When spending time in a new city trying the best of the local food can be an amazing experience and help you to connect with the people. Medellin is in the heart of the Antioquia farming region of the country and Colombia has incredible diversity, so you can find some incredible fresh and unique ingredients.
I have lived in Medellin for 16 years and in this article, I will introduce you to some of my favorite Colombian dishes that you should try when you are in town.
Colombian Dishes
Bandeja Paisa
Bandeja paisa is a popular traditional dish from Medellin and the Antioquia region but is also enjoyed around the country. This part of Colombia is a big traditional farming region and workers would put in a long, tiring shift in the fields. When they got the chance to eat at the end of the shift they were starving and ready for a huge meal with food piled high to fill them up and strengthen them up.
The solution was the bandeja paisa and it is still popular today, although you may need to go for a siesta after to recover. The plate comes piled high with frijoles, rice, ground beef, chicharrón, fried egg, plantain, chorizo, arepa, hogao, morcilla, avocado and lemon. It is like a greatest hits collection of homely, filling Colombian food. Quite the undertaking but tasty and a popular option for a Sunday afternoon. One of the internationally known Colombian dishes that you really must try in Medellin.
Sancocho
Sancocho is a traditional Colombian stew filled with meat, vegetables, herbs, and seasoning. In December you will find sancochos simmering away on makeshift fires in the middle of street parties across the city. Everyone will pitch in to buy ingredients as well as large ‘garafas’ of Aguardiente, the local firewater spirit. The quality of the ingredients varies depending on what guests can bring together but a sanchocho is always a good time.
I spent New Year’s Eve in Comuna 13 and as the sun began to rise attention moved to setting up a sanchoco to eat away the hangover and continue the festivities.
A sanocho will include one or more types of protein, such as chicken, pork, beef or pork, alongside plantain, potato, and vegetables with cilantro, onion, and lime. You might get a few shots of aguardiente thrown into the broth which you can enjoy with rice and avocado.
A sanchocho on the corner of the neighborhood with good music and friendly locals is a peak paisa experience. You could end up with some bony chicken feet or a juicy piece of beef but that sanchocho potluck is all part of the fun. This is one of the Colombian dishes that really needs to be enjoyed surrounded by friendly locals on the street on a sunny day.
Empanadas
The empanadas are fried snacks that are hugely popular all over Colombia with regional variations reflecting the diversity of the country. The outer layer is a savory fried dough with a range of filling options packed full inside. It is typical to bite off the corner and then pour in the sauce of your choice, with aji popular to add some light spice.
Valluna is the most common empanada with shredded meat, potatoes, and hogao, a mix of onions, tomato, and other flavors. Medellin and the surrounding Antioquia region opts for potato with meat or chicken. On the coast, they can come with an egg inside while in Cali and Valle they can be sweeter, with dulce de leche or sweet guava.
Ajiaco
Ajiaco is a very popular dish from the Colombian capital Bogota. It is hearty, filling, and refreshing. Known as a great hangover cure or as the perfect dish to warm you up on a chilly day. It is made with potatoes and corn with shredded chicken, vegetables, and herbs to give some extra flavor. Cilantro is key to make an ajiaco an ajiaco and give it that distinct taste.
Ajiaco is probably the most famous but chicken soup is popular in a variety of forms from around Colombia. Chicken is a key ingredient in a sancocho which is a large broth filled with ingredients. A sancocho is often the centerpiece of a neighborhood party with everyone contributing protein, vegetables, and flavors. One of the Colombian dishes that is perfect on a rainy afternoon when you need to warm up and get a nice cozy feel.
Pandebono with cheesy hot chocolate
Also known as pandeyuca, pandebono is popular across Colombia. It is a soft, cheese-flavored bread made from cassava starch, cheese, and eggs. When you bite into a pandebono you will find a firmer outer layer with a very soft, doughy, slightly chewy center. The soft cheese is baked into the bread, so you don’t get stretchy, sticky cheese but rather just the flavor and a slight change in texture.
In Colombia, the main meal is usually at lunchtime with something smaller and tasty before bed. A pandebono alongside a hot chocolate with soft cheesy is a nice light snack to enjoy on a chilly night.
Arroz con Pollo
Chicken and rice is amongst the most frequently consumed meals in Colombia. An affordable, tasty option which can be enjoyed by everyone. It is a dish with protein and carbohydrates at a good price. This is often a popular choice for the “menu of the day” options in restaurants offering a discounted lunch menu.
Add a soup starter and maybe a bit of salad on the side and you are good to go. The type of rice may vary regionally but this is always a solid option. One of the Colombian dishes you are sure to enjoy more than once when in Medellin.
Sopa de Mondongo
Mondongo is a tripe (stomach of a cow) slow-cooked with chicken or beef stock and lots of cilantro. They will then add in vegetables, salt, pepper, and corn to complete the dish. It is very popular in Antioquia with “Mondongos” one of Medellin’s most well known restaurants, the name given reflecting the importance of the dish in the region.
Mondongo soup is often included as the soup course of a large lunch with rice, meat, arepa and salad to follow. It is hearty and filling comfort food with a long history linking it to agricultural traditions. One of the Colombian dishes which is a little unusual and extremely paisa!
Picada
A picada, or fritanga elsewhere in the country, is a large tray or huge plate piled high with food to be shared. It will often include things like small pieces of rock steak chicken, chorizo, morcilla, chicharron, pork, plantain, arepa, potato, and fries. At the weekend it is a great option to share with friends and family with everyone helping themselves.
You can also find picadas with seafood and fast food restaurant Frisby has an option with different types of chicken. Picadas are usually decent value and offer the chance to try a bit of everything. Really tasty and you can’t go wrong. If you find a good place you might get barbecued meat which is even better. One of the Colombian dishes which is a great option to share with friends.
Cazuela de Mariscos
Cazuela de Mariscos (seafood casserole) is a really popular dish in Cartagena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta along the Caribbean coast but can also be found in restaurants across the country. The recipe reportedly dates back to Catalonia and includes a range of steamed, boiled and baked seafood.
It features a range of tasty coastal favorites such as lobster, prawns, shrimp, fish, clams, and squid with fried vegetables and sometimes a creamy white wine sauce. It can be served in clay pots. With a side of rice and the all-important touch of cilantro, it is a rich, creamy, and delicious seafood option. One of the Colombian dishes which can be fantastic if you find it at a good restaurant.
Aborrajados
Aborrajados are fried plantains stuffed with cheese. They are made from an egg and flour batter similar to what you will find with fritters. It is possible to find variants that include meats such as crunchy chicharron but cheese is the most typical. Bocadillo can often be included alongside the cheese to give that famous sweet-cheesy taste Colombians love.
Buñuelos
Buñuelos are traditionally connected with Christmas and/or breakfast but they are enjoyed all year round and at any time of the day. They look like round donuts made with cheese, cornstarch, and flour or yuca. At Christmas, they are enjoyed with natilla, a type of custard made with panela, which is often cooked on a campfire.
Buñuelos are tasty with a slightly crispy outside and then a soft, doughy center. In other parts of the world, buñuelos have a flavored filling but Colombia has decided their cheesy dough balls need no further additions. I think they are right.
Calentado
Calentado, or calenta’o as it is often pronounced, means “heated up” and is basically leftovers from last night’s dinner served up for breakfast. Colombians don’t like to see anything go to waste and it has become such a tradition that restaurants downtown offer calentado as a fairly popular breakfast option. You never know exactly what you will get but expect to get some meat, rice, and beans all mixed together.
A hearty, filling, and more tasty Colombian version of tucking into last night’s pizza or Chinese to ease the hangover. One of the more unusual Colombian dishes but it can really hit the spot if you need a big breakfast to start the day.
