Although Majorca is part of Spain, the fact that it’s an island means there are some local specialities that you won’t necessarily find on the mainland. Majorcan cuisine features a lot of Spanish influences, make no mistake, but there are some incredibly varied dishes to sample if you’re a foodie.
In fact, Majorca is a great place to visit if you love trying new flavours, as you can sample Spanish favourites like tapas alongside meals with a more Majorcan twist, like its range of pork options.
To get you in the mood for an indulgent stay in a hotel in Majorca, we’ve singled out a few of the best dishes that you simply have to try while you’re staying on the island.
Pork-based meals
One thing you’ll quickly notice if you head away from the resort you’re staying in and venture into the countryside is that there are a lot of pig farms around and, indeed, pork is an important part of the Majorcan diet.
The island produces several kinds of sausage, such as sobrassada (made from minced pork and paprika, as well as other spices) and botifarro (made from cured pork and blood).
Frit Mallorqui is another pork dish that’s popular here, although it can also be made using lamb. The main ingredients are pork sweetbreads (so things like lung and liver), potatoes, spring onions, hot peppers, green peppers, fennel, garlic and laurel leaves, which are all fried and then mixed together.
Llom amb col is another meal that features pork. This time the meat is wrapped in cabbage with pine nuts and raisins; a truly unique flavour combination.
Vegetarian meals
If you’re not a meat-eater then you don’t need to worry, as Majorca caters very well for vegetarians with its traditional cuisine, despite the islanders’ love of pork! Sopes Mallorquines is a classic example, with this typically consisting of seasonal vegetables served with very finely sliced country-style brown bread that’s been left to soak up the broth that the vegetables are cooked in.
Another Majorcan classic that will appeal to vegetarians is tumbet. This is similar to ratatouille and is made using aubergines, potatoes, courgettes and peppers that are fried in olive oil and then served in a casserole-style dish with a delicious tomato sauce.
Seafood meals
While seafood will be on the menu in most Majorcan resorts, there are fewer fish specialities than you may be expecting on this island. One of the best – and simplest – dishes on offer, though, is fresh sea bream baked in rock salt.
Sardines, prawns and lobsters are just a few of the other common seafood options in Majorcan restaurants.
Pastries and sweets
Panades are one thing to look out for in Majorca’s bakeries, with these pastries similar to pies. Traditionally they were only baked at Easter, but you can usually find them on sale all year round now.
There’s no strict recipe for panades, with each family adopting their own fillings and tweaking the recipe. The dough can be sweet or savoury and it will usually be stuffed with a pea and meat filling (often pork or lamb), although it is possible to find fish panades too.
Another baked snack that you can’t leave Majorca without trying is ensaimada, a type of sweet bun. Originally, these were just left plain but you can now buy them with all manner of fillings, including custard cream, pumpkin jam, chocolate and cream. They’re a popular breakfast food on the island that you’ll find available at most cafes and bakeries.
