Meat Meets the Sea: Spanish Surf and Turf Done Right

By Edu Valor / Author - Spanish Chef

Meat and seafood in one dish? That’s how you know we’re a creative people. Spanish surf and turf recipes are proof of just how inventive our culinary tradition can be.

Take familiar ingredients like chicken, pork, or beef, and pair them with cod, hake, shrimp, or clams. These mixed creations, known as mar y montaña (sea and mountain), have their roots in Spain’s coastal regions—especially in the northwest (Galicia) and northeast (Catalonia).

To the untrained eye, the idea might seem strange… until the first bite.

People in these regions sparked curiosity and delight by blending land and sea on one plate. Today, Spanish surf and turf recipes are enjoyed all over the country and are surprisingly easy to prepare—no special equipment or chef training required.

Refinement? Optional. Flavor? Guaranteed.

A typical Spanish surf 'n turf dish, pork loin with venus clams.

The Key Is in the Pairing

The secret lies in smart combinations: chicken with shrimp, pork with clams, or even meatballs with squid. Done right, the result is rich, balanced, and unforgettable.

Get it wrong, and… well, your guests might not rush back. (Just kidding—but maybe not entirely 😉).

A Versatile Country, A Versatile Cuisine for You

Spain has always welcomed a variety of culinary influences, and that openness is reflected in its food. From mountain towns to sun-soaked beaches, from arid plateaus to lush northern forests—Spain’s diverse landscape gives rise to an equally diverse kitchen.

Mar y montaña dishes were inevitable in a country like this.

When ingredients like potatoes, tomatoes, and chocolate arrived from the Americas, Spain's flavor palette expanded even further. That fusion mindset continues today, blending tradition with experimentation.

Merluza a la koxkera or hake with eggs and asparagus.

What Are Your Surf and Turf Favorites?

Don’t stress too much about the rules. Sure, some meat and seafood combos work better than others, but often your palate and common sense are the best guides.

Would I personally pair cod with beef? Probably not. But someone out there might prove me wrong!

Here are a few classic and creative Spanish surf and turf recipes to spark your imagination:

• Chicken with langoustines (pollo con langostinos)
• Meatballs with squid (albóndigas con calamares)
• Clams with sausage and mushrooms (almejas con chorizo y setas)
• Pork cheeks with red mullet (carrilleras de cerdo con salmonete)
• Pork with clams (cerdo con almejas, a Galician favorite)
• Calamari with sausage (calamares con butifarra, common in Catalonia)
• Chicken with shellfish and clams (pollo con mariscos)
• Lobster with bacon (bogavante con panceta)

Surf 'n Turf, and Palm Trees in Torremolinos, Malaga.

Get Inspired in Your Own Kitchen

Happy cooking and experimenting! These Spanish surf and turf recipes are just the beginning. Try your own combinations, and you might discover a new favorite that’s entirely your own.

Buen provecho!

*****

Edu's Excellent Surf 'n Turf Recipes

Lomo de Cerdo con Almejas (pork with clams)

Merluza a la Koxkera (hake with eggs)

Albondigas con Sepia (meatballs with sepia)