Summary
The question comes up every week at the Mercat del Ninot counter: "Is it worth spending more on artisan gildas if Mercadona's are so good?" It's an honest question and deserves an honest answer. In this guide: What is a gilda: the benchmark, Mercadona gildas: ingredient analysis, Artisan gildas: what makes the difference.
Mercadona vs. Artisan Gildas: A Real Comparison
The question comes up every week at the Mercat del Ninot counter: "Is it worth spending more on artisan gildas if Mercadona's are so good?" It's an honest question and deserves an honest answer. At Bacalalo, we've been selling artisan gildas for years, so we have an obvious bias, but we also have discernment. Let's compare objectively: ingredients, real price per unit, anchovy quality, and mouthfeel.
Mercadona gildas are the barometer of Spanish appetizers: if the country's largest supermarket knows them, it means the product has reached critical mass. And the gilda has succeeded. However, just because something is widely available doesn't mean it's the same as the original version.
Contents
What is a gilda: the benchmark
Before comparing, it's important to establish a reference point. The original gilda was born at Casa Vallés bar in San Sebastián in the late 1940s. Bartender Joaquín Aramburu created it by skewering a pickled chili pepper, a Manzanilla olive, and a salted anchovy. He named it after the Rita Hayworth movie because, he said, the pintxo was "salty, spicy, and a little naughty," just like the character.
The original standard has three ingredients, in this order of importance for flavor:
- The anchovy: Must be salted (not pickled). Fatty, intense, with a long flavor. It's the soul of the pintxo.
- The chili pepper: Pickled. Medium size. Spicy but not burning. The Basque piparras variety is the reference.
- The olive: Pitted Manzanilla Sevillana, fleshy. Not black olives or Arbequina.
With this standard in mind, let's analyze Mercadona gildas.
Mercadona gildas: ingredient analysis
Mercadona sells its gildas under the Hacendado brand, in a refrigerated tray format. In 2025, you could find them in the cold cuts section, priced at around 2.79 euros for a tray of 10-12 units, which works out to about 0.23-0.28 euros per gilda.
Analyzing the label:
- Anchovy: Mediterranean or Atlantic anchovy in sunflower oil. It does not specify a concrete origin or curing method. The size is small, what is called "filling anchovy" in the industry.
- Chili pepper: Pickled. It's the piparra but smaller and with less spiciness than the artisan variety. It fulfills its function but doesn't have the aromatic depth of a premium Basque piparra.
- Olive: Manzanilla in brine. Pitted. Decent, nothing more.
- Oil: Sunflower oil, in some formats.
The result is a product that works as a quick and cheap appetizer. The overall texture is correct. The main problem is the anchovy: its flavor is more salty than umami, with little aftertaste. An artisanally cured anchovy for 12-18 months has a complexity of flavor that industrially produced anchovies cannot replicate, regardless of the price.
Artisan gildas: what makes the difference
A quality artisan gilda differs in several specific points, not in abstractions:
The anchovy: The best artisan gildas use Cantabrian anchovy cured for 12 to 18 months in salt. It comes from spring fishing (April-June), when the anchovy is fattier. Brands like Olasagasti, Ortiz, or Bacalalo Gourmet are benchmarks. The size is larger (between 8 and 12 fillets per 50g can, compared to 15-20 for industrial ones) and the flavor is more complex, with notes of sea, oil, and long curing.
The chili pepper: Authentic Basque piparras from Ibarra or Guernica have a more gradual spiciness and a herbaceous aroma that differentiates them from industrial chili peppers. They are longer, fleshier, and pickled with a low-acidity cider vinegar that better preserves the pepper's flavor.
The olive: An artisan Manzanilla from Seville or Cordoba, cured in natural brine without preservatives, has a firmer texture and a cleaner flavor than industrial ones. The pit removed by hand (not by machine) better preserves the integrity of the olive.
The assembly: Artisan gildas are assembled by hand. The order matters: first the chili pepper (which holds the toothpick), then the olive as a counterweight, and the anchovy folded over itself in the center. This order ensures that the proportion in each bite is correct: chili pepper + anchovy + olive simultaneously.
Bacalalo Products
Artisan Cheese Gilda Handmade Gour...
€9.75
Caperberries in Vinegar - 1400g (600 g Drained)
€9.95
Artisan Pickled Onions - 1.4 kg
€9.90
Artisan Anchovy Gilda Handmade ...
€9.90
Refrigerated delivery 24-48h to all of mainland Spain
Real price per unit comparison
The price per unit is where the conversation gets complicated, because a raw comparison is misleading:
- Mercadona gildas: Approximately 0.25 euros per unit. Ready-to-eat product.
- Artisan gildas from a specialized store: Between 0.80 and 1.50 euros per unit, depending on the quality of the anchovy and origin.
- Artisan gildas made at home with quality ingredients: Between 0.40 and 0.70 euros per unit, depending on the anchovy used.
