Typical dishes of Colombia

Colombian cuisine is an experience for the palate. Gastronomy founded on miscegenation and fusion is responsible for substantiating this fact. Exotic flavors and traditions from here and there provide locals and visitors with typical Colombian dishes that are easy to prepare, wonderful, full of imagination, color, flavor and a lot of human warmth.

For this reason, embarks you on a paradisiacal gastronomic journey, to Caribbean lands. To invite you to enjoy the pure tropical flavor of the typical dishes of Colombia.

Typical Colombian dishes by region

We are going to present you the typical dishes of Colombia by region, that is, according to the geographical area from which they originate so that it is easier for you to locate them and choose one of them in case you are more specifically interested in knowing the typical foods of each city of Colombia. So, we are going to divide the dishes into:

1. Island region
2. Andean region
3. Orinoquia – Eastern Plains
4. Pacific Zone
5. Amazon Region
6. Caribbean area

Island region

When referring to the insular region of a country, we speak of the geographical area composed mainly of islands. The Colombian insular area is very similar to the Venezuelan one, represented by a true tropical paradise, full of abundant colorful and exotic natural elements.

Imagine a warm climate without marked seasons, coasts rich in abundant marine fauna and flora, paradisiacal beaches with clear waters and white sands… A paradise! Well, these intoxicating characteristics directly influence the local gastronomy, providing a diet abundant in marine foods such as crustaceans (lobsters, snails and crabs) and fish (balloons, angel fish, and trumpet fish, snappers, rays or moray eels among others). These geographical characteristics are shared by its sister country, Venezuela, as well as many customs and gastronomic similarities.

The Colombian insular region is made up of a group of islands, among which San Andrés, Providence and Santa Catalina stand out. The local cuisine here highlights the most iconic traits of its culture, providing healthy and…exquisite exotic food! Many dishes from this area have a strong African influence, such as the rondo. The typical Colombian dishes of the insular region that stand out the most are:

• Rondo
• Fish-ball
• Dumplings
• Crab soup
• Homemade coconut cakes
• Fruit juice
• Cake (pumpkin, corn, banana, bread, breadfruit, etc.)

Andean region

The Andes are located in the western part of South America and their conformation extends through part of the territory of Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina. However, the countries politically considered Andean States only include Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Why? Because the cultural traits of Venezuela and Argentina do not preserve such a deep-rooted native Andean heritage, since both nations have a powerful European influence. However, in the case of Venezuela, because it shares both Andean territory and part of the Amazon jungle and several indigenous cultural traits, it allows its participation in the Andean Community (a group created for trade), although it is currently on the way out.

The gastronomy of the Andean States has an important indigenous influence since the times of the Inca Empire, during and after its expansion. The climate of this area is characterized by very low temperatures, therefore, the food is very energetic and heavy, to prepare the body for low temperatures.

The Colombian Andean region is located in the center of Colombia and is made up of fifteen departments, including Risaralda, Quindío and Boyacá. In this area, Colombian food dishes with the greatest influence of native peoples are tasted, such as:

• Metamora (potato or corn)
• Santafereño stew
• Bogota stew
• Change (broth with egg, potatoes, milk and onion)
• Loin to the rag
• Fajita juice
• Masato (a drink made from corn, pineapple or fermented cassava)
• Chichi (fermented corn)
• Chorreadas potatoes (typical of the center of Colombia)
• Pepitoria santandereana (made with the viscera of the goat)
• Cadence beans
• Sancocho nail
• Big ass ants (alimented)
• Mute soup
• Diphasic rice
• Bore and roast kid
• Area from Santander
• Ocarina area
• Kid in beer sauce
• Colombian pork rinds
• Colombian Pigs
• Creole or paisa rice
• Baked over belly: it consists of beef, bathed in Creole tomato sauce. The ingredients for the meat are: onion, garlic, pepper and salt. For the sauce you need tomatoes, red bell pepper, onions, garlic, achiote (a spice), cumin, salt and pepper. Once ready, you can accompany this Colombian dish with white rice, yucca and avocado.
• Paisa tray: It is very similar to the Venezuelan Creole pavilion but with more ingredients. This hearty Colombian dish is made for cold climates. The Paisa tray consists of ingredients such as red beans, Hogan (savory sauce), ground beef, bacon, eggs, chorizo, ground beef, avocados, rice, sweet plantains, large onions, tomatoes, cornmeal, and salt.
• Suckling pig toluene: it is a typical dish of the Tolima Grande region. The preparation consists of cooking a whole pig, removing the interior (the meat and reserving it) and leaving the skin (the whole body). The meat is marinated while the filling is prepared, then the two are joined by frying them. The suckling pig is stuffed with this preparation, plus the rib bones to maintain the structure.
• Colombian apiece: it is one of the traditional dishes of Bogotá. The ingredients needed to prepare it are chicken breast, chicken broth, corn on the cob, spring onions, garlic cloves, coriander, potatoes (white, Creole and red), gauss (an herb), coriander, salt and pepper.

