Spain is a beautiful country with so much history, culture, stunning sights, and delicious food. Are you looking to check this country off of your bucket list, but aren’t sure how to navigate eating soy free food in Spain? In this blog post, you’ll find soy free Spain tips and meal ideas to help you plan your trip with confidence. Whether you’re looking for soy free Madrid or soy free Barcelona meal ideas, we’ve got you covered with this soy free guide.
Looking for more tips and meal ideas for navigating Spain with food allergies? Head to my blog and check out my Spain food allergy blog post, as well as my blog posts on traveling to Spain while eating gluten free, nut free, egg free, and dairy free.
For more inspiration on traveling the world while eating soy free, browse the blog for more soy free meal ideas.
Navigating Soy Free Travel to Spain
Soy is one of the trickier allergies to navigate because it is often a hidden allergy, one that sneaks into dishes, especially when restaurants are looking to replace other ingredients (such as dairy) or make it vegan or gluten free. Soy is found in many sauces, soups, and dips in Spain, as well as in the marinades of different meat dishes. This can be an issue for soy food allergy travelers, but the good news is, there is an abundance of farm to table fresh fish and meat dishes that are naturally soy free.
As a standalone allergy, soy is definitely more straightforward and often easier to navigate than soy and multiple other allergies. However, it still requires careful planning and attention to ensure you remain safe and confident in your food choices.
Since soy is a hidden allergy, restaurant staff may not be as familiar with all of the different places it can be in a meal (such as marinades, sauces, dips, etc). For example, many restaurants will say that their meat is marinated, but when you ask for further information about the marinade ingredients, you’ll often find that it is simply rubbed with salt, pepper, and garlic, instead of a sauce-like marinade that would pose a heftier soy risk.
Soy is an allergy that you sometimes have to educate waiters and restaurant staff about. That is why doing your research, carrying a food allergy chef card, and asking questions about food allergy protocols, cross-contamination protocols, and menu items is key. With soy being a hidden allergen, cross-contamination comes into play even more than the ingredient being in the actual dishes. Taking these precautions and being aware of this will help you feel confident in your choices, confident in the staff, and help you narrow down the menu options that you feel comfortable with.
Soy Free Spain Tips
Do Your Restaurant Research
As you plan your soy free Spain trip, researching restaurants ahead of time is key. This is especially helpful when navigating bigger cities and finding soy free Madrid and soy free Barcelona options. While these cities provide an array of cuisines and meal options, not every restaurant is as allergy-aware as others. Plus, this can save you a ton of time once you arrive and prevent you from trying to find somewhere to eat when you’re starving after a day of travel or adventuring.
Communicate Your Soy Allergy
Another tip for soy free travel to Spain is being prepared to communicate your soy allergy to others. I highly recommend carrying a food allergy chef card in Spanish so you can clearly explain your soy allergy to chefs and restaurant staff.
You may also want to come prepared with a few key Spanish phrases so you can communicate with others and recognize soy on menus and food labels.
Here are some common Spanish terms to help you communicate your soy allergy:
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- Soy – soja.
- I am allergic to soy – tengo alergia a la soja.
- Does this contain soy? – ¿Esto contiene soja?
Book An Accommodations With a Kitchen
If you are nervous about eating out for every meal, especially breakfast, you can book an accommodation with a kitchen so you have the freedom to prepare some of your own meals or snacks if you choose. Breakfast may be easier to whip up on your own if you have your own kitchen space. This also allows you to bring ingredients and snacks with you so you can always grab a quick bite to eat and know it’s a soy free choice.
Eating Soy Free Food in Spain
Now that you’re prepared with soy free Spain tips and have an idea of where soy typically shows up in Spanish cuisine, let’s dive into some soy free Spain meal ideas for anytime of day!
