Published: by Lauren Aloise · This post may contain affiliate links ·
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Bocadillos are a popular Spanish sandwich for lunch, merienda (snack time), or an improvised dinner. One of the most typical (and tastiest) varieties is the serranito bocadillo. Unless you're in Andalusia, it can be tough to find this treat on the menu, but just follow these simple steps to assemble your own Serranito at home!
Looking for more sandwich recipes? Try these recipes for bocadillo de camarones (fried squid) and the Portguese francesinha.
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- How to Make Serranito Bocadillo
- Recipe FAQs
- Serve
- Expert Tips
- Other Sandwiches You'll Love
- Serranito Bocadillo Recipe
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to make a serranito bocadillo? Let's talk about the key ingredients!
- Bread: For a Serranito, you'll either use a viena andaluza(a short, oblong bread roll) or amollete (a round, soft roll typical of Andalusia).
- Pork Loin: The pork loin is sliced thin and cooked until golden brown.
- Ham: The cured ham isjamón serrano, a close cousin ofjamón ibérico(the difference is in the breed of pig).
- Veggies: The tomatoes are sliced and the pepper is drenched in olive oil and cooked until tender.
- Sauce: The sandwich is served with mojo picón (a spicy red sauce) or garlic alioli (like garlicky mayonnaise).
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Serranito Bocadillo
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Cut a slit in the peppers and fry them in a skillet with a little olive oil, then put them on paper towel and sprinkle with salt. (image 1)
- Fry the pork loin in oil until it's cooked through and browned on the outside. (image 2)
- Slice the bread roll in half lengthwise and toast it lightly, then drizzle with a bit of olive oil. (image 3)
- Layer the peppers, pork loin, ham, and tomatoes on the bread. (image 4)
- Put the top of the bread on the sandwich and cut into smaller pieces if desired. (image 5)
- Enjoy with mojo picón or garlic alioli on the side. (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
Who invented the serranito bocadillo?
A Serranito is a specific type of bocadilloinvented in the southern region of Andalusia. In the 1970s, José Luis Cabeza Hernández—akaJosé Luis del Serranito—patented a variety of bocadillothat had gained popularity as a tapa in Seville. He made it into a brand, in fact, and opened two restaurants under the Serranito name in the 1980s.
What is the difference between a sandwich and a bocadillo?
In the US, a sandwich refers to any filling in between two pieces of bread. In Spain, asandwich is made onpan demolde (square, sliced bread). The most common variety is a sandwich mixto: toasted white bread with melted cheese and sliced ham (the cooked kind, not cured).
In Spain,bocadillo refers to a sandwich made on barra de pan (the Spanish equivalent of a baguette). It might be stuffed with cured ham, pork, tomato, tuna, cheese, fried squid or any other combination—but simplicity is key.
What is in a serranito bocadillo?
The formula for a serranito bocadillo has always been simple: bread, pork loin, cured Serranoham, tomato, and a sautéed green pepper.
This is double the number of ingredients that usually comprise abocadillo(ham and tomato, ham and cheese, bacon and cheese, etc.). Perhaps the double meat and veggies is what makes this varietyso beloved.
Serve
Enjoy this serranito bocadillo while it's warm and crispy! Serve with mojo picón or garlic alioli on the side for extra flavor.
You can also serve it with a side of fried potatoes, like these patatas bravas, for a traditional and delicious meal!
Expert Tips
- For a lighter tomato flavor, rub two halves of a tomato on the bread instead of adding slices.
- Some people also add a fried egg, omelet style, to the sandwich.
- If you're really hungry, serve with the traditional side dish of fried potatoes--like these patatas bravas.
Other Sandwiches You'll Love
- The Famous Francesinha - Porto’s Legendary Sandwich, Explained
- Fried Calamari Sandwich Recipe (Bocadillo de Calamares)
- El Serranito: The Best Sandwich Ever!
- 8 Must-Try Spanish Sandwiches
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Serranito Bocadillo Recipe
Have you tried this famous Spanish sandwich yet? You don't have to travel to Seville to have one! Recreate it at home with this easy Serranito bocadillo recipe.
4.50 from 2 votes
Print (images optional) Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 servings
Calories: 762.1kcal
Author: Lauren Aloise
Ingredients
- olive oil for cooking
- 2 Italian green peppers
- flaky salt
- 2 thin slices of pork loin
- good quality crusty bread such as half of a baguette or a large roll
- 3 slices cured Serrano ham
- 4 slices tomato
- mojo picón or garlic alioli for serving
Instructions
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Cut a slit in the peppers and fry them in the oil until tender and crispy. Set the peppers on a paper towel and sprinkle them with salt, then set aside.
Fry the pork loin in the oil until it's cooked through and golden brown.
Slice the baguette/roll in half and toast lightly. Drizzle each side with a bit of olive oil.
Layer the peppers, pork loin, ham, and tomatoes in between the two pieces of bread to assemble the bocadillo.
Cut into smaller pieces if desired, and serve with mojo picón or garlic alioli on the side.
Notes
- For a lighter tomato flavor, rub two halves of a tomato on the bread instead of adding slices.
- Some people also add a fried egg, omelet style, to the sandwich.
- If you're really hungry, serve with the traditional side dish of fried potatoes--like these patatas bravas.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 762.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 46.86g | Protein: 59.36g | Fat: 37.21g | Saturated Fat: 9.42g | Cholesterol: 144.74mg | Sodium: 1739.54mg | Potassium: 1531.01mg | Fiber: 7.04g | Sugar: 9.21g | Vitamin A: 1780.24IU | Vitamin C: 206.15mg | Calcium: 83.35mg | Iron: 4.45mg
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Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
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Reader Interactions
Comments
David M Squire
Actually, calling anything between between two pieces of bread a sandwich is an American thing, not an English-speaking thing. Growing up in Australia, we only used the term sandwich for things make with uniformly sliced bread (usually from a supermarket packet). We would never have called a hamburger (in a bun or bap) a sandwich. Nor would have called a filled baguette (or "sub") and sandwich, had we had such things.
The American usage is now creeping in, but I suspect that throughout the Commonwealth the usage was closer to that in Spain than the American one.
Reply
Erika
I agree with you David. I'm an Aussie too and a sandwich is flat, square and made with thin slices of bread (Pan De Molde). My American brother in law used to refer to anything really flat as being "as flat (or thin) as an Aussie sandwich" in reference to the meagre amount of filling we use in comparison to an American sandwich. And it took me ages to get used to referring to our products as hamburger "sandwiches" when I worked for Burger King. I think we'd have called a spanish bocadillo a "roll" if we'd seen them when I was a kid.
Reply
pete
hola !
great recipe - we'll try this weekend !
hasta pronto !Reply
Fausto Saavedra Gonzalez
Hola! Me gustó mucho su receta e historia sobre los Serranitos Bocadillos y la influencia que tuvieron en España. Aunque me gustaron todos los detalles que hizo para beneficiarnos, me gustaría posiblemente ver un vídeo enseñándonos como preparar este platillo. Aparte de eso, pienso que no hubo nada mas en lo cual podría mejorar, porque todo estuvo muy bien. Espero poder hacer muchos de sus menús en el futuro y poder disfrutarlos, y compartirlos con mi familia y amigos. Gracias por compartir este platillo delicioso, me lo comeré en unas horas.
- FaustoReply
Cat Gaa
One of my all-time favorites! No road trip is a true Spanish roadtrip without a Serranito in tin foil.
Reply