Among the desserts are the braves with Arequipa, the meringues, creams, the almojábana, the curd with molasses, the melena sandwich, the sabayon, the goat milk cut, the caramelized wafers with dulcet de lecher and the figs with cheese.

Orinoquia – Eastern Plains

The Colombian region called Orinoquía is also known as Llanos Orientals. This area limits to the north and east with Venezuela, to the south with the Amazon and to the west with the Andean region. This ecosystem is characterized by being a plain and is found between the Arauca, Guaviare, Orinoco and the Piedmont plains rivers. Historically, this region strengthened the ties between Venezuela and Colombia during the independence struggles, for which the Venezuelan and Colombian loaners share common characteristics in several aspects.

The economy of the Colombian plains, as it happens in the Venezuelan plains, is characterized by a thriving livestock and poultry activity, from which important products such as meat and all kinds of dairy are derived. In addition to livestock, some important typical Colombian agricultural products such as rice, corn and bananas, among others, are produced in this region.

The gastronomy of the Orinoquía is characterized by the abundant presence of meat  (especially red) and some poultry in its dishes, for this reason, they taste traditional Colombian dishes such as:

• Go to the loaner or mammon.
• Peccadillo creole (prepared with sun-dried meat).
• Hadaka (resembling the Venezuelan alpaca ).
• Tamales creoles (stuffed with meat and vegetables).
• Palo a pique (similar to the Venezuelan).
• Loaner rice (contains beef tail and vegetables).
• Rabbit in wine.
• Creole pavilion (similar to the Venezuelan).
• Boiled guamarra (taparuca hen or loaner hen).
• Peccadillo with dried beef or carina (salted and dried in the sun).

Fish such as color (typical of the area) prepared with lard are also consumed; and the fried molars, which is a sea fish, widely consumed in the Orinoquía, and which is generally prepared fried. To prepare this dish, the necessary ingredients are: molars, lemon juice, milk, wheat flour, oil, salt and pepper. The garrison? Green plantain fries, white rice and salad.

On the other hand, the products of the land provide easy-to-prepare Colombian food recipes such as:

• Corn catalpas (sweet corn area or mojito with cheese)
• Rice bread
• Tango (wrapped with rice)
• Rice cake with cheese or gaucho cake
• Casaba (cassava wafer-like bread)

In addition to the typical drinks such as chichi de arrow and rice water.

Pacific Zone

The Pacific area belongs to the six natural regions of Colombia. Geographically, it is located on the western fringe of the country, bordering Panama to the north, the Caribbean region to the northeast, the western mountain range that separates it from the Andean region to the east, Ecuador to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. This Colombian region has the entire department of Chocó, in addition to the coastal areas of the departments of Valle del Cauca, Cauca and Nariño.

This area has abundant natural resources, thanks to its excellent climatic conditions and fertile land. Its wide jungle plains extend throughout the Pacific territory of Colombia, a warm and humid climate characterizes it, favoring its fertile environment.

