APPETIZERS

sweet sangria

Fruity Sangria Recipe That’s So Easy and Delicious

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I just love this fruity sangria recipe! My hubby said it was the best sangria he’s had, and we have had our fair share of sangria ???

Sangria is just such a party drink! You can dress it up with whatever fruit you fancy and make it more or less strong, just right for your crowd. Can you just picture yourself with a pitcher of sangria (to share, of course), a nice cheese board or some BBQ tapas on a lazy Saturday afternoon? I know I can!

What is Sangria?

Some of you may be wondering what I’m going on about. Is sangria a cocktail? Is it a wine? 

Sangria is a Spanish wine punch made with red wine, liquor, fresh fruit, a little mixer, and a dash of sweetness. It’s usually served with Spanish tapas, cheese boards or appetizers. Sangria is served cold, with ice cubes. It’s like a wine cooler but sooo much better!

Sangria is definitely on the sweet side so you can easily drink more than you realize. It tastes so good and refreshing that I can overindulge (I’m a lightweight and feel tipsy after two glasses of wine). That’s why I usually water down my glass with a little extra ice. 

red wine sangria

What’s The Best Wine For Sweet Sangria?

You can use any sweet red wine, but it doesn’t have to be a specific one. I used Merlot for this fruity sangria recipe, but you can use pinot noir, zinfandel, or a red blend. Depending on the wine you use, you may want to adjust the amount of sweetness you add.

The other beauty about sangria is that you can use a cheap red wine, so it’s perfect for a crowd. You can also adjust the potency by adding more or less of the mixers  and ice cubes. 

fruity sangria recipe

What Fruit Goes In Sangria? 

Oranges and limes are the most common fruit for sangria. My fruity sangria recipe has oranges, limes, and apples, but you can add other fruits if you like. For example, you can try it with blueberries, grapes, or strawberries. However, it shouldn’t be something that can get too mushy, so I would avoid bananas.

How To Make Sweet Sangria At Home

You can buy sangria ready-made at the store and just add fruit. But what’s the fun in that? Sweet sangria is easy to make and only takes ten minutes. Here are the ingredients you need for this fantastic wine punch. You can start out with my fruity sangria recipe and then adjust the amounts of each ingredient to suit your tastes. I tend to like my sangria on the sweet side and not so boozy, but you can add more or less of brandy, less mixer or simple syrup to suit your palate.

Red Wine – you can use merlot, pinot noir, zinfandel, red blends. Cheap wine is fine!

Mixer – you can use lemon-lime soda. I used Sprite. 

Brandy – if you don’t normally have brandy at home, buy a small bottle just for sangria. Cheap brandy is fine for this, too.

Triple Sec – this is an orange liquor. You can buy an inexpensive non-alcoholic version at the grocery store. Or you can use Cointreau or Grand Marnier if you have them on hand. 

Simple Syrup – you can buy this where you find the cocktail mixers at your local grocery store. Or you can make it yourself. It’s just equal parts water and sugar heated together to give the sugar a chance to dissolve. 

Orange Juice – I really prefer fresh squeezed for this. You don’t need a lot, about two oranges will do. Or use the orange juice you have on hand. 

Fresh Fruit – definitely use oranges and limes and then add other fruits you like. I like to keep it simple so I go with oranges, limes and apples. Just don’t use Granny Smith, it’s not sweet enough.

Ice Cubes – Sangria is served cold, over ice. You can add more or less ice depending on the potency you want. 

Tapas – you need this too! You can’t drink sangria without a little noshy food, it’s criminal! 

OK, noshy is a made-up word that I love to use. So a definition is in order. Noshy means foods with the potential to be nosh.

Nosh Definition: (Origin: Yiddish) a snack or light meal

sangria y tapas

Sangria Y Tapas Are A Power Couple!

Sangria y tapas go together like white on rice. You can make a simple cheese board with one or two cheeses, some crostini and a little salami or prosciutto. Add a few olives and nuts in for good measure. Or you can try some of my tapas recipes.  

Here’s a very simple cheeseboard you can make:

  • Manchego Cheese
  • Tetilla Cheese (if you can’t find this cheese, substitute a mild cheese like mozzarella)
  • Serrano Ham or Prosciutto
  • Spanish Chorizo
  • Spanish Olives
  • Candied Walnuts
  • Guava Marmalade

This fruity sangria recipe and the cheese board are quick and easy to put together and make for a lovely little party starter or date night. Cheers to you and yours!

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fruity sangria recipe

Fruity Sangria Recipe That’s So Easy and Delicious

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: cocktail
  • Method: mix
  • Cuisine: Spanish
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Description

This fruity sangria recipe is quick and easy to make and so delicious! It’s a great way to get the party started!

Ingredients

Scale

1 bottle Merlot (750 ml)

½ cup Sprite

3 ounces Triple Sec

2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)

1 ounce Simple Syrup

1 ounce Brandy

1 Orange

1 Lime

1 Apple (I used gala, but any sweet variety is fine – just not Granny Smith)

Ice Cubes

Instructions

Slice the orange and then cut in half. Slice the lime and dice the apple. Set aside.

Pour the wine into a pitcher. In a cocktail shaker add the Sprite, Triple Sec, Orange Juice, Simple Syrup and Brandy. Fill with ice cubes and shake. Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker into the pitcher with the wine. Add the fruit and the ice cubes and serve with tapas!

Notes

If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can just mix in a bowl or a separate pitcher. By mixing with the ice cubes, the ingredients get cold and you won’t have to use as much ice, if you want the sangria to be a bit stronger.  

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6

Keywords: Fruity Sangria Recipe, Summer Sangria, red wine sangria, red wine sangria recipe, sweet sangria, sangria y tapas, how to make sangria, merlot sangria, wine punch

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Grilled Sausage and Peppers Montaditos For Easy BBQ Tapas

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These little grilled sausage and peppers open sandwiches made with Argentinian sausage are perfect for summer grilling! They are super easy appetizers to make while you enjoy a glass of sangria as you’re grilling this summer. They can be a starter for an epic summer barbecue or part of a no-fuss tapas party. They are so satisfyingly delicious and fun to make! 

Grilled sausage and peppers

What is a Montadito

If you’re not familiar with montaditos, it’s time you guys met. I know you’ll hit it off ?

Montaditos are a type of Spanish tapas that are mini sandwiches. They are similar to sliders and canapes. Basically, you pile on your favorite meat and toppings onto little bread sandwiches or bread slices. Once you get the hang of making them, you’ll discover all sorts of toppings to try. Consider this post your license to get creative on your own little bread canvases!

