Explore the best of Mallorcan gastronomy and enjoy the most typical Mallorcan dishes such as tumbet, panades or ensaimada.
Mallorcan cuisine is a cornerstone of the Balearic culture. It has deeply influenced the locals, defining their character, lifestyle, and traditions. This cuisine is primarily based on local farm products, often combined with top-quality meats and fish, like those you can find at the Jacaranda Restaurant in our Finca Serena Mallorca hotel, a 5-star hotel in Mallorca where you can immerse yourself in the serene landscapes of the island.
Gastronomía típica de Mallorca
Empanadas and cocarrois: the basis of island cuisine
Panades and cocarrois are among the most historical products of Mallorcan cuisine, prepared with the best local ingredients. While similar in preparation —both are pastry-based dishes filled with vegetables and other ingredients— each has unique characteristics that make them deliciously distinct.
Panades may trace their origins back to Roman times, when preserving food was crucial, but they are believed to have roots in Jewish cuisine. To comply with Jewish dietary laws, panades were made with lamb instead of pork. However, during the forced conversion of Jews to Christianity, this traditional Jewish recipe was adapted to include ingredients that demonstrated the conversion, such as sobrasada or pork. Traditionally, panades were made for Easter celebrations, but today, you can find them in bakeries and supermarkets across the island year-round. The classic recipe includes peas, spring onions, pancetta, pork or lamb, and sobrasada, though fish or vegetable panades are also common. Enjoying them with a glass of local wine is an experience not to be missed.
Cocarrois also date back to Roman times and can be considered a vegetarian version of panades. Shaped into half-moons and sealed with traditional pleats, they are filled with typical Mallorcan garden vegetables: cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, raisins, and pine nuts, all seasoned with the finest olive oil. The result is a light and delicious recipe.
Tumbet and frit: tradition and Mediterranean flavor
Tumbet and frit are two of the most recognized traditional Mallorcan dishes. Tumbet is best savoured in the summer months, when the Mallorcan garden provides us with the fruits of the farmers' labor from previous months. It consists of a base of thinly sliced fried potatoes, topped with layers of fried eggplant and zucchini slices, all covered with a tomato sauce cooked with red peppers and garlic. The dish is finally baked in the oven in a traditional clay pot. It can be served as a main dish or as a side for a steak or fried eggs.
Frit is typically prepared in Mallorcan homes during Easter, specifically on Easter Sunday after weeks of Lent, during which many families abstain from eating meat. It is a mix of lamb offal, potatoes, peppers, and other vegetables, all fried and seasoned with paprika, salt, and pepper. Although you can find it on most Mallorcan restaurant menus, the best way to enjoy it is in a typical “variat”: a specialty of the island’s oldest bars that includes a small sample of some of the most traditional dishes in the Balearic recipe book.
Ensaimada: Mallorca’s sweetest symbol
The ensaimada is Mallorca’s most famous sweet, and it has delighted every palate for centuries. Hundreds of boxes with its characteristic string travel thousands of kilometers every day, carried by tourists who want to take a small bite of the island back home. Its origin dates back to the Arab domination of Mallorca, although the recipe was adapted to Christian tastes during the reconquest by King Jaume I. As the name suggests, the key ingredient of this traditional Mallorcan pastry is saïm (lard), combined with strong flour, sugar, eggs, and water. A unique delicacy.
Its process is labor-intensive, as it requires several fermentation stages that result in its different versions: plain, covered with candied fruit and sobrasada, or filled with chocolate, custard, or pumpkin jam. Recognized with a Protected Geographical Indication in 1996, today the ensaimada is a symbol of Mallorcan identity that reflects the blend of cultures characterizing the island’s history.
Experience Mallorcan cuisine at Finca Serena
We invite you to enjoy the best of Mediterranean cuisine with some of the typical dishes of Mallorca in the tasting menu of our Jacaranda Restaurant.
Enhance your stay at our luxury retreat with a tasting of Mallorca’s rich gastronomy.
