Food of Guatemala
Guatemalan cuisine draws on Maya traditions, with corn, beans, squash, chiles and tomatoes at its heart. Stews called recados, tamales wrapped in leaves and thick toasted-seed sauces define the cooking, and tortillas accompany nearly every meal. Highland markets overflow with vegetables, herbs and fruit.
- Main dishes (8)
- Breakfast (3)
- Street food (5)
- Soups (2)
- Salads (2)
- Breads (1)
- Desserts and sweets (4)
- Drinks (4)
- Fruits and produce (6)
Staples
- corn
- black beans
- tomatoes
- chiles
- squash
- chicken
- potatoes
- chayote
Signature flavors
- pumpkin seeds
- sesame
- cinnamon
- cilantro
- achiote
- tomatillo
Main dishes
Rich seed-and-chile chicken stew.
Key ingredients: chicken, pumpkin seeds, chilesFull guide →
Turkey soup with spices and chiles.
Key ingredients: turkey, tomato, cilantroChicken in green tomatillo sauce.
Key ingredients: chicken, tomatillo, cilantroMeat stew baked in banana leaves.
Key ingredients: chicken, pork, chiles
Shredded beef in tomato recado.
Key ingredients: beef, tomato, potato
Cold salad platter with meats and vegetables.
Key ingredients: cold cuts, vegetables, cheese
Stuffed peppers in tomato sauce.
Key ingredients: peppers, meat, eggsFried plantain stuffed with sweet beans.
Key ingredients: plantain, black beans, sugarBreakfast
Eggs, beans, plantain and cream.
Key ingredients: eggs, beans, plantainWarm sweet corn drink.
Key ingredients: corn, milk, cinnamon
Sweet bread for breakfast.
Key ingredients: flour, sugarStreet food
Red recado tamales.
Key ingredients: masa, pork, tomato recadoFull guide →Small fried tortillas with meat and curtido.
Key ingredients: tortilla, beef, cabbageSmall firm tamales in corn husks.
Key ingredients: masa, pork, tomatoCrisp tortilla with guacamole.
Key ingredients: tortilla, avocado
Guatemalan hot dogs with guacamole.
Key ingredients: sausage, bread, avocadoSoups
Beef and vegetable soup.
Key ingredients: beef, corn, chayoteHen soup with herbs.
Key ingredients: hen, herbsSalads
Smooth avocado dip.
Key ingredients: avocado, onion, limeFull guide →Beet salad.
Key ingredients: beets, onionBreads
Handmade corn tortillas.
Key ingredients: corn masaDesserts and sweets
Milk candy sticks.
Key ingredients: milk, sugarSweet plantain fritters.
Key ingredients: plantain, black beansEgg-bread soaked in syrup.
Key ingredients: bread, eggs, syrupMilk caramel.
Key ingredients: milk, sugarDrinks
Warm corn drink.
Key ingredients: corn, milk
Hibiscus cooler.
Key ingredients: hibiscus, sugarFull guide →
Mountain-grown coffee.
Key ingredients: coffee
Rice cinnamon drink.
Key ingredients: rice, cinnamonFull guide →Fruits and produce
Large, creamy Hass avocados.
Full guide →
Eaten green with lime and salt.
Breakfast fruit.
Full guide →
Tart plum-like fruit.
Squash used in stews.
Native crop.
Dish guides from Guatemala
More cuisines of Central America
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Cocinando El Pepian: erwin.flores69, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- 2010.05.13.141849 Kac-iq Fonda Calle Real Antigua Guatemala: Hermann Luyken, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Hilacha: Joshua Heller, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Fiambre - 11042021 (cropped): Gobierno de Guatemala, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Chile Rellenos: Skyler Lewis (w:en:User:Double.reed), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Canasta con pan dulce de la "Fonda Garufa" en la Colonia Condesa en la Ciudad de México: Estef93, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tamal oaxaqueño: Georgina Meneses, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Atole: ottmarliebert.com, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Guacamole IMGP1271: Nikodem Nijaki, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Stacks of corn tortillas and flour tortillas, with the top one rolled, side view (2): Vigilantcosmicpenguin, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Hibiscus tea: Emna Mizouni, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Latte and dark coffee: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Horchata de chufa 2: Photocapy, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Persea americana fruit 2: B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Carica papaya - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-029: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Jocote: Jorge Mejía peralta from Managua, Nicaragua, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Baby Chayote: Zeroegorki, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
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