What to Eat in Colombia
What should you eat in Colombia? What are the most typical and traditional Colombian dishes? Here is the list of the Best Colombian Food & Cuisine that you should try before you die. You cannot leave Colombia without eating these foods!
Written by Carmenza Narváez, Cristian Camilo Narváez and Andres Galan (local guide), Mother and son, natives of Cali in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Andres Galan is a local tour guide for A Chefs'Tour in Bogota.
12 Best Top Foods You Must Try in Colombia
Empanadas
White or yellow corn dough filled with onion, meat, potato... It is usually accompanied with ají (spicy). It has become a symbol of the country and even a monument has been erected in the honor of Empanadas
Ajiaco con pollo / Ajiaco with chicken
It is eaten in the central Andean area, in Bogotá and surroundings. It is especially good to combat the cold of the Andes and Bogotá.
Arepa
Basic food that corresponds to bread here. The main ingredient is both white and yellow corn. Very rich and delicious for breakfast and can be accompanied by cheese
Tamales
Wrapped in banana leaves and stuffed with corn dough, legumes and meat. They sell them on the streets and each person gives their personal touch
Bandeja Paisa
Typical dish of the city of Medellín in the department of Antioquia. It literally means platter from the Paisa Region. We colombians love it because there is a huge amount and variety of food (beans, rice, meat, chicharrón and chorizo, egg, plantain, arepa and even avocado, for the hipster ones).
Sancocho de gallina / Sancocho of Hen
Typical in "paseos de olla" (literally translates to "pot rides") that is like the trips to the fields here. It is eaten in any celebration like Christmas, New Year, birthday ......
Arroz con pollo / Rice with chicken
For family parties, Sundays and special days where a big group of friends or family are going to meet. We make huge amounts of "Arroz con pollo" to make sure everyone is full at the end of the party.
Hojaldras with chocolate
They can be called Hojuelas as well. It's like a fried bread made of puff pastry with sugar on top. We recommend you to eat it for breakfast and snack times, during the winter, to warm up with a hot mug of thick Luker chocolate (colombian chocolate). Maybe our favourite snack during the Christmast holidays :)
Aguapanela with cheese
It's a delicious drink that can be taken hot or cold. It is obtained from processing the sugarcane, or 'panela', and that's where its name comes from. You can think of it as the alternative to tea or coffee of Colombia.
Sopa de Mondongo / Mondongo Soup
With potatoes vegetables and as a main ingredient the tripe. Typical in any restaurant as a daily menu (for lunch), as it is very fullfilling and nutritious.
Aborrajados of plantains
Typical of the Cauca Valley. With Plantains (ripe bananas) and stuffed with cheese and guava candy. It is served as an appetizer at any time
Lechona Tolimense
For serious carnivores, there’s simply nothing better than lechona, a crispy whole pig roasted and stuffed with rice, potatoes, peas and spices. The dish originates in the Tolima department of Colombia and takes over 10 hours to cook in a traditional wood-fired brick oven. Though it’s not hard to find the roasted pork all over the country, it’s particularly prevalent on special occasions and festivities.
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Comments
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