Are you wondering about popular and traditional Hispanic foods? All you are looking for will appear in this excellent article. With this post, you can answer all questions related to Hispanic cuisine’s long-standing and traditional food.
Hispanic cuisine is long-standing and diverse, with various traditional and delicious food. This cuisine is influenced by Latin American, Spanish, and Portuguese cultures. Let’s fasten your seatbelt and start the journey of exploring famous Hispanic foods.
Add Protein With Delicious Hispanic Foods Containing Meat
If you find high-nutritious Hispanic food, delicious meat options will add a large amount of protein to your body. Below are mouth-watering suggestions that you should try at home.
1. Tacos
The iconic Hispanic food I want to introduce in this article is tacos. It is a familiar delicacy to many people worldwide. Mexico is presumably the birthplace of this traditional food that existed (between 1000 and 500 B.C) in this country before the Spanish arrived.
Tacos have been a staple food of Mexicans for a long time. Its flavor results from the combination of soft corn tortillas and cooked fillings, including meat and vegetables. It has many variations, such as carne asada (grilled meat tacos), shrimp tacos, or tacos de birria.
Because of the popularity of tacos, October 4th has been chosen as National Taco Day in the United States. On November 20th, 2011, the largest taco was made in Queretaro, Mexico. This version was filled with pulled pork (carnitas) and measured 246 feet long.
2. Ropa Vieja – Beef And Vegetable Stew
Ropa Vieja is a national food of Cuba, made up of tomatoes and stewed beef. However, this slow-cooked stew originates from Spain, and its name means “old clothes” in Spanish. This food has many variations in many Latin American countries and the Philippines.
Ropa Vieja appeared in Cuba in 1857. It is also a famous food in the Americas, and the Canary Islands immigrants introduced it here.
Do you know how people usually serve Ropa Vieja? In Cuba, locals consume this amazing dish with fried sweet plantains and white rice. Also, it tastes great when paired with steamed rice and black beans.
When you come to Venezuela, you can have a chance to consume delicious Arepas with Ropa Vieja filling. Plus, this recipe tastes deeper by adding annatto (an orange-red condiment).
3. Enchilada – Tortilla Meat And Sauce
One of the incredible Hispanic dishes you should try is Enchilada. This traditional recipe comprises corn tortilla wrapping around meats, potatoes, veggies, cheese, beans, and other fillings. It also has a layer of savory sauce on top to make it more flavorful.
The sauce is diverse, so you can choose your favorite options depending on your preference. If you love spiciness, chili-based sauces are great choices for you. Also, you can change your palate with tomatillo-based sauces or cheese-based sauces.
Enchilada appeared in Mexico in the early 19th century. Its name comes from “enchilar”, which means “to season with chile” in Spanish. In the US, National Enchilada Day is celebrated on May 5th annually.
4. Fajita – Wrapped Tortilla And Meat
Fajita is one of the famous foods of traditional Tex-Mex cuisine that comprises spicy pepper strips, onions, and flavorful grilled meat. Originally, people used skirt steak for this recipe. Nowadays, you can find this recipe with chicken, beef, or veggies.
Besides, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and shredded cheese are lovely additions to the fajita. To enhance the taste of fajita, people often serve it with soft and delightful corn or flour tortillas.
Regarding the origin, fajitas debuted between the 1930s and 1940s. This popular Hispanic food was an invention of Mexican ranch workers. They made fajita from the meat paid as a salary for their labor.
Do you know the origin of Fajita? It’s time to explore it right now.
5. Lomo Saltado – Stir-Fried Beef
When it comes to mouth-watering Peruvian recipes, Lomo Saltado is an indispensable name. Marinated beef steak, french fries, onions, and tomatoes are the main components of this dish. It is a great option to consume with steamed rice as a main dish.
You can find Chinese touch in this delicacy because it was invented by Chinese chefs on Lima’s streets in Peru. This food came to life in the 19th century when a chef cooked beef in the wok – a traditional Chinese piece of equipment for cooking.
Lomo Saltado means “jumping beef” in the Peruvian language. This name is inspired by the meat jumping when you sautee them.
