12 Types of food and drink in Cuba you need to try in Cuba? Let’s dive into the delights of Cuban cooking. It’s a cuisine that receives unwarranted bad press, but once you’ve tried it you’ll realise that its actually great! So forget everything you’ve heard in the past and be ready to sample the island’s favourite dishes for yourself, before making a judgement. You won’t be disappointed we promise! Come and see it all in Cuba.
Here’s our selection of the 12 types of food and drink You need to try in Cuba!
1. Try the Humble Cuban Omelette
This humble French classic may not be obviously Cuban right? However does play an important part in the morning ritual as the breakfast meal of choice for many Cubans. From small family-owned casa particulares to privately-run paladares you’ll find an omelette on the menu. They are usually served with bread, fruit and Cuba’s rather potent blends of home-grown coffee.
2. Tamales
Tamales, a popular street snack in many Cuban cities, come in various forms across Latin America. In the Cuban rendition, a gluten-free corn flour pocket is filled with morsels of meat or chopped vegetables. This pocket is then enveloped in corn husks or banana leaves and steamed until piping hot. What’s particularly appealing is that you can enjoy them straight from the husk wrapper. So it’s the original take-away snack!
3. Mixtos and Planchas
The Cuban Mixto is more renowned in the United States than in Cuba. A Mixto features soft and fluffy white bread, lightly buttered or brushed with olive oil. It’s generously stacked with pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and a touch of mustard. Some variations may also incorporate mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato, which purists might view with disdain. The Mixto can also be toasted in a sandwich press. The result being that the cheese melts transforming it into what is known as a Plancha.
4. Rice and Beans
White rice and black beans stand as the two primary staples of Cuban cuisine. When cooked together, the resulting blend is known as Moros y Cristianos. Conversely, if prepared separately before being served together, they are referred to as arroz con frijoles – rice with beans.
5. Plantain and Tostones
The plantain is related to the banana only a fatter hardeversion of the fruit. It’s a popular and really tasty alternative or addition to rice and beans. Still sweet yet more savoury and starchier in texture than a normal banana, it’s a “must try”. Similarily they work excellently well as a snack on their own or as a side to any number of dishes.
The tostone is the most famous dish made with plantain. Sliced green plantains rubbed with salt are deep-fried, then flattened into an round patty and then deep-fried again. Savoury and salty they’re often served topped with grated carrot or cabbage, lettuce and mayonnaise.
6. Comida Criolla
If you have only one local dish while in Cuba make sure it’s comida criolla, since this dish is a smorgasbord of various island favourites. Choose this from a menu and your plate will be loaded up with Moros y Cristianos and slices of fried plantain. Your source of source of protein will be fish or type of meat covered in a sauce. Bread, potato chips and a traditional salad of tomato, cucumber, lettuce and sliced cabbage are served on the side!
7. Ropa Vieja and Other Beef dishes
Cuba is undoubtedly a culture where meat in some form takes a significant role in most meals. While chicken and pork are the most popular choices, beef also finds its place in the Cuban diet. Two dishes that prominently feature braised skirt steak are Ropa Vieja and Vaca Frita. With Ropa Vieja, the steak is slowly stewed in a tangy tomato sauce until tender. On the other hand, Vaca Frita is braised with a mix of herbs and spices, along with sliced onions and peppers. It’s typically served with white rice.
Despite there being a steadily growing awareness of vegetarianism n Cuba, the options are still somewhat limited.
8. Mouth Watering Locally Grown Fruit
If we are talking about food and drinks to try in Cuba then the local fruit is a must! Furthermore Cuba offers an abundance of fresh tropical fruits thanks to its warm year-round climate. Be sure you can indulge in coconuts, mangoes, papaya, pineapples, avocado, and guava. Be sure not to miss the chance to try Mamey, a fruit with a uniquely sweet flavor and a texture reminiscent of a soft pumpkin. Locally-grown produce means it’s in-season fruits. So not everything will be available but that’s just another reason to plan a second trip!
9. Cuban Rum
Originally a by-product of the sugar cane industry that brought riches to the land owners of Cuba, rum is intrinsically linked with the island. Bacardi white rum was created in Santiago de Cuba back in 1862, though the Havana Club brand is best known on the island today. Above all rum is the backbone spirit for many important island cocktails, not least the Cubata (or Cuba Libre) and Mojito. In addition the daiquiri was also invented on the island and is said to have been author Ernest Hemingway’s favourite tipple.
10. Devilled Crab Patties
Devilled crab croquettes, or croqueta de jaiba, were first created not in Cuba, but by Cuban expatriates in nearby Florida. These are traditionally served for lunch or as an easy-to-eat snack. They involve gently sautéing blue crab meat with a mixture made of tomatoes, onions, peppers, and mixed herbs known as chilau. The mixture is then formed into shapes the size of a palm, rolled in freshly-prepared breadcrumbs, and then deep-fried. They are served with various spicy dipping sauces.
11. Turron – Cuba’s Favourite Candy
Cuban Turron, very similar to Turron found in Europe, is better known as peanut nougat and it ticks all the boxes for anyone with a sweet tooth. Though you can find blocks that weigh up to a kilo in weight, it’s more usual to find a smaller snack size bars sold by street vendors. It comes in two equally satisfying forms, blando, which is made from ground peanuts blended with brown sugar, and duro, made up of roughly chopped peanuts stuck together by a sugar or honey mix.
12. “Buchito”-Cuban Espresso Coffee
A “Buchito,” literally translating to a little sip, is a sweetened Cuban espresso commonly enjoyed after every meal in Cuba. The preparation process often involves adding sugar into the top of a stovetop espresso pot and letting the coffee bubble up to mix with it.
Alternatively, the more traditional approach is to take a small cup, add a teaspoon or so of sugar, and then incorporate the first few drops of espresso coffee that bubble up from the stovetop espresso. Whisk this mixture vigorously to create a thick yet pale sugar foam, known as “espumita.” To master the technique initially, it’s advisable to add only a few drops at a time until the sugar foam reaches a thick but drippy consistency. Then, simply spoon it into your espresso! While it will be prepared for you in a café or someone’s house, now you also know how to make it at home!
So that’s 12 types of food and drink you need to try in Cuba. But hey there’s more!