Gluten-free in Spain

Food is very important in Spain, and many restaurants can accommodate a celiac diet. Traveling to Spain? Then read our gluten-free restaurant city guides where we’ve listed al our travel and gluten-free restaurant experiences. In my eyes, Spain is a gluten-free paradise. I haven’t had a lot of issues finding gluten-free food in restaurants or grocery stores.

Restaurant guides

People in Spain are quite familiar with the gluten-free diet, nevertheless it’s still wise to take a Spanish (and maybe a Catalan) Gluten Free Restaurant Card to avoid language barriers and make gluten free travel just a bit easier. The Spanish Federation of Coeliac Associations (FACE) is made up of 17 independent associations / federations from all across the country.

Gluten-free chains in Spain

McDonald’s

At any McDonald’s in Spain you can request a ”sin gluten”/“sense gluten“ burger, which is prepared separately and comes in a gluten free labeled box.

Gluten-free Spain: supermarkets & co.

There are lots of stores where you’ll find gluten-free ingredients, from local supermarkets to bigger chain stores and organic shops. Several stores have their own “free from” products in a dedicated gluten free product section. Certified gluten-free products will either have the FACE gluten-free logo or the EU gluten-free logo. Among other things I was able to purchase gluten-free pasta, baguettes, cookies, crackers and much more.

  • Eroski – hypermarket
  • Carrefour – hypermarket
  • E.Leclerc – supermarket
  • Spar – supermarket
  • El Corte Ingles – supermarket
  • Mercadona – supermarket
  • Lidl / Aldi – discount supermarket

Spanish phrasebook

  • Gluten = Gluten
  • Sin gluten = Gluten free
  • Soy celiaco (m), soy celiaca (f) = I am coeliac
  • No puedo comer gluten / harina de trigo = I can’t eat gluten / wheat flour
  • Intolerancia = Intolerance
  • Alergia = Allergy
  • Puede contener trazas de … = May contain traces of …
  • Trigo / Almidón de trigo = Wheat / wheat starch
  • Cebada = Barley
  • Avena = Oats
  • Centeno = Rye
  • Salsa de soja = Soy sauce
  • Pan = Bread
  • Rebozado = Breaded
  • ¿Este plato tiene harina, pan o migas de pan? = Does this dish contain flour, bread or breadcrumbs?
  • Tiene harina de trigo? = Does this have wheat flour?
  • Lleva harina? = Does it have flour?)
  • ¿Está rebozado? = Is it coated in breadcrumbs?
  • Se han frito en el mismo aceite otros alimentos que puedan contener gluten? = Have this been fried in the same oil as other food that may have gluten?
  • ¿Podria tener mucho cuidado en la cocina y alejar mi plato de pan y productos con gluten? = Could you please take great care in the kitchen to keep my plate/dish away from products containing gluten?

Catalan Phrasebook

  • Gluten = Gluten
  • Sense gluten = Gluten free
  • Soc celíac = I’m celiac
  • Blat / Farina de blat = Wheat / wheat flour
  • Sóc celíac i he de seguir una dieta sense gluten = I’m coeliac and must follow a gluten-free diet
  • ¿Aquest menjar conté blat, sègol, ordi o civada? = Does this dish contain wheat, rye, barley, or oats?

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