To help you enjoy Basque food, we’ve prepared the most exhaustive list of Basque recipes you’ll find on the web. Anyone who has visited the Basque Country, eaten at a Basque restaurant or attended a Basque festival can attest to the importance that Basques place on fine-cooked cuisine.
The Basques pride themselves on using high quality, fresh ingredients. Marmitako, txipirones en su tinta and kokotxas al pil-pil are just a few of the many seafood and fish dishes that developed in the Basque coastal region. Sheep, cattle and native pigs are raised in the more mountainous farming region, where you will find different types of sausages (txistorra, lukainka), txuleta (steak) and lamb stew known as txilindron. Cheeses made from cow’s milk and sheep’s milk are also popular.
We also have video recipes as part of our popular collection of the best in Basque recipes. The video below is part of a playlist, so you can simply keep watching for a series of good Basque recipes.
As you’ll see, our list of Basque recipes below is comprehensive. While there are more Basque recipes on the internet, only the best of them are included here. Our own EK recipes, which are tried and true, are listed in bold.
Click here to read our recommendations for the top Basque cookbooks in English.
Have a favorite recipe from your ama or amatxi? If so, let us know by posting it as a comment and we’ll include it with the rest of the recipes below: (We have some great recipes submitted by our readers in the comments box at the bottom.)
Above: This Basque recipes playlist will show you how to whip up tasty, healthy and popular Basque dishes.
EUSKAL KAZETA’S BASQUE RECIPES:
Chef Gerald Hirigoyen’s Piperade recipe from his book, “Pintxos”
EK’s porrusalda and other Basque soups
Gateau Basque – EK’s list of the best Gateau Basque recipes
Roasted Chestnuts, Basque-Style
EK’s Burnt Basque Cheesecake Recipe
BASQUE MEAT RECIPES
Pimientos Rellenos (Stuffed Peppers) from the Smithsonian
Axoa de Veau (veal stew), a great winter dish that’s also low carb.
Lamb Stew, Sheepherder Bread and Flan Recipes from NPR
Basque Beef Tenderloin Crostini and Basque-Style Green Sauce with a kick of jalapeño
BASQUE POULTRY RECIPES
Basque Chicken from Culture of the Table
Chef Hirigoyen’s Chicken Thighs with Spicy Tomato Pepper Sauce
Anthony Bourdain’s Poulet Basquaise
BASQUE SEAFOOD RECIPES
Quick and Easy Paella de Veracruz
Kokotxas en Salsa Verde (fish cheeks in green sauce) from Basco Fine Foods
Basque Country-Style Pasta With Shrimp
Basque Shrimp with Chimichurri from Food Network
Basque-Style Baked Whole Snapper from Food Network
Basque-Style Baked Spider Crab Recipe from The Guardian
Cod, Cockles and Shrimp in Basque Wine Sauce from Food and Wine
Hake and Clams in Salsa Verde from Spain Recipes
Shrimp with Grapefruit-Vanilla Nage Recipe from Tinto’s in Philadelphia
Chef Jose Garces’ Txangurro (Crab) Salad Sandwich
BASQUE VEGETARIAN RECIPES
Basque-Style Peppers
Basque beans – EK’s selection of the best Basque bean recipes
Chef Gerald Hirigoyen’s Piperade recipe from his book, “Pintxos”
EK’s Tortilla de Patatas – Potato Omelet
Tortilla de Patatas from the Udaleku 09 Basque Summer Camp
Basque Eggs from Home Cooking in Montana
Basque Vegetable Rice from Eating Well
BASQUE DESSERT RECIPES
Gateau Basque – EK’s list of the best Gateau Basque recipes
Roasted Chestnuts, Basque-Style
EK’s Burnt Basque Cheesecake Recipe
Crepe Recipe from the Udaleku ’09 Basque Summer Camp
Old-fashioned Basque Rosquillas
Basque Sheepherder Bread from Sunset Magazine
Dacquoise Cake Recipe from NY’s former La Cote Basque
Pastel Vasco with Blackberry Compote and Cream Looks delicious.
