Espumilla: How to Make Ecuador’s Guava Meringue Cream (and Baked Espumillas)
Espumilla is Ecuador’s guava meringue cream: egg whites whipped with sugar and ripe guava pulp until the mixture is thick, … Read more
Ecuadorian Foods: Recipes, Drinks, Desserts & Cooking Guides
✦ October’s Featured Dish
Llapingachos
Cheese-stuffed potato patties crisped on the griddle and served with peanut sauce, chorizo and avocado. Highland cooking at its most comforting.
Get the Recipe →Explore Ecuadorian Food
Breakfast Foods
Bolón de verde and the start of an Ecuadorian day.
Desserts
Guaguas de pan and Ecuador's favorite sweets.
Drinks
Canelazo and refreshing Ecuadorian beverages.
Fruit
The tropical fruits that flavor Ecuadorian cuisine.
Holiday Dishes
Colada morada, fanesca, pristiños and Christmas dishes.
Ingredients
Ají, mote, chochos and the Ecuadorian pantry.
Main Dishes
Hornado, fritada, seco de chivo and the classic Ecuadorian plates.
Seafood Dishes
Ceviche and other coastal favorites from Ecuador's shores.
Side Dishes
The perfect plate, completed.
Soups & Stews
Encebollado and other comforting, slow-cooked classics.
Street Foods
Empanadas de viento and snacks from Ecuador's streets.
The Complete Ecuadorian Food Guide
25 traditional dishes, ingredients, and cooking guides in one place.
Explore the Guide →Llapingachos, Cheese-Stuffed Potato Cakes
Cheese-stuffed potato cakes, a staple of the Ecuadorian highlands.
View the Recipe →Bolón de Verde, Ecuador's Plantain Ball
A mashed green plantain ball filled with cheese or chicharrón.
View the Recipe →Empanadas de Viento, Puffy & Cheesy
Puffy, cheese-filled fried empanadas dusted with sugar.
View the Recipe →Ecuadorian Ceviche, A Coastal Favorite
A bright and refreshing coastal favorite from Ecuador's shores.
Explore the Guide →Latest Ecuadorian Recipes
View All Recipes →Espumilla: How to Make Ecuador’s Guava Meringue Cream (and Baked Espumillas)
Dulce de Higo: How to Make Ecuador’s Figs in Spiced Panela Syrup
Encebollado: Ecuador’s National Fish Soup (Authentic Recipe)
Yuca Fries (Yuca Frita): Crispy Fried, Baked & Air Fryer Recipe
Ecuadorian Ingredients: 16 Staples from Ají to Naranjilla
Helado de Paila: Ecuador’s Hand-Spun Fruit Ice Cream (Recipe)
11 Ecuadorian Holiday Foods: From Colada Morada to Christmas Pristiños
Empanadas de Viento: Ecuadorian Fried Cheese Empanadas
Guaguas de Pan: Ecuador’s Day of the Dead Bread Babies
Patacones Recipe (Crispy Colombian Fried Green Plantains)
A little Ecuadorian curiosity
Fun Facts About Ecuadorian Foods
Big flavors. Little surprises. There’s a story in every bite.
Chocolate’s birthplaceChocolate’s story starts in Ecuador.
Archaeologists found traces of cacao in 5,300-year-old pottery in Ecuador’s southern Amazon, about 1,500 years older than the earliest evidence from Mexico and Central America.
Día de los DifuntosOn Day of the Dead, they eat bread babies.
Every November, families bake guaguas de pan (guagua means baby in Kichwa), sweet breads shaped like swaddled infants, and dunk them in colada morada, a thick purple drink of purple corn and blackberries.
Ecuadorian Food FAQs
A little curious? Open a question.Is Ecuadorian food spicy?
Not really. Most dishes are mild and built on potatoes, plantains, corn, rice and seafood. The heat lives in ají criollo, a bowl of chopped chile, onion and tree tomato that sits on nearly every table, from home kitchens to street carts.
Explore the Ecuadorian pantry →What’s the national dish of Ecuador?
There’s no official one, but encebollado has a strong claim: a tuna, yuca and pickled-onion soup that coastal Ecuadorians eat for breakfast and swear by as a hangover cure.
Meet encebollado →What do Ecuadorians eat at Easter?
Fanesca, a rich soup of squash, a dozen grains and beans, and salt cod, made only during Holy Week. The twelve grains are said to stand for the twelve apostles.
See Ecuador’s holiday foods →What do Ecuadorians eat for breakfast?
On the coast it’s bolón de verde, a ball of mashed green plantain with cheese or chicharrón, or tigrillo, plantain scrambled with egg and cheese. In the highlands, humitas and a cup of coffee.
