Spanish cheese pinchos are the easiest way to host a party that looks effortless. Each one is a single cube of Spanish cheese with one topping, held together with a toothpick, so there are no plates to pass, no forks to find and nothing to carve or serve hot. You set one platter on the table and your guests do the rest.
This board of Spanish cheese pinchos is built on five Spanish cheeses, with two contrasting bites for each: one richer and more savory, one fresher or slightly sweeter. That makes ten mini pinchos with something for every taste, from cured ham and chorizo to fig, pear and quince.
Hosting is easy because almost everything happens ahead of time. Cube the cheese the day before, cook only two toppings (a sautéed mushroom and a roasted baby potato) and assemble the board in about 45 minutes. Serve it as a party appetizer, a tapas-night starter, a cheese course or a holiday-table nibble, with a glass of cava or a crisp white wine.
Pincho (also written pintxo) is the Spanish word for a small bite served on a toothpick or skewer, from the Basque Country to the rest of Spain.
The idea: two bites for every cheese
Each cheese gets a pair of toppings that pull in different directions:
- A savory pincho: cured ham, chorizo, mushroom, olive, roasted pepper. Salty, smoky or earthy.
- A fresh or sweet pincho: fruit, nuts, quince, honey. Bright, juicy or lightly sweet.
Guests can taste one cheese two ways and decide which they prefer. It also makes the board easy to balance: five cheeses, five savory and five fresh-and-sweet bites.
At a glance
- Makes: 10 mini pinchos (one of each; double it for a party)
- Prep: 30 minutes
- Cook: 20 minutes (only for the roasted potato and the sautéed mushroom)
- Skill level: easy
Ingredients
The cheeses (about 1 oz / 30 g of each makes two pinchos)
- Manchego, firm sheep's milk cheese from La Mancha
- Drunken Got (Cabra al Vino), wine-soaked goat cheese
- Truffle cheese
- Aged cheese (queso añejo), cut from a whole piece
- Smoked Idiazábal
The toppings
- Quince paste (membrillo)
- Toasted Marcona almonds, roughly chopped (one for the Manchego pincho, one for the Idiazábal pincho)
- Thin slices of Serrano ham (one for the Manchego pincho, one for the goat cheese)
- Pitted Gordal olive (a large Spanish green olive)
- Fresh fig and 1 teaspoon crushed pistachios
- Small pear
- Small golden or cremini mushroom, fresh thyme
- Baby potato
- Strips of piquillo pepper
- Boletus spread and 1 walnut half
- Dried apricot, a small sprig of rosemary, a little honey
- Thin slice of Spanish chorizo
- Crisp apple
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Salt
You will also need: 10 toothpicks or mini skewers (about 3 in / 8 cm).
How to make Spanish cheese pinchos
1. Prep the cheese
Cut each cheese into cubes of about 1 inch . Cut two cubes per cheese. Take the cheese out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving so the flavor opens up. The rind on the Cabra al Vino can stay on: its purple edge looks great on the plate.
2. Cook the two warm toppings
- Mushroom: sauté the mushroom in a little olive oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Potato: halve or keep whole a baby potato, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes, until golden and tender. Let both cool slightly.