The cuisine of the Pacific region is characterized by the use of many marine products, very similar to what happens in the Caribbean and insular areas. In addition, this territory has a strong African and indigenous influence due to the ancestry of a large part of the local population, which directly affects gastronomy. You can easily verify this fact, just by looking at the names of regional Colombian dishes and the way they are prepared. An excellent use of local foods and an important mestizo cultural contribution give rise to exquisite dishes such as:

• Fish caps
• Chaupiza (very small fish)
• Dry-flat code
• Boca Chico with scales
• Shrimp ceviche
• Shrimp Ceviche
• Fish patties
• Seafood casserole
• Fish with lulu cocoanut
• Pickled fish
• Fried snapper in mustard sauce
• Fish dumplings
• Squid salad
• Shrimp or prawn salad
• Crab or shrimp empanadas
• Cream of prawn heads
• Lenses with fish
• Pusan Dao (soup) of catfish (snapper or corvine)
• Rice with squid in its ink
• Stuffed squid
• Bean caps
• Chirping eggs
• Rabbit broth
• Quebrao (salty mountain beef sancocho in carina)
• Clam soup
• Crab soup
• Atoll ado rice with crabs or clams: this is a typical Colombian dish without a doubt. This recipe is a tasty mix of meats, vegetables and rice. There are two important secrets in this preparation: the first is that the rice must grow perfectly between the three meats that cover it, it must not be too dry or too wet and much less fluffy. And the second is that you have to provide the exact cooking time for each ingredient.
• Turtle in carapace with crab
• Plumed with banana
• Stomped fried potatoes
• Ripe plantain dumplings and stuffed avocados: they are slices of ripe plantain stuffed with cheese and breaded. The result is a very crispy banana full of flavor.
• Bored fish
• Carat anta
• Tamale Niangua
• Roasted guinea pig
• Papain empanadas
• Boiled (hot drink with fruits and brandy)

Amazon Region

The Amazon or Amazonia is the largest tropical forest on the globe and one of the seven natural wonders of the world (declared in 2011). This tropical forest covers about 7,000,000 km² (seven million square kilometers) distributed among nine South American nations: Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Bolivia and Peru. The importance of this natural wonder makes it a universal heritage, as it has the largest deposits of drinking water, trees and the greatest biodiversity in the world.

The Amazon is an exotic, primitive and mysterious place. The climate is humid, very changeable and prone to heavy and sudden rains. The jungle seems calm and silent; however it is active and productive. Among the main economic activities in this area are fishing, mining (gold, coal and others), livestock and forest extraction; consequently they are the main importers to the whole world of rubber and wood. The jungle also hides the home of many original peoples in their natural state, in charge of preserving their ancient cultural legacy.

Amazonian gastronomy unfolds in this scenario, the exotic essence of its ingredients and the elaboration processes produce unique, daring flavors, endowed with a certain mysticism and great charm. Strong flavors prevail here, those imposed by nature, reinvented by the creativity of the indigenous people. As with any gastronomy in the world, the natural environment dictates the guidelines, provides the climate and provides ingredients in their elemental state. For this reason, although for the vast majority of people it seems exotic to consume boa, it is as normal for the locals as it is for us to eat a steak. Amazon cuisine is already recognized internationally thanks to the fact that several important chefs, some from these same countries and others not, present their versions of these culinary wonders.

The Colombian Amazon is one of the six natural regions of Colombia. It is located in the south of the country, bordering to the north with the Andean and Orinoquía regions, to the east with Venezuela, to the southeast with Brazil, to the south with Peru, and to the southwest with Ecuador. The culinary creations of this area share many links with the rest of its neighbors but always keeping certain peculiarities. The cuisine of this region preserves an ancestral legacy, endowed with pure nature and group creativity. Among the most outstanding Colombian food dishes in this area we can mention:

• Turtle eggs (morocco)
• Monkey
• Tapir
• Capybara
• Boa (accompanied by potato)
• Casaba (made with yucca Brava, poisonous)

The most used ingredients in the region are corn, cassava and plantain among others. In addition, they have a wide variety of exotic fruits that only grow in the Amazon region such as cupcake, parabola, area, assai and anon. Artisanal fishing stands out, for which fish are the basis of their diet. It is reasonable, considering the great diversity of species that exist; highlighting mainly the pirarucú, for being the second largest freshwater fish in the world. A true wonder! For this reason, the most popular regional culinary specialty is fish accompanied by casaba.

Surely you are amazed with this region and its gastronomy… me too! People in these places are generally very friendly and helpful. So if one day your adventurous spirit awakens, perhaps a local will invite you to taste a typical Colombian dish from the locality. Probably, I have already stimulated your curiosity so much that now you are wondering how some Amazonian dishes are prepared. So, even if you lack the raw material, I leave you with some easy-to-prepare typical Colombian food recipes for you to browse. Happy foodie trip!

