Inklingo

How to Say "stew" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cocido

/ko-SEE-tho//koˈθiðo/

nounA2general
Use 'cocido' for a traditional, hearty Spanish chickpea-based stew, often served in courses.
A steaming ceramic bowl of Spanish stew featuring chickpeas, chorizo, and vegetables.

Examples

Me encanta el cocido que hace mi abuela en invierno.

I love the stew my grandmother makes in winter.

El cocido madrileño es el plato más famoso de la capital.

The Madrid-style stew is the most famous dish of the capital.

Hoy vamos a comer un cocido muy rico con garbanzos y chorizo.

Today we are going to eat a very tasty stew with chickpeas and chorizo.

En los días fríos de invierno, nada calienta tanto como un buen cocido.

On cold winter days, nothing warms you up as much as a good stew.

Always Masculine

Even though it refers to a meal with many parts, the word 'cocido' is always a masculine noun.

The 'Three Turns' Rule

In Spain, a 'cocido' is often served in three stages (vuelcos): first the soup, then the vegetables/beans, then the meat.

Confusing with Generic Stew

Mistake:Calling any random soup a 'cocido'.

Correction: Use 'guiso' for general stews; 'cocido' is specifically the traditional dish usually involving chickpeas.

tapado

/ta-PAH-doh//taˈpaðo/

nounB2general
Use 'tapado' for a traditional Latin American seafood dish, typically cooked slowly in a pot or wrapped.
A silhouette of a racing horse standing in the shadows while others are in the light.

Examples

El tapado de pescado es típico de la costa peruana.

The fish stew is typical of the Peruvian coast.

Nadie conocía al candidato, era el tapado del partido.

Nobody knew the candidate; he was the party's 'dark horse' (hidden choice).

Ella llevaba un elegante tapado de piel.

She was wearing an elegant fur wrap.

Cocinamos un tapado de mariscos riquísimo.

We cooked a delicious seafood stew.

Noun vs Adjective

When used as a noun to mean 'dark horse', it's usually preceded by 'el' or 'un'.

Cocido vs. Tapado

Learners often confuse 'cocido' and 'tapado' because both refer to stew-like dishes. Remember that 'cocido' is specifically a Spanish chickpea stew, while 'tapado' refers to a Latin American seafood stew.

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