Food of Venezuela
Venezuelan cooking is built on corn, especially the beloved arepa, along with rice, black beans, plantain and beef. Caribbean coastlines add fish and coconut, the Andes contribute potatoes and wheat, and the plains are known for grilled meat. Meals mix sweet and savory, like fried plantain beside shredded beef. Casual snacks like cachapas and empanadas are enjoyed at any time of day.
Pabellon criollo
Shredded beef with black beans, white rice and fried plantain, often topped with a fried egg.
How to make Pabellon criollo- Main dishes (4)
- Breakfast (4)
- Street food (4)
- Soups (2)
- Salads (2)
- Breads (2)
- Desserts and sweets (4)
- Drinks (3)
- Fruits and produce (4)
Staples
- corn
- rice
- black beans
- plantain
- beef
- cheese
- cassava
- coconut
Signature flavors
- cilantro
- onion
- garlic
- cumin
- papelon
- sweet peppers
Main dishes
Shredded beef with black beans, white rice and fried plantain, often topped with a fried egg.
Key ingredients: flank steak, black beans, rice, fried plantain, onion, peppers, cuminFull guide →
Banana-leaf tamales filled with a rich stew of meats, olives and raisins, shared at celebrations.
Key ingredients: corn masa, beef, pork, chicken, olives, capers, raisins, banana leafBeef roast slowly cooked in a dark sweet caramelized sauce.
Key ingredients: beef roast, papelon, onion, peppers, vinegarStewed chicken with tomato, peppers and potatoes.
Key ingredients: chicken, tomato, peppers, potatoesBreakfast
The daily corn cake, stuffed with cheese, beans, eggs or meat.
Key ingredients: precooked cornmeal, water, salt, cheeseFull guide →Scrambled eggs with tomato and onion.
Key ingredients: eggs, tomato, onionA sweet corn pancake with soft white cheese.
Key ingredients: corn, queso de mano, butter
Cheese sticks wrapped in dough and fried, popular at all hours.
Key ingredients: queso blanco, wheat dough, oilStreet food
Corn-dough turnovers filled with cheese, shredded beef or black beans.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, white cheese, shredded beefFamous fried cheese fingers.
Key ingredients: queso blanco, doughA steak sandwich piled with toppings.
Key ingredients: beef strips, bun, lettuce, tomatoHot dog topped with potato sticks and sauces.
Key ingredients: sausage, bun, cabbage, sauceSoups
A thick soup of meat and root vegetables.
Key ingredients: beef, yuca, potato, corn, plantainFull guide →Tripe soup with vegetables.
Key ingredients: tripe, vegetablesSalads
Chicken salad with potatoes and carrots for party tables.
Key ingredients: chicken, potato, carrot, mayonnaise
A green avocado and herb salsa for grilled meat.
Key ingredients: avocado, cilantro, green pepper, vinegarBreads
A rolled bread with ham, olives and raisins.
Key ingredients: wheat dough, ham, olives, raisins
Thin crisp cassava flatbread.
Key ingredients: cassavaDesserts and sweets
A silky caramel milk custard.
Key ingredients: condensed milk, eggs, sugarSponge cake soaked in milk.
Key ingredients: sponge, milks
A coconut cream cake.
Key ingredients: coconut, sugar, spongeCorn and coconut pudding.
Key ingredients: corn, coconut milk, cinnamonDrinks
A cold drink of dissolved cane sugar with lime.
Key ingredients: papelon, water, limeA sweet creamy rice drink with condensed milk and cinnamon.
Key ingredients: rice, milk, condensed milk, cinnamonFresh sugarcane drink.
Key ingredients: sugarcaneFruits and produce
Sweet mangoes eaten ripe.
Key ingredients: fresh, juiceFull guide →
Passion fruit for juices.
Key ingredients: juice, mousse
Fried ripe plantains.
Key ingredients: tajadas, tostones
Sweet orange papaya.
Key ingredients: fresh, juice, preservesDish guides from Venezuela
Explore Venezuela on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.More cuisines of South America
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Suriname
- Uruguay
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Pabellón Criollo Venezolano: Wilfredor, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Hallacas con pan de jamon, plato Venezuelano: Wilfredor, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Arepitas Food Macro: Steven Depolo from Grand Rapids, MI, USA, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tequeños vénézuéliens à Arepado (Lyon), avril 2019 (2): Benoît Prieur, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tapa de empanadillitas: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Sancocho de espinazo de cerdo: Daguerreroa, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Guasacaca avocado sauce-1500x1000: Mitdralla, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pan de jamon, Venezuelan food: Wilfredor, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tortasdecasabe: Rosa García, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Quesillo a la plancha: Ulises Estrada, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Bienmesabe de coco: RosiiUrri, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Papelón con limón 2: Muago, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Mega racimos de guineos: J & E, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Carica papaya - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-029: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
,_avril_2019_(2).jpg){kind=link}
