Andorra is a sovereign landlocked microstate located on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees, surrounded by France and Spain. The country is best known for tourism (especially skiing as it has several ski resorts), its duty-free shopping and tobacco.
The people of the country are a Romance ethnic group of Catalan descent. The population of Andorra is made up of different ethnicities, including Spanish, Portuguese, French and others.
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Most Popular Andorran Dishes
Andorran cuisine is mostly Catalan and Provençal, with influences from French and Spanish cuisines. The country’s unique location, in the Pyrenees, plays a huge role in the development of its cuisine.
The natural resources of the country, including abundant freshwater fish, the Mediterranean harvest, and plentiful livestock (such as cows, goats, sheep, pigs) provide an assortment of exciting flavors, which the locals have combined into amazing recipes, both traditional and modern.
So without further ado, here are the absolute must-try traditional dishes of Andorra along with recipes to try for yourself.
Escudella
Escudella is a traditional Andorran stew prepared using white beans, ham bone, veal or beef marrow bone, chicken, pork sausage, cured ham, cabbage, potatoes, rice, noodles and chickpeas. Also considered to be the national dish of the country, this dish is typically consumed in the winter and during special events.
Typically served hot and fresh, escudella is usually thick in consistency. With several variations of this stew, one can find this Andorran delicacy throughout the country.
Trinxat
Trinxat is a dish prepared using chopped and mashed cabbage and potatoes. Other ingredients added include mushrooms, garlic, pork or bacon, salt, pepper and olive oil. The dish is widely consumed in mountain areas.
Trinxat is believed to have originated in the Catalonian areas of Cerdanya and Alt Urgell in Spain, but it is very popular in Andorra, where it’s considered a delicacy. The name of this dish in Catalan refers to “sliced, minced or chopped”.
Embotits
Embotits, also known as Andorran sausage, is a homemade sausage found in several forms. It is prepared using pork and then flavored with salt and red or black pepper.
Typically consumed as an appetizer, embotits are served cold on a platter in several varieties, such as white and black sausage and fuet (a dry-cured pork sausage). It is usually accompanied by pa amb tomaquet.
One of the most popular kinds of embotits is known as obach. It is prepared in the quaint mountain town of Organyà, where traditional methods of slow-burn drying and curing have been achieved over time.
Truites De Carreroles
Truites de carreroles is an Andorran mushroom omelette. It is prepared using a mixture of eggs, butter, mushrooms, scallions, tarragon and grated cheese. It is then doubled in half and served.
Some people also prefer to add some extra scallions for even more flavor.
Cargols a la lluna
Cargols is Spanish for snails, which are consumed in several ways in Andorra.
The most widely consumed version is cargols a la llauna which are oven-roasted snails. It is considered ideal for a main dish or a shared platter. The snails are slow-roasted and seasoned with salt and pepper, and olive oil is also added. They are then accompanied by either aioli (garlic mayonnaise) or an olive oil-based vinaigrette with paprika.
One can also find cargols prepared in slightly different but equally delicious ways. Some of them include cargols a la llauna amb tomata, where the snails are roasted in chopped tomatoes, or the decadent cargols a la llauna Girona, in which the snails are immersed in a creamy tomato sauce consisting of garlic, bay leaves and Andorran sausage.
Crema Andorrana/Catalana
Crema catalana, also known as custard dessert, is originally a Spanish custard and one of the most widely consumed sweet courses in Andorra.
It is prepared using milk, corn starch and eggs. Other ingredients added include sugar, cinnamon, cream and butter. This dessert usually consists of a thinner crust and caramelized sugar. One can also use a kitchen blow torch to caramelize the tops.
Crema catalana is typically crunchy and creamy in texture and is one of the most popular desserts in the country. Many people believe crema catalana to be one of the oldest custard desserts in Europe.
Torrijas
Torrijas are slices of bread or buns immersed in milk or wine along with honey and spices. They are then dipped in eggs and pan-fried. The outcome is similar to French toast, but way more sweet and even more delicious.
According to tradition, one is supposed to roll the torrija in sugar after frying. Many people also add some strawberry jam on top and some restaurants serve it topped with a large blob of ice cream.
Traditionally, torrijas are served during Lent and Easter.
Trucha a la Andorrana (Andorran-style Trout)
Trucha a la Andorrana is a simple dish prepared using seasoned, grilled trout, often draped in ham. To accompany this dish, an almond sauce prepared using parsley, hard cheese, white almonds and extra virgin olive oil is served.
Some people also drizzle lemon on top and consume it with fresh vegetables. Trucha a la Andorrana is considered to be a dish that seamlessly unites Andorra’s two most loved foods: fish and pork.
Fromage (Cheese)
Andorra is best known for its production of exceptional cheese. The country’s mountainous terrain is one of the reasons for most of the cheese coming from the mass of sheep and goats that wander in the high plains. The high-altitude country and the French department of Ariège that is located next to it, produce some of the finest soft and sharp sheep’s cheese, in addition to the harder, tangier goat’s cheese.
In the summer, people often eat it as part of a fresh, seasonal goat cheese salad. Many restaurants in the country also serve some of the best seasonal salads prepared using the finest Andorran cheese.