Cuban Recipes

18 recipes

Cuban cooking grew from Spanish, West African and Indigenous Taíno roots, with later touches from Chinese and other Caribbean settlers. Nearly every savory dish begins with sofrito: onion, green pepper and garlic cooked in oil, usually with cumin and oregano. Pork is the favorite meat and is roasted whole for special nights, while beef, chicken and fish fill everyday pots. Rice and beans appear daily, either cooked together as moros y cristianos or served as soup over white rice. Root vegetables such as yuca, malanga and boniato, plus green and ripe plantains, round out the plate. Mojo, a sauce of garlic and sour orange, flavors roast pork and boiled yuca alike. Flavors are savory and aromatic rather than hot. Desserts are sweet and milky, from flan to guava pastries, and a tiny cup of strong, sugary coffee ends many meals. Nochebuena, on December 24, centers on roast pork, black beans, rice and yuca.

Staple ingredients

black beans
rice
pork
yuca
plantains
sour orange and lime
garlic and cumin
guava paste

Soups 2
Main Dishes 8
Side Dishes 2
Desserts 2
Snacks 2
Drinks 2

Soups

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Desserts

Snacks

Drinks

Common questions

What is Cuban food known for?

Roast pork with garlic mojo, ropa vieja (shredded beef), black beans and rice, fried plantains and the pressed Cuban sandwich. Flavors lean savory and garlicky rather than spicy.

What is the national dish of Cuba?

There is no official one. Ajiaco, a stew of meats and root vegetables, is often called the national stew, while rice with black beans and roast pork are the foods most people name first.

Is Cuban food spicy?

Not usually. Seasoning comes from garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaf and sour orange. Hot pepper is rare in home cooking, and any heat is added at the table.