6. Quesadillas – Toasted Tortilla Filled With Cheese
This traditional Mexican food’s name stems from the word “quetzaditzin”, which means “folded tortilla” in Nahuatl. The Aztecs were the inventor of this delicious dish. This yummy recipe appeared for the first time in Northern and Central Mexico.
A theory said that Quesadillas were invented when lambs, sheep, cows, and cheese were introduced to Mexicans by Spanish settlers in 1521. Later, it quickly gained popularity in Mexico and other nations with the invention of different variations.
Its variations are diverse in ingredients, with the addition of cooked veggies and various types of cooked meat, like beef, chicken, or pork. Quesadillas fritas (fried quesadillas) are ideal if you love fried dishes.
Quesadillas can also be a sweet dessert with the appearance of caramel, fruits, and chocolate. This recipe is a rich source of fiber, carbs, fat, and calcium. Fun facts, this amazing food has National Day, and September 25th is this special day in America.
7. Nachos – Fried Tortilla Chips
Nacho is a traditional food you can find on many special occasions in Mexico. Fried tortilla chips and cheese are the base ingredients of this delicacy. Plus, you can make it better with other toppings, like ground beef, grilled chicken, guacamole, veggies, and salsa.
For its origin, this yummy dish comes from the famous city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila. Many people said that Ignacio Anaya was the father of this recipe. The food debuted in 1941 at the Victory Club restaurant.
National Nacho Day happens on November 6th in the United States. From October 13th to 15th annually, people at Piedras Negras organize the International Nacho Festival with delicious nachos, fun cultural activities, and live music shows.
Expand your knowledge with great information about the origin of nacho.
8. Tamales – Cornmeal Dough Rolled With Meat
Tamale is a long-standing delicacy that came to this world between 8000 and 5000 BC in Mexico. This food has been a familiar delicacy in important festivals and rituals of the Aztec, Maya, Toltec, and Olmec civilizations.
This famous Mesoamerican food comprises masa, which is a traditional yellow corn dough. In addition, this traditional dish can be flavored with cheese, meats, veggies, and fruits. People wrap all ingredients in a banana leaf or corn husk to steam.
Its variations are diverse in countries like Cuba, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, and Guatemala. You can try red tamales, rice tamales, or Cambray tamales with raisins and almonds.
Tamales are also known as Hallaca, Humitas, or Binaki in Venezuela, South America, and the Philippines.
The word “tamal” in Spanish, originating from the word “tamalli”, is the root of its name. In Nahuatl, “tamalli” can be translated as “steamed cornmeal dough”.
Let’s learn how to make tamales and the history of this amazing food.
9. Arepas – Grilled Cornmeal Cake
Arepa is a famous Hispanic food that has existed since pre-Columbian times. This yummy dish is popular in nations of South America, such as Colombia, Bolivia, Panama, Venezuela, and others.
Ground maize dough is the main ingredient of this food. You can recognize Arepa thanks to its round and flat shape. This tasty delicacy usually goes with flavorful fillings, like eggs, meat, beans, or seafood. Besides baking, it can be fried, steamed, grilled, or boiled.
Its name, “Arepa,” means “maize” or “corn”. This name stems from the word “erepa” in the languages of the Cumanagotos tribes who live in Northern Venezuela. Another theory says that the name originates from the word “aripo”.
Normally, Arepa is served as a delicious appetizer at meals. Instead of consuming plain Arepa, you can top it with butter, melted cheese, or jam to enhance the flavor.
10. Empanadas – Fried Stuffed Pastry
Empanada has 2 sections, consisting of soft pastry and savory filling. Typically, Empanada is filled with meat, veggies, cheese, seafood, or even fruits. You can find this tasty dish in 2 versions, either fried or baked.
Galicia in Spain and Portugal are the birthplace of this traditional dish. People in Medieval Iberia started making this tasty food during the Moorish invasions. Its name derives from the word “empanar”, meaning “breaded” or “coated in bread” in Spanish.
Empanada appears in many countries worldwide with different variations, such as Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, the United States, and the Philippines. Salta, Jujuy, or La Rioja are common varieties of Argentina with potatoes, peppers, peas, and hard-boiled egg fillings.
If you are in Ecuador, you should try the sweet version of this excellent food – Empanadas de Viento. This variety has cheese for the filling and is coated with sugar. For Mexican food lovers, the pumpkin Empanada is one of the must-tried variations in this nation.
