How To Host A Tapas Party

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We’re sharing our favorite recipes and all our best tips and tricks for how to host a successful tapas party at home.

If you’ve ever been to a tapas restaurant, you’ll know exactly how amazing this Spanish style appetizer-esque dining experience is. But you’ve also probably realized just how much work goes into making an entire tapas spread! So if you’ve ever wanted to host a tapas party at home but don’t know how to, we’ve got a few tips and tricks to help you create the tapas night of your dreams.

When you’re basically eating appetizers for dinner, it’s important that there are lots of options – and a lot of variety. You’ll also want to serve restaurant quality dishes, since tapas are often elegant and complex in flavor, yet simple in their preparation. While there are a lot of decisions that go into successfully planning and hosting a tapas party, all you really need are the right recipes and some time management skills.

Tapas Party Ideas

Wondering what to serve at a tapas party? The number of delicious and unique recipes are almost endless when it comes to hosting a tapas night. From traditional recipes like queso de cabra con tomate to more modern takes such as our open faced brie sandwiches, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Cold tapas recipes

• Tomato bruschetta & crostini
• Burrata Toast Appetizer
• Ensaladilla Rusa by The Bossy Kitchen
• Spanish cheese and meats such as manchego, cabrales, jamón, and chorizo

Modern tapas recipes

• Open faced brie sandwiches
• Chorizo potato skewers
• Open-faced crab empanadas from Food & Wine
• Gambas al ajillo (Spanish style garlic shrimp) from Serious Eats

Make ahead tapas recipes

• Red wine sangria from Delish
• Spanish Meatballs from Where is my spoon
• Tortilla Española by Little Spain

Vegetarian tapas recipes

• Pan con tomate
• Queso de cabra con tomate (Spanish baked goat cheese in tomato sauce)
• Patatas Bravas
• Padrón Peppers by Spanish Sabores
• Coliflor Rebozada

Tapas Menu For Two

As you can see, there is no shortage of tapas party recipes. To help you decide what to make, here is our go-to tapas dinner party menu for two:

1. Pan con tomate or queso de cabra con tomate
2. Patatas bravas
3. Coliflor rebozada
4. Gambas al ajillo
5. Chorizo potato skewers
6. Red wine sangria

We always love to include a tomato dish, 1 or 2 vegetarian small plates, and 1 or 2 meat or seafood options to provide enough variety. It always hits the spot, especially with a glass of red wine or sangria!

How To Host and Serve A Tapas Party

Hosting, cooking, and serving tapas for a group can be a very daunting task, but following these tips for how to best serve tapas will ensure both you and your guests have the best time:

1. Make the right number of dishes. Tapas are inherently supposed to be appetizers, snacks, or small plates. Knowing how many tapas dishes to make can be hard! Generally, 2 to 3 dishes per person makes sure that there is enough food to go around.
2. Add variety. Tapas should include a variety of tastes, textures, and ingredients. You also want a mix of lighter, more traditional appetizers (like pan con tomate) and more satisfying options that feature meat or fish. Interesting combinations and a variety of options will keep guests on their toes, so that they will want to graze and sample everything!
3. Plan some make-ahead tapas. Depending on how many dishes you’re making, things can get hectic in the kitchen. To save yourself some stress, choose a few make ahead recipes for your tapas party menu. Many tapas are best served fresh, but anything that can be prepped in advance and served cold will help you have a more enjoyable time hosting.
4. Keep the drinks flowing. A good tapas night has plenty of sangria, wine, or cocktails! It’s all part of the fun of gathering around a table and sharing delicious food with your friends and family. If you don’t drink, plan a fun mocktail or simply enjoy a flavored sparkling water in a fancy glass instead.