Latin America is known for its scrumptious meals, and Colombia doesn’t disappoint. In actual fact, sampling Colombian meals is among the prime causes to go to Colombia. Like its nation, Colombian delicacies is numerous and thrilling.
Chances are you’ll spot the odd Caribbean meals or Peruvian dish in these 28 greatest dishes – Colombian delicacies is massively influenced by its surrounding areas and colonial historical past. The nation is break up into six areas, every of which has its personal regional specialties as effectively. Keep in mind that there are regional variations when touring round Colombia’s must-see cities – you don’t wish to miss out on a specialty dish.
28 Conventional Colombian Dishes
Able to discover the perfect Colombian meals? Whether or not you wish to strive some Colombian delicacies at residence or are visiting Colombia and are excited to strive native dishes, this information will introduce you to the perfect. We’ll cowl the whole lot, from Empanadas to Frijoles Rojos. Let’s dive straight in.
1. Colombian Empanadas
Colombian empanadas have been a favourite dish since colonial occasions. Its look is very like a Cornish pasty, and the pastry is folded over with a filling inside. It’s straightforward to identify with its attribute semi-circle form and pinched edge.
You’ll discover floor meat, potatoes, cheese, and hogao (tomato salsa sauce) inside. In fact, there are some recipe variations – particularly for meat-free variations of the dish. Colombian empanadas are easy to make at residence and scrumptious to eat in Colombia. In order for you a fast, straightforward snack, empanadas are among the best Colombian dishes.
If you wish to strive an empanada earlier than you journey to Colombia, you can comply with this recipe to make your individual at residence.
2. Pandebono
The legend behind pandebono is that an Italian baker residing in Cali created the bread. When he bought it, he used to stroll the streets shouting ‘pane del buono’ (good bread); the title caught, and the bread turned some of the well-liked Colombian meals.
So, what’s it precisely? The bread can be nicknamed Colombian cheese bread, which ought to provide you with a very good trace. It’s made with melted cheese, yuca flour, and eggs and formed into bagel or ball shapes. You possibly can eat pandebono at breakfast, as road meals, or as a aspect at dinner – it’s a versatile dish. Keep in mind that it’s best eaten when it’s nonetheless heat out of the oven. Pandebono is a dish supposed to be eaten as contemporary as doable.
To get within the temper to your Colombian travels, make your individual Pandebono at residence with this recipe.
3. Bandeja Paisa
Bandeja paisa might be probably the most iconic Colombian meals on this information. Some even go so far as to name it the nationwide dish. Bandeja paisa is a platter-styled meal with an assortment of meats, a fried egg, white rice, corn, plantain, pink beans, and an avocado. The meats embody minced beef and chorizo sausage to chicharron. You’ll often discover an Arepa on the plate, too (extra on that later).
Bandeja paisa is typical of Colombia’s Antioquia area and, like frijoles rojos, was good for staff spending lengthy days within the mountains and on farms. Bandeja paisa packs a nutritious punch and is filled with protein and carbohydrates. It stays a well-liked lunch alternative and is one to strive if you happen to go to Colombia. Make your recipe at residence by following this recipe.
4. Frijoles Rojos
Frijoles Rojos is a particular Colombian dish that makes use of cargamento beans, additionally known as pink beans. This Colombian meals is especially wholesome, and pink beans are an amazing supply of iron, potassium, low-fat protein, and fiber. It’s a stew-like concoction, and the pink beans are blended with tomatoes, onion, and garlic. It’s then often served on prime of a portion of rice.
Frijoles rojos was initially a laborer’s meal. It’s budget-friendly and filled with vitality and vitamins – good for fueling a tough day at work. Nonetheless, Frijoles Rojos have turn into a broadly eaten dish in Colombian delicacies. Watch this straightforward video to make it your self.
5. Bananos Calados
Bananos calados is one in all Colombia’s greatest desserts and comes from the Quindio area, close to the Andes. It may not look (or sound) appetizing, however it’s simply one of many tastiest meals you may strive from Colombian delicacies. The dessert consists of fried bananas blended with lime juice and served with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, making a candy but tangy deal with to your tastebuds. Often, you may additionally discover the lime juice changed by orange juice and cinnamon – so preserve your eye out for any distinctive recipes.
