Here’s A Pipirrana Recipe For A Classic Spanish Salad!
Pipirrana is a refreshing and slightly soupy summer salad that originated in Jaén, a city in AndalucÃa in the south of Spain. There are other regions in Andalusia that have their own versions as well.
It is made with fresh ingredients, including juicy tomatoes, green peppers, and spring onion, and a delicious creamy dressing made with olive oil, boiled egg yolks, green pepper, and salt.
All in all, it’s a simple and delicious dish that can be enjoyed with some crusty bread or without it.
Also known as Pimpirrana or Piriñaca, it could be considered a precursor to the famous gazpacho, since some food historians say it was created before gazpacho.
Its texture is somewhere between a chunky gazpacho and a soupy salad.
Ingredients
To make this recipe, here are the pipirrana salad ingredients that you will need as well as some substitution recommendations:
- Tomatoes – Large, ripe tomatoes so there is plenty of flesh and juice. Avoid using cherry tomatoes for this reason.
- Green Italian peppers – Also known as cubanelle peppers. Adds a mild, slightly tangy flavor to the salad. Alternatively, you can use a green bell pepper.
- Spring onion – Adds a subtle onion flavor. Spring onions have a small bulb that scallions/green onions don’t have. If you can’t find spring onions, you can use any sweet white onion.
- Salt – To enhance the overall flavor of the salad and to help the vegetables release their juices.
- Eggs – Hard-boiled eggs for the salad and to make the dressing.
- Canned tuna – Preferably canned tuna in olive oil. But you can also use canned tuna in water. Make sure it hasn’t been flavored.
- Garlic clove – To add extra flavor to the salad.
- Olive oil – If possible, use good quality extra virgin olive oil. Alternatively, you can use any good quality olive oil. Avoid using any other type of oil as it would change the flavor too much.
- Wine vinegar – Use sherry wine vinegar if possible, but any good quality wine vinegar will do. Avoid using balsamic vinegar since it would drastically change the flavor of the salad.
Recipe Tips
Before you make this Spanish salad, take a moment to read these recipe tips so that you know just what to expect!
- Use good quality fresh produce, oil and vinegar for the best taste. I highly recommend visiting your local farmer’s market to make Pipirrana salad.
- By removing the garlic’s central stem it becomes a bit more digestible, but you can leave it.
- You can adjust the amount of salt and wine vinegar to your preference.
- You can make the dressing either with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor. The only difference is that the mortar version will have a slightly rougher texture.
- When combining the ingredients, mix them gently to avoid crushing the tomatoes and eggs.
- Don’t forget to refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Enjoy pipirrana with some crusty bread to soak up the juice and scoop up the salad. You can also eat it without bread if you prefer a lower-carb option.
How to Make Pipirrana – Step by Step Instructions
In this section, you will see exactly how to make this Spanish pipirrana salad.
We’ve included all the recipe process photos so that you can follow along as you make this recipe at home.
Of course, you can also find the detailed recipe card with measurements and instructions at the bottom of this post!
If you don’t already have hard-boiled eggs, start by boiling the eggs for 10 minutes.
While the eggs are boiling, rinse and peel the tomatoes.
Then dice the tomatoes finely and add them to the salad bowl. Sprinkle them with a little salt to help them release more juice.
Cut the green peppers in half and discard the stem and seeds. Dice them finely and add to the bowl. Set about two tablespoons aside for the dressing.
Peel and chop the spring onion. Discard the bottom and the green top. You can keep the green top for a different recipe.
Add the diced spring onion to the bowl.
Let the eggs cool in cold water. When cool, peel and cut them in half.
Dice the egg whites and add them to the salad bowl. Set the egg yolks aside. You’ll use them later in the dressing.
Next, we’ll make the dressing. Peel the garlic clove and remove the central stem (optional). Add it to a mortar or food processor together with the egg yolks, salt, wine vinegar, and green peppers you set aside earlier.
Pestle or process until you have a fine paste.
Slowly add the olive oil while you keep pestling/processing to emulsify it.
Drain the canned tuna and add it to the salad. Then dress the salad with the dressing.
Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop and the juices to come out of the vegetables.
Serve it with some crusty bread on the side to soak up the delicious juices. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
Pipirrana salad tastes best when it is fresh. If you have leftovers, you can store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Just keep in mind that the texture of the vegetables may change slightly over time and the salad may become more watery.
Related Recipes
If you liked this recipe for Pipirrana, here are some other Spanish recipes that are made with vegetables – some are hot, others are cold!
- Salmorejo (Spanish Cold Tomato Soup)
- Ensalada Mixta
- Christmas Stewed Red Cabbage (Lombarda de Navidad)
- Pan Con Tomate
- Pisto (Vegetable Stew)
Pipirrana (Spanish Salad)
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 2 pounds tomatoes, large and ripe
- 2 Green Italian peppers, or 1 green bell pepper
- 1 spring onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 cup canned tuna, preferably in olive oil
For The Dressing
- 2 tablespoons green pepper, from the green pepper used in the salad
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons wine vinegar, preferably sherry wine vinegar
- egg yolks, from the hard-boiled eggs
Instructions
- If you don't already have hard-boiled eggs, boil the eggs for 10 minutes.3 hard-boiled eggs
- While the eggs are boiling, rinse the tomatoes. Peel and dice them finely. Add them to the salad bowl and sprinkle with a little salt to help them release more juice.2 pounds tomatoes
- Halve the green peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Dice them finely and add to the bowl. Set aside two tablespoons for the dressing.2 Green Italian peppers
- Peel and dice the spring onion. Discard the bottom and green top. You can keep the green top for another recipe. Add the diced onion to the bowl.1 spring onion
- Let the eggs cool in cold water. Once cooled, peel them and cut them in half. Dice the egg whites and add them to the salad bowl. Set the egg yolks aside.
- Make the dressing. Peel the garlic clove and remove the central stem (optional). Place it in a mortar or food processor with the egg yolks, salt, wine vinegar, and green pepper you set aside earlier. Pestle or process until you have a fine paste. Slowly add the olive oil while you continue to pestle or process to emulsify.1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 garlic clove, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons wine vinegar, egg yolks, 2 tablespoons green pepper
- Drain the canned tuna and add it to the salad.1 cup canned tuna
- Dress the salad with the dressing. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop and the vegetables to release their juices.
- Serve the pipirrana with some crusty bread to soak up the juice and scoop up the salad.
Notes
- Use good quality fresh produce, oil and vinegar for the best taste.
- You can adjust the amount of salt and wine vinegar to your preference.
- If you make the dressing with a mortar and pestle, it will have a slightly rougher texture.Â
- When combining the ingredients, mix them gently to avoid crushing the tomatoes and eggs.
- Don’t forget to refrigerate the salad – this allows the flavors to meld.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
