Latin Food
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Latin Food
Cebiche Limeño | © Peter Burka/Flickr
Pepian, Catalino’s Guatemalan Restaurant | © Infrogmation of New Orleans/Flickr
“La bandera” – Julio Reyes | © Consulado RD Valencia/Flickr
Cuy Guinea Pig Dish | © Sascha Grabow/Wikipedia
Chivito sin Misty | © Matt Rubens/Flickr
Typical Costa Rican Breakfast | © Richie Diesterheft/Flickr
Sopa Paraguaya | © Aterovi/Wikipedia
Luis F. Domínguez is a freelance writer and independent journalist interested in travel, languages, art, books, history, philosophy, politics and sports. He has written for Fodor’s, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated, Telemundo, and Villa Experience, among other brands of print and digital media in Europe and North America.
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National dishes from Latin America are fascinating, colorful, and yes—spicy!
From Mexican mole and Argentinian asado to Peruvian ceviche and Salvadoran pupusas , learn all about the many delicious creations of Latin American gastronomic creativity.
In this list, discover 15 most delicious national dishes of Latin America.
Latin American culture— a controversial concept in itself —is an amazing kaleidoscope of diverse cultural expressions of 20 countries, from Mexico in the north to the Chilean Tierra del Fuego in the south, including some (but not all) Caribbean islands.
If we accept that there’s such a thing as Latin American culture, then there should be a Latin American cuisine, right?
Latin American people love their food and feel proud of it. But there are often great differences between one national cuisine and the next. For this reason, Latin American cuisine is actually an aggregate of various national dishes.
Check out these 15 delicious gastronomic creations produced by the endless imagination of Latin American chefs, cooks, and abuelitas (grandmas).
Mexico’s cuisine was the first to be declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Although tacos may be its most famous dish, another culinary specialty is the national dish of Mexico : mole !
Mole is “ the generic name given to an array of different sauces of diverse colors .” However these sauces aren’t your typical sauce that you pour over your tacos.
It’s a more refined sauce that sometimes includes chocolate! It often accompanies a main dish like chicken with rice, for instance.
Peruvian cuisine is enjoying an international boom. It’s one of the most recognized Latin American cuisines in the world .
It’s also the cuisine with the largest number of dishes in the world . The most famous Peruvian export is ceviche ( or cebiche ) .
This Latin American gastronomic classic includes raw fish, a mix of citrus juices, and a selection of vegetables. An apparently simple dish, it produces extraordinarily complex flavors and tastes .
Just like with Mexican tacos , Venezuelan arepas may be this South American country’s most famous food, but they aren’t its national dish. That honor belongs to the exquisite pabellón criollo .
A combination of traditional Venezuelan rice, meat, and beans is arranged on the plate representing the Venezuelan part. (Just don’t ask Venezuelan people where the blue color from their flag is on the plate.)
If you think you’re passionate about barbecues, Argentinian people have taken this passion to a whole different level. In Argentina, the asado is much more than a simple barbecue, it’s a way of life. Their entire cuisine revolves around this protein-rich dish.
Although asado is basically a barbecued steak, the way Argentinians prepare it makes it a unique dish.
First, there’s a special technique in the way the steak should be grilled , but to make a real asado argentino, you need to accompany the steak with chimichurri , potatoes, and white bread, among other ingredients.
Cuba’s national dish literally translates as “old clothes” and legend has it that it got its name from a “ penniless old man ” who once cooked his own clothes while praying. Miraculously, the shredded clothes became a tasty meat stew.
Originally from Spain, ropa vieja traveled to the Americas centuries ago and quickly became a staple of Cuban gastronomy. This delicious dish of slow-cooked beef mixed with olives, tomatoes, and other vegetables is a must next time you visit Cuba.
Guatemala cuisine is heavily influenced by its strong Mayan heritage, as the Maya-Kaqchikel ethnic group originally made pepian . The dish is similar to the Mexican mole, a dense sauce with a fascinating mix of ingredients and flavors, poured over meats and accompanied by rice and vegetables.
This proud representative of Caribbean cuisine literally means “the flag,” as i t represents the Dominican Republic flag . The meat represents the blue, the rice represents the white, and the red beans the red color in the flag.
This delicious dish is usually served with a Dominican salad and a side dish, and sometimes it’s even presented to look like the actual Dominican flag .
The Colombian government named Colombia’s national dish in 2005. The decision was surrounded by controversy as Paisa refers to a northwestern region of the country called Antioquia, and some people felt the national dish should include the whole country .