Colombia has plenty of native fruit, and you’ll simply see that this has impressed many conventional recipes. Bananos calados are one meals to strive if you wish to expertise Colombia’s dessert scene. Make this scrumptious candy at residence to convey again recollections of your travels to Colombia.
6. Chicharron Colombiano
Chicharron Colombiano is fried pork stomach, a hearty dish lined in onions, bay leaves, and seasoning for an excellent style. Chicharron is filled with taste and served with a crisp texture that has been perfected over generations of cooking. It’s a typical dinner dish and is related to household and custom.
The dish is typical of Colombia’s Andean area. Nonetheless, it originated in Spain and was launched to Colombia by Spanish colonizers. The Spanish recipe varies enormously; rind or stomach cuts can be utilized, in contrast to the Colombian model. You’ll discover that almost all nations in Latin America have their very own model of chicharron. Get able to strive as many various variations as doable. Colombia has since taken a agency spin on the dish, although, and chicharron has effectively and actually entered Colombian delicacies.
7. Coconut rice
Overlook white rice; coconut rice is the tastiest. As its title might counsel, coconut rice is cooked with coconuts, giving it a yummy taste and getting it a spot on this checklist as a meal in its personal proper. There are two most important methods coconut rice is ready: cooking it in coconut milk or mixing it with shredded coconut. Cooking it in coconut milk is the perfect, as you get a stronger coconut taste.
The historical past of coconut rice is a little bit of a thriller. The dish is scattered throughout the globe, particularly in Asia and South America. Nonetheless, since coconuts are one in all Colombia’s most typical tropical fruits, it’s no thriller why they’re so prevalent in Colombian delicacies. In the event you get the prospect to strive it, coconut rice is a tasty dish.
8. Pescado Frito
Pescado Frito is a traditional, conventional Colombian meals. Pescado Frito interprets as fried fish and is served complete, with pores and skin and head intact. It may be somewhat daunting if you happen to aren’t used to consuming fish like this. Nonetheless, you’ll quickly be received over, as cooking the fish in its pores and skin boosts its taste and retains the fish meat moist. You possibly can count on a lot juicer meat than you’d get consuming fillets and fish steaks.
In Colombia, the fried fish is often mojarra or pink snapper. The fish is sliced after which flavored with lime and seasoning, usually sitting within the juice for some time to actually absorb the flavour. It’s served with rice, plantain, and salad – the proper lunch dish.
9. Arepa de Huevo
Arepa de huevo is a variation of normal arepas, that are fried corn desserts. Arepas are a massively well-liked breakfast meals and are additionally thought of considerably of a consolation meals. Arepa de huevo are one of many tastiest variations with egg. Making ready them entails frying a corn cake, splitting it, and filling it with an egg, then frying it once more to cook dinner the egg inside. The result’s a fried egg coated in fried bread.
It’s no shock that arepas de huevos are some of the well-liked dishes – particularly for breakfast. They’re served in stacks (like pancakes) as a standalone dish. Simply choose your sauce to match, salsa and bitter cream are nice decisions. See this recipe to get up with a style of Colombia.
10. Sopa de Pollo
Sopa de pollo interprets as hen soup, and it’s one other comforting meal in Colombian delicacies. It’s honest to say that it’s most likely the most common Colombian soup and is broadly eaten throughout the nation. The hen soup can be filled with plantain, corn, potatoes, and yuca. In actual fact, it’s so filled with elements that it usually seems extra like a stew than a soup.
In fact, hen soup is discovered worldwide, however Colombia’s model is especially scrumptious. The mix of elements like plantain and yuca is way more distinctive, and sometimes Colombian recipes use a complete hen.
Sopa de pollo is a wonderful Colombian meals to strive when visiting or to recreate at residence. It’s best cooked slow-cooked and served piping sizzling and is a kind of one-pot dishes the entire household loves.
