Menestra de verduras is a Spanish dish that cannot be easily classified – on the other hand, some might say that it's very versatile – it can be served as a side dish, a soup, or a stew, depending on the method of preparation. The dish itself is quite simple – filled with fresh, seasonal vegetables such as asparagus, peas, artichokes, green beans, olives, potatoes, white beans, turnip, or onions.
Pieces of Serrano ham are often added to the pot for extra flavor. Menestra de verduras is ideally served hot, preferably on colder days in spring or summer.
MOST ICONIC Menestra de verduras
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Spinaci alla Romana is a traditional dish hailing from Rome. It's usually made with a combination of spinach, butter, olive oil, garlic, raisins, pine nuts, salt, and black pepper. The spinach is cooked in boiling salted water, then drained. The moisture should be squeezed out by hand.
The raisins are soaked in warm water, then drained and added to garlic, pine nuts, and spinach sautéed in a mixture of olive oil and butter. The dish is gently fried for a few minutes, then seasoned with salt and black pepper before serving.
Although this dish is usually associated with German cuisine, it is also skillfully prepared in Italy's region of Trentino-Alto Adige. Since 1999, it has been protected as Prodotto Agroalimentare Tradizionale, which is an official approval for traditional Italian regional food products.
The origin of the word refers to sauerkraut in German, literally meaning sour cabbage. This simple dish consists only of finely chopped cabbage left to naturally ferment in brine. Pepper and other flavorings can also be added to crauti, and the result is one of the healthiest fermented foods around, extremely rich in probiotics, vitamins, and minerals.
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Arròs a banda is a Spanish rice dish originating from Alicante in Valencia. The dish was invented by fishermen who reserved the leftover fish from the markets and cooked it with potatoes and onions. The rice was cooked in the leftover fish broth, and it was used as a side dish that accompanies the fish, hence the name arròs a banda which means rice on the side.
The broth is usually cooked with cheap and common fish such as rock fish, monkfish, and fish heads, with the occasional addition of saffron, paprika, bay leaves, garlic, or puréed tomatoes. The broth is always served apart from the rice. This humble rice dish is traditionally accompanied by allioli.
Tombet is a traditional Mallorcan vegetable dish consisting of baked layers of aubergines, red bell peppers, and potatoes which have previously been fried in olive oil. When served, tombet is typically topped with a combination of fried tomatoes, garlic, and parsley.
Visually, when presented, the dish looks like a crustless pie. Although tombet is usually served as a main vegetarian dish, it can also be used as an accompaniment to fish or meat. Nowadays, it is available at most Mallorcan restaurants.
MOST ICONIC Tombet
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Panisses are deep-fried chickpea cakes originating from the French regions of Provence and Côte d'Azur. They can be consumed as snacks or served as a side dish, and consist of chickpea flour batter, oil, boiling water, and salt. Their flavor is creamy, crunchy, and savory, and it is said that they taste like something between French fries and hummus.
Panisses are best paired with rosé wines, while the children's version of these snacks might be additionally dusted with confectioners' sugar. In the 1930s, panisses were especially popular around Marseille's Old Port, when they were paired with various salads as a complete meal.
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Insalata di riso is a flavorful Italian salad filled with healthy ingredients such as rice, tomatoes, tuna, peas, bell peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella, and pine nuts. It is usually served as a side dish, although it can be consumed on its own as a light meal.
The dish is incredibly versatile, so almost any ingredient can be added to rice, even though chopped vegetables are the most popular choice. In Italy, there is a certain mix of preserved vegetables used for insalata di riso that is only available during the summer, called condiriso.
Samfaina is a Spanish dish that is closely related to the French ratatouille. Originating from Catalonia, samfaina is made with eggplants, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and olive oil. Of course, there are as many variations as there are cooks, so some prefer to add garlic or roast the peppers before making the dish.
Samfaina is both a sauce and a side dish, and nowadays, it can even be served on its own as a vegetarian dish. When served as a sauce or a side dish, it usually accompanies meat, rice, or fish (especially cod). The name of the dish means symphony, possibly referring to the symphony of various vegetables and flavors.
Zarangollo is a common Murcian dish made with a combination of scrambled eggs and thinly sliced zucchinis and onions. Potatoes are sometimes also added to the combination. The dish is served warm or hot, and it is often used as a tapa in bars throughout the region, when it’s typically accompanied by a glass of wine.
Zarangollo can also be served as a side dish accompanying a variety of fish dishes.
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Piperade is a traditional dish from the region of French (and Spanish) Basque Country, consisting of tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, Espelette pepper, and garlic, while ham, and eggs are sometimes added to the dish to enhance its flavors. The dish can be traced to the early 1800s, when the word piperade referred to ground pepper.
Red is the color of Basque, and it is evident in their cuisine, which is heavily dominated by peppers. Every year in October, there is a fair in the town of Espelette, featuring traditional Basque specialties, with piperade being one of the main attractions.
MOST ICONIC Piperade
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “29 Worst Rated Western European Side Dishes” list until February 15, 2025, 3,309 ratings were recorded, of which 2,619 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.