Guide to Traditional Puerto Rican Food (2024)

Heaping portions of crispy, garlicky, fried plantains; slow-roasted, succulent pork; savory rice and beans chased with a cold local beer or fruity rum co*cktail, and that's just your first meal.

Having the opportunity to enjoy authentic Puerto Rican food is a highlight of many visitors' experiences. The vibrancy ofPuerto Rican culturecomes alive in its dishes, a celebration of flavors that visitors have the opportunity to indulge in. Some of the favorites aremofongo,tostones,pasteles,arroz con gandules,tembleque, andcoquito.

Here is a guide to some of the dishes that you shouldn't miss out on:

Mofongo

Puerto Rican comfort food at its finest...

Mofongois traditionally made from deep-fried green plantain pieces mashed with garlic and either salt-cured pork, pork crackling, butter, or oil. Some recipes use a salty broth to soften the plantains while mashing.

Mofongocan be served as a side dish or stuffed with any meat, such as stewed chicken, crab meat, octopus, skirt steak, fried pork, seafood, or stewed vegetables. Other variations ofmofongoinclude yucamofongoandtrifongo, made with green plantain, sweet plantain, and yuca.

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Tostones and amarillos

These are two traditional ways to prepare plantains.Tostonesare made from green plantain, which is savory. The plantain is cut into thick wheels marinated in water and garlic, then deep-fried in oil to soften, smashed, and deep-fried again until crispy.Amarillos,on the other hand, are ripe plantains cut into pieces and fried until the outside is almost blackened, and the inside is soft and sweet.

Lechón asado

A Puerto Rican culinary legacy! To prepare this delicacy, first, a whole pig (lechón) is marinated inadobo(a mix of garlic, oregano, black pepper, vinegar, and water) and then slowly roasted over coals for several hours until the meat is juicy and the skin crispy. To sample some of the bestlechónin Puerto Rico, plan a day trip toGuavate, where the road headed up the mountains ofCayeyis lined withlechoneras(pork restaurants) serving locally sourced pork. Another specialty pork dish ispernil, or pork shoulder, seasoned with adobo, and roasted in the oven.

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Arroz y habichuelas

Rice and beans are the quintessential Puerto Rican side dish. Pink beans are stewed with onions, peppers, garlic, ham hock, calabaza squash, andsofrito —a cooking base made by blending onion, garlic, peppers, culantro, cilantro, and oregano (as well as other herbs, spices, and aromatics depending on the family recipe).

White, medium-grain rice is cooked separately from the beans and seasoned with olive oil and salt. The two are served next to each other so you can choose how much beans to add to the rice.

Desserts

The best part of the meal! Traditional seasonal desserts includetembleque, a silky coconut custard; andarroz con dulce, rice pudding with cinnamon and raisins. Other traditional desserts includeflan, a vanilla custard cake; andcasquitos de guayaba, guava paste paired with local white cheese.

There is also a version of eggnog calledcoquito, which is made with evaporated milk, condensed milk, coconut milk, cinnamon, and white rum. There are also flavored versions ofcoquito, including chocolate, pistachio, and guava.

Guide to Puerto Rican Pastries

Pasteles

A true local specialty,pastelesresemble tamales and are traditionally made with green bananamasastuffed with stewed pork meat. Sometimes yuca or other root vegetables are added; themasacan also be made with just yuca.Pastelescan also be stuffed with chicken orbacalao(salted cod), and some vegan versions have been introduced recently.

To form thepastel,masais pressed onto a plantain leaf, the stuffing added in the center, and the plantain leaf is folded, tied with string and covered in parchment paper. Thepastelesare then boiled, unwrapped, and served.

Frituras

Deep-fried treats commonly found in open-air, beachside restaurants that pair beautifully with a cold beer. These are usually stuffed with ground beef, crab meat, chicken, fish, octopus, conch, or other seafood types. There are a variety of different fritters you will find in Puerto Rico.

Here are a few of the common types of frituras you might taste during your visit:

Alcapurriasare torpedo-shaped frittersmade from shredded root vegetables like yuca andyautía, stuffed with a choice of meat.These deep-fried snacks arenormally found in open-air, beachside restaurants that pair beautifully with a cold beer. Alcapurriasare usually stuffed with ground beef, crab meat, chicken, fish, octopus, conch, or other types of seafood.

Empanadillasare a larger version of pastelillos, also stuffed with a choice of meat and fried. There’s also a popular pizza version filled with melted mozzarella cheese and marinarasauce.

Arepasare flour-based, sometimes made with coconut for a slightly sweet flavor, fried and then stuffed, usually with seafood. Locals often eat them by themselves as appetizers.

Bacalaítosarea simple batter of flour and water with chunks of salted cod and parsley, deep-fried into what look like giant corn flakes.

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