Vanilla-Scented Beignets by Chef Gerald Hirigoyen
Soup and Stew Recipes
See our Porrusaldu and other Basque soup recipes
Basque Sausage and Garbanzo Soup
Basque Seafood Soup from the Los Angeles Times
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Basque Chorizo and Spinach
Chorizo and Lentil Soup from ChezUs
Garbanzo, Chicken and Sausage Soup
Marmitako (Basque Potato and Tuna Stew) from Mostly Foodstuffs
Marmitako (Fresh Tuna and Potato Stew) from Spain Recipes
Oxtail Stew in Brown Gravy from Carson Valley Country Club
Potage Luzienne, or Olive Soup from St.-Jean-de-Luz
BASQUE PINTXO RECIPES
Croquetas de Bacalao – Cod Croquettes
Chef Gerald Hirigoyen’s Chicken Wings with Spicy Basque Ketchup
Chopped Egg Salad with Caper Berries and Fresh Herbs by Chef Gerald Hirigoyen
Zen Can Cook’s Piquillo Pepper Stuffed with Salt Cod Brandade
Piperada Bocadillo – Egg and Pepper Sandwich
Prawns and Romesco Sauce and White Anchovies with Parsley Mousse
Zen Can Cook’s Stuffed Squid with Chorizo
Salad and Dressing Recipes
Squid and Black-Eyed Pea Salad by Chef Gerald Hirigoyen
Basque Salad Dressing – Makes a lot!
Basque Salad Dressing with Red Wine Vinegar
BASQUE COCKTAILS
Basque Bellini – White Sangria with Cointreau
Kalimotxo Recipe from the New York Times
Picon Punch – Almost Unknown in the Basque Country
Basque Cooking Video
Donna • Oct 27, 2022 at 12:56 am
Hi! I am looking for a recipe for Dessert Basque Spinach pie, with meringue served, usually on a religious holiday,I forget which one!
Nancy Zubiri • Nov 2, 2022 at 7:03 pm
Hi!
We put out a request for responses to your question. We haven’t hear from anyone yet.
The Editors
Royce Solberg • Mar 2, 2022 at 5:18 pm
I need a recipe for MILD basque chorizos. I have a KitchenAid stand mixer with a meat grinder attachment. PLEASE, PLEASE, any recipe for traditional mild basque chorizos would be greatly appreciated! My Email is Rpsolberg@Icloud.com. Thank you in advance!
Jim Mustain • Dec 7, 2017 at 3:02 pm
Nancy
I happened to see a reference to Irigarays in Stratford that referred to your book. I was raised in Lemoore, knew all of the Irigarays, especially Louis and Martin. Ate at the restaurant many times, have missed it ever since. My family was friends with many of the Basques in the area, probably the reason I love lamb.
Nikki • Nov 22, 2017 at 5:16 pm
Hi, I am trying to find a recipe for garlic butter served at Woolgrowers in Bakersfield. . I know it has parsley, garlic, butter and maybe oil, anything else? I can’t get mine to come even close theirs.
Thanks!
Donna • Jan 30, 2017 at 6:58 am
Hi! Has anyone the recipe for Pastel de espinaca? A sweet pie I used to buy in Bilbao!
RODRIGO MANTILLA • Sep 8, 2016 at 12:15 pm
I left Bakersfield some years ago.
The one thing I miss the most, is the Memorial Day Festival.
In particular, the farewell breakfast at Wool Growers on Monday.
I heard the Chino Basque Club, has what they call a traditional
breakfast also for Labor Day, Christmas and Easter?
Is this breakfast at Chino, of the same variety as Wool Growers?
You know, blood sausages, chorizo, bacon, fried eggs, potatoes, cheese,
salsa, and wine on the table? I would like to know before I decide to travel there.
Mary Bean • Aug 5, 2016 at 3:23 pm
This is a wonderful website! I’m a native of Reno, NV who now lives in Ohio, and whenever we are in Reno (about once a year) dinner at the Santa Fe restaurant is a must. We do miss Joe, the bartender who made the best Picons. Although I’ve never had a bad meal or experience there, I find that I crave, crave, crave the garlic soup that is served with every dinner. It is to die for, especially in the colder months! Does anyone have or can anyone get the recipe for the garlic soup? I would be most appreciative. Than you.
