Flavors · Segovia

Cochinillo asado

Suckling pig fed only on mother's milk, roasted whole in a wood-fired oven until the skin is crispy. It is Segovia’s signature dish, with a quality mark since 2002, and is often carved with the edge of a plate.

Traditional dish from Segovia, Castela e Leão

Also known as: cochinillo de Segovia, cochinillo asado de Segovia, leitão assado de Segóvia

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Get it on Google Play

Click a photo to enlarge it.

Spain
Spain
Cochinillo asado — Segovia, Spain
Cochinillo asado
Cochinillo asado — Segovia, Spain
Cochinillo asado
Cochinillo asado — Segovia, Spain
Cochinillo asado
Cochinillo asado — Segovia, Spain
Cochinillo asado

Cochinillo asado — Segovia, Spain

Cochinillo asado is Segovia’s dish. Cochinillo is a suckling pig that fed only on its mother’s milk and is slaughtered after a few weeks, still with little weight. Roasted whole or halved in a wood-fired oven on a clay tray, it develops a thin, golden, crispy skin and very tender meat.

The city has protected the dish since 2002 with the Cochinillo de Segovia quality mark, recognized by the Junta of Castile and León, which defines the breed, feeding, age and weight of the animals. The name Cochinillo de Segovia was registered as a Protected Geographical Indication in 2024.

The best-known gesture is the carving. To show how tender the meat is, the server breaks the pig with the edge of a ceramic plate instead of using a knife. The custom is associated with the city’s historic eateries.

Segovian restaurants hold annual cochinillo events, and the dish is eaten throughout the city, often with the Roman aqueduct nearby.

Share: WhatsApp

Where it comes from

Segovia , Castela e Leão
The roasted suckling pig is Segovia’s signature dish, protected by the Cochinillo de Segovia quality mark and by the IGP of the same name.

Ingredients

Suckling pig (cochinillo), water and salt. There are traditional recipes using lard; the quality mark allows only water and salt.

How it is eaten

Served hot, in portions with skin and meat, taken straight from the tray. Comes with salad and bread; regional red wine.

When it is eaten

A year-round dish, common at celebrations and Sunday lunches. Restaurants in the city organize annual events celebrating it.

Your questions

Questions about Cochinillo asado

Why is Segovia’s cochinillo cut with a plate?

To show how tender the meat is: the pig is split using the edge of a ceramic plate, without a knife.

Does Segovia’s cochinillo have protected status?

It has the Cochinillo de Segovia quality mark since 2002 and achieved Protected Geographical Indication in 2024.

What is the difference between cochinillo and lechazo?

Cochinillo is a suckling pig; lechazo is a milk-fed lamb. Both are roasted in a wood-fired oven.

Flavors of Spain

Discover other flavors of Spain

All the flavors of Spain