Menestra de Navarra is the definitive expression of Navarra's vegetable tradition. Navarra's Ebro River valley produces Spain's finest vegetables (asparagus, artichokes, peppers). The menestra showcases them by cooking each vegetable separately to preserve its texture, then combining them.
A colorful plate of perfectly cooked spring vegetables — green asparagus, purple artichokes, orange carrots, green peas — in a light, glossy sauce. Each vegetable is cooked to its ideal tenderness; the flavors are clean and distinct. Pure vegetables, pure skill.
Each vegetable is cooked separately because they have different optimal cooking times (asparagus: 3 min; artichokes: 15 min; peas: 5 min). Overcooking any one ruins its texture. The light sauce (a thin emulsion of olive oil, flour, and stock) binds without masking.
Variations
Some add Serrano ham or hard-boiled eggs; the vegetable mix varies by season; served as a first course.
On the Palate
Where Menestra de Navarra sits in the Spanish flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
6 steps · 45 min active + 15 min waiting
- 110 min
Trim and prepare artichokes, asparagus, peas, carrots, green beans.
- 215 min
Cook each vegetable separately in salted water until just tender.
Watch outCook each vegetable only to just-tender and pull it — asparagus in three minutes, artichokes longer; one soggy vegetable drags down the whole plate.
- 35 min
Sauté chopped onion and garlic in olive oil.
- 41 min
Add a little flour; cook 1 min.
- 55 min
Add stock; whisk into a light sauce.
Watch outWhisk the stock in until the sauce just coats a spoon — thin enough to bind the vegetables, not gluey enough to mask them.
- 65 min
Combine all vegetables; heat through; season; serve.