Find out every exciting thing about delicious Empanadas.
11. Migas – Spanish Crumbs
Migas is one of the familiar dishes at breakfast for hunters in the Iberia Peninsula. Many restaurants in Spain often serve Migas as a first course at lunch and dinner. Shepherds across Spain and Portugal invented this delicious food.
Bread is the staple ingredient of this incredible recipe. You can find the taste of paprika, garlic, bacon, or chorizo in this dish. Migas is also the name of a famous Tex-Mex recipe prepared from flour or corn tortillas.
In Southern Portugal, people often make Migas from corn bread, wheat bread, or potatoes (Migas de Batata). They enhance Migas’ flavor by adding garlic, pork meat drippings, tomato, asparagus, or beans to this yummy recipe.
You can pair many delicious dishes with Migas, such as Hashbrowns, Refried Beans, or mashed potatoes.
12. Sancocho – Meat And Roots-Based Stew
It’s time to warm your body with a flavorful soup of Latin American cuisine. Sancocho is the national dish of many countries, such as Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras.
This yummy stew is a mixture of meat, green plantains, cassava, corn, and other starchy veggies. In Puerto Rico, people make Sancocho with smoked ham and chicken. Venezuelan Sancocho contains beef, chicken, beef stomach, or goat.
In terms of origin, Sancocho was an invention of Spaniards in the Spanish Canary Islands. When they immigrated to Latin American countries, they introduced this tasty food to indigenous people.
13. Stuffed Peppers
When you fill meat, cheese, veggies, or sauce into the halved bell peppers, you will have delicious Hispanic food to enjoy with your family. Stuffed peppers are well-known in many regions with different variations.
In Hong Kong, this food is widely known as “Three Fried Stuffed Treasures”. Besides stuffed peppers, the Hong Kong version also has stuffed sausage and aubergines instead of bell pepper. You can find this food at many household meals in Spain with the appearance of Manchego cheese (Spanish sheep cheese), red sauce, and chicken inside peppers.
In India, people often stuffed bell peppers with potatoes, cooked meat, and other spices. To cook this delicacy, Indians often put it in a tava (frying pan) or an oven. Stuffed peppers have many other changes in North America, Guatemala, and Europe.
14. Fajita
When talking about a famous Hispanic food, Fajita is an indispensable name. It is a dominant dish of Tex-Mex cuisine made from grilled meat, peppers, and onions. People often consume it with tortillas.
Originally, people prepared this delicious food with skirt steak. Then, chicken, beef, and veggies are used in this delicacy. In addition, eaters can feel the flavorful taste of sour cream, guacamole, and salsa when eating this food.
In Spanish, the word “Fajita” means “Little band”. Interestingly, this food was called another name in Mexico: “arracheras”.
Fill Your Belly With Yummy Meatless Hispanic Foods
Besides meaty delicacies, Hispanic cuisine has various meatless options that are made up of rice, veggies, or beans. I am sure their flavor will be as delicious as the high-protein choices above.
15. Churros – Fried Dough
There is no exact information about the origin of the Churro. Many people said that the Portuguese brought Churro from China to Europe. Another idea said that Spanish shepherds were inventors of this yummy food.
Aside from Spain and Portugal, people consume this sweet fried dough in some Latin American countries and Spanish or Portuguese-speaking nations. In some areas in Spain, it is known as “jeringos” or “porras”.
Churro has perfect crispiness and sweetness after frying in hot oil. Its dough is a combination of flour, salt, and water. Other recipes include potato dough, butter, eggs, or milk. Typically, churros are curled, straight, or spirally twisted.
Eaters often consume Churro at breakfast with hot chocolate, cafe con Leche (Spanish coffee), or dulce de leche (caramelized milk). In addition, Churro is a famous street food in Colombia, Spain, Peru, and Venezuela.
16. Elote – Corn On The Cob
Elote originates from the state of Jalisco, Mexico, and is one of the must-tried Mexican street foods. This traditional dish is made of fresh corn grilled on the cob. In Spanish, its name can be translated as “corn cob”.
