If you’re looking for a Tasty Tour, you should try some of their traditional dishes! The gastronomy and typical Cuban food speak a lot about the idiosyncrasy of its people. In the largest of the Antilles there is a wide variety of Cuban food dishes that derive from the Spanish, African, indigenous, Chinese and Caribbean region influence.We are talking about a cuisine that is heterogeneous and mestizo, like authentic Cuba, full of surprises and flavor!
Cuban culinary art sticks to that popular saying that “you eat with your eyes,” because it is full of colors and textures that, together with tempting aromas, make it a sensory pleasure and one of the most exquisite luxuries of Cuban culture.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss 10 of the most popular Cuban dishes and give you an idea of what they look like. So sit back, relax and enjoy!
1. Ropa vieja
A classic! Some believe that it is the hallmark of Cuban gastronomy. Its origin is Spanish, they say from the Canary Islands, but here it arrived and here it stayed. It consists of a peeled or torn piece of meat whose aesthetics respond to its name.
While the classic recipe calls for beef, there are some regions that offer up an alternative- pork. As such, if you don’t specify which type of meat you’re looking for when ordering, we suggest asking ahead to ensure that you get what you desire rather than something unexpected.
In addition to meat, it contains tomato paste, red peppers, onions, garlic, and sometimes olives. As a side dish, you can accompany it with white rice and tostones. Dip the rice with the meat sauce and it will be great.
2. Ajiaco
This Cuban food perfectly captures the nation’s unique identity, culture, and flavor. As Cuban ethnologist Fernando Ortiz once wrote, “Cuba is an ajiaco,” which holds true in more ways than one! Undoubtedly, it reflects our idiosyncrasy while delivering an unforgettable culinary experience.
The ajiaco is an iconic Cuban dish, composed of crops freshly harvested from Cuba’s verdant fields, cooked together in a savory broth. It contains pork or beef, corn, cassava, taro, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, green bananas, garlic, hot peppers, cumin, salt, and lemon.
Although this dish is composed of a variety of components, it’s surprisingly easy to make. This traditional recipe requires lots of love from the home cooks who prepare it – making the meal all the more memorable!
3. Moros y Cristianos or Congrí
A Cuban without rice in his food is like a Mexican dish without spicy. Rice is a basic ingredient in our diet. We love it so much that ignoring it at dinner is something like disappointing it.
For the islanders all rice mixed with beans and cooked at the same time is congrí. But curiously the congrí is not the same as “Moors and Christians”. The first, actually, is rice with red beans and the second is with black beans.
Not only are they scrumptious, but rice and beans make a perfect garnish for any special occasion – be it Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, or some other gathering. This delectable dish is super simple to prepare – all you need to do is mix the two together! No festive table should ever go without it.
The beans are previously cooked, then seasoned with garlic, chili, onion, cumin, bay leaves and pork inserts. Finally, add the raw rice and cook until you get a shelled rice.
4. Frijoles Negros Cubanos
Black beans are a cornerstone of Cuban culture, no matter where you go. Unlike their thicker Mexican counterparts, Cubans tend to enjoy theirs in a soup-like broth that’s chock full of flavor.
Its origin is due to the region of Baracoa, in the city of Guantánamo, although it is a very present dish in the daily of our people. For an optimal experience, many enjoy mixing it with white rice. As with congrí, they are seasoned with garlic, chili, onion, salt, cumin, and bay leaf.
Cubans are not shy when it comes to eating. This is precisely a very consistent dish, so we recommend you not to snack much before trying it.
5. Puerco Azado
Roast or grilled piglet is a hallmark dish often served at family gatherings, peasant celebrations, and particularly on Christmas days. This legendary dish has its origins in the aborigines.The mambises of Cuba heavily relied on it for sustenance throughout the War of Independence. This classic meal is an absolute must-have for anyone seeking a tasty tour.
This delectable and succulent dish is ordinarily accompanied by roasted potatoes and a side of white rice for a complete meal. The pork is marinated in a mixture of garlic, cumin, oregano, onion, bay leaf and sour orange juice. Then it’s grilled over charcoal to give it an unbeatable flavor.
If you have an appetite for authentic, traditional Cuban cuisine, then roast pork is a must-have choice for your tasty tour! Its taste will tempt your taste buds like no other.
6. Yuca con Mojo
This dish is a delight of Cuban food. Cassava is a very old product. History says that it reached its popularity thanks to the African slaves brought by the Spaniards.
