Malaga: Paella & Sangria Cooking Class with Andalusian Dishes

4.85

(123 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I still remember the first thing that hit me walking into the kitchen—almonds. Not sweet, not roasted, just this cool, nutty smell hanging in the air. Our chef, Carmen, was already crushing them for the ajoblanco (which I’d never even heard of before). She handed me a spoon to taste and said something about “summer in a bowl.” It was cold and creamy, almost milky but not heavy at all. Everyone laughed when I tried to say “ajoblanco” properly—my Spanish is hopeless.

Carmen didn’t just show us how to cook; she kept tossing out little tips about where to buy good olive oil in Malaga or which market stall sells the freshest sardines. The group felt easygoing—some folks from Germany, a couple on their honeymoon from Seville. We chopped cucumbers for the Malaga salad (she called it “soak,” which sounded funny), then started prepping the paella. Saffron stained my fingers yellow for hours after. While everything simmered, we made sangria together—squeezing oranges and pouring wine straight from a bottle that looked older than me.

Lunch was noisy and relaxed. We all sat around a big table eating what we’d made—paella straight from the pan, glasses clinking with ice-cold sangria. Carmen brought out an Andalusian sorbet at the end that tasted like lemons and something floral I couldn’t place. There was no rush; people lingered over second helpings or swapped stories about other food tours in Spain. I left full but mostly just happy, if that makes sense. Sometimes travel is just about sitting at a table with strangers who don’t feel like strangers anymore.