🍂 October Flavours in Nerja - Market Baskets & Feria Treats
October in Nerja is a month when the markets burst with colour and flavour. The Feria de Nerja fills the streets with music, food, and fiesta spirit — but feria food isn’t only for when you’re out celebrating. With the seasonal harvest from Nerja’s Tuesday market and local fruterĂas, you can bring those same tastes into your own kitchen and enjoy feria favourites at home too.
Learning to live — and eat — by the seasons is not only healthy for us, but also a way of supporting local farmers and growers who fill the market stalls each week. The fruits and vegetables of October inspire everything from refreshing Andalusian classics to hearty autumn comfort foods. And as the feria casetas tempt you with tapas and treats, the very same produce is waiting for you to cook with — turning October into a true feast both outside and inside your home.
Market Baskets of October
Red Peppers & Tomatoes
The stars of the early October market. Their rich colour and sweetness make them perfect for gazpacho or the thicker salmorejo.
Gazpacho is lighter, more of a soup-drink hybrid, blended with cucumber, peppers, onion, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar — served chilled, often in a glass, to refresh on a warm day.
Salmorejo, on the other hand, is creamier and thicker, made mainly from tomatoes, bread, garlic, and olive oil — usually eaten with a spoon and topped with jamón and hard-boiled egg.
Both are Andalusian staples, but salmorejo feels more like a meal, while gazpacho is a cool refresher.
And don’t forget: these same tomatoes and peppers also form the base for a proper salsa brava — the fiery sauce for patatas bravas, a feria favourite with a cold beer in hand. You can find our recipe here, https://www.nerjaamigos.com/market-finds-kitchen/blog-post-title-three-4kwch
Nerja Amigos, we like to give it an extra kick by adding a spoonful of our own homemade chili sauce — guaranteed to spice up your feria table at home. https://www.nerjaamigos.com/market-finds-kitchen/-from-bush-to-sauce-our-homegrown-birds-eye-chili
Mangos & Avocados
We’re right at the tail end of mango and avocado season in the AxarquĂa. Sweet, juicy mangos brighten up salads, while avocados still grace toasted sandwiches and, of course, bowls of guacamole for sharing. A sandwich with avocado is a loved cafĂ© staple in Nerja — you’ll find it on breakfast, salads, and brunch menus all over town.
Apples & Pears
Autumn fruits that inspire us to make pies, compotes, and sauces. In many homes, they’re paired with cinnamon or honey — we love the traditional simple pies, the warming flavours as the evenings get cooler, or even with our Sunshine Salads. https://www.nerjaamigos.com/market-finds-kitchen/market-to-recipe-sunshine-salads-of-nerja
Pomegranates (Granadas) & Persimmons (Caquis)
These fruits start to appear more widely now. Pomegranate seeds add jewel-like bursts of sweetness to salads or desserts, while persimmons bring a mellow, honey-like flavour to the fruit bowl. At Nerja Amigos, we love adding pomegranate seeds to our Sunshine Salads — they bring colour, crunch, and a little sparkle to the plate.
Chirimoya
That curious green fruit with creamy white flesh — beloved in AndalucĂa. Our Spanish firends, grandmothers, and neighbours alike all have their own recipes, and you can make yours: chirimoya jam, puddings, or simply scooped with a spoon.
Aubergines (Berenjenas)
An October staple in restaurants around Nerja. Often served fried in slices with miel de caña (cane honey from nearby Frigiliana). Crispy, savoury, and sweet all at once. Can´t be more Axarquian than that!
Pumpkins
By late October, the pumpkins take over. Whether carved for Halloween or simmered into velvety pumpkin soup, they are the true marker that autumn has arrived. They’re also perfect for celebrating Halloween — or “Maroween” as it’s known in Maro, where the village mixes local tradition with spooky festivities. ( see our Fiesta Calendar). And don’t worry: Nerja Amigos will be sharing special Halloween food ideas soon… so keep an eye out for our upcoming story!
Feria Flavours
The Feria de Nerja (October 8–13, 2025) isn’t just about parades and concerts — it’s also about food! You’ll see many of October’s seasonal favourites making an appearance in the casetas and stalls. It’s food made for sharing — just like the feria itself. And don’t forget the simple staples that always belong on a feria table: local cheeses, olives, oils, and fresh bread, perfect with a glass of wine or a cold beer.
From Market to Your Kitchen
On our page The Market Kitchen at Nerja Amigos, you’ll find recipes inspired by the same fruits and vegetables filling the market stalls this month. We keep adding new dishes season to season — so you can enjoy the flavours of Nerja not only out at the feria or in restaurants, but in your own home too.
And by eating with the seasons, we stay connected to the land, the farmers, and the community that make Nerja such a special place to live and visit.
