicious savoury dish and sauce is made.

Other dishes are fish soup, river trout on stones, lobster with clams, lobster with chicken and various roasted and cooked preparations.

Soups and poultry

Girona has a long tradition of making soups. Some of them are so popular that they have transcended its borders, especially on the coast.

Among the best known are garlic soup, mint soup, “farina” soup, “farigola” soup made with thyme and, finally, “ventre” soup, which is very popular and is eaten on the days when the slaughter is celebrated.

Poultry is also highly developed in Girona. From it, excellent dishes based on hen, chicken, and partridge are created.

Among the best known are duck stuffed with apples and duck with turnips, chickens in “pepitoria”, “goose amb peres”, chicken “rostit”, partridge with cabbage and the famous Christmas turkey, which is stuffed with sausages and nuts.

Small game treasures

Girona abounds in such game as rabbit and hare. From these are made hare with chestnuts or rabbit à la Empordà, prepared with mushrooms.

Snails are also very important in the Girona diet. From them, the famous “cargols a la patrallada” is prepared.

The sweet taste of Girona pastries

Girona's confectionery is very popular thanks to its exquisite creations that include sweets such as “Taps”, cakes made in the shape of a plug and “Teules de Santa Coloma de Farnés”, cookies made in the shape of a tile.

However, without a doubt, the dessert that has made Girona famous is “xuxos”, delicious pan-fried fruits filled with cream. Their popularity and fame have crossed the borders of Catalonia and all of Spain.