Located at the northern tip of South America, Colombia is a country blessed with beautiful landscape and marked with numerous coffee plantations, the Andes mountains, and majestic a rainforest. Colombia is regarded as one of the most logistically and ethnically diverse countries with its rich cultural heritage and indigenous influences. Its territories comprise of the tropical grasslands, the Amazon forest that is full of life yet to be fully discovered, and the beautiful Pacific and Caribbean coastal lines. Colombia is also home to over 40,000 plant species not found anywhere in the world and considered to be one of the megadiverse countries ranking first in a wide variety of bird species. Come and take a look at these mouth-watering traditional foods that you must taste while in Colombia.
1. Arepa
Arepas are one of the most commonly prepared food in Colombia. It is the most common accompaniment and can also be eaten on its own. Arepa is simply a kind of bread made from cornmeal, often served with corn or butter. Visitors and guests who visit Colombia for a holiday will quickly become very familiar with Arepa as soon as they arrive as it is widely served everywhere.
2. Ajiaco
This popular dish is a soup containing two or three different types of potatoes, capers, corn, sour cream, avocado, and chicken. An important ingredient in Ajiaco is a herb grown throughout South America called Guasca. It has a very distinct taste and is found throughout Colombia, so anyone can be able to try it in almost any kind of restaurant or eatery.
3. Bandeja Paisa
Bandeja paisa is considered to be Colombia’s national dish. This is a meal considered not for the faint-hearted. It is a platter filled with pork, chorizo sausages steak, and crackling served on a bed of red beans and rice. To top it off, there is usually a fried egg often served with sweet banana chips and slices of avocado. You can find versions of Bandeja paisa everywhere in the country. As a national dish, It has been a victim of much dispute and there are many disagreements and suggestions about what should be included in it.
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4. Lechona
This is another wonderful dish typically found in the Tolima area to the west of Bogota. It is, however, served in specialty restaurants throughout Colombia. Certainly, if you are in the Tolima area, you will not miss seeing lechona at any kind of special occasion. Lechona is normally cooked in a clay oven for up to 10 hours. It consists of onions and a fragrant combination of exotic spices and a whole roasted pig, stuffed with rice and peas.
5. Sancocho
Sancocho’s ingredients vary depending on what is available in the different parts of Colombia. It can be made with any kind of fish in the coastal regions or meat, but always includes potatoes, plantains, and cassava. Sancocho is popular almost everywhere in South America and it is commonly served with plain white rice, and it can also be a side dish or added to the sancocho itself. Sancocho is often served in simple side street restaurants as a dish of the day and it can be found all over Colombia.
6. Tamales
Found all over Central and South America, Tamales is a corn-based meal served in a variety of ways with different types of ingredients. Locals traditionally eat tamales with vegetables, meat, fruits or cheese, and this delicacy is cooked and wrapped in a plantain leaf. Tamales can easily be found in restaurants or supermarkets all over Colombia.
7. Hormigas Culonas
This delicacy is a specific, leaf-eating, large, ant species traditionally found in Santander region of Colombia and is eaten for its flavor. They are commonly served fried or roasted in salt and are either crushed or kept whole. This is a delicacy from a region north of Bogota that is home to the cities of Barichara, Bucaramanga, and San Gil, Floridablanca. If you are looking for a meal that you have never thought existed then this is where to start.
8. Changua
Changua is a tasty soup served for breakfast with bread in the soup or on the side depending on your preference. It can, however, be eaten at any time of the day and is commonly recommended to help nursing hangovers. It is made of milk, eggs, chopped scallions, cilantro, salt and pepper for tasting. This meal can be found and served anywhere in Colombia and if you know your way around the kitchen, you can easily make this dish at home.
9. Empanadas
Empanadas can be found all over South America, but each country has made it its own version of the dish containing many different fillings that vary according to the region. One such delicacy is also great for snacking and there are plenty of stalls selling particular favorites. It is basically a small pastry which is fried or baked, but in Colombia, they are usually fried. Depending on the region, empanadas can be chorizo filled or filled with cheese and spinach. You can sample endless variation on any street corner.
10. Fritanga
If you are looking for lighter food, this is a dizzying choice of fruit that is easily and cheaply available. Covered in aji sauce, fritanga can be found all over the country in some form and it is another hearty meat-filled dish. Served with manioc, plantain or arepas, this is a plate full of grilled meat such as beef or chicken as well as fried cow intestines. You could easily mistake and think that everything in Colombia is huge and meaty but there are other less daunting dishes available too.
Let your taste buds do the talking
If you are in Colombia and you want to enjoy some of the best cuisines, then these are the best foods to start off. Best selected for the meat eaters and vegetarians, located in restaurants and streets, you can experience the best and exotic meals that Colombia has to offer.
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