What to Eat in Colombia

Colombia’s cuisine mirrors landscapes from cool Andean plateaus to humid Caribbean shores and the Pacific rainforest. Altitude and rainfall shape harvests and pantry staples. The main meal is usually at midday, with soups and maize preparations at the center.

Regional identities are strong, yet markets everywhere rely on corn, plantain, rice, and legumes with beef, pork, chicken, or river fish. Seasonings favor freshness: scallions, cilantro, and achiote guide flavor, while ají on the side lets diners tune heat.

Ajiaco santafereño, emblematic of Bogotá’s cool plateau, is a chicken-and-potato soup built on three local tubers—pastusa for body, sabanera for structure, and tiny yellow criolla for sweetness—enriched with corn on the cob and the aromatic herb guascas. The broth simmers with bone-in chicken until deeply flavored; the meat is shredded back in, and diners finish the bowl with capers and heavy cream, plus avocado and sometimes a side of white rice, creating a silky, herbaceous soup with gentle bitterness from guascas and bursts of sweet corn. The dish reflects Andean roots—potatoes and guascas long used by Muisca communities—blended with colonial-era additions like dairy and capers. Ajiaco remains a favored Sunday or holiday lunch in Bogotá, particularly in cooler months and during family gatherings, when a hearty midday soup suits the capital’s high-altitude climate.

Bandeja paisa assembles a generous platter centered on red beans stewed with hogao (a tomato–scallion sofrito), accompanied by white rice, ground or shredded beef, crisp chicharrón, a fried egg, ripe plantain, a small white arepa, avocado, and often chorizo or morcilla. The preparation is straightforward but time-intensive: beans are soaked and simmered until creamy, meats are fried or griddled for contrasting textures, and hogao binds the plate with sweetness and allium depth rather than heat. Originating in the rural Paisa region, it fed muleteers and farmers who needed calorie-dense midday meals, and it later became a regional emblem as urban centers like Medellín grew. Today it is typically eaten for lunch, when the largest meal is customary, and remains a marker of Antioquian hospitality and the abundance of the coffee-growing highlands.

Sancocho is a national comfort soup whose base unites yuca, green plantain, and corn on the cob with a long-simmered broth enriched by scallions, cilantro, and garlic. Proteins vary by region and climate: in Valle del Cauca and around Cali, sancocho de gallina uses free-range hen for rich flavor; on the Caribbean, fish sancocho highlights coastal catch; and in the interior, beef rib or oxtail versions are common. The result is a broth that is fragrant and lightly herbal, with starches providing soft, creamy textures and the corn lending sweetness, served alongside white rice, avocado, and a bright ají for acidity. Culturally tied to outdoor cooking, it anchors weekend “paseo de olla” gatherings by rivers or patios and is most often a midday or afternoon meal that brings extended families together.

Lechona tolimense is a whole pig deboned and stuffed with a seasoned mixture of rice, peas, green onions, and spices such as cumin and achiote, then slow-roasted for many hours until the skin turns glassy-crisp and the filling absorbs the pork’s juices. Cooks meticulously score and dry the skin, baste the cavity, and manage steady heat—traditionally in a brick oven—so that the meat stays tender while the cuerito crackles audibly. The dish’s profile is savory and aromatic, with soft grains and peas contrasting the brittle skin, and it is typically served with a plain white arepa and sometimes a wedge of lime. Rooted in Tolima’s and neighboring Huila’s pork-raising traditions, lechona is a celebratory midday meal seen at festivals, family milestones, and weekends in Ibagué and central towns, especially around December festivities.

Arepa de huevo, also called arepa e’ huevo on the Caribbean coast, is a thin disc of corn dough that is partially fried to puff, slit open to create a pocket, filled with a raw egg (and sometimes seasoned ground beef), sealed, and fried again to set the filling. The double-fry yields a crisp, lightly chewy shell with a soft interior and a runny or just-set yolk, often finished with a dab of suero costeño or a tangy ají on the side. Made with finely ground yellow maize and a pinch of salt, it balances sweetness from the corn with the richness of the egg and the gentle tang of the condiment. Commonly eaten at breakfast or as an afternoon snack in Barranquilla and Cartagena, it thrives as a street food sold at markets, plazas, and bus stops, perfect for quick, hand-held fuel in the coastal heat.

Colombian cooking draws its strength from varied climates, sturdy market traditions, and balanced seasoning that prizes freshness over heat. From highland soups to coastal fritters, dishes follow the rhythm of a hearty midday meal and local harvests. Explore more regional foods and plan weather-smart trips using the tools on Sunheron.com.