Grilled sausages, peppers and onions

Grilled Chorizo Toppings

This little grilled sausage and peppers montadito is my take on choripan, a popular Argentinian street food made with grilled chorizo topped with chimichurri. My version is bite-sized, and also includes grilled peppers and onions with cilantro chimichurri sauce.

Chorizo is an Argentinian sausage you should be able to find at your local grocery store. But if you can’t, substitute Italian sausage. 

montaditos

Summer Chill Grill

I love how chill this grill recipe is! It takes very little prep and everything cooks together on the grill at about the same time. You just need to make the chimichurri sauce ahead of time. So once your guests arrive you can hand them a glass of wine or an ice-cold beer and drink and chill with them by the grill.

Throw the sausage, peppers, and onions on the BBQ while you hang out in the backyard with your guests. The sausages and veggies cook in about 10 minutes, and you can add the bread slices on the top rack as the other items are finishing up.

Then, remove everything from the grill and slice up the sausages into thick diagonal slices and the peppers into ribbons. Place a slice of sausage on the toasted bread and pile on the peppers and onions and top with a drizzle of chimichurri sauce.

Summer Grilling Menu Idea

Once you’ve done a little noshing on these little choripan slices with your friends, you can start grilling your main dish. May I suggest churrasco steak with chimichurri sauce to keep the Argentine theme going? Keep it simple with a Grilled Veggie Salad so you don’t have to keep going in and out of the kitchen. Finish off with a little ice cream for dessert. It’s so easy, breezy! 

Give these montaditos with grilled sausage and peppers a try and let me know how you like them. ¡Buen provecho!

Backyard Barbecue Menu Cookbook
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montadito

Grilled Sausage and Peppers Montaditos For Easy BBQ Tapas

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: appetizer
  • Method: grilling
  • Cuisine: Argentine
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Description

These mini-sandwiches, called montaditos, are piled high with grilled sausages and peppers and onions and drizzled with chimichurri sauce. A delicious take on Argentinian choripan that’s perfect for your next barbecue.

Ingredients

Scale

1 loaf French Bread

1 package chorizo (Argentinian sausage) – 5 links

2 red bell peppers

1 large red onion

Chimichurri sauce

Instructions

Preheat: Heat a grill to medium heat. 

peppers and onions

Prep:

  • Prepare the chimichurri sauce. You can do this one day in advance to give the flavors a chance to deepen.
  • Cut the bell peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Cut in as large a piece as you can. I usually cut the tops and bottoms off and then cut the body into 3 large pieces that can lay flat on the grill. 
  • Peel and slice the onion into thick slices (just under half an inch). If the slices are too thin they’ll fall apart on the grill.
  • Slice the baguette bread into ½ inch thick slices. 
  • Brush the veggies lightly with oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Let the veggies sit for about 10 minutes before putting them on the grill. 
  • Brush the bread with oil and set aside until the last 2 minutes of cooking time. 

Cook:

  • Grill the veggies until they have some char and color but aren’t burned. Grill the sausages until they are cooked. Don’t poke the sausages as you grill them because the juices will drain and you’ll end up with a dry sausage. 
  •  Sausage temperature should be about 160 degrees. Grill times will vary based on your grill and the thickness of the veggies. But following are my grill times:
  • Onions Bell Peppers: about 5 minutes per side for a total of 10 minutes
  • Sausages: 10 minutes total, turning them as you go so all sides get cooked evenly. 
  • Bread slices: 1 minute on each side, total of 2 minutes, placed on the top rack for indirect heat (really depends on the thickness and where you place them on the grill). They should be lightly toasted.

Assembly:

  • Remove the veggies and sausages and give them a few minutes to rest. If you plan to remove the charred skin on the red bell peppers, place them under a foil tent to steam a bit to make the skin removal easier. (I like the char, so I skip this step)
  • Slice the peppers into ribbons. The onions will be easy to pull apart once they are off the grill.
  • Slice the sausages diagonally into about ½ inch slices. 
  • Top each slice of bread with a slice of sausage, add a few ribbons of peppers and a few onion rings. 
  • Drizzle with chimichurri sauce.

Notes

The measurements are pretty fast and lose. You can adjust the thickness the bread and sausages to your liking and pile on as much of the onions and peppers as you like. Same goes with the sauce. The more you add the messier they’ll be, though, so start small and see how it goes.  

Calorie count includes chimichurri sauce, but prep time does not. The sauce takes about 30 minutes, but you should give the chimichurri sauce a few hours to let the flavors get to know each other. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3 slices

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Cuban Tapas Recipes

Cuban Appetizers To Make For World Tapas Day

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Tapas are the best party food, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate World Tapas Day than with these delicious Cuban appetizers. This is one holiday that’s totally worth celebrating because it’s just made for hanging out with friends, drinking wine, and noshing on party food. So, let’s get the party started with these fun and delicious Cuban appetizers.

World Tapas Day is either June 16 or 17, depending on the calendar you follow. But you can celebrate it anytime you feel like it. I like to celebrate it every month. And I’m sharing some of my favorite Cuban tapas recipes to help get you in tapas party mode.

Spanish Tapas Montaditos

I love, love, love montaditos and you will too when I ‘splain what they are. These Spanish tapas are made of little baguettes filled with delicious meats, cheeses, and other sweet and savory goodies. The Spanish root word for montadito is montar which means to mount. So, these little pieces of bread are mounted with tons of delicious toppings. I like to think of them as my little bread canvas where I can get creative and inventive. Here are two fun Cuban tapas recipes to try.

ropa vieja sandwich

Cuban Ropa Vieja Montaditos

These impressive little Cuban ropa vieja appetizers are perfect for a tapas party! They come together quickly and can be assembled and finished later. If you don’t have ropa vieja leftovers, you can get the recipe here and enjoy it for dinner the night before. If you don’t have ropa vieja, you can try pulled pork, or use whatever leftovers you do have on hand. Top with a little cheese and olive, pepper, or a little spicy sauce. 

smoked salmon avocado toast

Smoked Salmon Toast (Montadito)

I called this recipe Smoked Salmon Toast, but you can also call it a montadito. These smoked salmon toasts are an easy Cuban tapas recipe to make and requires no cooking. Smoked salmon and avocado piled high on a crostini with a lemon and caper gremolata is the perfect dish for breakfast, brunch, or a tapas party. Now, I know these are technically not Cuban, but they are made by a Cuban, and avocado toast is a Cuban thing anyway… we were eating avocado toast (aka pan con aguacate) way before it was trendy ??❤?

