ExploFood · South America
What to eat in Venezuela
Five dishes to try in Venezuela, the most typical first. Three are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Venezuela
Arepa
Grilled corn cake split and stuffed with cheese, meat, beans or avocado.
How to have it: Eaten at any meal from areperas; try 'reina pepiada' with chicken and avocado.
Pabellón criollo
Shredded beef with black beans, white rice and fried sweet plantain.
How to have it: The national dish; a typical lunch plate, sometimes topped with a fried egg 'a caballo'.
Cachapa
Sweet fresh-corn pancake folded over soft white cheese.
How to have it: Roadside stalls sell them; order with queso de mano and add fried pork if you like.
Tequeños
Sticks of white cheese wrapped in dough and deep-fried.
How to have it: A staple at parties and bakeries; dip them in guasacaca or garlic sauce.
Hallaca
Corn dough filled with stewed meats, olives and raisins, wrapped in banana leaves.
How to have it: A Christmas dish made by families in December; outside the season it is hard to find.
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Questions
What food is Venezuela famous for?
Arepa (grilled corn cake split and stuffed with cheese, meat, beans or avocado) comes first on our list, followed by Pabellón criollo, Cachapa, Tequeños and Hallaca.
What is the national dish of Venezuela?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Venezuela is Arepa: grilled corn cake split and stuffed with cheese, meat, beans or avocado. Eaten at any meal from areperas; try 'reina pepiada' with chicken and avocado.
Which dishes in Venezuela are vegetarian?
Three of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Arepa, Cachapa and Tequeños. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Venezuela?
Arepa (grilled corn cake split and stuffed with cheese, meat, beans or avocado) and Cachapa (sweet fresh-corn pancake folded over soft white cheese).
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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Tick off every dish you try in Venezuela
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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.