Venezuelan cuisine

Venezuelan cuisine is influenced by its European (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French), West African, and Native American traditions. Venezuelan cuisine varies greatly from one region to another. Food staples include corn, rice, plantains, yams, beans and several meats. Potatoes, tomatoes, onions, eggplants, squashes, spinach and zucchini are also common sides in the Venezuelan diet.

Main dishes

Name	Image	Description
Arepa		Ground maize dough cooked, typically grilled on a budare (which is similar to a comal) or deep-fried in a regular pan
Cachapa		A maize pancake, usually filled with fresh cheese and/or fried pork
Cachitos (de jamón)		Similar to French croissant filled with ham
Caraotas negras		Black beans, usually eaten at lunch time, with rice, bananas and shredded meat, or pabellón
Casabe		A flat bread made of bitter cassava
Chicharrón		Typically fried pork rinds and eaten as a snack, or as a side dish
Chupe Andino		A soup traditionally made with cheese, shredded chicken or hen, vegetables and cream.
Ensalada de pollo		Chicken salad, usually made with mayo, green cabbage and carrots
Hallaca		Typical Christmas dish, hallacas typically have a mixture of beef, pork, chicken, capers, raisins, and olives wrapped in maize (cornmeal dough), bound with string within plantain leaves, and boiled or steamed afterwards
Huevos pericos		Scrambled eggs, butter, sautéed diced onions, and tomatoes; used often to fill an arepa
Hervido de gallina		Hen soup, usually with chunks of corn, potatoes, carrots and local root vegetables such as cassava, ñam, auyama (name for local variety of pumpkin), ocumo (cocoyam), and seasoned with onions, garlic, and cilantro
Mandoca		Deep fried cornmeal ring
Mondongo		Soup made from diced tripe and slow cooked vegetables
Pabellón criollo		Creole pavilion, the national dish: white rice, shredded beef in stew, tajadas (fried ripe plantains) and stewed black beans
Pastel de pollo		Chicken pot pie
Pastelitos		Fried puff pastries, it's one of the most famous Venezuelan foods from the Venezuelan Andes. These are made with wheat flour for the dough, and filled with cheese, and chicken for example. Usually pastelitos are eaten at breakfast
Pasticho		It is the same Italian lasagne
Polenta		Also known as "funche" in some areas of the country

Typical snacks

Name	Image	Description
Tequeños		Deep-fried breaded cheese sticks
Tostones and patacones		Tostones are a common side dish for fried fish, typically eaten at the beach. They are also used to make the "Zulian patacón", which is a kind of sandwich made using tostones instead of bread
Empanadas		Served as snacks by street vendors; can also be eaten as a full meal. The dough is made with corn flour, similar to arepas', and the fillings are typically cheese, stewed black beans, shredded beefs, among others
Papas fritas (French fries)		French fries

Beverages

A tequeño is prepared with bread dough with queso blanco (white cheese) in the middle.

• Beer
• Chicha
• Cocada – Coconut milkshake, found mostly in coastal areas.
• Mango juice
• Passion fruit juice
• Malta – Non-alcoholic carbonated malt.
• Papelón con limón
• Ponche crema – Served especially during Christmas season.
• Rum
• Frescolita (strawberry-flavored soda)
• Tequila – Served at celebrations.

Breads

• Pan dulce – Spanish for "sweet bread"
• Pan de jamón – usually filled with ham, olives, and raisins and usually eaten during the Christmas season

Desserts

Venezuelan dessert called Quesillo

• Bienmesabe
• Cannoli – often called "cannoli siciliano"
• Mousse de chocolate
• Pudín de chocolate – chocolate pudding
• Quesillo – local–style caramel flan
• Brazo gitano (the Spanish Swiss roll)

Other foods

• Salpicón

See also

• Latin American cuisine
• South American cuisine