Grilled Sausage And Peppers Montaditos

These little grilled sausage and peppers montaditos made with Argentinian sausage are perfect for summer grilling! Enjoy a glass of sangria as you’re grilling this summer. They can be a starter for an epic summer barbecue or part of a no-fuss tapas party. They are so satisfyingly delicious and fun to make! 

Pan Con Tomate

Pan Con Tomate Traditional Spanish Tapas

This simple and delicious Pan Con Tomate is a traditional tapas recipe that’s super quick and easy to make. It requires no cooking and can really be done with just the four basic ingredients in ten minutes tops. Try it with a little prosciutto, wine and cheese. You’ll love, love it!

chicken croquettes

Chicken Croquettes Are Party Platter Favorites!

Chicken croquettes are party animals! They are the life of every Cuban party and it’s no wonder. Croquettes are crunchy on the outside with a creamy chicken filling made with béchamel sauce. They are also great as a snack or for breakfast. You can switch things up by swapping the chicken filling with ham or fish. So perfect for tapas!

Cuban Appetizers with Leftover Picadillo

I love to turn my leftovers into tapas party food, especially Cuban picadillo. It’s the perfect filling for tons of Cuban appetizers, like empanadas and stuffed tostones cups. Oh, and quesadillas… not a Cuban appetizer but in the Latin family ?

beef and cheese empanadas

Beef Picadillo Empanadas

These cheesy ground beef empanadas are a very popular Cuban appetizer that’s easy to make and can be fried or baked. I filled these empanadas with picadillo, but you can try other savory fillings. Ropa vieja (used in the montadito recipe above) would also be great here. 

Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas

Picadillo Ground Beef Quesadillas

Quesadillas are another great canvas for creating delicious tapas. I love using my leftover picadillo to make these cheesy ground beef quesadillas, but you can use any leftovers you have on hand. That’s one of the many things I love about quesadillas! Just open up your fridge and pull out your leftovers, a little cheese, some peppers, and onions and you got the makings of some great party food. 

Cuban appetizers

Stuffed Fried Plantain Tostones Cups

Tostones are twice-fried green plantains and a go-to side dish for many Cuban dishes. But they can hold their own as a Cuban appetizer, especially if you turn them into tostones cups. Follow my tostones recipe to make these fun little cups and then you can fill them with picadillo or ropa vieja topped with cheese. Or fill them with shrimp ceviche cocktail.

Crunchy Malanga Fritters Are Great As An Appetizer or Side Dish

These malanga fritters (aka frituras de malanga) are a super crunchy cuban appetizer perfect for tapas. If you’re not familiar with malanga, it’s a root vegetable that’s creamier and more nutrient-dense than potatoes. They are great on their own, with a little dipping sauce or as a side for soups, stews or salads.

shrimp ceviche cocktail

Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail

This Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail recipe is easy to make and is a great, refreshing appetizer for summer parties! I like to serve them with plantain chips or tostones cups, but they are also wonderful with tortilla cups. Ceviche is a popular Latin American appetizer and is usually made with lime juice, onions, and peppers. This version has a tomato base and spicy habanero peppers for a little heat.

Cuban Deviled Eggs

Cuban Deviled Eggs

These Cuban deviled eggs, or huevos endiablados, are made with saffron. This Spanish spice is usually used to make paella and adds a subtle and distinctive flavor to this classic deviled egg recipe. Top it with bacon or a Spanish olive and they make a great appetizer for your next tapas party. 

Now no tapas party would be complete without a pitcher of sweet sangria. Make a pitcher to enjoy with the great apps by using my Fruity Sangria recipe.

So, now that you’re fortified with some great Cuban tapas recipes and a pitcher of sangria, go forth and party. 

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shrimp ceviche cocktail

The Best Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail

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This shrimp ceviche cocktail is my husband’s favorite! He doesn’t rave about recipes often, but this is one he loves so much he’ll drink the sauce when all the shrimp are gone. He’s got a thing for sauces!

Ceviche is a popular Latin American appetizer and is usually made with lime juice, onions, and peppers. This version has a tomato base, but it’s not like a shrimp cocktail.

This shrimp ceviche cocktail is based on a Mexican version that adds sliced tomato and ketchup to the mix of onions, peppers and lime juice. The contrast between the acid in the limes and the sweetness of the ketchup is fantastic. And then there’s the heat from the habanero peppers to push it over the top. Habanero peppers are a hot chili pepper used in Cuban cooking. You’ll want to get them when they are ripe (orange in color). If you can’t find habaneros, you can use jalapeños.

shrimp ceviche cocktail

Use Cooked Shrimp For This Ceviche

Ceviche is usually raw fish that is cooked in lime juice. But shrimp ceviche is often cooked and then mixed with lime juice and other ingredients. My son worked in restaurants for many years, and while fish ceviche can be raw, they always cooked the shrimp before making the ceviche because it contains some harmful bacteria. 

You only need to cook the shrimp for about 1-2 minutes, depending on size. Then dunk them in an ice bath to keep them from overcooking. It’s important not to overcook them, so your ceviche tastes fresh and light, with just enough bite without being rubbery. You can tell when they are done because they turn pink and start to curl into a C-shape. 

For this recipe, I used 21-25 count shrimp and cooked them for 2 minutes. But you can use any size you like.

shrimp ceviche cocktail

How To Prepare Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail

Preparing ceviche is super easy. You just chop everything, squeeze some limes and mix it all together. The trick to preparing this shrimp ceviche is to use a mandoline to thinly slice the red onions and tomato. While you can eat it right away, I like to let the ceviche sit overnight to soften the onion and meld the flavors.

I use large shrimp for this recipe because the sliced vegetables can be rather large compared to smaller shrimp. But it’s good with medium shrimp too. It really depends on your preference.

Also, it really helps to soak the red onions in a cold bath for a while to remove some of the bite. I start soaking the onions before I get started with peeling the shrimp or cutting the veggies. They also soften a bit more when you let the ceviche sit for a few hours or overnight.

stuffed tostones cups

Ceviche Stuffed Tostones Cups 

I love to serve this citrusy ceviche in tostones cups. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy these little appetizer cups made from fried green tostones. The warm crunch of the tostones cups complements the spicy, limey ceviche for a terrific balance of flavors and textures. It also looks so crazy impressive when you serve it. You can follow this recipe to make the tostones cups from scratch. You may also find the tostones cups in the freezer section. Look for the Goya brand. 

shrimp ceviche cocktail

Other Great Ways to Serve Shrimp Ceviche 

If you can’t make the tostones cups, you can serve this ceviche with plantain strips that you can easily find in your grocery store’s chip aisle. Tortilla cups are also another fun way to serve this ceviche. 

