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What to eat in Panama? Top 15 Panamanian Foods

Last update: Sun Feb 16 2025
Top 15 Panamanian Foods
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01
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Yuca al mojo is a flavorful side dish that is popular in Panama and throughout the Caribbean. It consists of boiled cassava (yuca) marinated in a zesty sauce made with garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Although it is usually served as a side dish, yuca al mojo is also a welcome addition to numerous salads.

02

Pancake

PANAMA and  6 more regions
4.2
Tortilla changa
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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. 
03
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Hojaldres is a traditional breakfast bread consisting of fried dough made with flour, sugar, salt, and oil or butter. The texture of this bread is similar to donuts, but its taste is savory. The flat, round bread is usually topped with cheese, while a sausage stew known as salchichas guisadas is often served as a dip on the side.

MOST ICONIC Hojaldres

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04

Snack

PANAMA and  one more country
3.5
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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.

05
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Plátanos en tentacion is a Panamanian dish that can be translated as plantains in temptation. It consists of ripe plantains that are mixed with a combination of water, butter, rum, sugar, and vanilla, and the concoction is then baked until dark golden in color.


Before serving, plátanos en tentacion are sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. These plantains are traditionally served not as a dessert, but as a side dish, usually accompanying roasted meat and white rice.

06
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Mamallena is a simple Panamanian bread pudding made with bread, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, vanilla extract, and raisins. All the ingredients are combined, poured into a glass mold, then baked until slightly brown. In Panama, mamallena means stuffed mama, probably denoting the dense and satisfying nature of this dessert.


This bread pudding is nothing like other bread puddings because its texture is much more spongier and mushier instead of bready. The dessert is sold in many local bakeries and it is usually served with a glass of milk.

07
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Torrejitas de maiz are traditional Panamanian corn fritters which are also popular in Colombia. They are made with a combination of flour, sugar, baking powder, adobo seasoning, cheese, eggs, and corn. The ingredients are mixed together into a batter which is then fried in hot oil until golden brown.


These corn fritters are usually garnished with cilantro and served with pico de gallo, salsa verde, or hot sauces. It is recommended to serve them as accompaniments to various seafood dishes.

08
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Tamal Panameño is a traditional dish originating from Panama. These Panamanian tamales have many variations, but they’re often prepared with corn dough that’s mixed with raisins and some broth. Once shaped, the tamales are stuffed with meat such as pork or chicken.


They’re wrapped in fresh banana leaves and steamed to perfection. The filling often contains many ingredients such as onions, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, capers, and various spices, in addition to meat and raisins.

09
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Despite its name, sopa borracha (lit. drunk soup) is not a soup at all, but a festive Panamanian dessert that is especially popular at weddings and birthdays. It consists of a sponge cake that is cut into smaller pieces, then drenched in a sweet syrup made with sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest and juice, dark rum, and sherry, boiled with prunes and raisins which are later used as a topping once the dessert has been assembled.


If desired, sopa borracha can be additionally topped with silver dragées, as the Panamanians do.

10
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Bocado de la reina is a cake-like bread pudding made with leftover bread, condensed milk, eggs, and bananas. It is especially popular in Panama and Guatemala. This cake is typically flavored with cinnamon, while raisins might be added for extra flavor.


Although the literal translation of this dish means the bite of a queen or queen's bite, it is still unclear why a cake made with leftover bread would be fit for a queen.

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Panamanian Food