Abundantly growing on the island is cassava, a nourishing tuber that shares likeness with sweet potatoes and taro. Boil it and mix together “mojo criollo” with onion, garlic, sour orange or lemon juice and lard for an unforgettable taste sensation! Top off this already delicious side dish or starter by adding some crispy pork rinds – guaranteed to tantalize your tastebuds!
It is very common to find on the plate of any islander this typical food of Cuba. Even so, do you know where you can’t miss it? At Christmas dinners.
If we Cubans have a ritual, it is at this time, where the function cannot begin without its protagonists: the typical Moorish and Christian rice, pork, and the rich cassava with mojo.
7. Tamal en casuela
What Cuban doesn’t love a tasty corn tamale? Corn is a plant native to South America that grows throughout the island. From the cob different typical dishes of Cuba are made, including tamale, either in corn husks or casserole.
Delight your taste buds with a savory creation of ground tender corn, succulent pork, flavorful sofrito, and just the right hint of salt and pepper – all wrapped up in one tantalizing tamale.
Enjoy the succulent Cuban flavors while taking in its aroma. Tamal en casuela is a wonderfully comforting dish that’s sure to please everyone!
8. Cuban Tostones
And from Africa comes the banana, an ingredient very present in the Creole menu. Its versatility in the preparation mode allows it to be part of endless dishes.
It could not miss in this top of recipes of typical dishes of Cuba, the tostones or chatinos. These are ideal to taste as an aperitif or side dish.
The tostón is made with green banana. To prepare it, round slices are cut, fried, and then crushed with a mallet. This is how we eat them most in island homes.
You can also find them filled. A very attractive way and that appears in many restaurants even as tapas. Some of their fillings can be cheese, ham or delicious ropa vieja. You know! A meeting of friends, cold beers and some very rich tostones, sounds interesting, right?
9. Quimbombó Cubano
And another very common ingredient in traditional Cuban foods is okra. The humble green pod is said to come from Africa. But in case you did not know, okra has many beneficial properties for health. It has nutritional values rich in fibers and vitamins, as well as potassium and calcium.
The elongated, striated, and gelatinous fruit of this species is a popular ingredient in the stews of Caribbean cuisine. Hence the “bathe with okra so that everything slips”.
But its versatility allows it to go further. We eat it with meats, with vegetables, cooked with flour and even in salads, accompanied by avocado, tomato, and cucumber.
Like many Cuban dishes reflected in the music of this archipelago, the okra could not fail to have its song: “how tasty is the okra, cooked with flour, with dried shrimp and chicken meat.”
10. Casabe de Yuca
Cassava is as old as the island itself. It would be unforgivable to talk about the typical food of Cuba and not mention this food. It has been consumed since the time of the aborigines.
Casabe de Yuca – Indian bread – was part of the daily diet of Cuban populations as an alternative to the wheat bread that Spaniards consumed, this new form of nutrition quickly became a staple in their diets. Hence that phrase so ours “in the absence of bread, casabe”.
Despite the passage of time, casabe’s legacy remained intact. Many traditional food restaurants offer it as a starter or as a side dish with some dishes. For example, it is very common to see it in the form of bruschettas or with old clothes.
During her visit to Cuba in 2019, Her Majesty Queen Letizia Ortiz had a vivid hallucination about the unique dining experience. “Addictive” was how she described the warm casabe she tasted, which had been roasted in an oven with oil and garlic. She became so addicted to it that she not only took a basket of it back home with her, but also asked for the recipe so that the cook of the Royal House could make it for her.
Furthermore, casabe is naturally gluten-free and therefore favored by vegans and vegetarians.
A tasty tour of the most popular Cuban foods: Now you know!
All in all, Cuba has a lot to offer when it comes to its traditional cuisine. From tamales and quimbombós to cassava casabe, you’ll find something for everyone! If you want to sample the best of Cuban food without having to do extensive research or wait in long lines at restaurants, consider taking a tour with VC Tours. We have experienced guides who will show you around some of Havana’s most popular eateries so that you can experience the flavors of this vibrant island nation firsthand. With our knowledgeable staff on hand, we guarantee an authentic culinary adventure like no other!
VC Tours is the perfect way to experience all the delicious flavors of Cuban cuisine! Our Tasty Tour takes you on a journey across the island, sampling some of the most iconic dishes and discovering new surprises along the way.