Do you want to learn about Food and Gastronomy of Nicaragua? You have reached the right place. Here is an index, about all the info you will find, just click on what you are interested in obtaining:
- What is a famous food in Nicaragua?
- Food from the center of Nicaragua
- Typical food of the Atlantic Coast or Caribbean Coast
- Food from the Pacific Region
The food of this beautiful country catalogued as «The land of lakes and volcanoes», is varied and rich in flavor and color.
Most of the food is made from corn.
There are many original foods that are not found in Central America and Mexico, which make it unique, so it would be ideal that if you are from another country come and try for yourself.
However here we will make your mouth water with the best of Nicaraguan Food.
What is a famous food in Nicaragua?
Let’s go for part, because as we said at the beginning the food of this country is varied, and Nicaragua has 15 departments and 2 autonomous regions, so you’ll get an idea how many types of food you will find here.
And we want to answer the question: What is typical Nicaraguan food? Since it is not only one, but several that just looking at them in photos and reading their characteristics will make you die to try them.
Food from the center of Nicaragua
The food is based on red beans, white corn and the inevitable rice. For example, corn is used to produce solid products, as is the case of:
Nacatamal
Did you know that nacatamales are eaten in Nicaragua only on Sundays? I knew why and I learned to make this recipe by touching the title.
Indio Viejo o Masa de cazuela
This delicious dish is made from corn and is prepared on special occasions such as patron saint festivals. It is also ideal for the common lunches of the country.
Caballo Bayo
This recipe is made by a variety of ingredients, in total there are 17 and even more depending on taste, know how to make it here, you’re going to love it!
Quesillos Nicaragüenses
A combination of tortilla, cheese, onion and cream, make your palate explode. It’s super delicious, usually found all over Nicaragua, but if you click here you’ll know where to find the best.
Chancho con Yuca
Its title says it all, but the special thing about this dish is its chile salad, which is mixed with marinated pork and sewn Yucca, it’s an exquisite, a sea will be made in the mouth just by reading how it’s prepared.
Vigorón de Granada
Nicaraguan vigor, a delicious typical dish that is easy to prepare and has an exquisite flavor, I learned how to cook it here.
Carne en Vaho
This dish has a mixture of Nicaraguan culture, the dish is served pickled with cabbage and its base is the leaf of chaguite, if you do not serve it so, is not a true Vajo nica.
Güirilas
The Güirilas of Nicaragua are an exquisités, with curd, cream and a cup of coffee I learned how to make this recipe here.
Yoltamales
It is super nutritious, it can eat with cheese, cream or sour milk. Like most recipes this one is made from corn.
Tamales Pisques
It is made with corn and its artisan process is ancestral, this product is consumed a lot on Easter.
Tortillas de Maíz
The tortillas are like the bread of every day of the Nicaraguans, in the breakfast especially we accompany it with gallopinto cheese or curd, it is a delight.
Carne Asada
Exquisite food that is sold in the fritangas of Nicaragua, is consumed especially at night and this always comes accompanied by gallopinto, slices or ripe and cabbage salad.
Ceviche
If you are visiting the beautiful beaches of the country, eating one of these is law, just see it and smell it and your palate knows what is coming.
Sweets from the center of Nicaragua or Central Region
The desserts or sweets of the center of the country is delicious, many of these are produced constantly throughout the year, however some are produced en masse nationally, when there are eventualities, such as the purest in December.
Here is a list of sweets made popularly in the center of Nicaragua, but which in turn is distributed throughout the country:
- Cosa de horno
- Perrerreque
- Torta de elote
- Rosquillas
- Rosquetes
- Viejitas
- Revueltas de queso
- Gofio
- Churros
If you want to know more about the sweet flavors of our land visit our category where you will find all the recipes of typical Nicaraguan sweets.
Liquid food
As you’ll notice from this entire list of beverages, they’re made from corn, their consistency and flavor are unique. In many places in Nicaragua more is consumed than others, but there is not a single one that has not tasted one of these drinks:
- Pinolillo
- Pinol
- Tibio
- Pozol
- Linaza
- Chía
- Cacao con leche
- Semilla de Jícaro
- Fresco de jengibre
- Grama Chilla con tamarindo
- Chicha
- Atole
- Tiste
Typical food of the Atlantic Coast or Caribbean Coast
The gastronomy of this part of the country has Afro-Caribbean flavors and aromas, for example it is cooked with milk and coconut oil, giving it a delicious flavor and seasoning, which distinguishes it from the rest of Nicaraguan foods.
