Colombian cuisine: 22 tips for traditional food in Colombia

Colombia is said to be one of the most colorful countries on Earth. Some may find it too cheesy when everything is so colorful, but Colombians just like it that way. Colombian cuisine, which we knew nothing about before the trip, is just as varied. I’m not going to lie to you, I didn’t like dry pork skins, hooves or drinks with salt. I lost five kilos in five weeks, but I still liked a lot of food there. What did we like best in Colombia?

What makes Colombian cuisine so diverse

Colombia is a land of contrasts – from tropical coasts to high Andes. Each region offers its own specialties, from the traditional Bogota dish – Ajiaco, to fish delicacies with coconut milk from the Caribbean coast and Cartagena. In short, you will come across new and unique tastes in every part of the country. In the mountainous regions, meat and potatoes dominate, while on the coast you can enjoy fresh seafood and fish. And the fruit? You will taste goodies that you didn’t even know existed (literally).

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22 tips for traditional Colombian foods

Colombian cuisine was really interesting and, as the saying goes, ‘like a Spanish village’ to us. I appreciated fresh fish, exotic fruits and fruit smoothies the most And also all kinds of food from green bananas (plantains). Try what you can, because you won’t find such foods here.

1. Ajiaco – Chicken soup with three types of potatoes, corn and sour cream will warm your body and soul. Since we arrived a little bit sick from the air conditioner after 50 hours of travel, this soup came in handy upon arrival. Even though it reminds me of a soup and main course combined, it tastes really great.
2. Bandeja Paisa – If there is one dish that defines Colombia, it is Bandeja Paisa. it is a plate with a little bit of each. You will find meat, beans, rice, avocado, eggs and other goodies on it. 

3. Lechon – Would you like a slow-roasted pig filled with rice and spices? It might sound weird, but it’s completely normal here.
4. Morcilla Rellena – If you think the intestines can’t be a culinary experience, Morcilla Rellena will mislead you. This delicacy, grilled or fried until crispy, is full of flavors. So if there are any gourmets here, you can try it.
5. Empanadas – Colombian empanadas are fried until golden and filled with meat, cheese or potatoes. We ate them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can buy them on every corner and I believe that Everyone will really like this dish.
6. Pandebono – Cornmeal, cheese and eggs bread is eaten immediately after taking it out of the oven when it is still warm and soft. 
7. Patacones – Patacones, also known as Tostones, are crispy patties made from sycamores. These patties are fried twice – the first time for softness, the second time for crunchiness. You will most often get them as one of the side dishes for the main course, but you can also enjoy them as a snack.
8. Tamales – A tamal is a dish wrapped in a banana leaf in which you can find corn dough filled with chicken, vegetables and spices, which are cooked slowly to make the flavors blend perfectly. Each region has its own option. I really fell in love with this dish. Although it looked strange, the taste was divine.

9. Arepa – A simple corn patty that you can eat both sweet and salty. Arepa is eaten in Colombia the same way as a bread in our country. If you come across a local ‘bakery’, take a few of them to stock up on. But we won’t lie to you, somewhere they tasted like a rubber sole, but in the local bakeries it was something delicious.
10. Cazuela de Mariscos – Seafood in creamy coconut broth, that’s Cazuela de Mariscos. It is a soup full of shrimp, crabs and fish and is served with a portion of rice. 
11. Chocolate con queso – Colombians like to mix strange tastes, so you can have hot chocolate with cheese. Yeah, you read that right. In addition, they also add the goat cheese to hot tea. I didn’t really like it, but it’s something that everyone probably has to try for themselves.
12. Patacones with Hogao – Crispy fried banana patties, topped with Hogao tomato, onion and coriander sauce.
13. Frijoles Rancheros – a dish made of red beans, which may resemble our bean stew, but it tastes really good. Somewhere it can be served with meat, rice, or perhaps with fried bananas on top. I highly recommend it!

14. Ajiaco santafereño – a typical soup made of Bogotá, which combines chicken meat, corn cobs, potatoes and unique guasca spices. Served with avocado, capers and rice.
15. Chicharron Con Arepa – Crispy fried pork skin placed on a soft arep. The locals especially like it, but when I tried Chicharron, I’d say it’s a treat for the dog.
16. Arroz Con Chivo – Goat meat stewed with rice and vegetables, often served with avocado and fried bananas. 
17. Mute – Seasoned stewed meat with beef, chicken or pork in a spicy sauce. Served with beans and rice.
18. Sancocho de Pescado – A fish soup that is often served on the northern coast of Colombia. 
19. Arroz Con Coco – rice cooked in coconut milk with onions, garlic and coriander. It is served with chicken or fish. You can also come across it in the sweet version, which is eaten as a dessert.
20. Carne Oreada – beef marinated with onions, tomatoes and coriander, grilled until tender. 
21. La Picada – A mix of meat, potatoes and vegetables served with arepas. 
22. La Changua – Milk soup with cheese and poached eggs, typical breakfast in Bogotá. It is served with crispy bread.

