Panadons de Cuaresma Recipe: Catalan Spinach Pastries 2026

Panadons de Cuaresma are thin, golden pastries from Catalonia filled with spinach, raisins and pine nuts. They belong to the meatless cooking of Lent, the period from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday, when Christian tradition limited meat, so a filling of greens, dried fruit and nuts was ideal. It is a humble recipe, but full of flavor, the kind of everyday home cooking that deserves to be remembered.

Making them is easier than it sounds. The dough needs only flour, olive oil, water and salt, and with a short rest it becomes very easy to handle. The filling is just as simple, but it is key to let it drain very well and cool completely before filling the dough, so the pastries do not soften and can be shaped without trouble.

Although they are delicious freshly made, they are designed to keep for up to a couple of days. In the past they were prepared to take to the fields during long working days away from home, so a meal eaten outdoors could taste as good as one just made.

Ingredients for Panadons de Cuaresma

These amounts make 6 panadons.

• 600 g spinach
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, cut into julienne strips
• 6 tablespoons raisins
• 6 teaspoons pine nuts
• Salt, to taste
• 500 g wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 65 ml olive oil
• 225 ml water
• Beaten egg, for brushing the panadons

How to Make Panadons de Cuaresma Step by Step

1. Cook the spinach

Start by sautéing the spinach. Put them in a hot skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and let them reduce completely. To make this step easier, add them little by little and, as they shrink, add another handful, since raw spinach takes up much more volume and you probably will not fit it all in the skillet at once. Season with salt to taste.

2. Drain and cool the spinach

Once all the spinach is cooked, leave it draining in a colander while it cools completely.

3. Brown the onion and let it cool

Continue with the filling by heating the same skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1 onion cut into julienne strips, season with salt to taste and cook until golden and soft. It does not need to caramelize. Once the onion is cooked, set it aside and let it cool completely.

4. Mix the dough ingredients

While the spinach and onion cool, prepare the dough. Put 500 grams of wheat flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 65 ml of olive oil and 225 ml of water in a bowl. Mix very well until you have a homogeneous dough. If it is hard to work inside the bowl, once the ingredients are integrated you can give it a light knead on the kitchen counter.

5. Shape a ball of dough and let it rest 15 minutes

Shape the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.

6. Divide the dough into 6 portions

Once the filling is cold and the dough has rested, continue with the recipe. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll them lightly into balls.

7. Roll out each portion

Roll out each portion of dough, giving it as round a shape as possible. You can grease the counter or dust it with a little flour, although it is not necessary because this dough sticks neither to your hands nor to the surface. It is very easy to work with.

8. Divide the spinach over the dough portions

On each rolled-out portion of dough, place a portion of spinach.

9. Divide the onion over the dough portions

Now distribute the onion over the portions of dough.

10. Add the raisins and pine nuts to the filling

Finish the filling of each portion of dough with 1 tablespoon of raisins and 1 teaspoon of pine nuts. The amounts of these ingredients are a little arbitrary and can be adjusted to the taste of your guests. Preheat the oven to 200 ºC with top and bottom heat.

11. Close the panadons and place them on a baking tray

Close each portion of dough into a half-moon shape, overlapping one end of the dough slightly over the other. Press the edges lightly and place each panadon on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

12. Brush with beaten egg and bake 20-30 minutes at 200 ºC

Brush the formed panadons with beaten egg and take them to the oven for 20-30 minutes at 200 ºC, until they are golden to your liking.

13. Remove from the oven and let them cool before eating

Remove the panadons from the oven and let them cool before eating.

Tips for the Best Panadons de Cuaresma

Keep the filling dry and cold

The filling is simple, but it is key to let it drain very well and cool completely before filling the dough. That way the dough will not soften and you can form the panadons without any problem.

Let the dough rest

The dough is very easy to work with because a short rest makes it very manageable. Cover it and give it the full 15 minutes before dividing and rolling it out.

Make them ahead for a packed meal

Although you can eat them freshly made, they are meant to keep for up to a couple of days. They were traditionally prepared to take to the fields during long working days away from home, so a meal eaten outdoors could taste as good as one just prepared.

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Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a rotation that covers cozy classics, dishes from around the world, and sweets that make everyone happy.

Some nights I want something luxuriously rich, and that's when I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a truly indulgent Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I'm after something fruity and soothing, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is my reliable pick.

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And when I'm hosting and putting together drinks alongside a full menu, I'll often serve dinner with this refreshing Original Cuban Mojito recipe, this potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To bring the whole table together, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe on the side, or finishing things off with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

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After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes boil down to three things: straightforward methods, techniques you can trust, and serious flavor.

Every recipe gathered here is one I genuinely cook over and over—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something a little more celebratory for friends and family.

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