Catalan-style snails: the tomato recipe that smells of the south!

I have a weakness for snails when they move beyond the "parsley butter" category and into a well-seasoned tomatoey, garlicky, slightly spicy sauce.

Catalan-style snails are exactly that: a generous Southern dish that smells of simmered tomato and ham, and calls for a thick slice of bread (and a napkin).

I've really adopted it for meals with friends, because it simmers quietly while you set the table, and it always makes a nice impression!

In my Catalan version, I stick to the basics: pre-cooked snails (to keep to the time limit), a base of onion and garlic, tomato, white wine, cured ham, a bouquet garni, and a touch of chili pepper. I just add a texture trick: I cook the tomato down well to concentrate the flavors, then finish with fresh parsley to brighten everything up. The result is a coating sauce, not a soup.

On a practical note, if you're using jarred snails, rinse them: this removes the canned taste and the sauce will be cleaner. And as for the chili, go by feel: the idea isn't to mask the garlic and tomato, just to add a subtle heat.

As for serving it, serve it as a main course with steamed or sautéed potatoes, or as a hearty starter.

Nutritionally, it's quite clever: lean protein from the snails, antioxidants from the tomato, and a southern-style olive oil sauce that remains reasonable if you measure it well.

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Catalan-style snails

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: main courseKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: average

Portions

4

people

Preparation

14

minutes

Cooking

34

minutes

Calories

308

kcal

Total time

48

minutes

A Catalan-style recipe with snails simmered in a flavorful tomato-garlic sauce, with cured ham, white wine, and a touch of chili pepper. It's rustic, fragrant, and perfect with bread for dipping until the last drop.

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Ingredients

• 400g of cooked snails in a jar (drained weight)

• 1 yellow onion (approx. 120g each), thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• 120 g raw ham, in strips

• 400g ( canned)

• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste (approx. 15g per tablespoon)

• 12 cl of dry white wine

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 small carrot (approx. 80g each), diced

• 1 celery stalk (approx. 40g each), diced

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 small sprig of thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

• 1/2 teaspoon of Espelette pepper (or to taste)

• 2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Fine salt, black pepper

Preparation steps

• Drain the snails and rinse them quickly under cold running water. Drain again thoroughly (this is important to avoid thinning the sauce).
• In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Season lightly with salt and cook for 6 minutes, until softened but not browned.
• Add the chopped garlic and the cured ham. Fry for 2 minutes, stirring: the garlic should smell good, not brown.
• Add the tomato paste. Cook it for 1 minute, mixing it with the vegetables (this removes the "raw" acidity and adds depth).
• Deglaze with the white wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan well and let it reduce for 3 minutes over a slightly higher heat.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, Espelette pepper and a turn of the pepper mill. Mix, then simmer uncovered for 12 minutes over medium-low heat to concentrate the sauce.
• Add the snails. Mix gently and continue cooking for 10 minutes over low heat, still uncovered, so that the snails absorb the flavors without becoming tough.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning (be careful: the ham is already salty). Off the heat, add the chopped parsley. Serve piping hot, with bread or steamed potatoes.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 300g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

To keep the time under one hour, I use pre-cooked snails. If you have fresh snails, you'll need to prepare them (soak them in cold water, cook them), which will affect the cooking time. The goal here is a well-reduced and flavorful Catalan-style sauce: keep the pan fairly wide and let it simmer uncovered.

💡 Chef's Tips

If the Catalan sauce seems too acidic, add a tiny pinch of sugar (really just a tiny bit) and let it cook for another 2 minutes. And if it becomes too thick, thin it with 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot water, no more, to keep a sauce with a good coating consistency.

🔄 Variations

• A more “southern” recipe: add 1 small diced red pepper with the onion (same cooking time), it adds a fruity touch.
• For a more robust snail dish: replace half of the white wine with a splash of red wine vinegar (1 tbsp) and let it reduce well before adding the tomato.

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.