Have you had the pleasure of tasting Venezuelan food? If your answer is no, you’re missing out on a unique gastronomic experience.
It’s incredibly diverse and delicious, which is why it has gained international fame. It includes dishes from every state in the country.
From main courses to appetizers and traditional Christmas dishes, here’s a list of the ones you absolutely must try.
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Top 10 Venezuelan Food You Have to Try
Discover the vibrant flavors of Venezuela with our curated list of the top 10 must-try dishes!
Indulge in these culinary delights and embark on a delicious journey through Venezuelan cuisine. Don’t miss out—your taste buds will thank you!
1. Arepas
More than just a simple cornmeal food, arepas are a traditional and essential part of the Venezuelan food.
Their round, flattened shape, thicker than other arepa varieties, allows you to fill them with your favorite ingredients.
From savory meats and cheeses to ham, black beans, chicken, tomato, avocado, and many more flavors. How are they made?
Ingredients:
- 800 g cornmeal
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oil
Steps: Mix everything until you get a smooth dough. Then, make small dough balls and flatten them carefully.
Grill on a hot pan or griddle until both sides are golden. You can also fry or bake them.
Once ready, slice them in half and fill them.
2. Pabellón Criollo
Want to discover the true culinary taste of Venezuela food? Then try this national dish.
It’s made of an irresistible combination of shredded beef, white rice, black beans, and fried plantains. Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg beef brisket
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ bell pepper
- 2 sweet peppers
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 can black beans
- ½ cup oil
- 2 cups rice
- 2 plantains
Steps: Cook the beef in water until tender. Shred it and mix with sautéed vegetables, some broth, and tomato paste.
Season and let it simmer for a while longer. Sauté the black beans separately. Cook the rice and fry the plantain slices. Serve everything on the same plate.
3. Hallacas
Another must-try Venezuelan food, especially during Christmas, is hallacas. These are made from corn dough filled with a savory stew and wrapped in banana leaves.
Ingredients:
- Beef
- Pork
- Shredded chicken
- Capers
- Olives
- Raisins
- Wine
- Sugarcane syrup (papelón)
- Scallions
- Onion
- Leek
- Bell pepper
- Sweet peppers
- Annatto oil
- Cornmeal
- Seasonings
- Banana leaves
Steps: Chop the meats, vegetables, and herbs for the stew. Sauté onions, peppers, leeks, and capers.
Add the meats with papelón and wine. Season and cook in water for 2 hours.
Prepare the dough by mixing cornmeal with water and annatto oil. Spread a portion on a greased banana leaf.
Place the stew in the center, and decorate with olives, raisins, pepper strips, and onions. Fold the leaf, tie it with string, and boil for 2 hours.
4. Cachapas
These are thick, sweet corn pancakes made from ground corn kernels.
They are usually filled with fresh cheese (queso de mano or guayanés) or meat, though some prefer to pair them with roasted pork.
Ingredients:
- 230 g sweet corn
- ¼ cup milk
- 20 g cornmeal
- 1 egg
- 20 g butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Cheese
Steps: In a blender, blend the corn kernels. Add the milk, egg, salt, sugar, cornmeal, and butter.
Mix until you get a thick batter, then let it rest covered for about 30 minutes.
Spoon the batter onto a hot buttered pan or griddle. Cook for a few minutes before flipping.
Both sides should be golden. Top with butter and the cheese of your choice, then fold in half.
5. Tequeños
Tequeños are delicious cheese sticks wrapped in a soft dough that becomes crispy when fried.
They are a beloved tradition at many celebrations, served as appetizers.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb cheese
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 5 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup water
- Oil
Steps: Cut the cheese into sticks about 1 cm wide and 7 cm long.
Mix the remaining ingredients, except for the oil, to form the dough. When it’s no longer sticky, let it rest for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into a square and cut it into even strips.
Take a cheese stick and wrap it with the dough from one end to the other, sealing it well. Fry until golden brown.
6. Venezuelan Empanadas
As iconic as arepas, Venezuelan empanadas are made from cornmeal and filled with irresistible flavors like chicken, cheese, beef, or shark.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cornmeal
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- Filling of your choice
Steps: Mix the dry ingredients, then slowly add water to form a dough.
Knead gently until the texture is smooth and even. Place a portion of the dough between two pieces of plastic and flatten it.
Add your desired filling, fold the dough, press the edges, and fry your empanadas in hot oil.
7. Asado Negro
This dish will elevate your culinary experience, made with succulent beef that’s marinated and slowly cooked.
It’s coated in a rich black sauce made from sugar or sugarcane syrup (papelón), a blend of spices, and wine.
Ingredients:
- 2 kg eye round beef
- 2 onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 4 tomatoes
- 3 sweet peppers
- 1 bell pepper
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups water
- Wine
Steps: Marinate the beef with spices and vegetables the night before. The next day, sear it in a hot pan with sugar.
The sugar will melt and turn dark brown. Add water, wine, and continue cooking until the meat is tender.
Slice the meat and pour the sauce over it.
8. Mondongo
This soup combines the flavor and tenderness of beef tripe with the texture of yam, yucca, and potatoes.
Ingredients:
- 500 g of tripe (mondongo)
- 250 g of lean pork
- 2 lemons
- 5 cups of water
- 1 tbsp of oil
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 green onion stalks
- Rib broth
- 1 cup of carrots
- ½ kg of potatoes
- 125 g of green peas
Instructions: Clean the tripe with warm water and lemons. Let it soak for 1 hour, change the water, and wash it again.
Cook until tender, and once cooled, cut into small pieces. Sauté the pork, then add the vegetables, broth, and a cup of water.
Let it cook for 15 minutes, then add the tripe. The result is a delicious, thick soup.
9. Pastel de Chucho
This dish is from the eastern region of Venezuela and is made with layers of fried plantain, a fish stew, and egg, all baked and gratinated in the oven.
Ingredients:
- 453 g of shark (cazón)
- 4 ripe plantains
- 6 cups of water
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 onion
- Green onion
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup of cilantro
- ½ cup of chopped chili peppers
- ½ cup of oil
- ¼ tsp of pepper
- 1 tbsp of butter
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 lemon
- 6 eggs
- 340 g of cheese
- 1 cup of honey
Instructions: Thoroughly clean the fish with water and lemon. Cook in 6 cups of water, strain, and shred it.
Prepare a stew with the shark, spices, and sautéed vegetables. Fry plantain slices and place a layer in a greased baking dish.
Add a layer of the stew, alternating layers. Cover with beaten egg and bake until golden.
10. Ham Bread (Pan de Jamón)
Don’t miss out on this irresistible holiday bread filled with smoked ham, bacon, raisins, and stuffed olives.
Ingredients:
- ½ kg of wheat flour
- 250 ml of water
- 6 g of yeast
- 35 g of milk
- 1 egg
- 25 g of sugar
- 50 g of butter
- 5 g of salt
- 400 g of ham
- 10 strips of bacon
- 100 g of olives
- 40 g of raisins
Instructions: Mix the flour with the milk, yeast, sugar, salt, a beaten egg, and water to make the dough.
After kneading and letting it rest for 45 minutes, roll it out into a rectangular shape. Place the olives, ham, bacon, and raisins on the dough.
Roll up the bread, brush it with beaten egg, and bake until ready.
What do you think of these Venezuelan food? They are irresistible, and you won’t regret trying them!