Alcapurria is a Puerto Rican snack made with grated green bananas or taro root (or a combination of both) that are stuffed with meat, then fried. The stuffing is usually picadillo – spiced ground beef with tomatoes. If made with grated yucca, the fritter is typically stuffed with crab meat.

These tasty fritters can be found at numerous Puerto Rican beach kiosks and street corners.

Pasteles are rectangular meat pies filled with a variety of ingredients, encased in masa dough that is then wrapped in a single banana leaf. The dough can be made with numerous ingredients such as cassava, taro, potatoes, or green bananas. The fillings are usually prepared with pork or chicken, with the addition of herbs and spices such as coriander and garlic, used to bring out the flavor of the meat.

The typical condiments served with pasteles are ketchup, tabasco, or pique criollo, a hot sauce made from local hot chilis that have been pickled in vinegar. The history of pasteles is debated, as some say that they originate from Taino Indians who were already living on the island when Columbus arrived, while the others claim they were invented by African slaves who used to work on sugar plantations. 

Tostones is a traditional side dish that's popular throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, especially in Puerto Rico. Unlike platanos fritos, where only ripe plantains are used, tostones are made with unripe, hard, very green plantains. They are sliced into pieces, fried on each side, then smashed or flattened and deep-fried one more time until they become golden.

Once prepared, the tostones are sprinkled with sea salt and served as a side dish to various dishes. They are often served with garlic mojo sauce (mojo de ajo), either on top of the tostones, or on the side as a dip.

Arroz con gandules is a one-pot national dish of Puerto Rico consisting of rice, pigeon peas, and sofrito, and every family in the country has their own version of the recipe. Sofrito is the aromatic flavoring base for a variety of Puerto Rican dishes, made with green peppers, onions, garlic, and coriander.

Some people may fry bacon in sofrito to add a smoky flavor to the finished dish. Other spices and garnishes in arroz con gandules might include cumin, bay leaves, oregano, tomato paste, olives, lime juice, and (not traditionally) sour cream. Although flavorful in its original, vegetarian version, it can also be made with added pork meat or sausages.