Honduras: Recipes and Cuisine

The food of Honduras, like that of its Central American neighbors, puts a heavy emphasis on corn, peppers, tomatoes and beans. A love for pupusas is shared with Salvadoran neighbors in the west. Nacatamales are as popular in Honduras as they are in Nicaragua to the south. Coconuts are used more widely in Honduran cuisine than in neighboring countries and numerous fish dishes reflect a long Caribbean coast. Popular dishes include sopa de caracol (conch soup), carne asada, and baleadas. A panoply of tropical fruits makes for great desserts.

Image by Whats4eats

Typical Honduran Dishes

Appetizers

Sartén de Cuajada (Mix of cheese, cornmeal and bell pepper with tortilla chips)
Totopos (Toasted tortilla chips)

Soups and Stews

Sopa de Caracol (Conch soup)
Tapado (Meat or fish and vegetable stew)

Salads

Ensalada de Aguacate y Camarones (Shrimp and avocado salad)
Ensalada Palmito (Hearts of palm salad)

Meats

Candinga (Pork liver with onions and peppers)
Carne Asada (Grilled beef)
Chanfaina de Menudos de Marrano (Stewed pork heart and liver)

Vegetables and Beans

Plátanos Fritos (Fried ripe plantains)

Breads and Grains

Balleadas (Wheat tortillas stuffed with cheese and beans
Montucas (Corn tamales)
Nacatamales (Corn tamales stuffed with pork)
Pupusas (Thick tortillas)
Tamales de Elote (Fresh corncakes)
Ticucos ("Travel" tamales)

Desserts

Capirotada (Cheese and cornmeal balls in syrup)

Beverages

Garifuna Giffitty (Herbal liqueur)
Horchata (Sweet rice beverage)
Ponche de Piña Navideño (Christmas pineapple punch)
Rompopo (Eggnog with aguardiente)

Recommended Cookbooks


	Spirit of the Earth: Native Cooking from Latin America
	Cooking the Central American Way: Culturally Authentic Foods Including Low-Fat and Vegetarian Recipes (Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks)

Honduran Recipes

Baleadas

(Honduran flour tortillas with beans and cheese)

A quick and satisfying breakfast or evening meal, baleadas are thick flour tortillas folded over a variety of fillings. The most common filling for baleadas is a simple mix of beans, cheese and the Honduran-style sour cream known as mantequilla. Read more »

Carne Asada

(Mexican grilled steak)

Carne asada, or grilled meat, is great backyard grill food. It is enjoyed throughout Central America, but is particularly popular in Mexico. Many recipes get very elaborate with the marinade ingredients, but the original recipe relies on a simple combination of onions and citrus juice to highlight the flavor of the beef. Read more »

Horchata de Arroz

(Mexican sweet rice beverage)

Horchata (or-CHA-tah) is a milky white, sweet beverage that was introduced to Spain by the Moors. The original Spanish version is made with ground tiger nuts and is especially popular in Valencia. In Latin America, where the tiger nut is not commonly available, pulverized rice is used. In Mexico, horchata is one of the most common aguas frescas and is ladled from large glass jars set in ice. Read more »

Nacatamales

(Honduran, Nicaraguan meat and vegetable-filled tamales)

Nacatamales, are popular steamed corncakes from Nicaragua and Honduras. They are similar to Mexican tamales but are larger, filled with meat and vegetables and steamed in banana leaves. Nacatamales are special occasion food and are most often served as a Sunday morning meal or at Christmas, weddings and other large celebrations. Read more »

Plátanos Fritos

(Latin fried ripe plantains)

Plátanos fritos are popular in many countries around the world where the plantain is sometimes a major source of starchy calories. It is important to use ripe plantains for this dish (they have black skins). Green plantains will be much too dry. The Caribbean cook will often use fried plantains as an accompaniment to beef or goat dishes. Read more »

Pupusas

(Salvadoran stuffed masa flatbread)

Pupusas are similar to corn tortillas, only thicker and stuffed with cheese, beans or meat. The pupusa originated in El Salvador, but it is also popular in neighboring Honduras. Pupusas are traditionally made by slapping the dough back and forth between greased palms. A tortilla press is quicker and easier for beginners. Read more »

Sopa de Mondongo

(Latin American tripe and vegetable soup)

This simple, nourishing stew of tripe and vegetables is found in innumerable variations throughout Latin America and around the Caribbean. On the islands of Aruba and Curaçao it is known as sopi mondongo. Read more »

Tamales de Elote

(Central American fresh corncakes)

Tamales de elote are a favorite breakfast food in Mexico and throughout Central America. In El Salvador and Guatemala they are often served as the starchy portion of a meal. The fresh elote, or corn, used in Central America has a higher starch content than that in the United States, but the addition of masa harina in this recipe produces a very good approximation of the original. Read more »

Vinagre de Piña

(Central American pineapple vinegar)

Homemade fruit vinegars are popular throughout Central America, and vinagre de piña is a favorite. The trimmings of a pineapple are mixed with piloncillo and water and are set aside to ferment for a few weeks or months. The light, fruity vinegar that results is perfect for vinaigrettes, in salads like curtido, or for making cebollas encurtidas. Read more »