10 Most Popular Foods in Venezuela

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Venezuela represents diversity in cuisine, mixed with interesting fusions. Latin American cuisine melts into recipes from West Africa, as well as the European continent. From the national dish of Venezuela to popular recipes you can recreate in your kitchen, here are the top ten most popular foods from Venezuela!

1. Pabellón Criollo

Meet Venezuela’s national dish – a delicious combination of white rice, fried plantains, shredded beef, and black beans. You may or may not include fried eggs into the mix; it’s entirely up to you. The national dish of Venezuela brings together flavors from all the ethnic groups in the country.

Recipe for Pabellón Criollo

2. Perico Venezobano

What do you do when you want to whip up the perfect Venezuelan breakfast? You make Perico Venezobano of course. This is a famous Venezuelan breakfast dish that’s also popular in Colombo. Scrambled eggs, tomatoes, onions, and butter go into making this mouthwatering dish. You can also try adding annatto, ground peppers or coriander, for a more authentic Venezuelan flavor.

Recipe for Perico Venezobano  

3. Bollo Pelónes

If you want to try your hand at a traditional Venezuelan lunch, then look no further than Bollo Pelónes. These are corn dough balls filled with any stew of your choice. The most popular kind of stew used is beef stew, but the chicken stew is popular as well. If you’re a vegetarian, try filling the corn dough balls with your favorite vegetable stew recipe. The filled corn dough balls are then boiled and, and finally, served with a thick tomato sauce and grated cheese.

Recipe for Bollo Pelónes

4. Arepas

The one Venezuela dish nearly everyone has heard about is the popular street snack, arepas. These are made of small corn-based pita bread that is then filled with various ingredients. These can be anything from beef, eggs, chicken, cheese, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, and more. Of course, the choice of fillings depends on the cook! And what’s more, arepas make for a hearty breakfast, lunch, dinner, and can even be eaten as a snack!

Recipe for Arepas

5. Tequeños

No Venezuelan party is complete without Tequeños, a popular cheese stick dish. Usually made of white cheese surrounded by pastry crust, Tequeños can be either fried or boiled. You can also choose any dip you like. One of the most popular dips in Venezuela is Guasacaca, which is made using avocados.

Recipe for Tequeños and guasacaca

6. Pisca Andina

Pisca Andina is a traditional breakfast soup recipe from the Andes. Served with Andina bread as well as cheese, this soup is perfect for warming you up on cold winter mornings. Pisca Andina is made using potatoes, eggs, milk, coriander, as well as green onions.

Recipe for Pisca Andina

7. Fosforera

If you’re in the mood for a more complex Venezuelan preparation, then why not consider Fosforera, a seafood stew. Popular along the coastal regions of the country, this fish has also been attributed to aphrodisiac properties. This is owed to the wide variety of ingredients that go into making this traditional seafood stew. You can use everything from shrimps, clams, squid, fish head, crab, as well as any fish of your choice. This is combined with vegetables of your choice and onions, tomatoes, and coriander to deliver a flavor-packed meal.

Recipe for Fosforera

8. Tres Leches

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then Tres Leches is for you. This is a dessert dish of a sponge cake that’s made without using butter. This gives the cake a soft consistency, and air bubbles are formed inside. This cake is then immersed into a combination of regular, condensed, and evaporated milk. The result is a sweet delight that is perfect after any meal of the day. In addition, you can consider adding vanilla to enhance the flavor. Once ready, serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon for even more flavor.

Recipe for Tres Leches

9. Cocada

Cocada is a popular coconut-based smoothie-like drink found in Venezuela. The foundation of this sweet drink is coconut pulp and coconut water. You can then add condensed milk, vanilla ice cream, or any other flavor you like to tailor the drink to your tastes. Finally, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and you’re ready to serve this ever-popular drink!

Recipe for Cocada

Sources:

Nomad Paradise

Taste Atlas  

The Broke Backpacker

Spoon University