Venezuelan Recipes
16 recipesVenezuelan food rests on corn. Precooked white cornmeal becomes arepas, cachapas and the dough for hallacas, and almost every meal includes one of them. The Caribbean coast adds coconut, fish and plantain, while the cattle plains supply beef and fresh white cheese. Cooks rely on black beans, rice, plantain, cassava and starchy roots, and they build flavor with a sofrito of onion, sweet pepper and garlic. Cilantro is everywhere, and guasacaca, a green sauce of avocado and herbs, goes with grilled meat. Sweet and salty combinations are normal, such as fried ripe plantain next to salty cheese. Indigenous, African, Spanish and Italian traditions all show up on the table, and pasticho and pan de jamón are much loved at home. December is the biggest cooking season, built around hallacas, pan de jamón, roast pork and sweet candied papaya. Papelón, unrefined cane sugar, sweetens drinks and desserts.
Staple ingredients
- precooked white cornmeal
- black beans
- plantain
- white cheese (queso blanco)
- beef
- rice
- papelón (unrefined cane sugar)
- cilantro and sweet peppers
- Breakfast 2
- Appetizers 1
- Soups 1
- Main Dishes 5
- Side Dishes 1
- Breads 2
- Desserts 1
- Snacks 1
- Drinks 1
- Sauces, Dips and Condiments 1
Breakfast
Cachapas (Venezuelan Sweet Corn Pancakes with Cheese)VE40 minEasy
Perico (Venezuelan Scrambled Eggs with Tomato and Onion)VE25 minEasy
Appetizers
Soups
Main Dishes
Pabellón Criollo (Venezuelan Shredded Beef, Black Beans and Rice)VE3 hMedium
Asado Negro (Venezuelan Caramelized Beef Pot Roast)VE4 h 5 minMedium
Hallacas (Venezuelan Christmas Corn Parcels with Stewed Meat)VE4 h 30 minChallenging
Pasticho (Venezuelan Baked Pasta with Meat Sauce, Ham and Cheese)VE2 h 10 minMedium
Pernil al Horno (Venezuelan Garlic Roast Pork Leg)VE3 h 10 minMedium
Side Dishes
Breads
Arepas (Venezuelan Cornmeal Flatbreads)VE55 minEasy
Pan de Jamón (Venezuelan Christmas Ham Bread)VE1 h 20 minMedium
Desserts
Snacks
Drinks
Sauces, Dips and Condiments
Common questions
What is Venezuelan food known for?
Arepas, pabellón criollo (shredded beef with black beans, rice and plantain), cachapas, tequeños and hallacas at Christmas. Corn and plantain appear in nearly every meal.
What is the national dish of Venezuela?
Pabellón criollo is widely regarded as the national dish. It combines shredded beef, black beans, white rice and fried ripe plantain on one plate.
Is Venezuelan food spicy?
Not much. Dishes are seasoned with garlic, onion, cumin, sweet pepper and cilantro. A chili sauce may be offered at the table, and guasacaca is herby rather than hot.