But shrimp ceviche cocktail is tasty on its own and can be served in a cocktail glass with extra cilantro or in little tasting spoons. However, you decide to serve it, eat it with friends. They are so much tastier that way!

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shrimp ceviche cocktail

The Best Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 18
  • Cook Time: 2
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Boil
  • Cuisine: Mexican
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Description

This Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail recipe is easy to make and is a great, refreshing appetizer for summer parties! I like to serve them with plantain chips or tostones cups, but they are also wonderful with tortilla cups. 

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds large shrimp

1 medium red onion

1 medium vine ripened tomato

2 habanero peppers

4 limes

1 navel orange

1/4 cup ketchup

1 bunch cilantro

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepping the Shrimp: Peel and deveined the shrimp. Set a pot of salted water to boil. 

Prepping the Onions: While the water boils, thinly slice the red onion using a mandoline affiliate link. Then place the red onions in a ice-water bath to remove some of the bite. Set this aside. 

Cooking: Get a bowl of water and ice ready for the cooked shrimp (you’ll need to get the cooked shrimp to cool immediately). Once the water on the stovetop is boiling, add the shrimp and cooke for 1-2 minutes. The shrimp should turn pink and curl into a C-shape. Immediately remove them from the water add to the iced water. 

Prep the rest of the veggies: While the shrimp cools and the onions are soaking, cut the rest of the vegetables.

  • Thinly slice the tomato using a mandolin (discard the ends).
  • Remove the seeds and ribs from the habanero peppers and finely chop (be careful not to touch your eyes or mouth when handling the peppers). 
  • Chop the cilantro until you have about a 1/2 cup. You may want to add more or less to taste, and you’ll also want to add some fresh cilantro right before serving. 
  • Juice the limes and the orange, reserve the juice and discard of the fruit. 

Mixing: In a large bowl,  mix the ketchup, olive oil and lime and orange juices. Add the shrimp and the veggies. Mix and salt to taste. 

Let it sit for 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with more cilantro before serving. 

Serve with plantain chips, tortilla cups or stuff the shrimp in tostones cups. 

 

Equipment

Notes

If you can’t find habanero peppers, use jalapeño peppers. Also, if you don’t like a lot of heat, you can omit the peppers or add a small amount, to taste. 

You can eat the shrimp ceviche cocktail right away, but it tastes better if you let it sit for a while. The onions and tomatoes also soften a bit more as it sits. 

You really need a mandoline affiliate link to get the thin slices that are best for this ceviche. I’ve tried to thinly cut the onions and tomatoes, but they were still too chunky and overpowered the shrimp. 

Don’t skip soaking the onions in a cold bath, it really helps to remove some of the bite of the onion. 

Keywords: Shrimp ceviche cocktail, Shrimp ceviche recipe, Best Shrimp ceviche recipe, How to make Shrimp ceviche, Easy Shrimp ceviche recipe, Shrimp ceviche ingredients, Easy Shrimp ceviche, Cooked Shrimp ceviche recipe

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Cuban Tostones

Cuban Tostones Are Great As A Side Dish or Appetizer

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I love tostones! They are my favorite way to eat fried plantains. I love how every bite gives you a mix of salty crunch and tender plantain flavor that complements so many other flavors. Tostones taste so, so good with savory toppings or a tangy, citrusy dipping sauce like chimichurri. Or paired with popular Cuban dishes like paella or picadillo. 

Cuban Plantains

What’s A Plantain? 

Before I get too far along, I want to make sure you know what a plantain is. Plantains look a lot like a banana, but they are bigger and need to be cooked before you can eat them. They are grown all over South and Central America and the Caribbean, and it’s a staple of both Latin and Caribbean diets. You can learn more about Cuban plantains in my Why I Love Cuban Plantains post.

Maduros vs. Tostones

The two most popular ways to enjoy plantains are when they are green and are twice-fried to make tostones. Or when they are super ripe and turned into maduros. It seems most folks prefer one or the other. In my house, we’re evenly split between the two. But if you have a sweet tooth, you’ll definitely want to try making maduros. 

For me, tostones are the best. Especially because you can shape them into little tostones cups that can be filled with just about anything you find delicious, like ceviche or ropa vieja. 

Fried Plantains

How To Cook Tostones

Tostones are twice-fried and mashed into discs. They’re made with green plantains. Because they are unripe, the flesh tends to be really hard. So you need to first blanch the plantains by frying them in low heat. Once they are soft enough to pierce them with a fork, you can mash them and then turn up the heat and fry until they are crisp. 

Usually, tostones are mashed into a disk using a tostonera, plate, or flat surface. But you can also use a stuffed plantain press that shapes the tostone into a cup and then fry them like that. This gives you a delightful little bowl that you can fill and serve as appetizers. 

One of my favorite fillings to use is shrimp ceviche. But you can fill them with meats, cheese, salsa, you name it. Try them filled with Cuban picadillo or ropa vieja.

Tostones Cups

Where to Buy Them

Since plantains are so popular now, you can probably find them at your local grocery store. If not, try specialty markets or Hispanic grocers. 

You can also find tostones in the chip aisle, already fried and ready to eat. Although these are not as good as the ones you fry yourselves, they are crunchy and can be used as a chip. My only complaint with these is that they are usually smaller than the ones you make at home and are often broken into pieces. You also miss the meatiness you get with homemade tostones. Still, they can be fun to eat. Brands to look for include Chifles and Chiquita.

You may also find fried plantains in the freezer section. These have usually been fried once and mashed, so all you have to do is fry them for a few minutes in medium-high heat to crisp them up. You may even be able to find them in the cup shapes already. Goya is a good brand to look for. 

I do highly recommend you try making them yourself if you can. They are so worth the effort! Let me know if you make them and what toppings you used.

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Cuban Tostones

Cuban Tostones Are Great As A Side Dish or Appetizer

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 9
  • Total Time: 14 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Cuban
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Description

These tostones are delicious as a side dish or served with a dipping sauce. You can also mash into cups and fill with savory goodies like ceviche or ropa vieja.

Ingredients

2 green plantains

Vegetable Oil for frying

Salt

Instructions

Preheating: Add oil to a frying pan and set on low heat. You’ll need about 1 inch of oil in the pan. 

Peeling and Slicing: Cut the ends off the plantain, cut 4 slits diagonally into plantain. Stick a knife blade just under the skin and begin to pry the skin off. Peel each section, being careful not to remove any of the flesh. Cut crosswise into 1 1/2 inch slices. 

First Frying: Fry the plantain slices on low heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels.  Remove from oil, drain on paper towels and salt immediately (so the salt sticks to the tostones). 

