14 Delicious Dishes You Can't Leave Guatemala Without Trying

Guatemalan food mixes Mayan traditions with colonial influences, making for an interesting and varied cuisine. Here are 16 dishes you just have to try when you’re in the country.

http://instagram.com/p/BKcD4X1DL6W/?tagged=pepian

Pepian

This thick stew is one of Guatemala’s national dishes, combining roasted spices, meat and rice in a tomato-based sauce. Don’t leave without trying it at least once.

Another traditional stew, kak’ik is made using turkey meat alongside garlic, onions, meat and coriander. It’s usually accompanied with rice and tortillas.

Chile relleno with rice, beans and salad

Chiles rellenos

Guatemalans also love chiles rellenos, peppers stuffed with meat, vegetables and spices. They are usually fried in egg batter before serving.

Fiambre

This traditional salad is made to celebrate the Day of the Dead and All Saints’ Day. It can contain as many as 50 ingredients, with cold cuts and beets chief among them.

http://instagram.com/p/BcVJjytjV0N/?tagged=eloteloco

Elote loco

“Crazy corn” might sound like an unlikely dish, but this street food favorite is a pleasant surprise. Grilled corn cobs are slathered in ketchup, mayonnaise and cheese before serving. It’s messy but delicious!

Hilachas

This traditional dish consists of shredded beef in a tomato sauce, and is usually served with rice and tortillas to fill you up.

Rellenitos

A great choice for dessert, rellenitos are cooked plaintains with refried beans, sugar and cinnamon. Think of a Guatemalan doughnut and you won’t be far off.

Tostadas

This street food favorite consists of a taco shell topped with a variety of ingredients. Most stalls will offer a selection of toppings such as chicken, beef, or salad.

Tamales

While many Latin American countries serve tamales, the Guatemalan version has a special touch. Fans of Mexican food might be used to corn tamales wrapped in corn husks, but in Guatemala they are bigger and come in banana leaves.

Jocón de Pollo

This traditional chicken stew is a hearty affair that goes down well in cold mountain areas. After a long day of hiking in the Cuchumatanes, it’s great for warming up in the evening.

Pupusas

They might have been invented in El Salvador, but Guatemalans love pupusas too. These small round disks of corn mixture can be filled with cheese, pork scratchings, or beans. They’re a great way of filling up on a budget, but they’re not too healthy so don’t eat them too often.

Tapado

Visitors to the town of Livingston on the Caribbean coast will soon become familiar with tapado. This seafood stew is made with coconut milk, and it’s delicious. Don’t be put off by the idea of stew on a hot day, it really is worth trying.

Caldo de pollo

Chicken soup is a favorite dish in many cuisines around the world, and Guatemala is no different. Here it is often served on Sundays when families meet up for lunch.

Atol

If you see people drinking steaming cups of a creamy liquid from street sellers, it may well be atol. There are many different recipes for this traditional meal-in-a-cup, but the most common is made with sweet corn. It’s popular with workers who need to grab a quick breakfast or snack on the move.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.