Boa loin

In the Amazon, boa loin is consumed like veal. The preparation is simple and the result delicious, some people even say that it tastes like chicken. To cook the boa meat, the loins are first minced. The pieces are then immersed in a container of cold water for 15 minutes. After the time, macerate with lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Let stand for 1 more hour. After resting, prepare a pot with water, add the boa loins and cook for 30 minutes. Once cooked, drain and reserve. Sauté the dressing with onion, garlic, tomato, cilantro, potatoes and yucca in a pan. Add the loins and seal them. Add water and cook over low heat for 45 minutes. Generally, the garnish is rice and banana toast.

Patarasca

Patarasca is a traditional culinary technique used to cook Dorado or pintails, another typical fish of the region. The procedure is simple; you just season the fish with garlic, paprika and onions. Then, you wrap it in banana leaves and roast it. Wait only 30 minutes before tasting this wonder. Easy and delicious! The main peculiarity of the Patarasca lies in the flavor that the banana leaf provides to the fish and the rest of the ingredients. When this dish is cooked it releases a wonderful smell, difficult to describe. Something similar happens with the famous Venezuelan halluces or Mexican tamales; the leaf enhances the flavors of the dish. The most common garnishes for Patarasca are fried plantains and farina (cassava flour).

Caribbean area

The Caribbean is an area formed by the Caribbean Sea, its islands and its coasts. This region is located southeast of North America, east of Central America, and north of South America. The Caribbean area is made up of 27 countries and 18 dependencies. To physically describe this place, it can be said that it consists of a continental plain called the Caribbean or Atlantic Coast.

In general, Caribbean gastronomy is abundant in maritime foods, given its favorable climate, fauna and flora. In a few words… heavenly! White sand beaches, crystal clear sea waters, coastlines abundant in biodiversity, a lot of human warmth and a highly accentuated multicultural heritage are conducive to an outstanding culinary legacy. Apart from seafood, other very common ingredients in this cuisine are beans, corn, corn flour, bananas, tropical fruits and some ingredients native to each country.

Among the Caribbean countries there are many similarities, accentuated or diminished by historical events and geographical approximation; however, what is most noticeable are the deep ties that bind them together. Sister countries! The geographical proximity between Colombia and Venezuela accentuates this trend; for this reason, there are interesting similarities in the gastronomy of both countries, although each country retains its particularities. Exquisite coincidence!

The Caribbean area of ​​​​Colombia is located in the north of the country where the departments of Antioquia, Atlántico and Sucre, among others, are located. The abundant natural resources of this area provide its inhabitants with a wide variety of fish such as cod, catfish, lebranche, beccafico, fish roe and molars. Also seafood such as shrimp, lobster, prawns, oysters, chipichipi. In addition, in this area, wild and farm animals  are consumed. Among the mountain animals, the goat, ram, iota, ensue, guartinaja, posing, monkey, armadillo, turtle, tapir, deer, peccary, the fiche and the sausage stand out.

The cuisine of the Colombian coast has a strong multicultural influence and consequently has a more fused more mestizo taste. In those flavors the Spanish, African and indigenous culture are mixed. For this reason, Caribbean food is exotic. How to describe it? A refreshing, sweet-salty flavor (typical of the Caribbean), light (sometimes) but forceful. Among the Colombian food dishes of the coastal people are the Colombian sancocho, either with white or red meat such as the Colombian chicken sancocho or chicken that are very representative of the Caribbean. The main ingredients it contains are poultry, cipolin, (spring onion), plantain, yucca, salt, pepper, cumin, coloring and wild coriander (although the ingredients may vary). This is how the fish sancocho (mainly sable, beccafico) and the diphasic sancocho (of pigeon peas, chicken, rib, tail, tripe or beans) also arise.

They also consume a lot of fried or grilled fish (such as molars, beccafico, sable, lebranche, snapper and sierra). The exotic and refreshing dishes cannot be missing from the coastal food: rice soup with coconut and shrimp, rice with beccafico, rice with chipi-chipi and shrimp, sardine rice and tuna rice. Red meats are also appreciated, thus delicious dishes such as post meat, shredded meat, posada meat and fried goat soup arise.

