Basque Pintxos Cooking Class in Bilbao: Make 4 Traditional Dishes

You make the pintxos, not watch someone else make them.

A hands-on Basque cooking class in Bilbao where you prepare four traditional pintxos—Bilbainito, La Gilda, Cod Brandada and Spicy Garlic Mushrooms—under instruction from a local chef. The class runs 2.5 hours, includes wine and soft drinks from an open bar, a charcuterie and cheese board, and dessert. Minimum age is 16; the chef teaches in English.

The Experience

You arrive with a free afternoon or a gap in your Bilbao itinerary and want to do something that leaves you with a skill, not just a memory. This class puts you at a counter with a local Basque chef who talks you through the ingredients—the story of each one, why it matters in northern Spanish cooking, how locals actually use them. You're not sitting in a lecture; you're holding a knife and a wooden spoon from the start. The chef guides each step as you mix, stir, chop and combine. A glass of wine sits nearby from the open bar, and you sip between tasks.

Four pintxos come together under your hands. The Bilbainito pairs boiled egg, fresh prawns and homemade mayo on bread. La Gilda layers olives, local peppers and anchovies. The Cod Brandada uses fresh bread, local Basque potato and grilled desalted cod. The Spicy Garlic Mushrooms—txampis, the local variety—carry the umami the Basque region is known for. Each one gets plated as you finish it, and you sit down to eat all four alongside the charcuterie and cheese board, dessert, and more wine. You leave knowing how to make these at home, and having tasted them the way they're meant to be eaten.

The class runs 2.5 hours total. You'll need to get yourself to the cooking school in Bilbao; public transportation options are nearby, and the school can point you to the closest stop. Bring an appetite and wear clothes you don't mind getting flour on—a cotton apron is provided. If you're under 18, soft drinks and water replace the wine, and the rest of the experience stays the same.

What’s included

• Hands-on instruction from a local Basque chef in English.
• all ingredients and equipment for preparing four traditional pintxos.
• wine or soft drinks from an open bar during the class.
• a charcuterie and cheese board.
• dessert.
• and a cotton apron.

Good to know

Public transport nearby

Operated by Gastronomía Bilbao

Is this one for you?This class is hands-on from the first ingredient to the last bite—you're chopping, stirring and plating, not watching a demonstration. If you want to learn a skill you can use at home and eat what you made the same afternoon, this one delivers both.

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Top questions

What are the four pintxos I'll actually make in this class?

The Bilbainito (boiled egg, fresh prawns and homemade mayo), La Gilda (olives, local peppers and anchovies), Cod Brandada (fresh bread, local Basque potato and grilled desalted cod), and Spicy Garlic Mushrooms cooked with txampis, the local Basque mushroom variety.

Do I need cooking experience to take this class?

No. The chef walks you through each step of preparation as you work, so beginners and experienced cooks both learn something. The focus is on the Basque ingredients and techniques, not on prior skill.

Is wine included, or do I pay extra for drinks?

Wine and soft drinks come from an open bar during the class, so you can sip as you cook. If you're under 18, soft drinks and water are available instead. The charcuterie, cheese board and dessert are included; anything beyond the set menu is optional and paid separately at checkout.

How long does the whole class take?

The class runs 2.5 hours from start to finish, including the ingredient introduction, hands-on cooking, plating and the meal at the end.

What's included in the price?

The class includes instruction from a local Basque chef in English; all ingredients for the four pintxos; wine or soft drinks from the open bar; a charcuterie and cheese board; dessert; and a cotton apron.

How do I get to the cooking school?

The school is located in Bilbao with public transportation options nearby. You arrange your own transport; hotel pickup is not included, but the school can direct you to the closest transit stop.