Smashing: Place one slice on a cutting board and use a small plate or a large glass measuring cup to mash the plantain to about a 1/2″ to 1/4″ thickness, depending on your preference. If you’re making tostones cups, you’ll need to use the special masher. Spray the cup with a little cooking spray to make it easy to remove the mashed cup. 

Second Frying: Increase the heat to medium low and cooke the plantain discs or cups until golden, about 2-3 minutes total.

Equipment

Notes

Serve with chimichurri or lime-cilantro aoili. 

Watch the videos in the post to see how to mash the tostones. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6

Keywords: tostones, tostones cups, fried green plantains, fried plantains, how to make tostones, cuban tostones, cuban plantains

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Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas

Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas Are Easy To Make With Leftover Picadillo

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Cheesy ground beef quesadillas are a great way to use leftover Cuban Picadillo. In fact, you can turn almost any leftovers into a quesadilla. 

And these ground beef quesadillas are easy to make, needing just three ingredients: tortillas, cheese, and picadillo. I like to make a quick pico de gallo or guacamole to top the quesadillas, but a little sour cream will work just fine too. 

beef quesadilla

Leftovers Make Great Quesadillas

I love to raid the fridge and throw an impromptu quesadilla party with any leftovers I find. We’ll take out some sour cream, cheese, tortillas, last night’s restaurant leftovers, or any bits and pieces from previous dinners. My son will usually keep the quesadilla production going, handing out little triangles of cheesy goodness as he goes along. 

Actually, I can’t think of a time that I intentionally made a filling for quesadillas. Leftovers are so easy to use that I usually wait until I have something in hand to throw together into a quesadilla. I used leftover Cuban Picadillo for these cheesy ground beef quesadillas, but you can use any protein, veggie, or bean you have on hand. It’s delicious with leftover grilled meat and veggies, chicken fricassee, or ropa vieja (shredded beef). 

Now about the cheese… I like to use Colby Jack cheese, but cheddar or mozzarella works well too. You can also use a mix of cheeses. It all depends on what you have on hand. Because the beauty of quesadillas is convenience and invention. 

Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas

How To Make Ground Beef Quesadillas

The key to making a good quesadilla is to make sure to layer the cheese. If you use cheese on only one side, the tortillas won’t stick together. Also, using a little butter instead of oil gives it a next-level taste. 

I usually assemble the quesadilla with one layer of cheese, a protein, a veggie (onions and red bell peppers are great), and then top with a second layer of cheese. If I’m feeling fancy, I may add a few spices or sauce between the layers. Then, I add a little butter to a heated sauté pan and add the quesadilla and cook slowly to make sure the cheese melts and the crust doesn’t burn.

You can also make these quesadillas in a panini press, making sure to butter the tortilla before putting it on the press. It’s really so easy to make and share. 

So, the next time you find your fridge filled with a lot of little leftovers containers, throw a quesadilla party.

cheesy beef quesadilla
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Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas

Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas Are Easy To Make With Leftover Picadillo

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 24
  • Total Time: 34 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

I love making these cheesy beef quesadillas with leftover Cuban picadillo and Colby Jack cheese. They are quick and easy to make and disappear quickly!

Ingredients

Scale

8 Flour Tortillas (6 inch diameter)

1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

1 cup leftover Cuban picadillo meat

2 pats of butter

Serve with salsa and sour cream

Instructions

Preheat a saute pan over medium heat. While it heats up, prepare the quesadillas.

On top of one tortilla layer 2 tablespoon cup of cheese, ¼ cup of picadillo meat and top with another 2 tablespoons of cheese. Top with another tortilla. 

Add about a ¼ pat of butter to the pan and place on quesadilla. Lower the heat to low and cook  minutes on each side. Repeat for the other quesadillas. 

Serve with salsa and sour cream.  

Notes

I like my quesadillas on the cheesy side. But if you want to cut down on calories, you can use 1 cup of cheese instead of two. this way, you’re only adding 1/4 cup of cheese per quesadilla. One serving makes a great lunch, but half a quesadilla makes for a great snack.

Keywords: cheesy ground beef quesadillas, ground beef quesadilla recipe, cuban quesadilla recipe, ground beef quesadilla

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cuban deviled eggs on an Easter table settings

Cuban Deviled Eggs Are Great For Easter Brunch

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Do you love deviled eggs? Then you’ll love my Cuban Deviled Eggs. It’s based on the classic deviled eggs recipe with one important addition… saffron. My son says that I would add saffron to just about anything. But this is not true! Saffron is an expensive spice so I use it very judiciously, but it’s so worth it on deviled eggs. Especially for Easter Brunch!

Deviled Eggs In Spanish

The Spanish name for deviled eggs is huevos endiablados. I really couldn’t find a recipe for huevos endiablados in my Cuban cookbooks. So I’ll admit that deviled eggs are not much of a Cuban thing. But it’s about time that changed! It’s time we crashed the deviled egg party platter with our own version! 

And I’m not the only one that thinks so. I did find a few recipes online for Cuban deviled eggs that included garlic, tomato sauce, cilantro, or Spanish olives. But I’m very fond of the classics so I wanted to keep this Cuban deviled egg recipe simple and try it with my favorite Spanish spice, saffron.  

Spanish deviled eggs

An Egg By Any Other Name

While deviled eggs may not be a Cuban thing, they are a universally loved appetizer. The deviled eggs’ origin dates back to ancient Rome and you’ll find it in cookbooks all over the world. They are called by other names such as stuffed eggs, mimosa eggs, Russian eggs, and dressed eggs. 

In fact, I did find a recipe for Florecitas De Huevos Rellenos (stuffed egg flowers) in the classic Cocina Criolla cookbook. So, there is a Cuban deviled egg recipe! I was tempted to try this recipe, but it called for deviled ham and that’s just a deal breaker for me. So, I had to come up with my own version. 

It turns out eggs are not the only things that are deviled. The term deviled refers to spicy or highly seasoned foods and originates in 18th century England, where it’s spelled “devilled”. 

How Long To Boil Eggs

This saffron deviled egg recipe is easy to make. The hardest part for most is how to cook the egg. You want the yolk to be fully cooked without the green ring around it. And the egg shell needs to come away cleanly so your egg has a smooth surface without any gouges or pockmarks. 

The trick for easy peeling is to shock the eggs by placing them in ice cold water immediately and letting them cool for about 15 minutes. Kenji Lopez-Alt gives a great explanation of why this works in this Serious Eats article. I love how many experiments he went through to help us boil an egg! Much appreciated here!

