ExploFood · North America
What to eat in Guatemala
Five dishes to try in Guatemala, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Guatemala
Pepián
Chicken or beef in a thick sauce of roasted chillies, seeds and tomatoes.
How to have it: The national dish; try it at comedores in Antigua with rice and tortillas.
Kak'ik
Spicy Mayan turkey soup coloured red with achiote and chillies.
How to have it: A Q'eqchi' dish from Cobán; served with rice and tamalitos.
Hilachas
Shredded beef stewed in tomato and tomatillo sauce with potatoes.
How to have it: A comedor lunch staple, eaten with rice and tortillas.
Tamales
Corn dough with meat and red sauce, wrapped and steamed in banana leaves.
How to have it: Eaten on Saturday nights and at Christmas; look for red lights outside homes selling them.
Rellenitos
Mashed plantain dumplings filled with sweet black beans, fried and sugared.
How to have it: Sold at bakeries and markets; a common afternoon treat with coffee.
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Questions
What food is Guatemala famous for?
Pepián (chicken or beef in a thick sauce of roasted chillies, seeds and tomatoes) comes first on our list, followed by Kak'ik, Hilachas, Tamales and Rellenitos.
What is the national dish of Guatemala?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Guatemala is Pepián: chicken or beef in a thick sauce of roasted chillies, seeds and tomatoes. The national dish; try it at comedores in Antigua with rice and tortillas.
Which dishes in Guatemala are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Rellenitos. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.