In addition here in the Caribbean Coast is common the consumption of products of the sea, since this zone is characterized by its beaches. Vegetables such as Malanga (which has a flavor similar to Quequisque), Cassava, coconut and bananas are also consumed.
Therefore between their meals are:
- Carne de tortuga
- Mariscos
- Cangrejos
- Rondon Nicaragüense
- Pescado: Frito, seco o en sopa.
- Huevos de tortuga
- Caracoles
- Paty o Patí
- Pan de coco
Food from the Pacific Region
In this part of Nicaragua, it is very hot, so you will know that here you will find the best beaches for vacation.
Here the corn is consumed, but if we talk about rice and fried beans that scrambled make the magical Gallopinto, that basically we camp with everything, in the breakfast, lunch and in the dinner especially with the fritangas. Apart in several departments of this region is consumed much what is the meat of chicken, beef, pork, fish, seafood.
As well as products made from milk, such as cream, cheese and quesillo. Something that characterizes this region of Nicaragua is that all its flavor is fried, or bathed in boiling oil, as we commented this is common in street food sales that bears the name «fritangas», where you will find dishes:
- Roast meat: Beef and pork, fixed has to carry his gallopintaso.
Fried cheese: it is accompanied with Tajada and Maduro and if you want to ask for it simpler to the doñita who serves just tell her «give me a maduro with cheese or with slices».
Tacos: Fried tortillas stuffed with lined meat, served with sauce and cream).
Enchiladas: Tortillas stuffed with rice and meat, should have chile inside, and its crunchy base is made with egg flour.
Platanos and ripe fried: we will only say one thing, there is no lunch that does not take these complements, we call it «bastimento».
Tortilla: we also use it as a bastimento, but her best friends are cheese, curd and cream for breakfast with a cup of coffee, for a better experience, try it when it rains.
Moronga: it’s delicious, try it.
Empanadas de papas o de maduros: ground potatoes with meat and cheese inside, we usually ask for it as an extra when we go to the fritanga.
Arroz a la Valenciana: food made especially in the piñatas, usually known as «arroz de piñata».
Stuffed Christmas: an exquisite meal made only or mostly in December.
And don’t forget, because EVERYTHING, but all these meals must have their respective cabbage salad and a touch of either pickled onion or chili, otherwise it’s not a good frying.
Some traditional dishes you have to try:
The foods listed here are consumed on a regular basis throughout the year, however at Catholic religious holidays is when their consumption is exceeded:
Corn and meat stew: either accompanied by vegetables such as pipián or cream. It is an exquisite on the palate.
There are other foods that are not only consumed on religious dates but if they are like a religion for the nica, for example soups:
Bean soup: they are red beans cooked and combined with cream, cheese and sometimes with pork rinds, they are a delight.
Mondongo soup: beef tripitita, its broth in fusion with the uff salad is an exquisite that you can not miss.
Beef soup: this soup that goes with beef and vegetables are the delight on weekends, at 12 noon, no matter how hot it is, if or if we take it.
The Cheese Soup: made with broth with fried corn cakes stuffed with chicken, this dish is eaten more at Easter, a season in which it is very hot in Nicaragua.
Pescado a la Tipitapa: it is a fried fish that is made especially in Easter, its specialty is the sauce.
Tortitas de carne molida nicaragüense: a delicious lunch, whose specialty is also in its onion with tomato sauce.
Chicken, beef or pork aguado rice: another specialty is this amuerzo, easy and quick to make.
Salpicón nica: semi-deboronada meat made with a little acid, is popular in lunches.
Did your mouth ever water more than once? We hope you liked all of Nicaragua’s Gastronomy, rich food, with a peculiar ingredient that gives it a unique flavor, made from the heart.
Because to the nica talk about food and focus on just one thing, make your friends and family suck their thumb Ah! And best of all is that if you liked it is that without penalty you can double (eat twice).
Want to see more? In our menu there are more details about Nicaraguan Typical Drinks, Desserts and typical sweets and if you want to travel and learn more about this beautiful country, enter our section of Nicaraguan departments and look: photos, videos and texts that you will fall in love more, and if you’ve come this far is because you liked our content, so we say Chavalo, do not be carebarro!
And I shared this with your friends and family on the net because now you know what is eaten in Nicaragua.