Booking winter sun in the Canary Islands, a summer holiday on the Costas or the Balearics, or a city break in Barcelona or Madrid? Spain follows EU allergen rules and many menus are used to visitors, but nuts are woven through Spanish cooking more than many travellers expect. Almonds, hazelnuts and pine nuts turn up in sauces, desserts and sweets, and bars may put out peanuts or mixed nuts as snacks.
This guide covers where nuts hide in Spanish food, how Spain's allergen rules work, the phrases worth learning, and how a Spanish peanut and tree nut allergy card can help you explain your allergy.
Last updated: 27 October 2026.
The Quick Answer
- Learn one phrase: Soy alérgico a los cacahuetes (or alérgica if you're a woman) means "I am allergic to peanuts".
- Watch sauces and sweets: romesco sauce, turrón, panellets and almond desserts all contain nuts.
- "Frutos secos" is a broad term, so name each nut you need to avoid.
- Restaurants in Spain must provide allergen information for food that isn't prepacked. Ask for it in writing.
- Emergency number: 112.
Where Nuts Hide in Spanish Food
Recipes vary by region, restaurant and cook. Many typical main dishes, such as patatas bravas, pan con tomate and fideuà, don't traditionally contain nuts, but the table below lists things worth asking about. Treat it as a guide to what to check, not a list of dishes to trust.
| Dish or ingredient | Spanish term | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Romesco sauce | salsa romesco | Usually made with almonds, hazelnuts and/or pine nuts. It is often served with grilled calçots in Catalonia. |
| Dishes "in the Catalan style" | a la catalana | Can mean pine nuts have been used. |
| Nougat | turrón / torró | Made with a large amount of almonds. Popular around the winter holidays. |
| Marzipan | mazapán | Made from ground almonds. |
| Cold almond soup | ajo blanco | Traditionally made with almonds. |
| Almond cake | tarta de Santiago | A traditional Galician cake made with almonds. |
| All Saints' Day sweets | panellets | Contain pine nuts and usually almonds. |
| Midsummer flatbread | coca de Sant Joan | Contains pine nuts. Eaten around Sant Joan's Day in June. |
| Canarian almond dessert | bienmesabe | A paste of almonds, honey and sugar, often served with ice cream or cream. |
| Canarian corn dessert | frangollo | Made with corn flour, sugar, almonds and raisins. |
| Canarian sauces | mojo | Made mainly from oil, garlic, vinegar, red pepper and spices rather than nuts, but recipes vary, so ask. |
| Bar snacks | cacahuetes, frutos secos | Bars may serve peanuts or mixed nuts as snacks, so check what is on the counter and your table. |
Ask specifically about romesco, almonds and pine nuts, because nuts often appear in dishes where you wouldn't expect them.
How Allergen Rules Work in Spain
Spain follows EU food rules covering 14 allergens, including peanuts and tree nuts. For prepacked food, allergens are shown in the ingredients list. "May contain" warnings are voluntary and aren't regulated, so don't treat their absence as a guarantee.
Since December 2014, restaurants and bars in Spain must also provide allergen information for food that isn't prepacked, which is applied through Royal Decree 126/2015. It can be given on a printed menu, on a sign, electronically (for example through a QR code) or verbally. According to a Spanish hospitality industry guide, verbal information should be backed by written documentation. Food allergy organisations advise asking for the written version.
On menus and labels you may see cacahuetes (peanuts) and frutos de cáscara or frutos secos (tree nuts). The regulated tree nuts are almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios and macadamia nuts.
How to Explain Your Allergy in Spanish
Spanish is understood across Spain, including the Canary Islands and the Balearics. Many staff in tourist areas speak some English, but don't rely on it to explain a serious allergy.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| I am allergic to peanuts. | Soy alérgico/a a los cacahuetes. |
| I am allergic to almonds. | Soy alérgico/a a las almendras. |
| Does this dish contain peanuts? | ¿Esta comida contiene cacahuetes? |
| I cannot eat nuts. | No puedo comer frutos secos. |
| Do you have anything without nuts? | ¿Tiene algo que no lleve frutos secos? |
Use alérgico if you are a man and alérgica if you are a woman. To name other nuts, swap in avellanas (hazelnuts), nueces (walnuts), anacardos (cashews), pistachos (pistachios) or piñones (pine nuts).
Why "Frutos Secos" Needs Care
Frutos secos is a broad everyday term for nuts and dried fruits, so on its own it may not tell a cook exactly which foods you must avoid. Name each nut you can't eat, and say whether peanuts (cacahuetes) are included. In Latin America peanuts are often called maní, but in Spain cacahuete is the word to use.
Menus in Catalan
In Catalonia and the Balearics, menus may be written in Catalan. Useful words are cacauets (peanuts), ametlles (almonds), avellanes (hazelnuts), nous (walnuts), pinyons (pine nuts) and anacards (cashews). Staff will almost always understand Spanish too.