Besides the lightly sweet taste of corn kernels, the creamy, flavorful taste of mayonnaise, cheese, lime juice, and salt will give you a great mouthfeel.
Instead of serving Elote on the cob, you can buy delicious Elote in a cup on many streets in Mexico. People extract the corn kernels and mix them with cheese, spices, Mexican herbs, and chicken stock for this serving style.
Let’s try Elote and listen to fun facts about this amazing food.
17. Mole Sauce
Mole is a traditional sauce of Mexican cuisine popular in the Puebla and Oaxaca regions of this country. Its name “Mole” originates from the word “molli”, which can be interpreted as “concoction” or “sauce” in Nahuatl languages.
This fantastic food features a complex taste with smokiness, earthy-sweetness, spiciness, and signature dark red color created by different types of fruit, chili peppers, nuts, and warm spices.
Today, you can find many modern and global mole versions, including various components from Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. People often mix this sauce with tacos, chicken, burritos, and enchiladas for daily meals.
In Mexico, this food is most popular in the South and Central. Mole is also well-known in the United States. If you are in Chicago, remember to join the mole festival (a cooking contest for Mexican immigrants)at the Universidad Popular community center annually.
18. Camarones Al Ajillo – Garlic Shrimp
Camarones Al Ajillo is a must-tried delicacy if you are a fan of seafood. Shrimp has a flavorful, buttery taste when you fry them in a frying pan with butter and seasonings like black pepper, parsley, lemon, and coriander.
The bright and eye-catching color of pan-fried shrimp and veggies will make your mouth water immediately. To enhance the flavor of this traditional food, people often eat it with green, fresh veggie salad, tostones, and a glass of high-class wine.
19. Paella – Saffron Rice
One of the well-known Spanish recipes you must try when traveling to this nation is Paella, especially in the Valencia region. It was a familiar food to many farmers and farm laborers at lunch. This Valenciana delicacy includes rice, onions, snails, tomatoes, and beans.
Paella de Marisco is a popular variation of this ancient food. In this version, meat is replaced by seafood. Besides, you can try many other variations of these wonderful dishes across the Mediterranean.
In Spain, people often consume Paella during their lunch. They will serve this food on a large pan in the center of a round table. Interestingly, Paella is the name of the pan that is used to make this food. The largest Paella was made on March 8th, 1992, in Valencia, which was enough for 100000 people to enjoy.
If you are a fan of Paella, you need to know amazing information about this food.
20. Baleadas – Mashed Fried Beans Wrapped In Tortilla
Baleadas stem from Honduras’ Northern Coast cuisine. This amazing delicacy contains 2 parts, including a soft tortilla and a creamy, hearty filling with a mix of refried red beans and crumbled cheese.
In this tasty recipe, the cheese, beans, and tortillas are often referred to as ammunition and gunpowder. This results from the origin story of a woman gunned down while selling tortillas with beans and cheese.
This delicious food tastes perfect when you serve it with yummy Curtido and buttery avocado. Before serving it, you should warm the tortillas in an oven or microwave to get the best flavor.
21. Mexican Corn Salad
If you ask me about a tasty Mexican accompaniment, Mexican corn salad is my answer. Its flavor is the perfect combination of freshness, creaminess, and spiciness. Besides, the light sweetness and delicate fragrance of corn can make you fall in love with it instantly.
Making this amazing dish is straightforward since you only need to mix grilled corn, mayo, lime juice, Cotija cheese, and other spices in a bowl. You can serve this salad after mixing it with a bit of dressing.
Mexican corn salad is a great choice for summertime. Honestly, I love to consume it with shrimp skewers or grilled chicken as a side dish.
22. Huevos Rancheros – Ranch-Style Eggs
This breakfast recipe was invented in the 16th century on farmhouses and ranches in Mexico. Originally, farmers prepared this delicious dish as a second meal (almuezo) after finishing their work in the morning.
Huevos Rancheros allows you to enjoy the softness of fried eggs, the mild flavor of corn tortillas, and the signature spiciness of tomato-chili pico de gallo (Mexican veggie salad). Its amazing flavor comes from refried beans, guacamole, salsa, and avocado.
Instead of making the dish with corn tortillas, you can replace them with the wheat flour version to have a new experience. Plus, you can try other varieties with the appearance of enchilada sauce, sour cream, or cheese.
