WHAT TO EAT IN GUATEMALA

Most people who have traveled through Central America will argue that Guatemala has the most delicious food. With its Maya culture merging with Spanish traditions, the local cuisine here is far more flavorsome and complex than that of the neighboring countries. Tourist hot spots, such as Antigua, certainly aren’t short of excellent restaurants and international food, but if you’re looking for something more authentic, here are our suggestions for what to eat in Guatemala.

 

Guatemalan Plate

 

Pupusas

Pupusas are everywhere in Guatemala and are a great way for travelers who are on a budget to fill up. Thick corn tortillas are stuffed with a variety of fillings – usually refried beans, cheese, and/or pork – and then fried until the surface is crisp and the inside squashy. A pupusa traditionally comes with a helping of salsa and cabbage to keep it fresh.

 

Pupusas

Kak’ik

Kak’ik is the other contender for Guatemala’s national dish. This traditional Maya turkey soup is packed with spices, including coriander, achiote, and chilies, and is an important part of Maya cultural heritage. Its roots go back to the Q’eqchi’ ethnic group, who still prepare the dish in the same way as they did hundreds of years ago.

 

Kak’ik

Fiambre

This traditional salad is made to celebrate the Day of the Dead and All Saints’ Day in Guatemala. It can contain as many as 50 ingredients, with cold cuts and beets among them.

 

Fiambre

Tamales

While many Latin American countries serve tamales, the Guatemalan version has a special touch. Fans of Mexican food might be used to corn tamales wrapped in corn husks, but in Guatemala, they are bigger and come in banana leaves.

 

Tamal

Jocón de Pollo

This traditional chicken stew is a hearty affair that goes down well in cold mountain areas. After a long day of hiking in the Cuchumatanes, it’s great for warming up in the evening.

 

Jocón de Pollo

Tapado

Visitors to the town of Livingston on the Caribbean coast will soon become familiar with tapado. This seafood stew is made with coconut milk, and it’s delicious. Don’t be put off by the idea of stew on a hot day, it really is worth trying.

 

Tapado Preparation

Tortillas

The corn tortilla in Guatemala can also be prepared in a myriad of ways. Fried and topped (typically with guacamole and some salty cheese), it’s a tostada, while rolled or folded around a filling – meat-and-cheese is always popular – it may be a taco, enchilada, or doblada. Usually, a salsa, based on a blend of ripe tomato and miltomates (green tomatoes), is served with these dishes. A pupusa (called a baleada in Honduras) is a fresh tortilla stuffed with anything, but usually including refried beans, repollo (pickled shredded cabbage leaves), and cheese.

 

Tortillas

Chicken Pepian

Guatemala doesn’t really have a national dish, but pepián is probably the closest thing to it. This spicy stew, borne out of the fusion of the Spanish and Maya cultures, is one of the oldest dishes in Guatemala. Although chicken is most commonly used, it can also be made with beef or pork. All varieties of the dish contain both fruit and vegetables (usually pear, squash, carrot, potato, and corn) and a rich mix of spices. It’s traditionally served with rice and tortillas.

 

Pepian 

 

Desserts

 

Sweets, snacks, and desserts tend to be very sweet in Guatemala. Rellenitos – cooked, mashed plantain, stuffed with sweetened beans, and fried – are widely available, as is mole de plátano, which is plantain served in a sweet, spiced cocoa-flavored sauce. Vegetables – for example, sweet potato, pumpkin, or chayote – may be simmered in sugar syrups until they are caramelized or stuffed with a sweet mixture. Cake making is generally a specialized business, but pastel borracho is soaked in rum syrup before being iced, while pastel de elote is made with corn.

 

Guatemalan Desserts

Book your Guatemala tour here and find out for yourself what are the best dishes to eat in Guatemala!