Protein sources beyond meat: a local guide to eating well in Barcelona

Walk through the aisles of the sleek Mercat de Sant Antoni on a summer morning, and you’ll see more than fresh fish and ibérico ham. Alongside familiar cuts are bags of dried chickpeas, rows of lentil tins, and a growing number of plant-based protein products. Barcelonans are gradually shifting some of their protein intake away from meat, opting for pulses, nuts, and other inventive sources.

This change isn’t just about personal preference; it’s part of a broader conversation happening across Spain about the impact of food choices on both health and the environment. While the Mediterranean diet has long championed fresh vegetables, olive oil, nuts and legumes, meat consumption has remained high historically, particularly in Catalunya. But new European guidelines published this year highlight the need to reduce red and processed meat and encourage greater diversity in protein sources for long-term heart and metabolic health.

Where to find Barcelona's non-meat proteins

At the lunchtime crowd outside Flax & Kale (Carrer dels Tallers, 74B), the city’s popular flexitarian restaurant, tempeh bowls and vegan lentil salads are now just as likely to feature on the tables as grilled salmon. Founder Teresa Carles opened her first vegetarian spot here in 2011, and the group’s menus have grown increasingly creative, incorporating everything from Spanish-grown tofu to house-made almond cheese. Along the Passeig del Born, the small storefront of Casa Perris, a legacy bulk store dating back to the 1940s, bustles every afternoon with locals buying bags of split peas and white beans by weight, a nod to Catalonia’s enduring affection for hearty, affordable legumes.

Nutritionist Silvia Tomás, who leads workshops for Fundació Alícia at Món Sant Benet (about an hour outside the city, but their educational programs regularly reach Barcelona schools), says she’s seen a steady rise in interest from younger Barcelonans in learning to cook with lentils, quinoa and textured soy protein. The city’s supermarkets reflect this trend, too. At the Valldaura branch of Bonpreu, shelf space for ready-to-eat legumes, seitan, and even cans of high-protein algae products now rivals that of cured meats—a very different scene from five years ago.

How the numbers stack up

According to Spain’s 2024 Health and Nutrition survey, 42% of urban adults polled in Barcelona report eating at least one fully vegetarian or vegan meal per week, nearly double the proportion from a decade ago. Meanwhile, local prices remain relatively accessible: dried lentils at Casa Perris this week are €2.10 per kilo, compared to €11.80 per kilo for typical minced beef at the same market. Additionally, recent sales data from Mercabarna, the city’s wholesale market, show a 13% annual increase in trade for pulses and chickpeas since 2022, outpacing most animal-based proteins.

Despite these shifts, city residents eat on average 56kg of meat per year, down from over 70kg per person in 2015 according to the Catalan Ministry of Health. The gradual decrease suggests a sustained, if slow-moving, lifestyle change driven by both health information and evolving tastes.

So what happens next for those hoping to join the movement? Experts at the Ajuntament’s Public Health Agency recommend starting simple: swap minced beef for lentils in a bolognese, top salads with canned white beans, or experiment with locally produced soy or seitan. Many markets in the Eixample and Gràcia districts offer free tastings of plant-based protein foods on weekends, and plenty of neighbourhood cooking schools—including Esquèlet, on Carrer de Pau Claris—are running “protein beyond meat” evenings this July. With prices staying reasonable, and more variety arriving each month, there’s never been an easier time to reimagine protein in Barcelona—one meal at a time.