PS: For a snack at Laguna de Guatavita, we got a slice of goat cheese with sweet gelatin that resembled marmalade. We tried it, but it tasted really weird.

What is drunk in Colombia

I have a lot of friends from abroad and everyone is surprised that beer is so cheap in our country (a few years ago, paradoxically, cheaper than water). It is no wonder that we are a nation of beer drinkers. They do have beer in Colombia, but they prefer something else.

• Aguardiente – You can buy sugar cane schnapps with an anise flavor, which is sold in a cardboard box as milk, on every corner. It has a distinct taste and several variants according to the alcohol content. No matter what you eat, it’s a nice headache in the morning.
• Chicha – a fermented drink of the original inhabitants of the Andes, has a tradition dating back to ancient times. It is mostly made from corn, sometimes from fruit. It has a slightly sour taste, yet it tastes very good. Just don’t drink it too much so that it doesn’t have a laxative effect on you. 

• Agua panela – Do you know the panel? It is a dried cane juice that is used as a sweetener and as a popular drink when it is dissolved in hot water. It’s pretty good, but very sweet.

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Fruit smoothies for a few crowns

What surprised me was that in almost every establishment, they made homemade fruit smoothies, which cost just a few pesos there. I liked the smoothies from Mango or Maracuja the most, but there were really a lot to choose from. They just like to add sugar to it, so don’t forget to say ‘Sin Azúcar’!

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Where to have a good BBC beer – Bogota Beer Company

If you are one of those who simply like to have a smooth beer or two on vacation or on the go, don’t worry. There is a BBC franchise or Bogota Beer Company in Colombia where you can have a really good draft beer (mostly there are bottles everywhere). But also expect that it will be more expensive (relatively to other prices). One beer there cost us around 2,5 EUR for 0.5 l. 

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Where and how to eat as a local

If you are in tourist areas or larger cities, restaurants and businesses will be at every turn. You might not recognize the places where the locals eat at first glance. Our friends from Colombia were often with us, who took us to places that I would call a garage, a backyard in the garden or simply someone’s kitchen at home, and it was usually a real experience. The food there was for a fraction of the price (soup, main meal and drink for 2 EUR), but I don’t want to lie to you, we didn’t always like the food.

If you also want to eat where locals do, look for sunken small kitchens and businesses, stalls or bakeries where local people go (Or try to ask them, they will be happy to advise you). But don’t expect any luxury, menu or list of allergens.

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What are the prices of food in Colombia

Prices are constantly rising in all countries. It depends on whether you will eat in someone’s backyard on a wooden log in the countryside, or if you will be in a beautiful restaurant in the middle of the big city. But it is true that you can eat well in Colombia and for a few euros. In tourist areas, you will pay 18,000 to 30,000 COP per meal (depending on what you eat, but steak or fresh fish are more expensive than a bowl of rice). Where the locals eat, you can easily pay 10,000 COP for the entire menu. 

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Colombia’s national food

There can be many national dishes in Colombia, because each area has its own. One of them can be the just-mentioned food Bandeja Paisa, which comes from the Antioquia region. It’s a food where you have a lot on your plate and don’t know what to eat first. There you will find beans, fried plantains, chorizo, arep, avocado and rice. JAs a national soup, sancocho, which is cooked from meat and then served with rice and avocado or other vegetables, could be considered national.

• Breakfast It tends to be simple, but nutritious. Typical are arepas (corn pancakes) with cheese, eggs or avocado, often supplemented with a cup of sweet coffee. In some areas, people eat caldo – beef or chicken broth. Otherwise, they also normally have soup for breakfast, which is not exactly common for us.
• Lunch It is hearty and, like ours, includes soup and a main course. Common are foods like Sancocho (meat and vegetable soup), Bandeja Paisa or Ajiaco. As a side dish, it is most often rice, a small portion of beans or a crispy plantain.
• Dinner It tends to be lighter. Many Colombians have, for example, tamales, soup or arepa with various fillings. 

The conclusion and what we really liked

For me, discovering new cuisines and flavors is definitely a part of traveling. I like to try all kinds of food, even if I don’t always like everything. Colombian cuisine is really rich. I liked these foods the most: Tamales, Frijoles Rancheros, Bandeja Paisa, Empanadas and especially fresh fish and fruit.

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FAQ

Resources

Osorio, D.G., 2020. Traditional Colombian Cuisines Objects and Ritual. Projetica, 11(3es.), pp.166-182.

Mahecha, J.D., 2015. Forms of Colombian Cuisine: Interpretation of Traditional Culinary Knowledge in Three Cultural Settings. Cooking Technology: Transformations in Culinary Practice in Mexico and Latin America, p.153.

Mahecha, J., 2017. A New Culinary Culture in Colombia: Equality and Identity in the Interpretation of Traditional Cuisines.