History

Rabas (the Basque-Cantabrian name for fried calamari) are a working-port pintxo, descended from the Andalusian calamares a la romana but cooked harder and served crisper in the north. Cafe Bar Bilbao, Bar Charly and Baster all run defensible versions; Baster's bocadillo de calamares (rabas in a roll) is the late-night fix on the Casco Viejo.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Shellfish, Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 55 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 600g cleaned squid tubes and tentacles, fresh or frozen
  • 300ml whole milk
  • 200g plain flour
  • 100g semolina or fine cornmeal
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton de la Vera)
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 litre extra virgin olive oil, for frying
  • 2 lemons, cut into wedges
  • Maldon sea salt, to finish
  • Alioli: 2 garlic cloves, 1 egg yolk, 200ml mild olive oil, juice of half a lemon, pinch of salt
  • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

  1. Slice the squid tubes into 1cm rings. Leave the tentacles whole. Pat completely dry.
  2. Submerge the squid in the milk and refrigerate 30 minutes. This tenderises.
  3. Whisk the flour, semolina, smoked paprika, pepper and salt in a wide bowl.
  4. Make the alioli: pound the garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar, beat in the yolk, then drizzle in the oil whisking constantly to emulsify. Loosen with lemon juice. Chill.
  5. Heat the olive oil in a deep heavy pan to 190C (use a thermometer; hotter is fine, cooler is fatal).
  6. Drain the squid; do not rinse. Dredge in the seasoned flour mixture, tossing to coat.
  7. Lift in small batches with a slotted spoon, shake off excess flour, and lower into the oil. Fry for 90 seconds until pale gold and crisp. Do not overload the pan; the rings need space.
  8. Lift to a tray lined with paper. Sprinkle immediately with Maldon salt.
  9. Pile into a small paper cone or shallow dish. Scatter parsley over.
  10. Serve at once with lemon wedges and a ramekin of alioli.

Tip from the editors. Frying squid for more than 90 seconds is the only common failure; pull at pale gold. The colour darkens as they sit; trust the timer not the eye.

Where to eat rabas

Rabas in Bilbao

Cafe Bar Bilbao ★ 4.2

€€ €6-14BrunchPlaza Nueva belle-epoque brunch

Cafe Bar Bilbao on Plaza Nueva since 1911 keeps a Belle Epoque tiled interior in Bilbao, with ham croquettes, peppers stuffed with cod and rabas.

OrderCafe con leche, tortilla, pincho de jamon

Directions

Baster ★ 4.3

€€ Spanish tapas

Baster at the corner of Correo and Cintureria below the cathedral tower in Bilbao runs made-to-order tortilla and a young marianito crowd on the terrace.

Why locals goTucked at the corner of Correo and Cinturería at the foot of the cathedral tower in Bilbao, Baster's made-to-order tortilla and marianito crowd skews young and local.

TipOrder the made-to-order tortilla and the marianito (vermut and gin); the terrace is the spot in spring.

Directions

Bar Charly ★ 4.2

€ Basque

Bar Charly on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao since 1973 keeps a traditional Casco Viejo pintxo counter with bacalao croquettes, bonito and the gilda.

TryPintxo gilda, bacalao croquette

Directions

La Vina del Ensanche ★ 4.5

€€€ Cocktail barPintxo bar

La Vina del Ensanche on Diputacion in Bilbao since 1927 runs three rooms under the third family generation, Joselito Iberian ham the house pintxo.

DrinkSpanish wines by the glass

FoodJoselito ham on crystal bread, croquetas de jamon, bonito

Directions

All Bilbao signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want rabas covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →