Barcelona: Catalan Cuisine cooking course 100% vegan

Catalonia tastes better when you cook it. This four-hour class at In Bloom Cooking School turns traditional dishes into 100% plant-based Catalan food, with hands-on preparation, a shared meal, and a welcome drink. I like the focus on local recipes rather than generic vegan fare, and I especially like that dishes such as fricandó, cannelloni, and suquet de mar keep their Catalan identity.

The class also offers a friendly, social format. Laura, the cook who led one highly praised session, prepared the ingredients, recipes, and equipment in advance while helping everyone produce a good meal. The main consideration is time: four hours is a substantial block for a cooking class, and extra drinks cost more after the included welcome drink.

You meet at In Bloom Cooking School behind Plaza España and the Arenas mall. The class runs with a minimum group size of four, and one session had a maximum of eight people. Bring a Tupperware container if you want to take leftovers home.

Key points at a glance

• Catalan classics made vegan: Learn plant-based versions of fricandó, suquet de mar, cannelloni, butifarra, and menjar blanc.
• A real four-hour food experience: Plan on 20 to 30 minutes of introduction, 1.5 to 2 hours of cooking, and 1.5 to 2 hours of eating.
• Small-group cooking: Classes require at least four participants, with a reported maximum of eight in one session.
• More than a recipe lesson: The cooking gives you a practical way to connect Catalan food with local culture.
• One drink included: You receive a welcome drink, then pay separately for any additional drinks.
• Useful take-home extras: Recipes arrive as a PDF the following Monday, and leftovers can go home in your own container.

Why vegan Catalan cooking is worth your time

Barcelona has no shortage of food tours, tapas tastings, and cooking classes. This one takes a different route. Instead of simply eating Catalan food, you help prepare plant-based versions of dishes that traditionally rely on meat, fish, dairy, or eggs.

That change matters because the class is not built around a generic salad or a quick vegetable stir-fry. Fricandó becomes a mountain-style seitan stew with mushrooms. Suquet de mar, traditionally associated with seafood, is reworked with daikon. Cannelloni comes with béchamel, and butifarra becomes a vegan sausage served with white beans.

You get to see how familiar regional flavors can survive a major change in ingredients. For anyone curious about Catalan food but following a vegan diet, this is more useful than a standard restaurant meal. You can taste the results and learn the method behind them.

I also like the cultural angle. One participant described learning about Catalonian culture through traditional dishes made vegan, along with enjoying the conversation around the table. That tells you something important about the class: the social meal at the end is not an afterthought. It is part of the experience.

Starting behind Plaza España

The meeting point is In Bloom Cooking School, behind Plaza España and the Arenas mall. This places the class in an easy-to-identify part of Barcelona, although you should allow enough time to find the school itself rather than assuming the mall is the exact entrance.

The setting is described as a beautiful location and as a dedicated plant-based cooking school. The school is wheelchair accessible, which makes the venue workable for many visitors, though you should still confirm any specific access needs before booking.

The class begins with a 20 to 30 minute presentation. This opening gives you an outline of the session, an introduction to the dishes, and a sense of what you will cook before the chopping and mixing start. It also helps the group settle into the shared format.

Since the class requires at least four participants, it is not designed as a private one-on-one lesson by default. A group of four to eight people should give you enough contact with the cook while keeping the meal social. If you prefer a completely private cooking lesson, this may not be the right format.

The first tastes: sobrasada pastries and ocean fritters

The listed starters show how the class handles familiar Catalan ideas. Sobrasada pastries use a cured smoked paprika paste, recreated here in a plant-based form. The smoky, spicy spread is a useful example of how flavor can carry a dish even when the original animal product is removed.

The ocean fritters offer another clever twist. They are served with allioli, the garlicky sauce closely associated with Catalan cooking. The name points toward the sea, but the class keeps the preparation fully plant-based.

These early recipes are useful because they introduce strong Catalan flavors before the larger dishes arrive. Smoked paprika, garlic, and the familiar texture of pastry give you building blocks you can reuse in your own kitchen.

The starter stage is also part of the group rhythm. You are not simply watching an instructor prepare a plate for you. The recipes are made and tasted by the participants, and the number of recipes depends on the group size. That means the exact workload can vary from one class to another.

The main cooking session, from cannelloni to fricandó

The main cooking section lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours. You should expect to spend this time preparing several recipes rather than concentrating on one dish from start to finish.

Seasonal cannelloni with béchamel is one of the most familiar options on the menu. Cannelloni also gives the class a chance to show how a creamy sauce and filled pasta can work without dairy or meat. Because the filling is seasonal, the exact ingredients may change.

The vegan fricandó is the most clearly mountain-inspired dish. Here, seitan replaces the meat, while mushrooms provide the earthy character associated with the original style of stew. This is a dish worth paying attention to if you want something substantial and distinctly Catalan rather than simply veganized.

The menu may also include suquet de mar, a Catalan ocean stew made with daikon. Replacing seafood with a root vegetable changes the dish, but the goal is to preserve the idea of a comforting, sea-inspired stew with a Catalan profile.

Butifarra with white beans adds another traditional pairing. The butifarra becomes a vegan sausage, while the beans provide substance. Taken together, these dishes give you a broad look at Catalan cooking: baked food, stew, sausage, beans, and creamy sauces.

The class is not just about collecting recipes. It shows you how plant-based cooking can use texture and seasoning to replace the role that meat or seafood might normally play. That makes the lesson useful even if you do not plan to recreate every dish at home.

Eating what you prepared

After the cooking, you sit down to taste the food together. This final meal lasts around 1.5 to 2 hours, so you should not expect a rushed bite while standing at the counter.

