Nicaragua
Arroz Aguado
A Nicaraguan rice soup of chicken, tomato, and rice simmered until the rice swells and the broth thickens.
central-america
Nicaragua
Explore 37 foods connected to Nicaragua, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
37 foods12 leading categories1 Essentials guides
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The local shortlist
Nicaragua Essentials
12 editor-selected foods for understanding the place through what people eat.
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Traditional foods from Nicaragua.
37 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.
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Western Sahara
Arroz con pescado
Nicaraguan rice cooked with fish, tomato, onion, and coconut or annatto, a coastal specialty.
Nicaragua
Atolillos
Atolillo
A Nicaraguan sweet corn atol with milk, sugar, and cinnamon, a daily and home classic
Guatemala
Ayote en Miel
A Salvadoran sweet squash simmered in panela syrup with cinnamon and cloves, a daily and festive classic
Nicaragua
Bienmesabe
A Nicaraguan sweet cake with corn, milk, and cinnamon, a festive and daily classic
Nicaragua
Cacao con Leche
A Nicaraguan hot cacao drink with milk and sugar, a daily and breakfast classic
Costa Rica
Cajeta
Cajeta de coco
Coconut candy balls made with condensed milk, coconut, butter, and graham crackers, a traditional Costa Rican sweet treat.
Nicaragua
Chancho con Yuca
A Nicaraguan fried pork with boiled yuca and cabbage salad, a daily and street classic
Nicaragua
Cosa de Horno
A Nicaraguan oven-baked corn cake, dense and slightly sweet, often served with cheese or sour cream.
Nicaragua
Flor de Caña Rum
A Nicaraguan rum brand made by Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua, known for aged expressions produced at the foot of the San Cristóbal volcano and exported internationally.
Nicaragua
Fritanga
A Nicaraguan street food platter of grilled meats, gallo pinto, fried plantains, and cheese, a daily and street classic
Costa Rica
Gallo Pinto
Costa Rica's national dish of rice and black beans fried with onions, peppers, cilantro, and Salsa Lizano, eaten at breakfast.
Northern Honduras, Honduras
Gifiti
Garifuna bitters: roots, bark and herbs steeped in cane spirit for weeks until nearly black, drunk in shots as a tonic and a hangover cure.
Dominican Republic
Gofio
A Nicaraguan sweet of toasted corn pinol with panela, ginger, and spices, a festive and daily classic
Nicaragua
Güirilas
Nicaraguan sweet corn cakes made from fresh, tender corn, griddled until golden and typically eaten with crema and cheese.
Nicaragua
Indio Viejo
A pre-Columbian Nicaraguan stew of maize, shredded meat, tomatoes, and achiote, a daily and cultural icon
Nicaragua
Macuá
The national cocktail of Nicaragua: white rum, lime, orange or guava juice, and sugar shaken over ice.
Colombia
Mondongo
Sopa de mondongo
Tripe soup slow-cooked for hours with pork, corn, yuca and potato in a hogao-scented broth, served with rice, avocado, banana and arepa. In Bogotá it is the legendary "mondongo santafereño"; across Central America the same pot answers to sopa de mondongo.
Nicaragua
Nacatamal
Nicaragua's tamale: corn masa with pork, rice, potatoes, and spices, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, a festive and weekend classic
Nicaragua
Perrerreque
A Nicaraguan cornmeal cake with cheese and sugar, baked golden, a daily and home classic
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Pinolillo
Pinol Blanco
Corn and cocoa drink from Guanacaste, traditional and rustic, good balance of corn and cocoa, a Costa Rican beverage.
Nicaragua
Pinos de Limón
A Nicaraguan lemon-shaped cookies with corn flour and sugar, a daily and home classic
Nicaragua
Plátanos en Gloria
A Nicaraguan sweet ripe plantains in milk custard with cinnamon, a Lenten and daily classic
Nicaragua
Pío Quinto
A Nicaraguan rum-soaked layer cake with a custard filling, topped with meringue — a Christmas and fiesta favorite.
Nicaragua
Quesillo
A Nicaraguan snack of tortilla wrapped around cheese, pickled onions, and cream, a daily and street classic
Nicaragua
Repocheta
A Nicaraguan thick corn tortilla with beans, cheese, and cabbage, a daily and street classic
Costa Rica
Rompope
Eggnog
A Nicaraguan eggnog with milk, eggs, sugar, and rum, a festive and daily classic
Limón, Costa Rica
Rondón
Caribbean coconut stew with fish, seafood, root vegetables, and Scotch bonnet peppers, a Limón province Afro-Caribbean specialty.
Nicaragua
Rosquillas
A Nicaraguan ring-shaped corn flour cookies with cheese and sugar, a daily and home classic
Nicaragua
Semilla
A Nicaraguan drink from rice and jícaro seeds with milk and sugar, a daily and refreshing classic
Nicaragua
Sopa de Queso
A Nicaraguan cheese soup with corn, vegetables, and herbs, a Lenten and daily classic
Nicaragua
Tamales Pisques
A Nicaraguan corn tamale with beans, wrapped in banana leaves, a Lenten and daily classic
Nicaragua
Tiste
A Nicaraguan cacao-based drink with corn and water, served with quesillo, a daily and cultural classic
Colombia
Tostones
Patacones
A Cuban fried green plantain slices, flattened and double-fried, a daily and essential side In Antioquia the thick-cut rounds are served as "tostadas" alongside bandeja paisa.
Mexico
Tres leches cake
A sponge cake soaked in three milks — evaporated, condensed, and cream — topped with meringue.
Nicaragua
Vaho
A Nicaraguan steamed dish of beef, yuca, plantains, and vegetables in banana leaves, a festive and regional classic