Explore Ecuadorian breakfasts →Discover the Flavors of Ecuadorian Cuisine
Ecuador is home to one of South America’s most diverse culinary traditions, where Indigenous, Spanish, and Afro-Ecuadorian influences have come together to create a cuisine shaped by the country’s incredible geography. From the Pacific Coast and the Andes Mountains to the Amazon rainforest and the Galápagos Islands, each region offers its own unique flavors and specialties. Fresh seafood, hearty soups, roasted meats, tropical fruits, corn, potatoes, and green plantains are staples of Ecuadorian food, while family recipes and regional traditions have been preserved for generations. Ecuador’s cuisine is celebrated for its fresh ingredients, comforting dishes, and remarkable regional variety.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Ecuador, searching for authentic Ecuadorian recipes, or discovering the country’s most iconic dishes, you’ll find everything you need here. Explore favorites like encebollado, llapingachos, hornado, ceviche ecuatoriano, bolón de verde, and locro de papa, along with traditional Ecuadorian desserts, refreshing drinks, cooking guides, and regional specialties from Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, and beyond. Whether you’re preparing an authentic Ecuadorian meal or exploring the country’s rich food culture for the first time, you’ll discover recipes and guides that showcase Ecuador’s unique culinary heritage.
If you’re new to Ecuadorian cuisine, start with our comprehensive guide to Traditional Ecuadorian Foods, then continue exploring our authentic recipes, desserts, drinks, and regional food guides. Whether you’re cooking at home or planning a visit to Ecuador, AmigoFoods is your trusted resource for authentic Ecuadorian food.
Dulce de Higo: How to Make Ecuador’s Figs in Spiced Panela Syrup
Dulce de higo (also written dulce de higos) is Ecuador’s classic fig preserve: whole figs soaked, softened and then simmered … Read more
Encebollado: Ecuador’s National Fish Soup (Authentic Recipe)
Encebollado is Ecuador’s national fish soup: albacore tuna and yuca in a cumin-tomato broth under lime-pickled red onion. Here’s the authentic recipe.
Yuca Fries (Yuca Frita): Crispy Fried, Baked & Air Fryer Recipe
Yuca fries, or yuca frita, are sticks of cassava boiled until tender, then cooked until golden and crisp. This six-serving … Read more
Ecuadorian Ingredients: 16 Staples from Ají to Naranjilla
The 16 ingredients behind Ecuadorian cooking, from ají and achiote to mote, chochos, naranjilla and Nacional cacao, and what each one does.
Helado de Paila: Ecuador’s Hand-Spun Fruit Ice Cream (Recipe)
Ecuador’s helado de paila is fruit ice cream churned by hand in a copper pan set over ice and salt — no machine, no dairy.
11 Ecuadorian Holiday Foods: From Colada Morada to Christmas Pristiños
Ecuadorian holiday foods through the year: colada morada and guaguas de pan, Easter fanesca, Quito canelazo, Christmas hornado, pristiños and rompope.
Empanadas de Viento: Ecuadorian Fried Cheese Empanadas
Empanadas de viento are Ecuadorian fried cheese empanadas with a thin, crisp shell and a light sprinkling of sugar. Their … Read more
Guaguas de Pan: Ecuador’s Day of the Dead Bread Babies
Guaguas de pan are Ecuadorian sweet breads shaped like swaddled babies for Día de los Difuntos. Soft, lightly spiced and … Read more
Patacones Recipe (Crispy Colombian Fried Green Plantains)
Patacones are crisp, twice-fried green plantains, also called tostones in much of the Caribbean. Serve these savory Colombian favorites hot … Read more
Ecuadorian Ceviche: Authentic Recipe, Tips & Why It’s a Must-Try
Ecuadorian ceviche combines cooked shrimp with lime and orange juices, tomato, red onion and cilantro. This chilled, brothy version has … Read more
What Are Chifles? The Thin, Crunchy Plantain Snack You’ll Love
Chifles are thin, crisp green-plantain chips enjoyed in Ecuador and Peru as a snack or alongside ceviche. With two plantains, … Read more
Pan de Yuca: South America’s Cheesy Cassava Bread
Pan de yuca is a cheese bread enjoyed in Ecuador and Colombia, with a lightly crisp crust and chewy center. … Read more
Llapingachos: Traditional Ecuadorian Potato Pancakes
Llapingachos are Ecuadorian potato patties seasoned with achiote and filled with cheese. This recipe makes 10 golden patties to serve … Read more
Ecuadorian Fruit You’ll Love: 21 Juicy and Exotic Must-Trys
Ecuadorian fruit is a feast for the senses—vibrant, exotic, and bursting with flavor. Thanks to Ecuador’s wildly diverse landscapes, from … Read more