This dish is full of animal protein and Colombians like it in large portions, so try it when hungry. It’s usually served in an oval plate and it includes fried pork, minced meat, chorizo, arepas, fried eggs, and avocado.
Ecuador doesn’t have a defined national dish like other Latin American countries. Some sources consider ceviche to be the national dish, others mention encebollado .
Still others choose the cuy asado . A cuy is a guinea pig, and asado means grilled. Meaning that you’ll be eating a grilled guinea pig. But don’t let prejudice take over your gastronomy adventures and try this dish with an open mind and, preferably, an empty stomach.
Literally meaning “traditional dish,” the Honduran plato típico is a tasty mix of grilled meat, pork sausages, beans, fried plantain, and rice. Enjoy it with corn flour tortillas, avocado, and fresh cheese.
Chivito literally means “little goat” but in Uruguay it actually is a delicious steak sandwich. Although the beef steak is the main ingredient, the beauty about chivito is that it can include many more things such as egg, bacon, and melted cheese.
Although gallo pinto means “spotted rooster,” you won’t be eating any rooster when ordering this dish in Costa Rica. One of the few countries whose national dish is a breakfast food, as basically it’s a combination of beans and rice.
A funny thing about gallo pinto is that Nicaraguans also consider it their national dish and they engaged in a Guinness Book of Records with Costa Rica to see which country could cook the most gallo pinto .
The name of Brazil’s national dish comes from the Portuguese feijão which means “bean,” as feijoada is an exquisite black bean stew enriched with smoked pork or beef and served with rice, vegetables, and orange slices.
Pupusas are an essential part of the fascinating tortilla culture that spreads across Latin America.
Although they look like tortillas, they’re actually filled with hot cheese and beans or other ingredients. The word pupusa comes from pupusawa , which means to puff up or to inflate in the ancient Náhuatl language spoken by the indigenous people of El Salvador.
Even though sopa paraguaya means “Paraguayan soup,” this South American country’s national dish isn’t actually a soup. It’s a moist cornbread casserole you eat with a roast, chili, or stew.
These are some of the most delicious dishes in Latin America, a region famous around the world for its extraordinary gastronomy. Learn about these national dishes—perhaps find a restaurant that serves them or even make them in your own kitchen—and improve your Spanish food vocabulary!
One of the main benefits of speaking Spanish is that it makes it easier for you to travel to Spanish-speaking countries. Next time you visit Latin America, make sure to try one or more of these dishes. You won’t be disappointed!
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Following the launch of the QS Latin America University Rankings , we’re celebrating all things great about the region – including its food.
As mentioned in our previous look at beautiful places in Latin America , the region is home to a wide variety of culinary delights, each using a distinctive combination of spices and fresh ingredients. Every Latin American country has its own unique dishes and specialties to sample, as well as its own popular regional condiments, such as guacamole, pico de gallo , and pebre .
Join us as we take a salivating tour of Latin American cuisine, starting with dishes that transcend national borders and are found across the region, and then taking a closer look at some regional specialties.
Churrasco is a Portuguese and Spanish term referring to beef or grilled meat and is a prominent feature in Latin American cuisine, popular in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Uruguay. A restaurant serving grilled meat is known as a churrascaria (steakhouse). Often restaurants serve all-you-can-eat churrasco buffets, with waiters slicing meat onto patrons’ plates – this is called espeto corrido or rodizio and is particularly popular in Brazil.
A popular snack in Latin American cuisine, an empanada ( pastel in Brazilian Portuguese and salteña in Bolivia) is a baked or fried bread or pastry which is stuffed with meat, cheese, huitlacoche (“corn smut”, a delicacy in Mexico), vegetables or fruits, among other fillings. Both savory and sweet versions are available.
Found across Latin American cuisine, and known as a huminta in Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile, a tamal (or tamale in English) is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made using masa (starchy, corn-based dough) and filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables or chilies, then steamed or boiled in a leaf wrapper.
A chipá is a small, baked cheese-flavored roll, which is a popular snack and breakfast food in Brazil (called pão de queijo ), Colombia (called pandebono ) and Ecuador (called pan de yucca in the Coast Region). It is also consumed in Paraguay and Argentina (called chipa'í or chipacitos ) and Bolivia (called cuñapé ). A common variant in Paraguay is the chipá guazú , with the country’s Coronel Bogado city considered the National Capital of the Chipá.
