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What to eat in Puerto Rico? Top 38 Puerto Rican Foods

Last update: Sun Feb 16 2025
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01

Pork Dish

PUERTO RICO
4.5
Pernil
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Pernil is one of Puerto Rico's most famous dishes, a succulent roasted pork shoulder that is traditionally seasoned in a marinade called adobo mojado, consisting of paprika, salt, vinegar, garlic, and oregano. The name of the dish is derived from the Spanish word pierna, meaning leg, but it is also a Catalan word for ham, referring to the traditional recipe that calls for fresh ham.


Because pork shoulder is more available and costs less than ham, it has become a key ingredient in pernil. Many people prefer it since it is believed to be much more flavorful than ham. The dish is a staple at numerous Puerto Rican festivities such as birthdays or weddings, where many people feast on the crunchy skin and tender meat that falls off the bone.

MOST ICONIC Pernil

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02

Pudding

PUERTO RICO
4.5
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This creamy pudding is one of Puerto Rico’s specialties, made by cooking coconut milk with cornstarch and sugar, then topping the concoction with cinnamon. The end result is a slightly firm pudding with a smooth custard-like texture, and it is typically served cold.


The name tembleque means wiggly, referring to a slight wiggle when the pudding is shaken. This rich dessert can also be flavored with vanilla, nutmeg, or rum, if desired. It is especially popular at birthday parties and similar festive occasions.

03

Sandwich

PUERTO RICO and  one more region
4.3
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Jibarito is a unique Puerto Rican sandwich made with smashed, fried plantains instead of bread. The sandwich is typically filled with garlic mayonnaise, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. The origins of jibarito are somewhat hard to untangle, as some claim that the sandwich is originally a Puerto Rican invention, while others claim that it was created by Juan Figueroa at the Borinquen Restaurant in Chicago in 1996.


The most probable theory says that the sandwich was invented by Coquí Feliciano and Jorge Muñoz at Plátano Loco restaurant in Aguada, Puerto Rico, and Figueroa probably read about it, which inspired him to make another version in Chicago.

04

Casserole

PUERTO RICO
4.2
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This plantain-based casserole is a staple in Puerto Rican and Dominican cuisine. It consists of sliced or mashed plantains that are layered with minced meat. The meat used in the dish is usually the Puerto Rican version of picadillo—a hearty stew prepared with a combination of ground meat and tomato sauce, while the common additions often include shredded cheese or green beans.


Pastelón can be enjoyed as the main course or a filling side dish. It also goes under the name piñon.

MOST ICONIC Pastelón

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05
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Bistec encebollado is a flavorful dish popular throughout Latin America, consisting of an adobo-spiced, marinated beefsteak combined with onion sauce and large onion rings on top. The wonderful flavors of bistec encebollado come from marinating the meat over a long period of time, usually anywhere from 10 to 12 hours.


It is recommended to pair the dish with rice, pigeon peas, and fried plantains.

MOST ICONIC Bistec encebollado

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06

Bread Roll

PUERTO RICO and  one more country
4.2
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Almojábana is a traditional and Puerto Rican bread (although it is also popular in other countries of Latin America) that is very similar to pandebono. Pandebono is usually made with yuca flour and costeño cheese, while almojábanas are made with cuajada white cheese and cornmeal flour.


Almojábanas are baked until they develop a spongy texture and a golden brown color of the exterior. This small, round bread is traditionally served warm.

07
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Limber is a Puerto Rican frozen treat consisting of coconut milk, pineapple juice, and sweeteners such as sugar. There are numerous variations, so it can also be prepared with mangos or raspberries. This dessert is named after Charles A. Lindbergh, who was the first pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.


When he flew to Puerto Rico, the locals offered him a frozen fruit juice, which he enjoyed, so the people named it Limber in his honor. Nowadays, Limber can be found at numerous roadside fruit stands and gas stations in Puerto Rico.

08
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Mofongo is a Puerto Rican dish made from fried unripe plantains which are then pulverized or mashed. The starchy dish can be further enriched by the addition of ingredients such as lobster, prawns, garlic, chicken, or bacon. Although mofongo is Puerto Rican, it has African origins, as it was originally brought to Puerto Rico by slaves from Western and Central Africa.


Today, it is also popular in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, where it's called mangu, and the plantains are not fried but boiled. Mofongo is usually consumed as a main dish, served with broth and fried meat, due to its starchiness that is ideal for absorbing all of the flavorful juices.

MOST ICONIC Mofongo

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09
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Arroz y habichuelas is a simple and traditional Puerto Rican dish. It consists of rice and beans flavored with bacon or ham, sofrito, tomato purée, spices, and (optionally) olives. In Puerto Rico, it is typically served as a side dish, but it can also be served on its own.


Throughout Central and South America, there are numerous variations and twists on this simple side dish, beloved for its protein content which comes from the beans.

MOST ICONIC Arroz y habichuelas

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10

Snack

PUERTO RICO
3.9
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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.

MOST ICONIC Tostones

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3
4
11
Snack
PUERTO RICO
3.9
12
13
14
15
16
Sandwich
PUERTO RICO
3.7
17
18
19
20
21
22
Snack
PUERTO RICO
3.2
23
24
25
Soup
PUERTO RICO
n/a
26
27
28
Porridge
PUERTO RICO
n/a
29
30
Bread
PUERTO RICO
3.9
31
32
33
Sweet Pie
PUERTO RICO
n/a
34
Dessert
PUERTO RICO
n/a
35
36
Side Dish
PUERTO RICO
n/a
37
Stew
PUERTO RICO
n/a
38

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 38 Puerto Rican Foods” list until February 16, 2025, 1,680 ratings were recorded, of which 823 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.

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