11. Morcilla
Morcilla is a blood sausage made with floor pork and pork blood. Morcillas are simply noticed due to their darkish, deep reddish-brown shade. They’re a really conventional dish throughout Latin America. You should not have any downside discovering some to strive if you happen to go to Colombia. And if you happen to like black pudding, you might be in for a deal with.
Morcillas are ready from scratch, and the method entails squeezing the combination into sausage casings. The bottom meat is blended with pork blood, onions, and rice earlier than being put into casings. Colombian recipes have a tendency so as to add cilantro and sometimes inexperienced peas as effectively. The sausages are then often boiled to cook dinner.
12. Cazuela de Mariscos
Prepared for a Colombian seafood dish? Cazuela de mariscos is among the hottest Colombian dishes in coastal areas, particularly alongside the Caribbean Coast and Cartegena. It’s a typical meals and seafood casserole or seafood stew – filled with the whole lot from prawns to mussels and lobster. The meats are cooked in coconut milk with a combination of greens. You would possibly even have white wine and cheese added to the combination if you’re fortunate.
Cazuela de mariscos is an iconic dish when visiting Colombia’s shoreline. What is healthier than a contemporary seafood dish? More often than not, the elements have been simply caught out of the Caribbean Sea. That is positively one to your checklist while you go to Colombia. Or strive making it at residence with this yummy recipe.
13. Colombian Bunuelos
Bunuelos are deep-fried balls filled with contemporary cheese – an ideal afternoon snack or breakfast chew. Unusually sufficient, they’re usually served alongside sizzling chocolate and occasional, so you may usually discover bunuelos at cafes in Colombia.
Bunuelos are some of the well-liked Colombian meals. The recipe creates dough from yucca flour, cornstarch, eggs, milk, and sugar. The deep-fried dough is then made, with the bunuelos organized into their attribute appetizer-sized ball form and floated in a pan of boiling vegetable oil.
It’s thought that bunuelos have been launched to Colombia by Spanish invaders. The snack is now eaten throughout Colombia as road meals and cafe or restaurant deal with. Bunuelos are particularly well-liked at Christmas time. We discovered this easy to comply with recipe on YouTube
14. Obleas
Obleas isn’t just a typical Colombian dish; it’s loved throughout Spain and Latin America. Obleas appears to be like like a sandwich, and that’s exactly what it’s. The traditional dessert consists of two wafers that sandwich a filling of dulce de leche and sometimes a combination of fruit, whipped cream, and jam. The Colombian model is sort of equivalent however provides one particular ingredient – Colombian caramel.
In the event you’ve bought a candy tooth, obleas are among the best typical Colombian desserts to strive. You’ll discover them in all places, from cafes to road stalls.
15. Lechona
Lechona is a Colombian meals for particular events. The dish consists of a complete roasted pig full of onions, peas, potatoes, pork fats, white rice, garlic, and spices like cumin. After the pig has had its bones eliminated and has been stuffed, it’s positioned within the oven and slow-cooked (usually for as much as ten hours).
For sure, lechona is meant to be the culinary masterpiece of the desk. It’s a dish designed to be shared with giant teams of individuals while you wish to splash out on a flowery meal. You’ll usually discover particular person servings of lechona at eating places round Colombia, although, so preserve your eyes peeled.
16. Cholado
Let’s set Colombian meals apart for a second. Cholado is among the greatest drinks in Colombia, so let’s introduce you. The drink is a refreshing combination of shaved ice, contemporary fruit, and sweetened condensed milk. Relying on the place you get one, you may additionally discover the drink served with ice cream, wafers, and whipped cream.
Cholado originates from Jamundi in Valle de Cauca. It’s a combine between dessert, fruit cocktail, and drink – ticking all of the containers creatively and deliciously. In the event you love contemporary fruit and candy treats, it’s a nice drink to strive when visiting Colombia, but easy sufficient to recreate at residence.
17. Carimanola
Carimanolas are straightforward to identify. The tiny fritters are formed into attribute torpedo shapes, often served in bulk as bitesize appetizers. They’re a standard Colombian meals, though you’ll additionally discover carimanolas in different Southern American nations like Panama.
