42 Shares
Inside: A list of easy, authentic recipes to make in Spanish classes.
Have you tried cooking in Spanish class? Are you looking for an authentic dish to make or try? I have a great list for you.
One year, one my older classes needed a party break, and we decided to bring in different traditional foods from Spanish-speaking places. One student showed up with a perfect homemade flan (thanks mom!) and everyoneravedabout it.
Flan is at the very end of this list, but mostly I focused easy recipes. Like, I love tamales but that is a whole thing.
You’ll also note a lot of the recipes are in English and from the U.S– you might use a more authentic source, just keep in mind that many authentic recipes use different measuring units and hard-to-find ingredients.
This list focuses on recipes you could whip up at home or make together in class!
Contents: 1. Ideas for Cooking in Spanish Class – Jump to section 2. Crockpot Recipes – Jump to section 3. No Cooking Required Recipes – Jump to section 4. Recipes for a Griddle – Jump to section 5. Recipes for a Microwave – Jump to section 6. Drinks Recipes – Jump to section
Ideas for cooking in Spanish class:
- Bring in prepared food for students to simply try and enjoy
- Bring in ingredients and cook together
- Have students do a “cooking show” where they prepare food as part of a presentation (live or recorded)
- As a way to practice writing or following commands in Spanish
- Salsa or guacamole competition
- Use playdough to pretend to cook
I love this idea from Señora Chase to do a cooking show in class, providing lots of interesting comprehensible input as you go! See her description and full ideashere.
For each suggested dish, I’m going to list the ingredients so you can quickly see if something is feasible or interesting to you, and then link to a favorite recipe example for the full directions.
It should go without saying, but of course check for allergies before doing any food activities in class!
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Hispanic Heritage Activities
Crockpot Ideas for Spanish Class:
Yes, even elementary teachers can have a crockpot cooking away, and serve something new to their students.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Whole milk
- Chocolate (in bars or chips)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Sugar
- Vanilla Salt
- Chile de árbol or cayenne pepper
This is similar to how it is prepared in Peru, minus the chile. Bring in some pan dulce for an extra treat!
Example recipe.
Arroz con leche (Latin America)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Whole cloves
- Salt
- Rice
- Evaporated Mlik
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Raisins
- Ground cinnamon
No-cooking-RequireD REcipes:
Salsa is probably the most common no-cook food to make in Spanish class. You could even do a contest, where different groups try out recipes!
Here are some more no-cooking ideas (a few may need you to bring in a pre-cooked ingredient, but can be assembled in class).
Dulce de leche
- Sugar
- Butter
- Whole milk
- Condensed milk
Pico de gallo (Mexico)
- Tomatoes
- Red onion
- Jalapeño peppers
- Garlic cloves
- Coriander (opt)
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Salt
Fruit with lime and tajín (Mexico)
- Fruit (watermelon, mango, cucumber, jicama, papya, etc.)
- Lime
- Tajin seasoning
Ceviche (Peru)
- White fish
- Lime
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Aji amarillo / rocoto
- Salt & pepper
- Choclo
- (Optional: cooked sweet potato)
I’m partial to the Peruvian style of ceviche, but there are other countries that offer different variations (it might be safer, and your students might be more receptive to ceviche made with shrimp instead of raw fish). Of course be careful about seafood and allergies!
Ensalada Rusa (Peru)
- Cooked carrots
- Cooked beets
- Cooked potatoes
- Mayonnaise
- Parsley
- Salt & pepper
- Eggs
Gazpacho Soup (Spain)
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Red bell pepper
- Clove garlics
- Red wine vinegar or Sherry vinegar
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Bread
- Basil
Recipes That Use a griddle
Arepas (Venezuela)
- Cooked cornmeal
- Salt
- Warm water
- Vegetable Oil
- Black beans
- Queso blanco or mozzarella
- Avocado
- Cilantro
Patacones
- Green plantains
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
Fried ripe plantains (maduros) are delicious too!
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
- Ears of corn
- Mayonnaise
- Cotija or feta cheese
- Lime
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- (Ancho or guajillo) chile powder
Choripan
- Bread
- Spanish chorizo (or just chorizo)
- Parsley, oregano, garlic cloves
- Shallot
- Chili flakes
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Red wine vinegar
Gallo Pinto (Costa Rica, Nicaragua)
- Cooked rice
- Olive oil
- Red bell pepper
- Sweet onion
- Garlic
- Lizano Salsa
- Cumin, Paprika, Salt
- Cayenne pepper
- Black beans
Buñuelos
- Flour
- Baking powder, Salt
- Cinnamon
- Milk, Butter, Eggs
- Vanilla
- Vegetable or Canola oil
- Sugar
Recipes for a Microwave
I’m putting these recipes here even if they have some elements that would need to be brought to class pre-cooked.
Tostadas Mexicanas
- Bag of tostadas
- 1 can of refried beans
- Diced tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded cheese
- Avocado
- Salsa
- Sour cream
There are a million different ways to do this, but here’s what you would need to dotacos al pastor (plus topping from the tostadas above as desired). This could be made in class using a griddle, but if you prepared the meat ahead, you can just reheat the meat and the tortillas in the microwave.
Street Tacos
Marinade, for making pork sirloin:
- Guajillo/chipotle chiles
- Olive oil
- Orange juice
- Red onion
- Pineapple
- Salt, Garlic cloves
- Oregano, Cumin
Drink Recipes for Spanish Class
Horchata (Mexico)
You can purchase a packet to make instant horchata, or make it from scratch:
- Rice
- Cloves
- Cinnamon sticks
- Vanilla
- Sugar
Aguas frescas
- Water
- Sugar
- Lima
Fruit: pineapple, honeydew, watermelon, strawberries, guava, papaya, cucumber
Chicha morada (Peru)
It might be difficult for you to find authentic purple corn outside of South America, but you can imitate the drink with instant chicha mix. Add cinnamon, cloves, and a squeeze of Lime to make it feel more authentic.
Mate (Argentina, Chile)
I don’t have any experience preparing yerba mate, but if you have a mate gourd or cup, this is a cool cultural experience for students!
Desserts for Spanish Class
Not all of these are in the easy-to-make-in-class category, but of course who would turn down something sweet at school?
Chocolate Sauce
(For dipping the above churros into!)
- Chopped dark chocolate
- Heavy cream
Tres Leches Cake
- Eggs, sugar, vanilla
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Milk (regular, evaporated, and condensed)
- Double cream
- Cinnamon to sprinkle on top
Lastly:
The algorithms really want me to make this a big list ofSpanish dishes, instead of dishesforSpanish class, like tapas recipes, patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo, tortilla de patatas, etc. I know we all like to work in a variety of dishes, not just Spanish food, so that’s reflected in my list.
Paella doesn’t seem that easy to me, but let’s include it here so the internet is happy with me:
Paella
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Paprika and thyme
- Paella or risotto rice
- Chicken stock
- Tomatoes and garlic
- Lemon
- Parsley
The recipe below calls for a “seafood mix.” Adventurous classes might for a recipe with mussels and squid; I’m assuming chicken thighs and shrimp will be easier to try). Of course, be mindful of allergies.
Happy cooking!
