Manchego with Quince
Sliced Manchego with sweet quince paste — the simplest tapa.
Ingredients
- 200 g Manchego cheese
- 150 g Quince paste (membrillo)
- 1 Baguette (optional)
Method
- Slice the Manchego into thin wedges and cut the quince paste into small slabs.
- Arrange the cheese and quince on a board with bread and serve.
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About Manchego with Quince
Manchego with quince — queso con membrillo — is one of the most iconic pairings in Spanish tapas culture, and among the very simplest things you can put on a table. It marries Manchego, the firm sheep's-milk cheese from La Mancha, with membrillo, the dense sweet paste cooked down from quince fruit that has been a Spanish preserve for centuries. There's no cooking involved; the whole dish is a matter of slicing and arranging, which is precisely the point — it's a study in two good ingredients doing exactly what they do best.
The appeal is in the contrast: the cheese is nutty, salty, and slightly sharp with a firm, almost crystalline bite, while the quince paste is jammy, floral, and honey-sweet, and each makes the other taste more of itself. Perched together on a slice of baguette, they become a classic tapa or the easy finish to a Spanish meal, sitting comfortably between a cheese course and a light dessert. It comes together in minutes, needs no skill beyond a knife, and is the sort of thing to reach for when guests arrive unexpectedly or you want a wine-friendly bite with almost no work.
Manchego with Quince: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Manchego with Quince?
A serving has about 306 calories — 15.9g protein, 29.9g carbs, 13.5g fat, 0g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Manchego with Quince gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Baguette. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Manchego with Quince dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Manchego cheese. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Manchego with Quince?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out baguette — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Manchego with Quince make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.