Inside, carimanolas are full of floor beef or shredded hen, cheese, and seasoning. The fritters are then deep-fried to create a form of meat pie. They’re mild and crispy on the surface but smooth on the within. Most of the time, carimanolas include aji sauce. This brilliant inexperienced sauce primarily consists of cilantro and is sweet and spicy – the proper aspect. Need to strive them earlier than your travels? Head over to comply with this recipe
18. Colombian Sopa de Mondongo
Whereas mondongo usually has a stew-like consistency, it’s truly one other typical Colombian soup. The soup consists of onion, potato, beef tripe, chorizo, and pork, all served piping sizzling in a small bowl. It’s a extremely conventional Colombian meals, and also you’ll discover mondongo at most eating places throughout the nation.
Like many Colombian dishes, sopa de mondongo is believed to have been launched by Spanish colonizers. The tomato-based soup has been firmly adopted into the Colombian culinary scene, although, and Colombian variations of the recipe have a particular twist.
19. Fritanga
Fritanga is a platter dish. The dish is broadly bought amongst road meals distributors and consists of a combination of meals heaped onto a big plate – often barbecued on the road. So, what meals will you discover in fritanga? Normally, chorizo, sausage, plantain, and a combination of greens.
Fritanga is a Nicaraguan dish, though it has turn into adopted into Colombian delicacies. The story behind its origin is a tragic one. The meal was first created after the 1931 earthquake, which hit Nicaragua, and other people cooked meals on the road with barbecues.
Now, you’ll discover fritanga cooked throughout Latin America and Colombia. It’s a historic, tasty, and filling dish to strive.
20. Bocadillo
A bocadillo is a scrumptious Colombian meals made with guava paste – a product of a well-liked tropical fruit. The dish is extraordinarily candy and a particular deal with and dessert. It has a melt-in-your-mouth texture however is in any other case not sticky to the contact. Bocadillos solely require just a few elements, largely panela and guava pulp, so they’re easy to make if you wish to recreate the dish at residence.
You’ll usually discover bocadillos served at cafes, often alongside a slice of salty white cheese. They arrive lower into little rectangles or squares and are the proper bitesize treats.
21. Aborrajados
Aborrajados are one dish that you simply don’t discover as simply. It originated within the Valley de Cauca and is a regional specialty. The artistic (if barely bizarre-sounding) dish consists of deep-fried plantain full of cheese to create a crispy, wholesome cheese chew. The perfect place to strive aborrajados is within the area of the Valley de Cauca itself, the place you’ll discover the dish most prevalently anyway.
Aborrajados are served as snacks or appetizers earlier than a big meal. Don’t rule out the dish at pudding time, although, as you may add guava paste to the fried dish to create a candy deal with for dessert.
22. Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo actually interprets as rice with hen. It’s a easy however staple Colombian meals and very like Spanish paella. The dish consists of rice, hen, onion, and greens, with saffron tossed via the combination for extra taste.
In order for you a filling dish, arroz con pollo is an excellent alternative. Plus, it’s straightforward to search out and is broadly served at eating places and road vendor stalls throughout Colombia. It’s believed that arroz con pollo originated in Spain whereas the nation was beneath Moorish affect. When Spanish colonizers arrived in Colombia, it’s presumed that the dish was launched to Colombian meals tradition.
23. Cocadas Blancas
We’ve lined tons from Colombia’s coastal area. However what a couple of dessert from the Caribbean Coast? Cocadas blancas is an excellent candy dessert to your checklist. The dish is made with a mixture of shredded coconut, sugar, milk, and coconut water. Relying on the place you strive it, you may additionally discover further elements like cinnamon – most individuals have their very own twist on the traditional recipe.
Cocadas blancas are often bought on the road and alongside Colombia’s seashores. Nonetheless, you could find them on dessert menus in eating places too. They’re scrumptious meals, sticky and candy. You might be in for a deal with attempting one.