As for how to cook the egg… you want to bring a pot of water to boil. Gently place the cold eggs into the water using a spoon (if you drop them in you’ll crack them). Lower the heat to simmer and cook 18 minutes. Kenji suggests 11 minutes, but he covers his eggs and I like to check on the simmer to make sure they are simmering and not boiling. I found that 18 minutes uncovered worked best for me. 

deviled eggs with bacon

Classic Ingredients

Earlier I referred to classic deviled eggs and that usually means a mix of mayo, mustard and vinegar. My version sticks pretty closely to this except for delicious, magical saffron. I love that stuff!!

Now, I went with a lot less mayo than I would prefer. I’m trying to strike a happy balance between my tastebuds and my health. I like to eat these a lot, so by cutting down on the mayo, I get to enjoy them more! So, I went with ¼ cup of mayo, but you can easily go to ½ cup and get a creamier filling. If you do that, then I would increase the mustard from 2 to 3 tablespoons. Another way to lower the calorie count is to use reduced calorie mayonnaise.

Deviled Egg Toppings

My favorite topping is smoked paprika, it works so well with saffron! In fact, saffron and smoked paprika are the key ingredients in my favorite Paella Mixta recipe. I also like to add some chives for color and texture. But here are a few more toppings you can try: bacon, cooked chorizo crumbles, Spanish olives cut in half, red onions and caper gremolata, and cilantro. I tried all these variations and my favorites were the smoked paprika and chives, and bacon crumbles. But you go out there and have some fun with it!

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Spanish Deviled Eggs with smoked paprika and chives on an easter plate

Cuban Deviled Eggs For Easter

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 18
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 24
  • Category: Brunch
  • Method: Boiling
  • Cuisine: Cuban
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Description

The saffron affiliate link adds a subtle but distinctive flavor to this classic deviled egg recipe with a Cuban twist! You can easily half this recipe for a smaller gathering. Party animals can easily double it too 😉

Ingredients

12 eggs

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

Salt and White pepper to taste

Generous pinch saffron threads

Chives and Smoked Paprika for garnish

Instructions

Boiling: Bring a pot of water to boil. Once boiling, use a spoon to gently place the eggs into the pan. If you drop them in, you can break them. Also, you can use cold eggs, straight from the fridge. Boil for 30 seconds, then lower to a simmer and cook for 18 minutes (check to make sure it’s simmering, the eggs will make a little rattling sound but you should not see bubbles). Once cooked add to a bowl of ice cubes and water, enough to cover the eggs. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before peeling. 

Saffron: While the eggs are cooling, crumble the saffron threads between your fingers and place in a small bowl or cup. Add a tablespoon of boiling water and let it sit while the eggs boil. 

Peeling: Once the eggs have cooled 15 minutes, gently crack the egg all over (don’t do it too hard or you can break the egg white). Peel under running water. Rinse the egg to make sure there’s no shell bits clinging to it. 

Scooping the Yolks: Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and gently remove the yolk, it should come out cleanly. If it doesn’t, use a spoon to gently scoop out whatever yolk is clinging to the egg whites. I cannot stress gentleness enough. You don’t want to damage your little egg cups!

Mixing: Add the egg yolks to a bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until small crumbles. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, saffron threads with water. Mix with the back of a wooden spoon to make the mixture as smooth and creamy as possible. Add white pepper and salt to taste. 

Stuffing: Use a mini scooper or a spoon to fill each egg cup. Or, you can pipe the mixture into the cups for a fancy look. 

Piping: Take the yolk mixture and place it in pastry bag with a 1M star decorator tip. Pipe each egg cup until filled. 

Garnishing: Garnish with smoked paprika and chopped chives. 

Notes

Other great toppings you can use for these eggs are: crumbled bacon, crispy cooked Spanish chorizo, cilantro, Spanish olives.

I mentioned this in my post but it bears repeating… I used less mayo to lower the calories and guilt factor on these, but you can easily go to ½ cup of mayo and get a creamier filling. If you do that, then increase the mustard to 3 tablespoons. Alternatively, you can use reduced calorie mayonnaise. 

If you want to add more complex toppings, I would suggest spooning in the mixture so you have more of a horizontal surface to work with. Also, the creamier the eggs (aka higher mayo content), the better the toppings adhere. 

Keywords: Cuban Deviled Eggs, Spanish deviled eggs, saffron deviled eggs, Spanish deviled eggs recipe, easter deviled eggs, smoked paprika deviled eggs

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smoked salmon avocado toast

Easy Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast For Brunch

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Brunch is absolutely the best weekend meal! I love hanging out with friends and family sipping on a mimosa and munching on these super tasty smoked salmon avocado toasts. On their own, smoked salmon and avocado toast are brunch stars but paired together they are Oscar material!

Crostini plays a supporting role to thinly sliced avocado topped with smoked salmon and a red onion and capers gremolata. I first tried making these little salmon toasts with cream cheese, but it was overpowering. The avocado has a more subtle flavor that lets the salmon shine through. And the gremolata was the perfect complement for both.

This brunch recipe doesn’t require any cooking and can be prepared in advance and assembled just before serving. If you can’t find ripe avocados, substitute avocado mash for the sliced avocado. However, don’t use guacamole for the base because it’s a bit too much with the gremolata. 

Let’s review this cast of characters.

salmon avocado toast

How This Easy Brunch Appetizer Stacks Up

Crostini – I used half inch slices of French bread cut diagonally. This gives you more room for smoked salmon and makes it more than just a bite. If you’re pressed for time, you can use store-bought crostini, but it’s better if you can make them. Store-bought crostini tends to be thinner and crispier. And having a thicker slice with a bit of a chew gives you a more satisfying bite and mouthfeel.

Avocado – I used thinly sliced avocado fanned out on the crostini. It looks super fancy and it’s so easy to make. You slice the avocado in half, peel it and thinly slice it from top to bottom. Then you run your fingers over it slightly to flatten and fan the slices like a deck of cards.

Smoked Salmon – I love the way the smokey flavor stands up to the other ingredients in this salmon toast. I had tried making a marinade for the smoked salmon, but it overpowered the salmon. The gremolata gives you a great punch without drowning out the delicate salmon flavor. 

Gremolata – I love this part! Gremolata is a traditional Italian herb condiment made with lemon zest, parsley and garlic. My take on it includes red onion, capers and cilantro, instead of parsley. The cilantro tastes so good with avocado!

smoked salmon canape

These Smoked Salmon Toasts Are Super Versatile

These tasty little toasts are perfect for Easter brunch, but they are so friendly and versatile you can serve them at just about any occasion.

Change the crostini for two thick slices of sourdough bread to make smoked salmon avo toast breakfast for two. 

