The World Cup has reached its final act, bringing together two nations whose rivalry extends far beyond the football pitch.
As European giants Spain take on Latino champions Argentina in the title clash, TNIE explores the shared culinary heritage — and distinct gastronomic identities — of the two footballing powerhouses.
Spain and Argentina are linked by a common Hispanic heritage, shaped by Spanish colonisation and successive waves of European migration to South America. While their cuisines share several flavours and techniques, geography, climate and local ingredients have given each country a unique culinary character.
And as the battle unfolds on the field, let the flavours of Spain and Argentina offer an equally compelling contest at the dining table.
Spain
Spanish cuisine has been shaped by centuries of history — from the Romans, who introduced olive oil, to the Moors, who brought spices and rice, and the Colombian Exchange, which introduced New World staples such as tomatoes, potatoes and peppers to the Iberian Peninsula.
Influenced by diverse civilisations, including Christian and Arab cultures, Spain’s food traditions vary across regions such as Andalusia, Valencia and Catalonia. Spanish cooking is known for the generous use of olive oil, garlic and herbs such as parsley and thyme. Meat, including chicken, pork and lamb, features prominently, while the country’s long coastline ensures seafood is a staple. Rice-based dishes, hearty stews, tapas and filled breads or wraps are all central to Spain’s rich culinary tradition.
Paella
As the Spanish defender, long curly haired Marc Cucurella destroys the attacking opponents, internet memes got filled with a video in which Cucurella is seen singing “Cucucucurella, se come una paellas”, which translates into “Cucucurrella, he loves to eat paella”.
Paella, a traditional rice delicacy originally from Spanish province of Valencia, is a dish made of saffron-flavoured rice cooked with meat, seafood and vegetables. Paella takes its name from the paellera, the utensil in which it is cooked, from which it is directly eaten.
Ingredients
100g short-grain rice, 1¼ cups chicken or seafood stock, 1 tbsp olive oil, 100g boneless chicken thigh, 6–8 medium shrimp or mussels. One onion, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 small tomato, Red bell pepper, A pinch of saffron, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, Bay leaf, salt and black pepper to taste.
Lemon wedges and chopped parsley for garnish
Method
Add onion, bell peppers and garlic and saute in olive oil.
Add chopped tomato, bay leaf, paprika, saffron, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
Add chicken, rice and chopped parsley and cook for 1 minute.
Pour the broth with the saffron infusion slowly all around the pan. Do not stir and bring it to a boil. Traditional paella has a crusty, rice layer called the socarrat.
Reduce heat to medium low. Add the shrimp on top and cook for another 5–7 minutes, until the rice is tender and the shrimp is cooked through. The pan is to be kept open.
Remove from the heat and let the paella rest for 5 minutes.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
Spanish Tortilla
Tortilla is a traditional spanish omlette dish infused with potatoes and onions. The word tortilla, originates from the word torta, literally meaning ‘small cake’ or ‘small pie’
Ingredients
4 medium peeled potatoes, 1 small onion thinly sliced, 5 large eggs, ½ cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt, freshly ground black pepper
Method
Slice the potatoes into thin rounds and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Heat the olive oil and add the potatoes and onion. Cook gently for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt and a little black pepper
Add the warm potatoes into the beaten eggs and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.
Now cook the tortilla by adding 1 tablespoon of the oil in low to medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, until the bottom is set.
Carefully invert the tortilla onto the plate to flip it. Slide it back into the skillet to cook the other side for 3–5 minutes.
Crema Catalana (dessert)
Originating from the Spanish province of Catalunya, Crema catalana is a dessert consisting of a custard topped with a layer of caramelised sugar.
Ingredients
Milk, Egg yolk, Sugar, Lemon zest or cinnamon bark
Method
Pour the milk, lemon zest, and cinnamon bark in a bowl. Bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let the lemon zest and cinnamon infuse the milk for 30 to 60 minutes. Then strain the mixture.
Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar, until pale and fluffy.
Put it on medium heat and slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking constantly.
Cook over medium heat until it starts to boil and the cream thickens.
Turn off the heat and once it reaches room temperature, refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.
Argentina
Argentina’s cuisine reflects the country’s multicultural history. Originally inhabited by indigenous communities such as the Inca and Guarani peoples, the region was colonised by Spain before the influx of European immigrants.
The result is a cuisine that blends native Andean ingredients with Spanish cooking traditions and strong European influences. Renowned for its world-famous beef, Argentina’s food culture also embraces pasta, bread, pastries and grilled meats, while retaining the flavours and produce of its indigenous roots.
Agrentinean Asado
Asado is the most popular cultural practice in Argentina. It formed from the country’s colonial roots, with a touch of Latin American flavours. It is made with either beef, pork, or chicken marinated in chimichurri sauce, and cooked in open fire or grill.
Ingredients
Meat/sausage of choice, Salt &pepper
For the chimichurri sauce: 5-7 tbsp of diced garlic,1 bunch parsley, 1 tbsp oregano, 2 red chillies, ¼ cup red wine vinegar
Method
Combine all the ingredients for the chimichurri together in a bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes at least before preparing the meat or can be refrigerated a day before.
Season the meat on both sides with salt and black pepper. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
Marinate it with the chimichurri sauce and let it sit again.
Cook the meat in the grill or on the stovetop.
Empanadas
Empanadas are baked or fried dough, which consist of meat, cheese, tomato, corn, or other fillings.
Argentine empanadas are often served during parties and festivals as a starter or main course.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
2 tbsp olive oil, 1 diced onion, capsicum, 4 cloves chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 ½ tsp ground dried chipotle pepper, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp dried oregano, 3 cups diced cooked chicken/ meat of choice, 2 tbsp dried raisins, 10 ounce diced tomatoes, ¾ cup grated pepper Jack cheese, 1 large egg, beaten
For the dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp white sugar, 12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, 1 large egg
Method
Mix flour, salt, sugar and cold butter in a bowl. Add egg and make a dough.
Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for over 1 hour.
Add olive oil into a saucepan. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, chipotle, cumin, oregano, and cooked chicken. Then, add raisins.
Cook on high heat until onions begin to soften. Add diced tomatoes and green chillies. Pour 1/3 cup water and mix.
Reduce heat to medium, stir until liquids are cooked down. Let it cool and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll the dough into 8-inch circles.
Add ½ cup chicken mix to the circles and sprinkle pepper and cheese.
Add water to dampen the edges and seal with fingertips. Crimp it.
Brush beaten egg yolk on top of each empanadas before baking
Bake in the centre of the preheated oven until browned and crispy on the edges for about 35 minutes.
Chocotorta (dessert)
A low effort no baking Argentine savoury, which can be easily made with chocolate cookies and dulce de leche or milk caramel
Ingredients
Chocolate cookies, 1 can dulce de leche or thick milk caramel, Instant espresso, Vanilla extract, Cream cheese, Heavy cream
Method
Beat together dulce de leche, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour in heavy cream and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Reserve some of the filling for the top.
Stir whole milk and instant espresso together.
Dip the chocolate cookies in the mix, then arrange in a layer. Top with some of the filling, and repeat until you have 6 layers of biscuits and 5 layers of dulce de leche.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight so the biscuits can soften. Invert onto a plate, top with reserved filling, sprinkle with cocoa powder, and serve.