Eating Out in Spain With a Nut Allergy
Restaurants and Tapas Bars
Remind the manager or head waiter about your allergy before you sit down, keep your order simple, and ask what's in each dish and how it is prepared. Show your card before you order, not after. If staff don't seem to understand, ask someone else or choose another place.
Bakeries and Sweet Shops
Almonds and pine nuts are common in Spanish pastries, cakes and sweets, and different products are often displayed together. Ask about each item, and skip it if staff can't tell you what's in it.
Hotel Buffets and All-Inclusive Resorts
Buffets are a big part of many Spanish holidays. Serving utensils can move between dishes, so contact your hotel before you arrive to explain your allergy, ask how the kitchen handles it, and speak to the chef when you get there. Check the dessert section with particular care.
Planning Your Trip: Winter Sun, the Balearics and the Mainland
- Canary Islands (winter sun): look out for bienmesabe and frangollo, which both contain almonds. Resort buffets are common, so speak to the chef on arrival.
- Costas and the Balearics (summer): beach bars and resort restaurants are busy in peak season. Menus in the Balearics may be in Catalan, so learn the words above.
- Barcelona and Catalonia: romesco, pine nuts in a la catalana dishes and seasonal sweets such as panellets and coca de Sant Joan are all worth asking about.
- Madrid and the rest of the mainland: ask about sauces and desserts, and keep your card with you for tapas bars where you don't know the menu.
Your Spanish Peanut and Tree Nut Allergy Card
Our Peanut & Tree Nut Allergy Travel Card in Spanish is a digital download with English on one side and Spanish on the other. Its translations are checked by native speakers. It gives a clear statement of your allergy, including the risk of a severe reaction such as anaphylaxis, lists common foods that may contain nuts, politely asks for clean utensils, oil and cookware, and ends with a thank you in Spanish.
It's credit-card size, so keep it on your phone or print and laminate a few copies for your wallet, day bag and hotel room.
Get the Spanish Peanut & Tree Nut Allergy Travel Card – £5 Digital Download →
Travelling with a different allergy? We also have Spanish cards for:
What to Pack for Spain With a Food Allergy
- Prescribed medication, including two adrenaline auto-injectors if you have been prescribed them, kept in your hand luggage.
- Your allergy action plan and a letter from your doctor.
- An insulated allergy medical bag to keep medication together and cool in the heat.
- Printed, laminated copies of your allergy card, plus it saved on your phone for offline use.
- Safe snacks for flights, transfers and days out.
- Travel insurance that covers your medical needs.
Check your airline's requirements and the latest rules for travelling with your medication well before you go.
Emergency Information for Spain
- Emergency number (ambulance, police, fire): 112
Give adrenaline immediately if you have anaphylaxis and call 112. Tell the operator it is anaphylaxis (anafilaxia) so that the right ambulance is sent, and don't drive yourself to hospital. Hospital assessment is needed even if symptoms improve. Find the nearest hospital to where you're staying. For more, see the NHS guidance on anaphylaxis and the UK Government's Spain travel advice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spain With a Nut Allergy
Is Spain safe for someone with a nut allergy?
People with nut allergies do travel to Spain. Spain follows EU allergen rules, but nuts are common in sauces, desserts and snacks. How safe it is depends on your allergy, where you eat and how clearly your allergy is understood. Careful planning and clear communication are essential.
What is the word for peanut in Spanish?
In Spain, peanut is cacahuete. In Latin America you may hear maní.
Is romesco sauce safe with a nut allergy?
Romesco is usually made with almonds, hazelnuts and/or pine nuts, so it isn't suitable if you have a nut allergy. It's often served with grilled calçots and other dishes in Catalonia, so ask before ordering.
Do restaurants in Spain have to list allergens?
Since December 2014, restaurants and bars must provide allergen information for food that isn't prepacked. It can be given in writing or verbally. Ask for it in writing, and still tell staff about your allergy, because it won't cover cross-contact.
Do I need a Spanish card for the Canary Islands and Balearics?
Yes. Spanish is understood across Spain, including both island groups. In Catalonia and the Balearics, menus may also be in Catalan, but staff will almost always understand Spanish.
Should I take an allergy translation card to Spain?
A translated card is a useful communication aid, particularly in small family-run restaurants and tapas bars where little English is spoken. It can explain your allergy, how serious it is and the need to avoid cross-contact, but it can't guarantee that food is safe.
Enjoying Spain With a Nut Allergy
A nut allergy doesn't mean you have to miss out on Spain. It means asking what's in your food, saying clearly that you have an allergy, and choosing something else when you aren't sure. Planning more trips? Read our guides to travelling to France and travelling to Turkey with a nut allergy, or browse every language in our allergy travel cards collection.
Important: This guide is general travel information, not medical advice. Ingredients and food preparation vary, and no dish or restaurant mentioned should be assumed safe. Always follow your allergy specialist's advice, carry prescribed emergency medication and check ingredients. Spanish and Catalan words and phrases in this guide should be checked by a native speaker before being relied on for safety-critical communication.