Harry • May 4, 2016 at 10:53 am
What a wonderful website! I moved from Bakersfield about 10 years ago and truly miss my Basque meals ! I am desperately trying to get the “salsa” recipe from Benji’s in Bakersfield. It was a wonderful red sauce served with butter and bread. Thank you
Patricia Ehda • Jan 17, 2016 at 9:34 am
My grandparents were French Basque, they used to make a pork sausage caled “lukinka”. I would like to make this and keep the recipe in the family. So if anyone knows of this sausage I would appreciate if they would give it to me.
Thanks, Patty
plasterer bristol • Mar 4, 2015 at 12:18 am
Yum, sounds really delicious. Thanks for sharing this.
Simon
Nanette Elissague • Dec 19, 2014 at 12:03 pm
I have a question. My Basque grandmother always served a spaghetti style side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas she called “Domitilla.” It has been a family tradition as long as I can remember (over 60 years) and she protected the recipe by not allowing anyone outside the family to have it. I’ve searched the internet but cannot find this dish mentioned anywhere. Has anyone ever heard of this? Perhaps I have it spelled incorrectly. The sauce is very thick (paste like in consistency) and has boiled (then ground) round steak, bacon, vegetables, tomato sauce and cheddar cheese mixed with cooked spaghetti then baked. Does anyone recognize this as a Basque recipe? I would love to know more about it’s origins. Thank you.
Jim • Jul 5, 2014 at 6:42 am
Passing through Winnemucca recently and stopped at Martin Hotel for an excellent meal. Hoping someone has a recipe for a hominy chorizo side dish we had there?
Thanks!
Nancy Zubiri • Jul 5, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Hi Jim:
I hope someone can help you out with this….
The Editors
Kurt • May 16, 2017 at 9:37 am
Oh my, this is 3 years later, but I agree that Martin Hotel hominy side dish is AMAZING
Spicy Sausage (soup) with Hominy
1 lb mild sausage (I used hot Italian) casings removed
1 onion diced
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes (I used mild Rotel)
1 can (15oz) black beans (I used garbanzo beans)
1 can (15oz) yellow hominy, drained
1 can tomato soup (condensed)
3 1/2 cups water (I didn’t use)
2 cups beef broth (I used about 3/4 cup)
1 cup salsa –optional (I didn’t use)
1 tsp parsley, dried
Brown sausage in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and drain fat.
Add diced onion and cook until tender.
Add everything else, but the parsley and stir. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about an hour.
Stir in the parsley and season to taste. (you may not need additional seasoning, I didn’t)
Serve with warm bread (I made cornbread)
I found it here…
http://thefridayfriends.blogspot.com/2011/11/spicy-sausage-with-hominy.html#!/2011/11/spicy-sausage-with-hominy.html
God Bless the Basque
Nitapper • Apr 12, 2013 at 7:40 pm
Does anyone know the recipe for the salad dressing from the restaurant Del Alpes in San Francisco? I’m talking many years ago…the family style dinner served there every night included a salad dressing on the lettuce salad. It was delicious. One of the recipes sounds a little like it on this site but I’m not sure if it is the same one.
Earl Stern • Jul 6, 2014 at 2:17 pm
Good for you! I remember that wonderful dressing. I wish I had that recipe and I think that it might have contained egg yolk and mustard. I would be grateful for a copy if someone replies. Many thanks, Earl Stern
Dewi • Oct 24, 2012 at 8:20 am
Thank you so much for providing all of this delicious link. I have been looking for bread recipe that stuffed with soft chorizo inside it. I think it’s called ‘torto’. Would you like to share the recipe? Thank you ;).
Cheers,
Dewi
Koldo • Jan 14, 2010 at 7:33 am
Sigo con pastores vizcaínos, pero de Idaho:
Guisado de oveja, al estilo Owyhee-Bedarona
Cortar la carne de oveja joven en trozos. Echar manteca de cerdo en una cazuela y colocar los trozos de oveja. Añadir mucha cebolla picada y unos ajos.
