Food of Colombia
Colombian cuisine varies sharply by altitude and coast, from the potato soups and corn breads of the Andes to the coconut rice and fried fish of the Caribbean. Corn, plantain, rice, beans and tropical fruit appear at nearly every meal. Breakfasts are substantial, lunches are the main event, and fresh fruit juices accompany almost everything. Coffee is a point of pride.
Bandeja paisa
A mountain-region platter with beans, rice, chicharron, chorizo, fried egg, plantain and avocado.
How to make Bandeja paisa- Main dishes (3)
- Breakfast (4)
- Street food (4)
- Soups (3)
- Salads (2)
- Breads (2)
- Desserts and sweets (4)
- Drinks (4)
- Fruits and produce (4)
Staples
- corn
- plantain
- potatoes
- rice
- beans
- cassava
- pork
- coffee
Signature flavors
- cilantro
- cumin
- garlic
- scallion
- panela
- coconut
Main dishes
A mountain-region platter with beans, rice, chicharron, chorizo, fried egg, plantain and avocado.
Key ingredients: red beans, rice, pork belly, chorizo, ground beef, fried egg, plantain, avocado, arepaFull guide →
A thick soup of meat or fish with plantain, yuca and corn, cooked in big pots for family gatherings.
Key ingredients: chicken or beef, plantain, yuca, corn, potato, cilantroFull guide →
A whole pig stuffed with rice and peas and roasted for hours.
Key ingredients: pork, rice, peas, onion, spicesBreakfast
Grilled or fried corn cakes served plain, buttered or stuffed with cheese.
Key ingredients: precooked cornmeal, water, salt, butter, cheeseFull guide →
Eggs scrambled with tomato and scallion.
Key ingredients: eggs, tomato, scallion, butter
A Bogota milk and egg soup with scallions and bread.
Key ingredients: milk, eggs, scallions, cilantro, bread
Leftover rice and beans fried with an egg and arepa.
Key ingredients: rice, beans, egg, arepa, chorizoStreet food
Corn-dough turnovers filled with potato and beef, fried crisp.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, potato, beef, onion, aji
Twice-fried green plantain discs topped with hogao or cheese.
Key ingredients: green plantain, salt, hogaoA fried arepa with an egg cooked inside.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, egg, oilThin wafers spread with arequipe, cheese or fruit jam.
Key ingredients: wafers, arequipe, cheeseSoups
A Bogota soup of three kinds of potatoes, chicken and corn, with cream, capers and avocado.
Key ingredients: chicken, three types of potatoes, corn on the cob, guascas, cream, capers, avocadoFull guide →Corn-on-the-cob soup with potatoes.
Key ingredients: corn, potatoes, cilantro
Wheat or barley soup with pork ribs from the Andes.
Key ingredients: wheat, pork ribs, potatoes, peasSalads
Avocado, tomato and onion salad.
Key ingredients: avocado, tomato, onion, lime
A cooked tomato and scallion sauce used as a base for many dishes.
Key ingredients: tomato, scallion, garlic, cumin, oilBreads
Warm cheesy cassava bread.
Key ingredients: cassava starch, cheese, eggsSoft round cheese bread made with masarepa.
Key ingredients: masarepa, cheese, eggs, milkDesserts and sweets
The Colombian version of dulce de leche, spread on wafers and pastries.
Key ingredients: milk, sugar, vanilla
A cinnamon and cornstarch milk custard, served around holidays and gatherings.
Key ingredients: milk, panela, cornstarch, cinnamon, coconutCandied figs filled with arequipe.
Key ingredients: figs, panela, arequipe
Sponge cake soaked in three milks.
Key ingredients: sponge, evaporated milk, condensed milk, creamDrinks
A warm or cold drink of dissolved sugarcane panela with lime.
Key ingredients: panela, water, limeSmall black coffee drunk throughout the day.
Key ingredients: coffee, waterCold lulo fruit drink with ice and lime.
Key ingredients: lulo, sugar, ice, limePassion fruit juice.
Key ingredients: passion fruit, water, sugarFruits and produce
A tart citrusy fruit used in juices and desserts.
Key ingredients: juice, sorbet, mousse
Sweet mangoes from the Caribbean region.
Key ingredients: fresh, juiceFull guide →
Creamy, tangy tropical fruit.
Key ingredients: juice, ice cream
Tart fruit for juice and sauces.
Key ingredients: juice, mousseDish guides from Colombia
Explore Colombia on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.More cuisines of South America
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Ecuador
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Suriname
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Bandeja paisa, plato Colombiano: Wilfredor, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Sancocho de espinazo de cerdo: Daguerreroa, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cochinillos-Mercado de la Cebada: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Arepitas Food Macro: Steven Depolo from Grand Rapids, MI, USA, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Huevos pericos: Bertahan Luxing, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Changua Soup: Jorvato, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Calentao: Juancplanb, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tapa de empanadillitas: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tostones: AMartiniouk, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Ajiaco: Mauricio Giraldo from Bogotá, Colombia, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cuchuco De Trigo: Pipesangar, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Hogao: Xemenendura, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pandeyuca-colombiano: Ahoraes, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- DulceDeLeche: audinou from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Menjablanc de Reus: Xavier Dengra, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pastel de Tres Leches: @joefoodie, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Agua Panela con Queso Fresco at La Puerta Falsa (5617496209): William Neuheisel from DC, US, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Lulo: Picture taken by Fibonacci., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Annona muricata 1: Damien Boilley from suburbs of Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
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