Breakfast
If your only allergy is soy, most breakfast options such as eggs, bacon, and fruit will be naturally soy free, but it’s important to watch out for cross-contamination. Pastries, breads, and more can risk having soy as an ingredient or risk cross-contamination (especially in vegan or gluten free bakeries). That’s why asking questions during the research phase and again upon arrival is key. Acai bowls are a great soy free choice and are very popular in many cafes, so keep that in mind when choosing breakfast stops. If you’re looking for a traditional Spanish breakfast dish, Spanish omelets and Patatas a la Riojana can be made soy free, just be sure to double-check the ingredients and cross-contamination protocols of the kitchen.
Soy milk may be found in coffee shops as a milk option or dairy free alternative. To avoid soy ingredients or cross-contamination, a great idea is to order a cold drink such as a shot of espresso over ice with regular milk or oat milk. This eliminates the risk of cross-contamination from the frother. Or a simple double shot of espresso works too!
If you choose to stay in a hotel, most of them should be able to accommodate your soy allergy. If your hotel has a buffet-style breakfast, inquire about their food allergy protocols and if they can get you a la carte food items from the back to avoid cross-contamination.
Lunch
When looking for soy free Spain lunch options, there are many delicious grilled meat and fish dishes, stews, and rice dishes. These are often soy free, but always ask about any marinades, sauces, dips, or breads that may contain soy. If you opt for a soup and sandwich-style lunch, ask about soy as a main or hidden ingredient, especially in the bread.
Paella is a popular Spanish dish made of short-grained rice, varieties of green and lima beans, protein, olive oil, and chicken broth. It is typically soy free, unless the meat has been marinated in a sauce with soy or additional sauces have been added on top. Each restaurant makes their own version of Paella, so be sure to ask about their ingredients and protocols.
Keep in mind, the more complicated a menu item is (such as an item with a marinade, several ingredients, bread, sauce, and/or a dip on the side), the higher the chance that soy pops up as either a main or hidden ingredient.
Tapas
Tapas bars are extremely popular in Spain, which typically serve small plates of authentic Spanish cuisine, typically between lunch and dinner. While these bars are great for trying tons of delicious items, they often have small kitchens with more of a risk of cross-contamination. Tapas chefs often create their own versions of dishes and change them often, which makes planning ahead a bit trickier.
If you want to indulge in soy free tapas dishes, be sure to research ahead of time and ask questions prior to your trip and again upon arrival to ensure you’re comfortable eating there. If you’re looking for soy free Madrid and Barcelona tapas restaurants, many restaurants have online allergen filters. This is a great tool to use to see how present your allergy is in that restaurant or if they have options free of soy.
A typically soy free Spain tapas dish is Patatas Bravas, which is made of cubed potatoes, spicy tomato sauce, onions, garlic, chili powder, and paprika. Double-check on the addition of soy to be sure.
Dinner
At dinner, the options are similar to those at lunch. You can keep it simple with grilled meat, fish, rice dishes, stews, and fresh potatoes and vegetables. Seafood is extremely popular in coastal towns like Barcelona, so this is a tasty soy free option, so long as no soy is added to the dish in a marinade or sauce. Be careful with dishes that include bread, marinades, or sauces, especially those with a bechamel sauce, such as croquettes. These can contain soy as a hidden allergen. You’ll also want to be cautious with anything fried, as this can be a potential cross-contamination risk with oils that contain soy. Spain typically uses olive oil in their dishes, but it’s always best to double-check with each restaurant.
Dessert
After dinner, you may want to indulge in a sweet Spanish treat, and Tarta de Santiago can be a great soy free option. It is made of almond flour, sugar, and eggs, but always check to ensure soy isn’t added. Crema Catalina is also a soy free Spain dessert option, with the main ingredients being milk, citrus peel, cinnamon, and egg yolks. Just make sure that soy isn’t used or added, especially in vegan or gluten free restaurants or bakeries. With chocolate, you often encounter soy lecithin as well, so be aware of that.
With these meal ideas and considerations in mind, eating soy free food in Spain can be delicious, giving you the ultimate Spanish experience.
Are you ready to make soy free travel to Spain less overwhelming and enjoy your trip with confidence?
Visit my contact page to book a consultation and learn more about my full-service travel planning, where I’ll create a personalized plan to navigate your soy free Spain travels.
