16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (2024)

From fried plantains to hearty oxtail soup.

by Hannah LoewentheilBuzzFeed Staff

With fall in full swing, there's no better time to indulge in delicious, feel-good comfort foods. From Peruvian aji de gallina to Mexican pozole, here're some the most delicious and comforting Latinx dishes from around the world.

1. Causa with Chicken

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (3)

Cravings Journal / Via cravingsjournal.com

This classic Peruvian dish is usually served as an appetizer. It's basically a mashed potato cake layered with egg, avocado, and in this recipe, a Dijon chicken salad. Get the recipe.

2. Pozole Chicken Soup

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (4)

The Foodie Affair / Via thefoodieaffair.com

There's no better way to take advantage of soup season than with classic Mexican pozole made with tender pork and hominy cooked in red chili sauce and spices. Get the recipe.

3. Empanadas de Plátano Maduro

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (5)

My Colombian Recipes / Via mycolombianrecipes.com

These are basically fried plantain disks stuffed with mozzarella cheese and baked until perfectly brown and melty. Get the recipe.

4. Provoleta

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (6)

He Needs Food / Via heneedsfood.com

The Argentinians take grilled cheese to the next level with this popular dish. It's a provelone-type cheese that's cooked until bubbly and golden brown. Get the recipe.

5. Nicaraguan Vigoron

The Candid Appetite / Via thecandidappetite.com

This popular Nicaraguan street food is made with boiled yuca, crispy pork rinds, and tangy cabbage salad. Get the recipe.

6. Citrus Pulled Cochinita Pibil

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (7)

The Hungry Hounds / Via thehungryhounds.com

If you want comfort food at its best, look no further than this Yucatan specialty: Pulled pork shoulder marinated and braised in a bunch of citrus, jalapeños, honey, and spices. Get the recipe.

7. Pan de Yuca

No Gluten No Problem / Via nogluten-noproblem.com

This bread made with tapioca flour, queso fresco, mozzarella, and egg is more commonly known as pao de queijo in Brazil, but it's a popular snack food in Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, and Bolivia as well. Get the recipe.

8. Rellenitos de Platano

Zesty South Indian Kitchen / Via zestysouthindiankitchen.com

This Guatemalan dessert is made of mashed plantains that are fried and stuffed with a sweet mixture of refried beans and chocolate, then topped with cinnamon sugar. Get the recipe.

9. Sancocho

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Antojando Ando / Via antojandoando.com

This hearty stew is popular in a handful of Caribbean islands and Latin American countries like Puerto Rico, the Domincan Republic, and Cuba. It typically contains potatoes, yuca, corn, plantains, and meat like oxtail or beef shank. Get the recipe.

10. Pescado Encocado

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (9)

Obsessive Cooking / Via obsessivecooking.com

This Ecuadorian seafood dish is made with either shrimp or any flaky local fish. It all gets simmered in rich coconut milk. Get the recipe.

11. Mofongo Relleno

Food Fidelity / Via foodfidelity.com

This Afro-caribbean dish is made with fried plantains that are mashed with garlic, olive oil, and spices. In this version, it's topped with sautéed shrimp. Get the recipe.

12. Aji de Gallina

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (10)

Mi Dario de Cocina / Via midiariodecocina.com

If you can't book a trip to Lima, transport yourself to Peru with this traditional dish. It's chicken that's smothered in a rich sauce made from aji peppers, garlic, walnuts, evaporated milk, and white bread (which gives the sauce its thick and creamy consistency). Get the recipe.

13. Canoas de Platanos Maduros (Ripe Plantain Canoes with Eggplant)

Dominican Cooking / Via dominicancooking.com

By now, you probably realize plantains are a staple of many Latin American comfort foods, and these mashed plantain boats are no exception. Here, they're stuffed with a vegetarian filling of eggplant, pepper, tomato, and plenty of cheese. Get the recipe.

14. Ajiaco Colombiano

He Needs Food / Via heneedsfood.com

There are few foods as comforting as a big, piping bowl of soup. This Colombian take on chicken soup is loaded with corn, chunky potatoes, and topped with avocado and red chilli. Get the recipe.

15. Chivito

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (11)

Compass and Fork / Via compassandfork.com

When you think of Uruguayan cuisine, the chivito steak sandwich will probably come to mind. This massive creation is made with steak, bacon, cheese, onion, red bell pepper, chimichurri sauce, lettuce, tomato, and sliced hard-boiled eggs all stuffed into a roll. Get the recipe.

