If you live in the United States and miss the pantry staples from back home, World Market is probably the mainstream store with the widest selection of authentic Spanish products. We've mapped more than 70 Spanish items on their shelves. Here are the 7 essentials.
One of the hardest parts of living in the United States as a Spaniard is how difficult it is to find the everyday products from home. We're not talking about gastronomic luxuries or gourmet experiences: we're talking about a good tomato sofrito, a tin of sardines, a chorizo that actually tastes like chorizo. The things that are in any supermarket in Spain and that here seem not to exist.
The good news is that there are places to look. And one of the ones that surprised us most is World Market (Cost Plus World Market), an American chain of international products with physical stores across the country and online shopping. Its Spanish section is, by far, one of the widest we've found outside of specialty stores.
At La Plaza we've spent weeks combing through their shelves (and their website) to map everything they carry from Spain. We've found more than 70 products from brands like Ortiz, Palacios, Espinaler, Matiz, Torres, La Curiosa, Inés Rosales and many more. Here are the 7 that shouldn't be missing from your pantry.
1. Ortiz tinned seafood: the tuna and anchovies that taste like the north
If there's one Spanish brand that has carved out a place in the American market, it's Ortiz. Their tinned bonito tuna and their anchovies in olive oil are probably the most recognizable from Spain beyond our borders.
At World Market you can find the old-style sardines in olive oil ($7.99), the bonito tuna in olive oil both in a tin ($8.99) and in a glass jar ($17.99), and the anchovies in olive oil ($8.99).
The glass jar of bonito is especially recommended: it's a product of exceptional quality that in Spain is hard to find at that price. If you've never tried Ortiz bonito del norte, it's a great starting point to understand why Spanish tinned seafood is nothing like the American kind.
Tip: the anchovies are perfect on a slice of bread with grated tomato and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. If you add some Espinaler olives, you've got an appetizer that takes you straight to a bar in San Sebastián.
2. Palacios cured meats: the chorizo that actually tastes like chorizo
Palacios is the brand with the biggest presence at World Market in the cured-meats category, and for good reason. They have a wide range that includes mild chorizo ($10.99), spicy chorizo ($10.99), Ibérico chorizo ($14.99), salchichón ($10.99), sliced serrano ham ($12.99) and even sliced Ibérico ham ($12.99).
But what we liked most are two less obvious products: the Chorizo Bites ($6.99), which are perfect for snacking or taking to an American barbecue (they work great on the grill), and the Spanish Tapas Sampler ($26.99), a box with several cured meats that makes a perfect gift for an American friend who wants to discover Spanish charcuterie.
The Finca Helechal Charcuterie Sampler ($19.99) and the Tapas Entertainment 4 Pack ($22.99) are also worth it, both designed for sharing.
Tip: Palacios chorizo is a chorizo to eat as is (sliced or in rounds), not for cooking. If you want to cook with chorizo, the mild or spicy in a whole piece works better.
3. Matiz tinned seafood: sardines, mackerel and octopus from Galicia
Matiz is another Spanish brand that has achieved a notable presence in the American market. Their Galician tinned seafood is excellent and World Market carries a wide catalog.
The sardines in olive oil ($5.49) are the star product: they come in several versions (with lemon, smoked, in extra virgin oil). But what really stands out is the octopus in olive oil ($16.99), a product that in Spain is common but in the US is almost impossible to find outside of specialty stores.
They also have cod in olive oil ($10.99) and mackerel in organic extra virgin olive oil ($6.59), both of very good quality.
Tip: Matiz octopus, sliced thin over a piece of toast with smoked paprika and a thread of olive oil, is a perfect pintxo to surprise guests at any dinner.
4. Espinaler olives and pickles: the complete appetizer
Espinaler is an iconic brand of the Barcelona vermouth scene. At World Market they carry their anchovy-stuffed olives (large tin at $4.49 or 3-pack of mini tins at $6.59), the spicy pickled skewers ($5.40) and the olive and vegetable cocktail ($5.49).
What makes Espinaler special is that they aren't simply olives: they're the whole appetizer. The skewers (those little spears of pickle, olive, guindilla pepper and onion) are a vermouth classic in Barcelona that's hard to find here.
They also carry pickled gherkins ($5.49) from the same brand, which are the real European pickles (small, crunchy, tangy), not the sweet American kind.
Tip: if you put together a vermouth hour at home, the Espinaler skewers, some anchovy-stuffed olives and some Torres chips are all you need.
5. Torres chips: the best potato chips in Spain
Torres Selecta are, for many, the best gourmet potato chips in Spain. At World Market they carry three varieties: Ibérico ham ($6.99), black truffle ($6.99) and smoked paprika ($6.99).
The black truffle ones have been a viral phenomenon in the US and are probably the best-known Spanish product in the American premium snack market. But the Ibérico ham ones are the ones Spaniards love most, because the flavor is surprisingly faithful.
At $6.99 a bag they're not cheap, but for a special appetizer or to take to a gathering with American friends, they're unbeatable. And they're a perfect gateway for someone who doesn't know Spanish cuisine.
Tip: the smoked paprika ones are the least known but the most versatile. They go great with a cold beer in summer.
6. Chiquilín paprika: the smoked spice that changes everything
This is probably the product with the best value for money on the list. Chiquilín smoked paprika costs $3.99 and transforms any dish. A plate of scrambled eggs, a grilled meat, some roasted potatoes or a sauce: a touch of smoked paprika and everything tastes different.
Pimentón de la Vera (a Protected Designation of Origin) is produced in the La Vera region, in Cáceres, where the peppers are smoke-dried over oak wood for days. That process gives it a deep smoky flavor that no other paprika in the world has.
In Spain we use it for everything: Galician-style octopus, patatas bravas, chorizo, stews, rice dishes. Here, at $3.99, there's no excuse not to always have it on the shelf.
Tip: buy two. One for cooking and one as a backup, because once you start using it, it runs out fast.
7. Senén potato omelet: the surprise on the list
This product left us speechless. A pre-cooked potato omelet ($6.49) ready to heat and eat. The Senén brand has achieved something that seemed impossible: a packaged tortilla that tastes reasonably good.
It's not your mother's tortilla (none is). But for an expat who's gone months without a real tortilla, heating it in the pan a couple of minutes on each side and cutting it into wedges with a bit of bread is a moment of pure happiness.
It's also a perfect product to take to a gathering with American friends and explain what a Spanish tortilla is (no, it's not what they call a "tortilla").
Tip: heat it in a pan, never in the microwave. And if you pair it with a salad and a bit of bread, you've got a complete dinner in 5 minutes.
Bonus: other products worth exploring
Beyond these 7, at World Market we've found Inés Rosales olive oil tortas (rosemary and lemon, $9.99 each), Nocilla (the Spanish cocoa spread, $5.99), Helios jams (peach and fig, $5.99), Calasparra rice for paella ($8.99), and even a steel paella pan ($29.99).
The selection changes by store and by season, so it's worth visiting often and exploring. You can also order online and have it shipped to your home if there's no World Market nearby.
Where to find more Spanish products in the US
World Market is a good starting point, but it's not the only place. In the La Plaza directory we're mapping all the stores, restaurants, supermarkets and points of sale where you can find authentic Spanish products in the United States. From specialty stores like Despaña in New York to the international sections of chains like Target or Publix.
Do you miss a product we haven't mentioned? Have you found something Spanish at World Market we didn't know about? Tell us and we'll add it to the guide.
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