Food of Curaçao

Curaçao's food blends Dutch, African, South American and Caribbean flavors. Keshi yena, stoba, funchi and fresh fish define the table, and pastechi are eaten for breakfast. Gouda, goat and coconut appear often, seasoned with local herbs.

National dish

Keshi yena

Cheese shell stuffed with seasoned meat.

• Main dishes (7)
• Breakfast (1)
• Street food (2)
• Desserts and sweets (2)
• Drinks (2)
• Fruits and produce (3)

Staples

• goat
• Gouda cheese
• cornmeal
• fish
• rice
• plantains
• papaya

Signature flavors

• pepper
• thyme
• lime
• cilantro
• garlic

Main dishes

Keshi yena

Cheese shell stuffed with seasoned meat.

Key ingredients: Gouda, chicken, olives

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Stoba

Slow-cooked stew.

Key ingredients: goat, tomato, papaya

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Funchi

Cornmeal side.

Key ingredients: cornmeal

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Sopi mondongo

Tripe soup.

Key ingredients: tripe, vegetables

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Kadushi

Cactus soup.

Key ingredients: cactus, fish

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Pisca hasa

Fried fish.

Key ingredients: fish, lime

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Rice and beans

Rice with beans.

Key ingredients: rice, beans

Breakfast

Pastechi

Fried turnover.

Key ingredients: flour, cheese

Street food

Pan bati

Sweet corn pancakes.

Key ingredients: cornmeal

Bitterballen

Dutch snack.

Key ingredients: beef

Desserts and sweets

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Bolo di anasa

Pineapple cake.

Key ingredients: pineapple, flour

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Quesillo

Caramel custard.

Key ingredients: eggs, milk

Drinks

🍲

Fresh papaya juice

Smooth and sweet.

Key ingredients: papaya

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Iced coffee

Cold coffee.

Key ingredients: coffee

Fruits and produce

Papaya

Common.

Full guide →

Mango

Seasonal.

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Cactus fruit

Local.

Dish guides from Curaçao

PapayaFruits

🌍Explore Curaçao on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Caribbean

• Anguilla
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Aruba
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• British Virgin Islands
• Caribbean Netherlands
• Cayman Islands
• Cuba
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Grenada
• Guadeloupe
• Haiti
• Jamaica
• Martinique
• Montserrat
• Puerto Rico
• Saint Barthélemy
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Sint Maarten
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• United States Virgin Islands

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits

• Keshi yena: La Cocina de Caputto Ricardo Caputto, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
• Pastechi-5: DanielleJWiki, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
• Pan bati (beaten bread) - Aruba: Caribiana, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
• Bitterballen mosterd mayo: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
• Carica papaya - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-029: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
• Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)