16. Crispy Salted Tostones

Pinch of Yum / Via pinchofyum.com

Crispy fried plantains — known as tostones, patacón pisao, or tachinos depending on the country — are a popular snack food throughout Latin America. They're often served with ketchup or garlic and oil for dipping. Get the recipe.

Check out even more awesome Hispanic Heritage Month content!

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (12)

Ellie Sunakawa / BuzzFeed

16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 Latin American foods? ›

The 7 Best Latin American Dishes – Rich, Diverse, and Authentic
  • Tacos – Mexico.
  • Empanadas – Argentina.
  • Ceviche – Peru.
  • Feijoada – Brazil.
  • Arepas – Venezuela & Colombia.
  • Pupusas – El Salvador.
  • Gallo Pinto – Costa Rica & Nicaragua.
  • Embracing Latin America's Culinary Richness.
Jun 29, 2023

What's your go to comfort food best answer? ›

It's the food you like having to feel good. Could be something like fish and chips, mac and cheese, spaghetti, a hot dog, some noodles, a dosa, or maybe Snickers or some good old paratha.

What is America's #1 comfort food? ›

Become a Jetsetter
  • 1 Chicken and Waffles.
  • 2 Spaghetti and Meatballs.
  • 3 Chicken Fried Steak.
  • 4 Mac and Cheese.
  • 5 Hotdish.
  • 6 Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.
  • 7 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.
  • 8 Matzo Ball Soup.
Mar 1, 2020

What are 5 Latin American foods? ›

Some items typical of Latin American cuisine include maize-based dishes arepas, empanadas, pupusas, tacos, tamales, tortillas and various salsas and other condiments (guacamole, pico de gallo, mole, chimichurri, chili, aji, pebre).

What 4 types of foods originated in South America? ›

If you love South American food, you'll enjoy some of these tasty treats from street vendors:
  • Churros.
  • Arepas.
  • Salchipapas.
  • Tamales.
  • Pupusas.
Feb 25, 2021

What is pan Latin food? ›

Pan Latin food is a term used to describe cuisines from several regions in South and Central America. These are countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala among others.

What is a popular food in Latin America? ›

The list of top Latin American cuisines may feel incomplete without mentioning nachos. It is the most popular food that people in almost all countries like to savor. The Mexican dish with tortilla chips has various vegetables and meat toppings. It is flavored with condiments to make it tastier and more delicious.

What is your favorite comfort food? ›

Our 20 all-time favorite comfort foods
  • 1 of 20. Chicken noodle soup. Joshua Resnick / shutterstock.com. ...
  • 2 of 20. Chicken pot pie. Charles Brutlag / shutterstock.com. ...
  • 3 of 20. Chicken tenders. ...
  • 4 of 20. Chili. ...
  • 5 of 20. Chocolate chip cookies. ...
  • 6 of 20. Cinnamon buns. ...
  • 7 of 20. Cornbread. ...
  • 8 of 20. Fries.
Apr 29, 2024

What are the main comfort foods? ›

In one study of American preferences, "males preferred warm, hearty, meal-related comfort foods (such as steak, casseroles, and soup) while females instead preferred comfort foods that were more snack related (such as chocolate and ice cream).

What are the 10 most popular foods in the world? ›

10 most popular dishes in the world
  • Tortilla | Country: Mexico. ...
  • Yakiniku | Country: Japan. ...
  • Croissant | Country: France. ...
  • Tacos | Country: Mexico. ...
  • Ramen | Country: Japan. ...
  • Burger | Country: America. ...
  • Sushi | Country: Japan. ...
  • Pizza | Country: Italy.

What is the most popular food in Latin America? ›

Ceviche is one of the most popular Latin American dishes that you can find across the coastal areas of South and Central America. Each country has its own take on the raw fish dish, but none do it quite like Peru, where this dish got its start.

What are 4 key foods that are important to the Latin American cuisine? ›

Some of the most foundational ingredients across Latin America are beans, corn, rice, squash, tomatoes, and peppers.

What is the most popular Hispanic dish? ›

The tortilla shells are usually filled with a variety of vegetables, meats, chicken, cheese, and even seafood if you are feeling fancy. You can pretty much put anything in it and call it a taco. It is perhaps the most popular Hispanic food that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world.

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