Cuando todo esté dorado, echar un vaso de agua y que siga haciéndose hasta que esté tierna la carne.
* Flora Alzola, del caserio Etxebarri de Bedarona, llegó a Idaho en 1900. Vivió en Bruneau, Riddle y Mountain Home.
Deena • Dec 18, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I just published a Marmitako recipe to add to the list:
http://mostlyfoodstuffs.blogspot.com/2009/12/marmitako-basque-potato-tuna-soup.html
Koldo • Dec 17, 2009 at 10:02 am
Comencemos por recetas de pastores NAVARROS. Hoy haremos MIGAS una comida que el pastor se llevaba a la montaña. En los viejos tiempos, se acompañaba con sebo y, como mucho, con tocino. Hoy se ha sofisticado un poco. La receta pertenece al restaurante TUBAL de Tafala, uno de los mejores restaurante de Navarra.
Ingredientes para cinco raciones
1 pan de cabezón o de pueblo, de tres o cuatro días de 1500 g.
1 taza grande de manteca de cerdo
el sebo de un riñon de cordero
15 centímetros de txistorra
6 lonchas de bacon
2 filetes de lomo de cerdo
1 cucharadita de pimentó dulce
1/4 L. DE AGUA
3 dientes de ajo
un poco de guindilla (o polvo de pimiento de Ezpeleta)
Elaboración
Cortar el pan en sopas cortas y finas
Depositarlas en un paño humedecido con un poco de agua y desmenuzarlas con la mano. Cerrarlas con el paño, atando las cuatro puntas del mismo, teniéndolas durante veinticuatro horas.
Picar el sebo muy menudo y hacer igual con los ajos.
Cortar en trozos pequeños la txistorra, el bacon y los filetes de lomo.
Poner un calderete o sarten a fuego lento con la manteca y el sebo. Inmediatamente, se vierten los ajos picados. Antes de que empiecen a tomar color, se incorpora el pimentó, la txistorra, el bacos y el lomo, dejando freir cinco muntos. Agregar dos terceras partes del agua y la guindilla. Pasados tres minutos, se empieza a agregar el pan, lo que se hará en cuatro veces, removiendo constantemente con una espomadera, teniendo que quedar ni secas ni con caldo. En el caso que necxesiten más agua se va añadiendo la que nos queda mientras se termina de hacer.
* Se comen muy calientes del caldero o sartén con cuchara de palo.
— Acompañadlas de un vino fresco: tinto o rosado (Ardo gorri, Naparra). en California tenéis buenos vinos.
— Mucho cuidado: ni dejéis que se enfríe, ni abuséis. Como dice un amigo mio, está es comida para estómagos navarros.
A los pastores que bajaban con los rebaños a pasar el invierno se cantaba esta jota:
“A la Bardena Real,
ya vienen los roncaleses
a comer migas y pan
por lo menos, seite meses”.
Koldo • Dec 7, 2009 at 6:07 am
For those great celebrations you have in the USA, here you have a nice drink:
Cidre au patxaran
(Association Sagartzea, Donaixti-Ibarre, Baxenafarroa)
Mix 1/4 patxaran with 3/4 cider. Serve it very cold (without ice).
Be careful & don’t drive!
Koldo • Dec 7, 2009 at 5:55 am
Jose Maria Busca Isusi was one of the greatest experts in Basque cuisine. For him, at the top of the Basque sauces were the Green Sauce and the Biscayan Sauce. The third could be the Bearnetarr Kutsu Euskalduna= Basque Bearnaise Sauce:
5 shallots
3 egg yolks
Tarragon
120 gms butter
1 teaspoon paprika
1 very dry sweet pepper
3 tablespoonful vinegar
1 large glass dry white wine
White pepper
Juice of half lemon
1 tablespoonful very finely-chopped parsley
Salt
Put the shallots into a pan with the tarragon, all chopped very fine, with the vinegar and the white wine. Reduce this liquid on a high flame to about half. Put on one side.