Huevos Divorciados (divorced eggs) and Huevos Ahogados (drowned eggs) are common variations of this yummy dish.
23. Tortilla – Corn Flatbread
It is believed that Tortilla came to life around 10000 B.C. Indigenous people of Mesoamerica who live in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico were the first to come up with this traditional and mouth-watering dish.
A tortilla is a kind of unleavened flatbread featuring a circular and thin shape. This food can be made from dried ground corn, wheat, or a mix of cactus and corn. These ingredients create 3 main varieties of this dish, including corn tortilla, wheat tortilla, and nopaltilla.
Tortilla is a versatile food thanks to its mild, sweet, and fresh taste. Therefore, you can serve the white or yellow tortillas with various delicacies, such as baked beans, French fries, tomato salad, or Mojo sauce.
Are you curious about the secret of its name? The name “tortilla” originates from the Spanish word “torta”, which is translated as “round cake”.
24. Gallo Pinto – Steamed Rice And Beans
Gallo Pinto is a combination of beans and rice. This traditional food originates from Central America. It also plays a vital role in the cuisine and culture of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and many Latin American countries.
When consuming this fantastic dish, the soft, buttery texture of rice and cooked pinto beans will give you a pleasant mouthfeel. Also, the spicy and hearty flavor of bell peppers, chopped onions, garlic, and coriander will spice up your palate.
Gallo Pinto is popular in many regions with various variations. In Costa Rica, you can find 2 dominant varieties, made with black and red beans. In Nicaragua, people use red beans for this delicacy and add a little vegetable oil when cooking.
25. Tajadas – Fried Sweet Plantain Slices
Tajada, or fried plantains, is a traditional food of Caribbean regions. You can easily find this amazing dish in Colombia, Panama, Honduras, and Venezuela. People often consume Tajada with creamy, cheesy grated cheese in these nations.
Making Tajada is straightforward since you only need to put plantain slices in a hot oil pan and fry them for about 5 minutes until they are golden brown. You can enjoy these slices as an appetizer, side dish, or snack after drying them on paper towels.
26. Ceviche – Marinated Raw Fish
Ceviche is the best-loved food of many people in the Pacific coastal areas of Western South America. This fantastic food stems from Moche culture, currently in northern Peru and southern Ecuador, 2000 years ago.
To be specific, Ceviche is a technique to process fresh raw fish. It is not cooked, so you can consume the fish after curing it with acidic juices and spicing it with cilantro, onions, and chili peppers.
To ensure food safety and an authentic taste, it’s necessary to prepare fresh fish and eat it instantly. Ceviche is commonly served as a finger food or main dish. You can enhance its flavor by eating the food with other sides, like sweet potato, lettuce, and avocado.
Discover the fascinating origin story of Ceviche.
27. Pico De Gallo – Tomato Salsa
Pico de Gallo originates in Oaxaca, Yucatan Peninsula, Guanajuato, and Sonora of Mexico. This incredible dish existed in the ancient Aztec time. It is widely known as “salsa Bandera”, meaning “flag salsa”.
Interestingly, this name results from this recipe’s special and signature colors. It can make you think of the national flag of Mexico with green, white, and red hues. Salsa Fresca and Salsa Cruda are other common names for this dish.
The appealing taste of this traditional salsa comes from chopped onion, tomato, jalapenos, or serrano peppers. Besides the spiciness of peppers, the light citrus taste of lime juice can stimulate your taste buds immediately.
If you are a fan of Fajitas and Tacos, you will be familiar with the signature flavor of Pico de Gallo because this fresh salsa is indispensable in these recipes. In addition, it is served with burritos, tortilla chips, and grilled meat.
Which Is Your Best-Loved Hispanic Food?
Do you have other delicious Hispanic ideas? Feel free to show them via comments. I also look forward to seeing your feedback about this article’s content. If you love the article, do not forget to like and share it with your relatives and friends.
Suppose you are starving or living in a Latin American country. In that case, you should visit a great restaurant to enjoy the signature and wonderful taste of the traditional foods of Hispanic cuisine. I hope you will have a great meal with your loved ones. Thanks for reading!
