Ecuadorian Breakfast Dishes

🇪🇨 Ecuador

Ecuadorian Breakfast Recipes

Bolón and tigrillo on the coast, humitas and tostado con queso in the Sierra, encebollado for the brave: Ecuadorian mornings are built on plantain, corn and strong coffee.

Bolón de VerdeTigrilloEncebolladoEmpanadas de Viento+6
10 breakfast dishes, each with a recipe ↓
📖 See the Full Roundup: Top 8 Ecuadorian Breakfast Foods

Breakfast in Ecuador is savory and substantial. On the coast it is green plantain: bolón de verde mashed with cheese or chicharrón, or tigrillo scrambled with egg. In the highlands it is corn: humitas steamed in husks and mote pillo with scrambled egg, eaten with hot chocolate and fresh cheese. Every recipe below is written for a home kitchen.

Tigrillo, Ecuadorian green plantain scrambled with egg and cheese
The Coastal Breakfast

Tigrillo

Boiled green plantain mashed and scrambled in the pan with egg, fresh cheese and a little achiote, the breakfast of El Oro province, eaten with strong coffee.

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More Ecuadorian Breakfast Dishes

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Bolón de verde Ecuadorian plantain ball
Bolón de Verde
Green plantain balls with cheese or chicharrón, fried until crisp.
Encebollado fish stew
Encebollado
The tuna and yuca stew Ecuadorians eat for breakfast on the coast.
Empanadas de viento
Empanadas de Viento
Puffy fried cheese empanadas dusted with sugar.
Ecuadorian humitas
Humitas
Fresh corn and cheese steamed in husks, served with coffee.
Mote pillo hominy with egg
Mote Pillo
Hominy scrambled with egg, onion and milk, Cuenca’s breakfast.
Tostado con queso y chocolate caliente
Tostado con Queso
Toasted corn with fresh cheese and hot chocolate, the highland classic.
Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche
Ceviche de Camarón
Shrimp ceviche in tomato and orange juice, a coastal breakfast with chifles.
Pan de yuca
Pan de Yuca
Warm cassava cheese rolls with yogurt.
Morocho drink
Morocho
Sweet cracked-corn drink with milk and cinnamon, poured beside empanadas.

A Guide to Ecuadorian Breakfast

The Ecuadorian breakfast changes with the altitude. On the coast, green plantain is the base: bolón de verde and tigrillo, with encebollado or shrimp ceviche for those who want something bigger. In the Sierra it is corn: humitas, mote pillo and tostado with fresh cheese and hot chocolate. Everywhere there are empanadas de viento, a hot morocho and strong coffee.

Start with the roundup of Ecuadorian breakfast foods, then browse Latin breakfasts by country, Ecuadorian street foods and the full Ecuadorian food hub.

Hungry for more of Ecuador?

Explore our complete roundup, or browse all Ecuadorian recipes and stories.

See All 8 Ecuadorian Breakfasts 🇪🇨 Explore All Ecuadorian Food
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