Ibiza is a small island in terms of size but blessed with fantastic gastronomy and a wide range of popular recipes, made with products from the countryside, local livestock and the Ibizan coasts.
Today we’ll share with you a guide to some of the typical dishes that you’ll find in most restaurants and that you can’t miss out on during your visit to the island. Discover the essence of Ibiza through its gastronomy, bite by bite!
Sofrit pagès
This typical dish from Ibiza and Formentera has nothing to do with the traditional tomato and onion sofrit or sauté as the base for most stews.
In this case, it is a hearty dish that is usually eaten in two parts. On the one hand, you’ll find the soup made with various meats, such as chicken or lamb; local sausages, such as botifarró or sobrassada; and the well-known patató, small in size and intensely flavoured. On the other hand stands the sofrit itself. This dish is usually eaten on special occasions or during the slaughtering season.
Bullit de peix
Bullit de peix is a traditional Mediterranean dish, a seafood stew that holds within it all of the island’s essence.
It’s a delicious dish made with rockfish, such as grouper or scorpion fish, that you can try in any restaurant in Ibiza. Typically, the fish and potatoes are served on one side, and an exquisite “a banda” rice on the other, accompanied by its traditional all i oli or garlic mayonnaise.
The origins of this dish can be traced back to the sailors who used to cook it on their own boats in order to sell the fish they had left over after a day’s work.
Payesa or Balearic peasant farmer salad
Payesa salad is a typical dish in Ibizan gastronomy, generally eaten during the summer season.
Among its basic ingredients are some typical products of the Ibizan vegetable garden, such as red potatoes, green peppers, onions and tomatoes. Hard-boiled eggs, cod and stuffed olives are also part of the salad, all seasoned with virgin olive oil and a little salt to taste.
This dish has evolved over the years and it is quite common for each family to prepare it in their own way, meaning that there are infinite ways of making it.
Slaughtering season rice
If you are looking for a dish that’s typical of Ibiza during the winter months, this rice dish, deeply rooted in the island’s gastronomy, is a prime option.
It is a tasty and hearty dish made with pork or chicken, vegetables and even white beans.
You can taste it in many of the island’s restaurants, but you should also know that this rice is only prepared once a year in country houses, on the day of the pig slaughter which usually coincides with the month of December.
The most common thing to do is to serve the rice as a first course, and the fried meat accompanied by peppers as a second course.
Borrida de ratjada
Borrida de ratjada is a traditional dish from Ibiza whose main ingredient is skate, a cartilaginous fish with a characteristic flavour.
In this case, the chopped fish is marinated for a few minutes in salt and lemon juice, and then stewed with a minced mixture of toasted bread or biscuit, almonds, paprika, garlic, parsley, egg and olive oil.
It is worth noting that, although not everyone likes it, borrida de ratjada is a special boneless fish dish with an exquisite flavour. You can try it in many restaurants, particularly those located on the coast.
Coca de pebrera or pepper cake
Coca de pebrera or pepper cake is another typical Ibizan dish, usually served as an appetiser or snack throughout the year.
It consists of a pastry made with flour, egg and olive oil, and covered with red peppers and olives. These are the essential ingredients, but there are always those who add other products.
You can find it in patisseries and bakeries, or, given that the recipe is fairly simple, you can also make it yourself.
Octopus frita or fried octopus
Octopus frita is an Ibizan dish that used to be served as a tapa in bars and restaurants in Ibiza, but today it is served as a main dish.
This dish requires a fairly entertaining and laborious preparation, which includes cooking the different ingredients separately, whether it be the octopus, potatoes, onions and peppers, and then cooking them together in the frying pan. The outcome is truly exquisite.
Crostes salad
You’re probably wondering what crostes are. Well, crostes are nothing more than portions of peasant farmer bread that are toasted several times to obtain a crunchy texture.
This bread is then sliced and added to the main salad ingredients, including tomato, onion, garlic and dried fish among others. It is usually served as a side dish to other main dishes, be they rice, meat or fish- based dishes.
Typical Ibizan desserts
Finally, to end the meal properly, we can’t forget the most traditional and typical Ibizan desserts.
Among them you’ll find greixonera, similar to a pudding made with leftover ensaimadas from the previous day; flaó, a kind of cheesecake made with local sheep’s or goat’s milk and mint; and les orelletes, a delicious dessert made with flour, egg, aniseed and sugar, which guests used to eat after wedding banquets. Nowadays, there are many who continue with this tradition, but it is also very common to eat them all year round. You can make them yourself or, if you don’t feel like it, you can always buy them at any Ibizan bakery.
If Ibiza doesn’t win you over with its paradise-like spots, its climate or its partying, it will undoubtedly win you over through your stomach. It’s all delicious!
In Blog Blau Parc Hotels | The 5 best restaurants in Ibiza town