3. Build the Manchego pinchos
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1. Manchego + Membrillo + Marcona Almond. Top a cube of Manchego with a small square of quince paste and a pinch of chopped toasted Marcona almond. Secure with a toothpick. Sweet, nutty and lightly crunchy, the classic way to enjoy Manchego. |
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2. Manchego + Serrano Ham + Gordal Olive. Fold a ribbon of Serrano ham over a Manchego cube and finish with a Gordal olive. Secure with a toothpick. Salty, savory and briny, a bold bite with the buttery Manchego in the middle. |
4. Build the Cabra al Vino pinchos
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3. Cabra al Vino + Fresh Fig + Pistachio. Place a fig quarter on the goat cheese and sprinkle with crushed pistachio. Secure with a toothpick. Soft, juicy and a little crunchy, with a gentle sweetness that suits the wine-soaked rind. |
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4. Cabra al Vino + Pear + Serrano Ham. Add a thin slice of pear and a folded piece of Serrano ham. Secure with a toothpick. Fresh pear softens the salty ham, so the creamy goat cheese stays the star. |
5. Build the truffle cheese pinchos
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5. Truffle Cheese + Golden Mushroom + Thyme. Top with the sautéed mushroom and a few thyme leaves. Secure with a toothpick. Earthy, savory and herby, a cozy bite that lets the truffle lead. |
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6. Truffle Cheese + Roasted Potato + Piquillo Pepper. Add a roasted baby potato and a folded strip of piquillo pepper. Secure with a toothpick. Hearty and golden, with a hint of sweetness from the piquillo pepper. |
6. Build the aged cheese pinchos
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7. Aged Cheese + Boletus Spread + Walnut. Spread a little boletus spread on the cheese and top with a toasted walnut half. Secure with a toothpick. Creamy, earthy and crunchy, a rich bite for the bolder aged cheese. |
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8. Aged Cheese + Dried Apricot + Rosemary + Honey. Add a dried apricot, a tiny sprig of rosemary and a light drizzle of honey. Secure with a toothpick. Fruity, fragrant and lightly sweet, with a touch of herb to round out the aged flavor. |
7. Build the Idiazábal pinchos
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9. Idiazábal + Chorizo + Piquillo Pepper. Fold a slice of chorizo over the cheese and add a small strip of piquillo pepper. Secure with a toothpick. The smokiness of the cheese works especially well with the paprika in the chorizo. |
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10. Idiazábal + Apple + Marcona Almond. Top with a crisp apple slice and a pinch of chopped toasted Marcona almond. Secure with a toothpick. Clean, fresh and slightly sweet, so the smoky cheese stays the star. |
Arrange on a platter, one of each, and serve.
The five cheeses, in a few lines
- Manchego: a firm sheep's milk cheese from La Mancha. Nutty and buttery, it is the classic starter cheese for almost any topping.
- Cabra al Vino: a goat cheese bathed in wine, which gives the rind its purple color and a gentle fruity edge. Soft and mild inside.
- Truffle cheese: a creamy cheese flecked with black truffle. Earthy toppings like mushroom and potato lean into it.
- Aged cheese (queso añejo): a firm, intense cheese cured for 8 months, with roasted, fruity notes. It is strong enough to carry bold toppings such as boletus spread and dried apricot.
- Idiazábal: a smoked sheep's milk cheese from the Basque Country and Navarra. Keep the toppings simple and let the smoke lead.
Tips for a better board
- Cut cubes of the same size so your Spanish cheese pinchos look uniform and every bite has the same cheese-to-topping balance.
- Keep the board 50/50: five savory, five fresh and sweet, alternating around the plate.
- Make ahead: cube and cover the cheese up to a day ahead, and cook the mushroom and potato that morning. Add fruit, nuts and herbs just before serving so nothing browns or softens.
- To pair: a dry sparkling wine or a crisp white goes well with the fresh pinchos; a light red suits the truffle and chorizo ones.
- No toothpick? Serve each topping on a small slice of toasted baguette instead.
Frequently asked questions
How many pinchos per person? Plan on 3 to 4 as an appetizer and 6 to 8 as a light dinner. This recipe makes 10, so double or triple it for a party.
Can I make Spanish cheese pinchos ahead of time? Yes, partly. Cut the cheese and cook the warm toppings earlier, keep everything covered in the fridge, and assemble within an hour or two of serving. Fresh fruit and herbs go on last.
What is the difference between pinchos and tapas? Tapas are small plates of any kind. Pinchos are small bites held together with a toothpick or skewer, often served on bread.
Which Spanish cheeses work best for pinchos? Firm and semi-firm cheeses cube cleanly. Manchego, aged cheese and Idiazábal hold their shape. Cabra al Vino and truffle cheese are softer, so cut them a bit larger and handle them gently.
Heads-up for guests: these pinchos contain dairy, tree nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts) and pork. Check the label of each product for allergens.
Where to get the cheeses
You can find all five cheeses for your Spanish cheese pinchos, plus the membrillo, Gordal olives and Spanish charcuterie, in our Cheese Pinchos Collection.