The shared table is where the class feels most social. One visitor especially valued the conversation, and another praised the cook for making sure everyone’s dishes turned out well. Those details suggest that the experience depends as much on the group atmosphere and the instructor’s guidance as it does on the menu.

Laura received especially strong praise for having the ingredients, recipes, and equipment ready while helping each person produce a satisfying result. That preparation matters in a class with several dishes. Without it, four hours could become a muddle of waiting, searching, and unclear instructions.

You should also keep in mind that the final menu depends partly on the number of participants. The class description lists several possible starters, mains, and a dessert, but it does not promise that every single item will appear in every session. The recipes are made and tasted by the group, with the recipe count adjusted to the class size.

Dessert is menjar blanc, a Catalan almond cream. It gives the meal a gentle finish and reinforces the class’s interest in traditional regional food. The menu is carefully structured, moving from savory pastries and fritters to filling main dishes and a simple almond-based sweet.

What you can take home

The practical benefit continues after the meal. Recipes are sent by email as a PDF the following Monday, so you do not need to write everything down while cooking.

That timing is worth noting. You will not receive the recipes immediately at the end of the class, so make sure the email address used for the booking is correct. If you want to remember a technique or ingredient during the session, you may still want to take a few notes.

Bring your own Tupperware container for leftovers. This is one of the most useful tips in the description. After a four-hour cooking and tasting session, you may have more food than you want to finish at the table, and a container lets you carry some away instead of wasting it.

The class includes one welcome drink per person. You can buy additional drinks at the venue and settle the bill at the end. If you are watching your spending, stick with the included drink or ask about the price of extras before ordering several.

Is the $93 price good value?

At $93 per person, this is not a cheap meal, but it is more than a meal. The price covers a four-hour activity, instruction, ingredients, kitchen equipment, a welcome drink, and the food you prepare and eat.

I think the value works best for visitors who want hands-on participation rather than a short demonstration. You are paying for time in the kitchen, help from the cook, a full shared tasting, and recipes you can use later. The PDF adds value because it gives the experience a life beyond your Barcelona stay.

The price is harder to justify if you mainly want to eat Catalan food. Barcelona offers many less expensive ways to enjoy a plate of food, and this class takes a large part of an afternoon. You are paying for the process, the instruction, and the social setting.

The group size also affects the value. A class of four to eight people gives the session a personal feel, but it is still a group event. You should not expect a private chef or a fully customized menu unless that is arranged separately.

For a vegan visitor, the value is stronger because the whole menu is plant-based. You do not need to question sauces, fillings, or cooking methods one dish at a time. The school is built around vegan food, and the class is designed to keep Catalan flavors at the center.

Who will enjoy this class most?

This experience suits you if you enjoy cooking, trying regional food, and meeting other people around a table. It is also a smart choice if you want a vegan activity that feels connected to Barcelona rather than a standard international cooking lesson.

It works particularly well for couples, friends, and small groups. One couple appreciated both the food and the conversation, which is a good sign for people who want a relaxed shared activity during a city break.

You do not need to be an expert cook. The ingredients, recipes, and equipment are prepared, and the instructor guides the group. Still, you should be ready to participate for several hours. This is not the best pick if you want to sit back and watch.

Children under 10 are not permitted, and unaccompanied minors are not allowed. Families with older children should still consider whether the four-hour format will suit them.

The language options are Catalan, Spanish, English, and German. That gives many international visitors a practical way to follow the instruction and take part in the conversation.

Timing, cancellation, and practical details

The class lasts four hours, but starting times vary, so check the available schedule before booking. The long format means you should avoid placing another fixed activity too close afterward.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option also helps if your Barcelona plans are still moving around. These policies reduce the risk of committing too early, but you should still check the final booking terms at the time of purchase.

No outside food or drinks are allowed. Smoking indoors, alcohol and drugs, weapons, sharp objects, fireworks, explosives, nudity, and unaccompanied minors are also prohibited. Most of these rules are straightforward, but the ban on outside food and drinks is worth remembering if you have special snacks with you.

The class is wheelchair accessible. If you need detailed information about entrances, kitchen work surfaces, or seating, contact the school before booking rather than relying on the general accessibility label.

Should you book this Barcelona cooking class?

Book it if you want to spend a serious block of time learning how Catalan dishes can become fully plant-based. The strongest reasons are the traditional menu, the small group format, the shared meal, and the chance to leave with recipes rather than only memories.

I would be more cautious if you have a tight schedule, dislike group activities, or simply want a quick vegan meal. Four hours is long, and extra drinks cost more than the included welcome drink.

For vegan food lovers, curious cooks, and visitors who value conversation as much as the meal, this is a well-focused choice. Bring a Tupperware container, arrive ready to work, and treat the afternoon as both a cooking lesson and a long Catalan lunch.

FAQ

Where does the cooking class take place?

It takes place at In Bloom Cooking School behind Plaza España, behind the Arenas mall, in Barcelona.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts four hours. It includes a 20 to 30 minute introduction, 1.5 to 2 hours of cooking, and 1.5 to 2 hours of tasting and enjoying the food.

Is all of the food vegan?

Yes. The cooking school and the recipes in this experience use 100% plant-based products.

What dishes might be prepared?

Possible dishes include sobrasada pastries, ocean fritters with allioli, seasonal cannelloni with béchamel, vegan fricandó with mushrooms, suquet de mar with daikon, vegan butifarra with white beans, and menjar blanc almond cream.

Is a drink included?

One welcome drink per person is included. Additional drinks can be purchased at the venue and paid for at the end.

Can I take leftovers home?

Yes. You should bring your own Tupperware container if you want to take leftover food home.

What languages are available, and is the venue wheelchair accessible?

The class is offered in Catalan, Spanish, English, and German. The venue is wheelchair accessible.