Or cut the French bread into half-inch rounds to make smoked salmon canapes for your next party. This recipe makes eight little salmon toasts, but you can double the amount by cutting the bread crosswise into 16 small half-inch rounds.

Hanging out with friends having wine? These are perfect little montaditos, a Spanish tapas dish made with bread piled high with toppings. 

This little avocado toast has range, baby!

Don’t know about montaditos? It’s a special type of Spanish tapas (appetizer) made with baguette-style bread topped with all kinds of good stuff.  Check out my Ropa Vieja Montaditos recipe to get a better idea. 

Ready to brunch? Dale!

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smoked salmon toast

Easy Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast For Brunch

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Brunch
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

These smoked salmon toasts are an easy brunch recipe that requires no cooking. Smoked salmon and avocado piled high on a crostini with a lemon and caper gremolata is the perfect dish for breakfast, brunch or a party. 

Ingredients

8 slices of French bread cut on the diagonal, half-inch thick and 5 inches long

2 small Hass avocados

4 ounces smoked salmon

1/4 cup red onion finely diced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped capers

3 tables olive oil, divided

zest of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

chives for garnish

Instructions

These smoked salmon avocado toasts require no cooking, just a little toasting for the bread. 

Crostini: Cut 8 slices of French bread on the diagonal. The slices should be half-inch thick and 5 inches long. Brush with one tablespoon of olive oil and lightly toast. 

avocado toast

Avocado: Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Peel and thinly slice each half. Gently push on the avocado slices to fan them out like a deck of cards. Take about 1/4 for each piece of toast. Place the slices on the toast and gently mold to fit. 

Salmon: Portion the salmon into 8 equal portions of half an ounce each.

Gremolata: Take the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon zest, onions, capers and cilantro and mix in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Assemble: Top each avocado toast with one portion of smoked salmon and a spoonful of the gremolata across the top. 

Garnish: Cut 8 chives about 5 inches long and top each toast with one chive.

Notes

You can use mashed avocado in place of the sliced avocado. 

You can make the gremolata and toast the bread ahead of time and then assemble when you’re ready to serve. 

smokes salmon canape

You can turn this avocado toast into smoked salmon canapes. Just double the servings from 8 to 16 by cutting the French bread into half-inch rounds (crosswise not diagonal) and top with 1/8 of an avocado and a quarter ounce of salmon. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 toast

Keywords: smoked salmon avocado toast, salmon toast, salmon avocado toast, smoked salmon canape, brunch recipe

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beef and cheese empanadas

Easy Beef and Cheese Empanadas

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These tasty little beef and cheese empanadas are so easy to make and a great way to savor leftover picadillo. Empanadas are a popular Cuban snack sold at Cuban bakeries and restaurants. You’ll also find them in just about any snack counter in Miami. I love to have these as tapas with a little wine or sangria, but they also work as a snack or light lunch. 

Empanadas Origin

Empanadas are originally from Spain, but you’ll find them in most Latin American cuisines. The term comes from the verb empanar, which means to coat or wrap with bread. 

While empanadas are from Spain, many cultures have a recipe for meat pie. It’s an early version of convenience food. I just love that they are so super easy to make and are a great appetizer, especially served with a little sriracha  aioli on the side. 

Cheesy Beef Picadillo Empanadas

Beef Picadillo Empanadas

My favorite stuffing is spicy ground beef (picadillo), but you can stuff these little hand pies with so many other yummies. The ones you’ll find most often at Cuban bakeries are filled with guava and cream cheese, picadillo, or chicken. This beef and cheese empanada recipe is stuffed with cheese and picadillo because that’s my daughter’s favorite combo. I used a Colby Jack cheese mix because it pairs so well with the spicy ground beef. 

You’ll need about one and a quarter cups of picadillo to make these empanadas. You can use my Authentic Cuban Picadillo recipe. Picadillo is a very popular Cuban dish made of spicy ground beef with olives and served with black beans and rice. It’s the ultimate Cuban comfort food! Make the picadillo for dinner and then use the leftovers to make these cheesy beef picadillo empanadas.   

Empanada Dough

Some people make their own empanada dough, but I’m not one of them. I usually buy the frozen empanada discs that are ready to go. So, I can make these empanadas on a whim, whenever I have some picadillo leftovers. One day when I grow up, I’ll make my own dough. 

cuban meat pie

You Can Fry or Bake Empanadas

I like to bake these beef and cheese empanadas because it’s so much easier than frying. But my daughter loves them fried (of course she would… especially when I’m the one frying them :P). But I must say the dough is definitely crunchier and tastier when you fry them. 

If you’re frying these, you need to make sure you have a good seal on the dough, so the stuffing doesn’t come out and the oil doesn’t seep into the picadillo filling. To do this, you just need to wet the edge of the dough with a little water and then use fork tines to seal the edges. 

If you’re baking the empanadas, add a little egg wash and paprika to the tops before baking. 

Let’s make some empanadas ya’ll!

When I make these, I think of my Abuela Melba. She used to make empanadas for me and my brother. Years later, after I was married, she would make a batch for me and my hubby and call me to come and pick them up. That was a great way to get me to stop by her house often! 

She would always ask me how I liked them and if they were better than my mom’s. That woman loved a little competition! As she got older, her cooking skills started to decline, and her empanadas were a little too greasy with the filling seeping out of the dough. I would still come and pick them up and tell her how good they were, because I knew it pleased her. 

Cooking for us was one of the ways she could communicate my hubby. She didn’t speak any English and Jay didn’t speak any Spanish at that time. So, the empanadas were her way of saying she liked “Jerry” (she could never get his name right!). 

Food is a connector and memory maker. It helps bridge the gap between languages, generations, and cultures. So, the next time you want to connect and love on your peeps, cook up a batch of your signature dish and share it with them.

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Cuban beef and cheese empanadas on a slate board

Cuban Beef Empanada Recipe

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Cook Time: 27
  • Total Time: 52 minutes
  • Yield: 10 1x
  • Category: appetizer
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: Cuban
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Description

These super tasty, cheesy Cuban beef empanadas are very easy to make and can be fried or baked. They are a perfect way to use up Cuban picadillo leftovers!

Ingredients

Scale

1 1/4 cup Authentic Cuban Beef Picadillo

1 1/4 cup Shredded Colby Jack Cheese

1 package of frozen empanada discs (they come 10 to a pack and can be found in the freezer section)

1 egg (for brushing on the baked empanadas)

Paprika for garnish (for baked empanadas)

1 cup oil (if you’re frying)

Instructions

authentic picadillo recipe

Picadillo: Prepare Cuban Picadillo according to recipe found here. If you’re using leftovers, don’t reheat. We want to use the filling cold. If you made picadillo for this recipe, let it come to room temperature before filling. Otherwise, it will make the dough too soft and it could tear.  Take out the shredded cheese.

