Bring the vibrant flavors of Panama, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic to your home kitchen. The Central America & Dominican Republic Tourist Board (CATA) shares eight easy-to-prepare recipes highlighting regional staples like cassava, black and red beans, peanuts, rice, chili, avocado, cocoa, pineapple, and coconut. These authentic dishes—from Belize's Chimole to the Dominican Republic's La Bandera—are simple to make and perfect for home cooks.
Chimole – Belize
Belizean cuisine bursts with bold flavors from diverse cultural influences. Chimole, a popular Mayan-origin stew similar to a hearty soup, owes its smoky taste to a spice blend featuring “Black Recado.”
Preparation: Discard cores and seeds from 10 red peppers and roast until slightly blistered and blackened, then rest in a bowl of water. Grind cloves, a few allspice berries, 1 tablespoon annatto seeds, and ½ teaspoon cumin. Blend 5 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, ½ tablespoon pepper, a pinch of salt, the ground spices, and roasted peppers into a black paste. Serve with hard-boiled eggs to taste.
Enchiladas – Guatemala
Guatemalan enchiladas differ from Mexican versions with their fresh, harmonious mix of lettuce, beets, onions, tomato sauce, parsley, eggs, and cheese layered on corn tortillas.
Preparation: Layer a lettuce leaf on a corn tortilla with a vegetable mix (including onion and beets), optional sliced beef or chicken, and tomato sauce. Top with sliced hard-boiled egg, crumbled hard cheese, and chopped cilantro.
Pupusas – El Salvador
Pupusas are El Salvador's iconic street food—stuffed corn tortillas that are simple to make and irresistibly tasty.
Preparation: Mix 150g corn flour with 75g water to form dough. Shape into rounds, fill with cheese, bean paste, and chicharrón (pork). Seal, lightly grease a hot pan, and cook until golden on both sides.
Fried Fish with Plantain Slices and Pickles – Honduras
This juicy, crispy dish is a Honduran staple, especially in the north where fresh fish abounds. Serve with fried plantains, pickles, chismol spices, and cabbage.
Preparation: Season fish (mojarra or tilapia) with salt, thyme, oregano, pepper, and chicken stock. Dredge in flour and fry in hot oil until golden. Fry 1-inch plantain slices 3 minutes per side until crisp; drain on paper towels. For pickles: Boil 1 cup water, sugar, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, and 2 bay leaves. Add sliced red onion, cabbage, and optional chili; cool quickly in ice water. Refrigerate up to 3 months.
Baho – Nicaragua
Baho combines meat, plantains, and cassava in a slow-cooked delight that's worth the effort for meat lovers.
Preparation: Marinate 1kg ground meat with 1 chopped onion, salt, 2-3 garlic cloves, and 1 cup orange juice for 24 hours. Layer banana leaves in a pan with sliced cassava, plantains, meat, 500g diced tomatoes, half red and half green bell pepper, and onion wedges. Add 1½ cups water; cook 2 hours medium, then 2 hours low, adding water if needed. Serve on banana leaves with cortido (vinegar-lime cabbage-tomato salad).
Picadillo de Papa – Costa Rica
Potatoes are a Latin American staple, and Costa Rica's picadillo de papa with minced meat is quick and comforting.
Preparation: In a thick pan, heat olive oil and cook 300g minced beef, 4 bacon slices, ½ chopped onion, 150g chopped bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1½ teaspoons salt, and cilantro until meat browns. Add 1kg diced potatoes, 1 glass water, and oregano. Simmer covered 15 minutes until tender. Rest with cilantro; serve warm with tortillas.
Sancocho – Panama
Panama's sancocho is a comforting chicken and potato soup that's a national favorite.
Preparation: Boil 1.5kg chicken in water 5 minutes high heat. Add 1kg diced potatoes, 400g cassava; simmer 45 minutes. Stir in chopped onion, green bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, salt, and oregano; cook 15 minutes. Rest covered 10 minutes; serve with rice.
La Bandera Dominicana – Dominican Republic
La Bandera, meaning "the flag," mirrors the Dominican tricolor with rice (white), beans (red), and meat (blue).
Preparation: Marinate meat in spice mix, broth, olives, juice, vinegar, garlic, pepper, salt, oregano, onion, and bell pepper for 1 hour. Caramelize sugar in hot oil, brown meat, add marinade and water. Simmer with tomato, onion, and chili to saucy consistency. Beans: Fry pork in 4 tablespoons oil with oregano, onion, chili, tomato, celery, garlic; add water, stock cube, beans, and 3 cups water. Stir to creamy. Season. Rice: Cook as preferred.