The price difference between Mercadona gildas and a premium artisan gilda is x5 or x6. That's a lot. The question to ask is: what's the occasion? For an informal Sunday appetizer, Mercadona's will do. For a gathering where the appetizer matters, for a gift, or for a celebration, the quality difference justifies the price.
A specific fact: if you do a blind tasting with both versions, the taste difference is evident for 80% of people, even if they can't identify exactly why. The aftertaste of the artisan anchovy is longer and more pleasant. The artisan chili pepper has a more complex spiciness. The olive has more body.
Making artisan gildas at home: the intermediate option
The best value for money for those who want high-quality gildas is to make them at home with good ingredients. The process takes 15 minutes and the result far surpasses industrial ones.
To make artisan gildas at home for 4 people (about 20 units), you need:
- 10-12 Cantabrian anchovy fillets in olive oil (a quality 50g can)
- 20 Basque piparras in vinegar (or good quality pickled chili peppers)
- 20 pitted, fleshy Manzanilla olives
- Wooden toothpicks (they should be long, at least 9 cm)
- Extra virgin olive oil to finish
The assembly order: first skewer the folded chili pepper, then the olive, and finally the anchovy fillet folded over itself. If you use long chili peppers, fold them into an S shape so they fit elegantly on the toothpick. A drizzle of olive oil at the end, well chilled, finishes the pintxo.
Result: about 20 artisan gildas for less than 5 euros, which works out to about 0.25 euros per unit but with a much higher anchovy quality than Mercadona gildas.
When to buy each option: practical guide
There's no universal answer. Here's a direct guide:
Buy Mercadona gildas when: It's a last-minute impromptu appetizer, you have less than 15 minutes, the budget is tight, or the audience doesn't distinguish or care about the quality of the pintxo.
Buy artisan gildas when: They are the centerpiece of the appetizer, you have guests who appreciate gastronomy, it's a special occasion, or you want to surprise with something out of the ordinary.
Make your own gildas when: You want the best possible result with total control over the ingredients, you have time, or you're looking for a participatory appetizer activity (assembling the gildas at the table with guests).
Bacalalo Products
Artisan Cheese Gilda
€9.75
Artisan Anchovy Gilda
€9.90
Caperberries in Vinegar - 1400g
€9.95
Pickled Onions - 1.4 kg
€9.90
Refrigerated delivery 24-48h to all of mainland Spain
🛒 Products mentioned in this article
⭐ 4.9/5 · Cold delivery 24-48h · Since 1990 at Mercat del Ninot
Frequently asked questions about Mercadona vs. artisanal gildas
Are Mercadona gildas authentic Basque gildas?
They contain the three basic ingredients (anchovy, olive, chili pepper), but the anchovy is not from the Cantabrian Sea nor is it artisanal cured. Technically, they are a version of the gilda, not the original gilda. As a reference to understand the pintxo or for casual consumption, they are fine. As an authentic gastronomic experience, they do not reach the same level.
What kind of anchovy do Mercadona Hacendado gildas have?
The label indicates Atlantic or Mediterranean anchovy in sunflower oil. It does not specify exact origin. The size is usually category 40-50 fillets per kg, which corresponds to small anchovies. A quality artisanal Cantabrian anchovy is between 18-25 fillets per kg.
How long do artisanal gildas last in the fridge?
Freshly prepared homemade gildas can be stored in the fridge, covered with olive oil, for up to 5-7 days. Refrigerated commercial gildas have a marked expiration date, generally between 10 and 21 days from manufacturing. Once opened, consume within 2-3 days.
Is piparra the same as guindilla?
Piparra (Piparras in Basque) is a specific variety of chili pepper from the Basque Country, mainly cultivated in Ibarra and Gernika. It is longer than generic chili pepper, with a milder and more aromatic spiciness. All piparras are chili peppers, but not all chili peppers are piparras. The best artisanal gildas use Basque piparra; industrial ones use generic chili pepper.
Can gildas be made without anchovies?
The version without anchovies is called "vegetarian gilda" and substitutes the anchovy with black olives or cherry tomatoes. The result is different, fresher and less intense. It is not the classic gilda, but it has its audience. There is also a version with pickled anchovy instead of salted anchovy, which is milder and more acidic.
Are Mercadona gildas available all year round?
Mercadona gildas are a continuously available product in the refrigerated section. Stock may vary by store. They have no declared seasonality, although the quality of the raw ingredients (chili, anchovy) is seasonal. Seasonal artisanal ones, especially with fresh piparras, are available from July to October.
What drinks pair best with gildas?
The classic Basque combination is txakoli, the DO Txakoli de Getaria white wine, slightly effervescent and acidic. It also works very well with dry Basque cider, German wheat beer, or a Fino sherry. The common denominator is that the drink should be acidic and not too sweet, to balance the umami of the anchovy and the spiciness of the chili pepper.
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