Dough: Thaw the frozen dough, it should take about 15 minutes. You can pull apart the discs once they begin to thaw to speed up the process, but be careful not to crack the dough. 

Prep: Flour your working surface so the dough doesn’t stick. Get a little bowl of water for sealing the dough. If you’re baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and beat the egg and set aside. 

beef and cheese empanada

Filling: Add two tablespoons of picadillo and two tablespoons of cheese to one empanada disc. Dip one finger into the water bowl and wet the edges of the dough.

how to seal beef empanada
Fold the dough and seal with fork tines. 

Baking: Brush the empanadas with the egg wash and sprinkle a little paprika on the tops. Bake for 27 minutes or until golden.

how to fry empanadas

Frying: pour oils into a shallow frying pan and heat to about 350 degrees on medium high. Carefully place each empanada into the oil and lower the heat to medium. Fry on each side for about 3 minutes. Take out with tongs and drain on paper towels. 

Notes

Cooking time is based on baking the empanadas. If you’re frying, you can shorten the time by about 10 minutes.

You can opt for making all-beef empanadas and leave out the cheese. If you do that, use 1/4 cup of picadillo filling. 

Serve with sriracha aioli. 

Keywords: beef and cheese empanada, beef picadillo empanadas, how to make empanadas, cheesy ground beef empanadas

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ropa vieja sandwich

Cuban Ropa Vieja Sandwich Appetizer Is Impressive and Simple

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Ooh, you are so going to wow your friends with these little shredded beef appetizers, which I’m calling Ropa Vieja Montaditos. They are totally Instagram-worthy and the perfect wine party appetizer! You may not be as excited with the strange-sounding name, but you will once I ‘splain what my little ropa vieja sandwich is all about.

What is a montadito?   

I didn’t just make up the name montadito. This Spanish word describes a particular type of appetizer consisting of a baguette-style bread piled with toppings. The root word means to mount. So, in essence, you’re mounting deliciousness on a bread canvas to create little works of art that won’t last very long on a plate! Trust me, this is the best thing to happen to bread since the invention of the slice. 

Now, montaditos are usually more like little sandwiches served on baguette bread.  My shredded beef appetizer is more like an open-faced ropa vieja sandwich. A little different, but the name totally works.

What is Ropa Vieja?  

Ropa Vieja is a shredded beef stew simmered in a savory tomato sauce. The original recipe migrated to Cuba from Spain, and it’s one of the most popular dishes served at Cuban restaurants in Miami. Ropa Vieja literally means old clothes, which could refer to how it looks. But I found a sweet story online about an old man who had no food for his family, so he cooked his old clothes and prayed over the simmering pot. Then God answered with shredded beef!   

easy tapas recipe

Spanish Tapas Bar and My Montadito Inspiration

So now, let me tell you about my little shredded beef and french bread appetizer made with love. I got the idea for this Spanish tapas recipe after visiting a local tapas bar, Bulla Gastrobar. Bulla, pronounced bu-ya, means noise in Spanish. And it was noisy, but it was a good noise. Some of the bu-ya was me smacking my lips over the tapas menu. Tapas are savory little bites served with drinks at Spanish bars (tapas bars), in case you’re wondering. So many Spanish vocabulary words today!  

As I was drooling over the menu, I noticed this fantastic little dish pass right by me. I had not seen anything like it before! The dish was a montadito. I ordered one for the table and soon was digging into a little slice of french baguette bread piled high with brisket, tomato marmalade, guindilla pepper, and tetilla cheese. As soon as I tasted my little brisket montadito, I was already planning to make my own version with Cuban ropa vieja.   

Allow me to present my own montadito creation with ropa vieja, sweet plantains (maduros) , melted gouda cheese, and pickled peppers. Oh, so yummy and perfect for a tapas party, for brunch, or for lunch or dinner, served with wine, beer, or sangria.  

Shredded beef appetizers

These are super easy to make if you have ropa vieja leftovers. If you don’t’, make the ropa vieja first and enjoy that for dinner, making sure to save a little for the montaditos on day 2. Ropa vieja is usually served over rice with fried sweet plantains called maduros. So save some maduro leftovers too!  

Once you have your ropa vieja and maduros leftovers, the rest is pretty much assembly and comes together very quickly.  

If you like this recipe, you’ll want to check out my Smoked Salmon Avocado Toasts, they are an easy brunch recipe that requires no cooking 😉

I hope these inspire you to make your own little bread canvases! If you do, share them with me. I’d love to try them too!  ¡Buen provecho! 

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French bread appetizer

How to make the Ropa Vieja Montaditos

  • Author: Sandi Abbott
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 16 1x
  • Category: Appetizers
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Cuban
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Description

Try these impressive little French bread appetizers made with ropa vieja and maduros. They are perfect for a tapas party! They come together quickly and can be assembled and finished later. If you don’t have ropa vieja leftovers, you can get the recipe here and enjoy that for dinner the night before. 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz French baguette (see note)
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed  

  • 1/4 cup olive oil  

  • Salt and pepper to taste  

  • 1 cup Cuban ropa vieja leftovers. Here’s the Cuban ropa vieja recipe.

  • ½ cup diced Maduros get the recipe here  

  • 4 slices gouda cheese cut into four each (total of 16) or 1/2 cup shredded gouda cheese  

  • 16 slices of pickled peppers or Manzanilla olives  

Instructions

  1. Bread: Slice the baguette bread into 1-inch slices (need a total of 16… see note) 
  2. Olive Oil: Mix the olive oil, garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste. Brush olive oil on each side.
  3. Toast: Lightly toast the bread in the toaster oven (or you can use an oven set at 350 degrees) until very a very light golden color. About 2 minutes (you don’t want to over toast because it will be toasted a bit more when you add the toppings. 
  4. Toppings: To each slice, add a tablespoon of Ropa Vieja, a few pieces of diced maduros, and a quarter slice of cheese or a ½ tablespoon of shredded gouda cheese  
  5. Melt: Toast until the cheese melts in the toaster oven or a 350-degree oven. Top with a slice of pickled pepper or an olive  

Serve with beer, wine, or sangria.   

Notes

I cut the bread slices to 1 inch but it can be a mouthful once you add the toppings. You could cut just a little shorter and it will save you some calories, too. My best advice is to test with 1 sandwich before you make the rest to see what height works for you. 

Keywords: tapas recipes, spanish tapas recipes, easy tapas recipes, tapas recipes ideas, ropa vieja sandwich, cuban ropa vieja

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