Yumundi
English
EC

Ecuadorian Recipes

12 recipes

Ecuadorian food changes with altitude. On the coast, fish, shrimp, green plantain and peanuts shape the menu, with ceviche, encebollado and bolón de verde as everyday classics. In the Andes, potatoes, corn, beans and pork take over, giving soups such as locro, crisp fritada and cheese-filled llapingachos. The Amazon adds yuca, river fish and wild fruits. Spanish cooking brought pork, rice, onions and cheese, while native crops such as potatoes and many varieties of corn stayed at the center of the table. Flavors are usually mild and savory, built on garlic, cumin, achiote (annatto), cilantro and citrus, and the heat comes from ají, a fresh hot sauce served on the side. Lunch is the main meal and often starts with a soup and ends with a fruit juice. Festive foods follow the calendar: fanesca in Holy Week, colada morada and sweet bread figures around the first days of November, and roast or fried pork at big family gatherings.

Staple ingredients

Breakfast

Appetizers

Soups

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Desserts

Snacks

Drinks

Common questions

What is Ecuadorian food known for?

Ceviche, encebollado fish soup, llapingachos (cheese-filled potato patties), fritada (fried pork) and hearty Andean soups such as locro. Coastal dishes lean on seafood and plantain, while mountain dishes lean on potatoes, corn and pork.

What is the national dish of Ecuador?

There is no official one. Many Ecuadorians name encebollado for the coast and fritada with hominy and plantain for the mountains, and fanesca is the most symbolic dish of Holy Week.

Is Ecuadorian food spicy?

Not usually. Dishes are seasoned with garlic, cumin and achiote, and the heat comes from ají, a fresh hot sauce served on the side so each person can add as much as they like.