The people of the coast also make many preparations of corn dough, tubers and beans.  Among the most outstanding easy-to-prepare Colombian food recipes are the areas (especially the egg areas ), the carmagnole, the empanadas, the empanada with egg (from Cartagena), the dough cakes or tamales, the cake (rice, the rice with beans , the paragon, the fritters (of black-headed beans), the buns (of corn, angel to, cassava and banana), the diabolizes, the almojábanas, the cakes, the quibble, the slice of ripe banana, the cheese crostino and the beef atoll serum.

Among the drinks, the fresh fruit drinks stand out (anon, chorizo, sour soup, mango, cashew, tamarind, guava, sapodilla, meddler and boil), panel water with lemon, rice water or corn water among others. Check out these easy typical Colombian dishes and prepare them at home. You will love them!

Typical Colombian desserts

Colombian desserts are full of tradition and cultural miscegenation. Its flavors are exotic, daring and very creative. This is how sweets such as rasguñaos (typical of Holy Week) are made with tropical fruits (typical of the region), tubers, seeds, grains and legumes. In turn, these sweets serve to complement others such as jellies, sweets and cakes. This is how a great variety of flavors, textures and colors are mixed and made. Simply delicious!

Among the scratches, consumed especially in the Atlantic or Caribbean, we can mention the mongo-mongo (a combination of mammy, ripe plantain, green plantain, mango bite, guava, pineapple, panel, cloves, and cinnamon). In addition, there are the sweets of lemon, yam, sweet potato, pigeon peas, papaya with coconut, and cucumber with lemon and rice milk.

However, listing the full variety of Colombian sweets would take a long time. For this reason I bring you as a sample a button, a good button. Some of the typical Colombian desserts are:

• Sweet happiness
• Wheelies
• Yoked
• Cicadas
• Ciaos in syrup
• Sweet potato
• Clothes
• Honey knows
• Rice pudding
• Cream or custard
• Merengue
• Snacks
• Blancmange
• Brava’s (similar to fig)
• Sweet papaya
• Curd with molasses
• Tress leeches cake
• Napoleon of Arequipa
• Papaya candy
• Chocolate Marquise
• Yoked
• Colombian porridge
• Sweet sandwich and cheese dumplings
• Fruit splash

After savoring some of the typical dishes of Colombia, nothing is better than tasting some sweet originating from there. For this reason, I invite you to review some Colombian pastry recipes, easy to prepare and very delicious.

• Arrow con trees leeches y pass: an international dessert with many versions, also present in Colombian cuisine. Colombian rice pudding contains cloves, orange or lemon peel, and liquor. It also includes ingredients such as condensed milk, heavy cream and raisins. Other recipes use pasteurized milk, condensed milk, sugar, cinnamon, and raisins.
• Homemade custard with cornstarch a dessert of Spanish heritage, which delights Colombians during Christmas. In its Caribbean version, the custard includes cornstarch, and some recipes also add grated coconut and/or raisins.
• Napoleon from Colombia: The Napoleon dessert is a Colombian classic. This sweet contains sweet cookies (cookies), condensed milk, milk cream (cream) and nuts. The origin of this sweet is European; some say that the original country is Russia and others France. The original Napoleon is made with puff pastry.
• Colombian Cicadas: These sweets belong to the Caribbean Coast and come from the Afro-Colombian tradition. The base of the preparation is coconut dough made up of panel, sugar, cloves, cinnamon and sour fruits and other recipes use mixed milk and sugar.
• Colombian Pancake – Much like the classic bread pudding, Colombian pancake is a traditional recipe. A dessert of use! Preparing it is very simple; you only need a few ingredients: milk, a little sugar, eggs, butter and a few pieces of bread.

Ready-to-cook?

Many typical Colombian dishes are easy to prepare. The secret of the Caribbean flavor, of the Latin flavor, of the Colombian flavor, lies in the heat and enthusiasm that they put into cooking. The magic of stews, portions, successful improvisations, creativity and audacity.  The entire legacy that comes from mestizo cuisine, from the fusion of the world and flavors.