The traditional and national Brazilian dish feijoada is a stew of black beans cooked with meat (usually pork and/or beef) and served with rice, vegetables, assorted sausages such as chouriço , morcela (blood sausage) and farinheira , and a variety of side dishes including farofai (toasted manioc flour).
What to drink: Caipirinha , Brazil’s national cocktail, is made with cachaça (brandy made with sugar cane), ice, sugar and lime. Also popular in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo is batida, made with cachaça, fruit juice or coconut milk and sugar.
Best place to eat: Although traditionally eaten on Saturdays, Casa da Feijoada near the Ipanema metro station in Rio de Janeiro serves feijoada every day.
Where to study in Brazil? Brazil boasts more entries in the QS Latin America University Rankings than any other country, with 95 Brazilian institutions making the top 400, including three in the top 10, and its Universidade de São Paulo is ranked second overall.
What is Mole? is a generic name for a number of sauces used in Mexican cuisine, but mole poblano is probably the best known of all varieties, and is often considered Mexico’s national dish. Containing around 20 ingredients, of which the most notable are chili and chocolate, this dark sauce is usually served over turkey and often at special occasions.
What to drink: Tequila, made with blue agave (type of cactus) and trademarked to manufacturers in Mexico. Mexico also makes a large variety of beers. A traditional non-alcoholic beverage is atole , a masa-based hot corn drink with piloncillo , cinnamon and vanilla.
Best place to eat: La Casita Poblana and El Mural de los Poblanos, both in Calle 16 de Septiembre in Puebla.
Where to study in Mexico? A total of 64 Mexican institutions feature in the QS Latin America University Rankings, of which two make the top 10. The highest of these, in fourth place, is Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) , which is based in the capital, Mexico City, one of the world’s top 100 cities for students in the QS Best Student Cities index.
Popular in the Antioquia department of Colombia and the Paisa region, bandeja paisa is a platter-style meal served in a large, oval-shaped tray and consisting of a generous variety of different foods. Traditional items include red beans cooked with pork, white rice, carne molida (ground meat), chicharrón , fried egg, plantain, chorizo, arepa (flatbread), hogao sauce, morcilla (black pudding), avocado and lemon.
What to drink: Colombia’s national alcoholic beverage is the anise-flavored Aguardiente (guaro) , which is drunk as a shot, but the country is also well-known for its wines, coffee, ice creams and sodas.
Best place to eat: Bandeja paisa is common across Colombia and native to the Andino region, with gourmet (smaller and lighter) courses available in good restaurants in Bogotá or Medellín.
Where to study in Colombia? The Universidad de Los Andes Colombia is currently in fifth place in the QS Latin America University Rankings, while 60 more Colombian universities are ranked within the region’s top 400.
What is Asado? is a term used for particular barbecue techniques, and also for the social event surrounding the barbecue. Considered Argentina’s national dish but also traditional to Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, the main ingredient in asado is flank-cut beef ribs flavored with chimichurri and cooked on a grill called a parilla , or on an open fire. Asado also includes embutidos (cured sausages), different meats including poultry and sweetbreads, bread, mixed salad and verdurajo (grilled vegetables).
What to drink: Explore Argentina’s wide selection of wines, the most popular being Mendoza. Or, go the traditional route with yerba mate, a caffeine-rich herbal drink containing stimulating vitamins and minerals.
Best place to eat: There are countless parillas in Argentina, with two famous ones being La Cabrera and El Desnivel, both in Buenos Aires.
Where to study in Argentina? Argentina’s capital city Buenos Aires is placed 25 th in the most recent QS Best Student Cities index. The country has 43 institutions in the new QS Latin America University Rankings, led by Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) in eighth place.
The traditional food of Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, curanto is traditionally prepared in a hole dug in the ground and covered with stones which are heated until red. Typical ingredients include shellfish, meat, milcao and chapaleles (potato pancake and potato dumpling respectively), and other vegetables. Curanto preparation is specific: ingredients are covered with nalca (Chilean rhubarb) leaves, then covered with wet sacks, dirt and grass chunks, creating a pressure cooker effect.
What to drink: A wide range of wines are available, while Chilean pisco (brandy made from Muscat grapes) is used in many cocktails. Mote con Huesillo is a summertime drink made with wheat seeds ( mote ) and dried peaches ( huesillos ).
Best place to eat: While you can arrange a curanto yourself, for a truly authentic experience visit Chiloé. Particularly recommended is Kuranton, a restaurant in Chiloé’s capital city Ancud which offers this indigen
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