24. Colombian Scorching Chocolate
Talking of desserts, sizzling chocolate is one other candy deal with that Colombia excels at. The Colombian model of sizzling chocolate is named Santafereno. It is rather completely different from the European and American variations of the drink. As a substitute of candy milk chocolate, the Colombian model makes use of darkish, unsweetened chocolate. Santafereno is often made in water, not milk, with cinnamon or cloves usually added to counteract any bitterness. It might sound unusual, however Colombians are additionally well-known for dipping cheese of their sizzling chocolate – which you will or might not wish to strive.
One other factor that’s vital to know is that Colombia has been utilizing chocolate for hundreds of years. Chocolate is created from cacao bushes, that are present in areas of Colombia and the Amazon basin. Colombia isn’t alone both; cacao has been used all throughout Latin America way back to the Aztecs and Mayans.
25. Calentado
Calentado is a staple in Colombian gastronomy and is a dish rooted in recycling leftovers from the night time earlier than – its title actually interprets as ‘heated’. The dish was born out of poverty to restrict waste, however now it is among the most conventional meals in Colombia.
The commonest elements in a calentado dish are white rice, plantain, and steak. It’s then usually topped with a fried egg and arepas, maybe even served with a sizzling chocolate or espresso. By the character of the dish, calentado was primarily cooked at residence. In fact, now you’ll discover it on menus throughout the nation. At eating places, you are likely to additionally discover avocado and sausage served alongside the usual elements.
26. Fried Plantain
Fried plantain is yummy Colombian meals. To the untrained eye, you might be forgiven for mistaking them for bananas. They appear equivalent, besides plantains are a lot bigger, much less candy, and solely turn into ripe as soon as they flip black. Of their yellow phases, plantains are good for frying, which is the place deep-fried plantain is available in.
The perfect factor about fried plantain is its versatility. You could possibly have it savory with breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Or you could possibly caramelize it and have it as a dessert. You could possibly pair it with an egg, or you could possibly pair it with ice cream.
Fried plantain tastes like a potato, and the crisp outer layer offers option to a smooth, squishy inside. You received’t have any points discovering fried plantain in Colombia (or Latin America), so strive it your self.
28. Colombian espresso
In the event you love espresso, you might be in for a deal with. This conventional Colombian drink is world-famous, and the quantity of espresso beans grown in Colombia is thrilling for any caffeine fanatic. For probably the most half, Colombia grows Arabica beans, that are mild and candy to style, in contrast to the extraordinary Robusta. The truth that Arabica is a bit weaker than Robusta might be a very good factor, although, since, in Colombian espresso tradition, it’s drunk most from late afternoon to early night. Not from the morning to early afternoons like within the US and Europe.
An effective way to expertise Colombian is to go espresso tasting. And if you wish to go espresso tasting in Colombia, prioritize visiting Medellin or Manizales. These areas are famed for his or her espresso beans and have varieties named after them. You possibly can e book excursions round native espresso plantations or go to native cafes.
27. Maracuya
Maracuya would possibly sound unfamiliar, however the chances are high excessive that you simply’ve seen one earlier than. Ardour fruit may not be a dish as such. Nonetheless, tropical fruits are such a longtime a part of Colombian gastronomy that we needed to embody them on this checklist. Ardour fruits are a deep purple on the surface, with a waxy, protecting outer pores and skin. Reduce open, they reveal a tangy, scrumptious mattress of yellow seeds. These seeds might be eaten straight from the eagerness fruit or used as an ingredient for merchandise like ice cream or juice.
Ardour fruits develop throughout South America and are believed to have initially come from the Northern Argentina area earlier than spreading out in recognition throughout the continent. Not planning a go to to Colombia? No downside. You possibly can strive ardour fruit worldwide since it’s a important export product.
Colombian meals is among the greatest cuisines on the earth. There’s a lot to strive, so get began as quickly as doable. Fortunately, if you’re visiting Colombia, there are many meals excursions to pattern conventional Colombian delicacies – main you round the perfect spots. You possibly can take a look at our greatest journey suggestions right here as effectively.
- Learn different articles about Colombia and scrumptious meals of the world: