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Aborrajado is a Colombian dish consisting of cheese-stuffed sweet plantain slices that are battered and deep-fried. Although the name aborrajado means battered, the dish can also be baked or grilled. Aborrajado is traditionally served as an appetizer or a snack, but some people like to add slices of bocadillo guava paste, so this dish can also be served as a dessert.
MOST ICONIC Aborrajados
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Pan de queso is a cheese bread from Colombia, namely the Paisa region where it is extremely popular. The main ingredients are tapioca flour and grated cheese, but it is the fermented cassava starch that gives these rolls their lightness and volume.
They are eaten for breakfast or as a parva—a quick breakfast snack, either plain or filled with cream cheese or jelly.
MOST ICONIC Pan de queso
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Pan de yuca is a traditional bread consisting of cassava flour, eggs, and cheese. It is usually shaped into small, round balls. The bread is popular throughout Colombia and Ecuador, although there are variations on pan de yuca throughout Latin America.
It makes for a delicious warm appetizer or an afternoon snack, preferably paired with a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee.
MOST ICONIC Pan de yuca
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Arepa de huevo is a popular Colombian dish that is commonly sold at street stalls, especially in the Caribbean parts of Colombia. Corn arepas are filled with eggs, then fried until the eggs are fully cooked. They are often served for breakfast, but also make for a nice afternoon snack when paired with a cup of coffee on the side.
MOST ICONIC Arepa de huevo
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Cachapa, chorreada, arepa de choclo, güirila, toquera, tortilla de choclo, and tortilla changa, are all names that describe a Latin American corn dish that can be categorized as either a pancake, tortilla, or flatbread, depending on the country.
It can be made only of corn or have additional ingredients like sugar, water, milk, salt, butter, cheese, and oil. They are typically prepared by street vendors and are either fried or griddled (in Nicaragua, they’re cooked between two banana leaves!) and characterized by a sweet-savory flavor.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Arepa de queso is a Colombian variety of arepas which have a dough that is combined with cheese such as queso fresco or queso seco. When served, these arepas are split in half, then spread with butter and filled with more cheese, according to personal preferences, although they can also be consumed plain.
In Colombia, they are often paired with a cup of hot chocolate.
MOST ICONIC Arepa de queso
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Enyucado is a savory-sweet dish originating from the Colombian coast. Although there are many versions of this dish, it is usually prepared with a combination of yuca, sugar, shredded or crumbled cheese, grated coconut, butter, and anise seeds.
After the cake has been baked, it is typically cut into squares, then served at room temperature or warm. Enyucado can be consumed as an afternoon snack with coffee on the side, but it is also often served as a side dish accompanying meat.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Carimañolas are Colombian snacks made with mashed cassava that is filled with chicken, beef, or cheese before being deep-fried. These fritters are traditionally torpedo-shaped and can be served for breakfast or as an appetizer before a bigger meal.
The meat filling is usually flavored with onions, bell peppers, garlic, cumin, and tomato paste. It is recommended to serve carimañolas warm with ají sauce on the side.
One of the most omnipresent local dishes in the Paisa region of Colombia is the traditional arepa paisa, made from soaked threshed corn that is shaped and grilled until golden brown. This crispy and luscious corn cake can be eaten on its own, served as a side dish, or stuffed with variable fillings such as cheese, meat, or eggs - you can eat it with whatever choice of filling you want.
The versatility of the arepa paisa is only matched by the love the locals have for it - a typical breakfast in this region is centered on it (topped with butter, salt, and slices of cheese), and sometimes the dish is part of all meals of the day! And because you can find arepa paisa at every supermarket, street vendor or restaurant, there's always a perfect one available at all times.
MOST ICONIC Arepa paisa
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Arepa Santandereana is a Colombian arepa variety from the El Santander department. These arepas are made with yellow corn masa, cassava, and crispy pork belly – also known as chicharrón. They are usually grilled, and it is recommended to consume them while fresh and hot.
Arepa Santandereana is traditionally eaten as a snack, but it can also be served as an accompaniment to traditional Colombian dishes.
MOST ICONIC Arepa Santandereana
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 13 Colombian Snacks” list until April 15, 2025, 1,191 ratings were recorded, of which 494 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.