Ecuadorian cuisine is known for its innumerable potato varieties, the spicy heat of the ají pepper and the soft crackle of roasting guinea pig. The food is solid, healthy, tasty and can be cooked easily in kitchens around the world. Popular dishes are ceviche, llapingachos, locro (potato soup) and humitas, Incan-style tamales.
As hinted by its name, the country of Ecuador lies on either side of the equator along the northwestern coast of South America. Its neighbor in the south and east is Peru, and it shares a border with Colombia in the north. Ecuador has a long Pacific coast, a mountainous central region and tropical lowlands in the Amazon interior.
The food of Ecuador offers a mix of two worlds. There is a deep foundation of Incan heritage mixed together with the influence of Old World cuisine. More typically Incan cuisine is concentrated in the mountainous inland areas and the diet is based on meat, rice and potatoes. Nearer the coast, the diet is centered around fish, seafood and plantains.
Typical Ecuadorian Dishes
Ecuadorian Recipes
Try these recipes from the country of Ecuador.
(Ecuadorian, Peruvian toasted corn snack)
(Ecuadorian potato-cheese patties)
(Ecuadoran, Peruvian potato-cheese soup)
(Latin citrus-marinated seafood)
(Ecuadoran oatmeal beverage)
(Ecuadorian stuffed and fried cassava balls)
(Ecuadorian fish and onion stew)
(Ecuadorian, Mexican pickled red onions)
(Latin American fried plantains; see Tostones recipe)