Into another casserole put the dry sweet pepper, having first ground it to powder in a mortar, with to egg yolks, the paprika, a little ground white pepper and about 60 gms. of butter in small knobs. Set the casserole on double-boiler (the temperature should not go above 80º), and begin beating the mixture, adding the concentrated stock, after having strained it, a little at the time; the beating must be continuous. Add the other egg yolk, the other 60 gms, of butter as small knobs and, if a larger quantity of sauce is needed, the more yolks and butter must be added, without stopping the beating process.
Finally, add the lemon-juice and tablespoonful of chopped parsley. Season with salt.
To keep this hot, it should be left on the double-boiler, beating it from time to time.
This is a sauce to serve with meat and fish dishes, as well as an accompaniment to eggs and vegetables such as endive, artichokes, etc.
If the sauce curdles, add a spoonful of cold water and beat it hard, away from the flame.
With the inspiration of two great cooks: Juanito Etxebaria & Milagros Diharasarry. On egin!.
Koldo • Dec 6, 2009 at 2:56 am
Here you have the famous Biscayan Sauce, the greatest (with the piperrada- Urdazubi, Zugarramurdi,…Altzai-: nire ustez).
Serves 6
80 gms bacon
6 tablespoonful Navarre oil
12 dried sweet peppers
3 medium-sized onions
3 garlic cloves
2 hard boiled egg yolks
3 decilitres of Bruneau river water, or fish or meat stock
3 slices toast
1/2 a teaspoon sugar
salt
Cayenne pepper
Fry the bacon and whole garlic in earthware casserole with the oil. When they are pale golden brown, add the onions sliced into very thin rounds and leave them to simmer on a very low flame till they are soft, taking care that they do not burn.
Add the toast slices to thicken sauce
Finally, add the flesh of the dried sweet peppers (which should have been left to soak in warm water for two or three hours, previously), scraping it off with a knife. Some cooks add a medium size tomato, peeled and cut into small pieces, but this is a matter of taste.
Now add half a teaspoon of sugar to counteract any bitter flavour which the peppers may have given to the sauce. Season. Now and the hard-boiled egg yolks put to the fine sieve and the water, or fish or meat stock, according to the weather the sauce is to go with a fish or a meat dish. If desired, a small amount of Cayenne pepper may be also added (Try with Ezpeletako biperrak sauce as well).
Allow the ingredients to cook for a quarter of an hour, until they thicken, and then put them through a fine strainer.
If the sauce appears too thick, add a little water to thin it.
Serve it very hot. Take care!. Kontuz ibili!
Koldo • Dec 5, 2009 at 7:22 am
Here you have the easiest Basque recipe:
Idaho Potatoes in green sauce (Flora Alzola Barainka, Riddle & Mountain Home, 1900-1906)
Serves four:
1 kilogram of Idaho potatoes
4 tablespoonsful oil (in the old times Amuma used a kind of butter)
3 garlic cloves
Plenty of chopped parsley
Prepare the potatoes by peeling them, cutting them into slices (5 mm) and rinsing them under the tap-
Put the oil and the garlic cloves, chopped very fine, into an earthenware casserole. Fry them lightly, without allowing them to brown, and then add the sliced potatoes, turning these over once or twice in the oil.
Now add sufficient warm water to cover them and salt, according to taste together with a large quantity of chopped parsley-
The mixture should simmer very gently, but not be stirred; only move the casserole about occasionally to make sure it does not set on the bottom.
Boil until the potatoes are ready, which should take some 25 minutes or so. If they seem to be drying up before they are quite cooked, then a little more warm water must be added.
When adding the oil to this dish, with parsley and garlic cloves, it is also possible to put in a slice of previously-soaked dry sweet pepper; as another alternative, slices of hard-boiled egg can be added when the potatoes are already cooked. Some cooks put in a hake head (could be cod) when the dish is about half-cooked.
* The fish (hake or cod) should be clean, removing the gills and eyes and rinsing it in running cold Bruneau river water.
With the inspitarion of Juanito Echevarria, in dedication to my Granma Flora Bengoechea Alzola, born in Bruneau in 1903.
Margaret Jayo Cooper • Aug 4, 2014 at 10:15 am
I make the above dish frequently, the same as my Mother always made it, Potatos en Salsa Verde.