Fiambre anchors the November remembrance table, with each family choosing its own combination of vegetables, meats and pickles. Christmas brings tamales, including sweet-savory tamales negros. For Holy Week, explore torrejas and custard-filled empanadas. Gallo en chicha offers another centerpiece for a special family gathering.
Fiambre
A colorful cold salad shared for All Saints’ Day and the season of remembrance.
Explore Fiambre →More Guatemalan Dishes for Your Table
Christmas Tamales
Discover the country’s tamale traditions, including tamales negros at Christmas.
Read the guide →
Torrejas
Golden fried bread in spiced syrup for Holy Week and other celebrations.
Read the guide →
Buñuelos
Light fried dough with fragrant syrup, a favorite at holiday markets.
Read the guide →
Empanadas de Manjar
Sweet pastries filled with custard and associated with religious holidays.
Read the guide →A Guide to Guatemalan Christmas Food
In Guatemala, Christmas Eve means tamales, eaten at midnight after the fireworks. Tamales colorados are filled with pork or chicken in a red tomato recado. Tamales negros are darker and sweeter, made with chocolate, raisins and prunes. Alongside them goes ponche de frutas, a hot punch of pineapple, apple, papaya, dried fruit and cinnamon.
The season opens on December 7 with the Quema del Diablo, when households burn their rubbish to cleanse the house. Fiambre, the huge cold salad on this page, belongs to November 1, Día de Todos los Santos. For the ingredients behind these dishes, see our guide to Guatemalan ingredients, and compare holiday tables in our Latin Christmas foods hub. For the full story of each dish, read our guide to Guatemalan Christmas food.