Flavors of Ecuador

The cuisine

Traditional food of Ecuador

Ecuadorian cuisine changes from one region to another. In the Andean highlands, the staples are corn—especially mote, the cooked white corn—potatoes in many varieties, and pork. On the Pacific coast, fish, shellfish, green plantain, peanuts and coconut take prominence. Many recipes mix indigenous ingredients with what came from Spain, such as cheese, milk and pork.

This selection gathers specialties linked to cities and provinces based on heritage records, the gastronomic map from the Ministry of Tourism, or the documented tradition of each place. In Quito, locro de papa is the potato soup of the city’s cuisine. In Latacunga, chugchucaras combine fried pork, mote and ripe plantain. In Baños de Agua Santa, melcocha is hand-pulled at shop doorways. In Cuenca, mote pillo is the breakfast dish, and mote pata is the Carnival soup.

In the northern highlands, chicha del Yamor gives its name to Otavalo’s festival, helado de paila is Ibarra’s sweet tradition, and Cayambe’s bizcochos are baked in wood-fired ovens. In Ambato, llapingacho is served at the Central Market, and in Zaruma, in the south, tigrillo of green plantain accompanies highland coffee.

On the coast, encebollado is Guayaquil’s fish broth, declared national heritage. Viche represents Manabí’s cuisine, seco de chivo represents Santa Elena’s, and encocado represents Afro-Esmeraldas cuisine. Many dishes come with ají, a spicy sauce served on the side.

Linking each specialty to a specific place is an editorial choice: most of them are eaten nationwide, and some have disputed origins.