10 DISHES TO TRY IN COLOMBIA The Tandem Ramble

10 DISHES TO TRY IN COLOMBIA

1. Patacones

Crispy flat pancakes made out of mashed plantain. Served as a side dish or as a snack with spicy sauce. Available all over the country.

2. Trucha or Mojarra

Trout and Mojarra are the most popular fishes is Colombia. Eat it grilled or fried- it will always taste delicious. Served usually with rice and salad. The best ones we had was near Santa Rosa de Cabal in the Finca La Marcelandia, where you can fish your lunch by yourself.

3. Chorizo Santarosano

Chorizo in Colombia is delicious but tastes nothing like the one we know from Spain. It is surely not that spicy and does not contain hot red pepper but certainly tastes great and is worth trying. The town of Santa Rosa de Cabal is famous for Chorizos and even holds the world record for the longest with 1,917.8 m (6,291 ft 11 in).

4. Sancocho

Sancocho is a soup cooked with chicken meat and many vegetables such as manioc, corn, potatoes, and plantain. Served with rice on the side, a salad and a big piece of delicious Colombian avocado. The best one we had was served in Finca Guadalupana.

5. Ajiaco soup

Another Colombian soup. It’s a chicken broth cooked with 3 kinds of potatoes, corn, chicken meat, and cilantro. It is served, like Sancocho with rice and avocado on the side but also with cream and capers- delicious and very filling. We recommend the one served in Balsora Hotel Boutique.

6. Calentao

Is breakfast for you also the most important meal of the day? Well, in Colombia it is taken it very seriously to eat well in the morning. Calentao is a mix of beans and rice served for breakfast. It usually comes with scrambled eggs and arepas. In Quindio they even add a piece of chicken or pork to it. So, forget about your cereals.

7. Arepa de Chocolo

We have already mentioned arepa in our Venezuelan article. It is a corn pancake eaten instead of bread. Chocolo is a special kind of corn which makes all the difference. Those arepas are fluffy, sweet and DELICIOUS. Filled with local, melted cheese it makes the best snack. It is available in every second street stand all over the country.

8. Chicharron

Now that’s a dish for real meat eaters. It’s pork belly deep-fried with skin, fat and a little bit of meat. It is erved usually with rice, potatoes and a bit of a salad.

9. Sopa de Frijoles

Beans fuel the entire population of Colombia. Be certain of that. Sopa de frijoles is a thick bean soup prepared with herbs and pork meat. It can be served on its own or with rice and a salad. The best one we had was definitely in Centro Campestre Mawa.

10. Bandeja Paisa

This is the national dish of Colombia. It’s a plate with rice, fried plantain, beans, meat, and avocado. This dish is usually served in huge portions.

11. Bunuelos

These sweet rolls filled with cheese can be found in almost every bakery in Colombia. Taste the best fresh and warm!

12. Jugos naturales

They come with every meal in Colombia, thick and delicious. It is a fresh juice pulp mixed with water or milk. Try guanabana or tomate de arbol (tree tomato) if you have the chance!