TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Salvadoran Foods
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Pupusa de queso con loroco is a variety of Salvadoran cheese pupusa, a thick corn tortilla that oozes with a mixture of gooey cheese and finely chopped loroco flower buds. The most traditional type of cheese used for the filling is quesillo, a kind of semi-soft white cheese, but other types of cheese may also be used.
Some of the most commonly used optional cheese varieties include queso fresco, mozzarella, farmer’s cheese, or Monterey Jack. The other key ingredient to the filling is loroco, the edible green buds of Fernaldia pandurata, a flowering vine that thrives throughout Central America.
Tamal de pollo is a Salvadorian variety of a tamale that is usually filled with shredded chicken. The chicken is stewed with potatoes, chickpeas, and olives. The combination is mixed with corn masa, and it is then wrapped in banana leaves and boiled or steamed.
This tamal is often made with recaudo sauce, made with onions, bell peppers, garlic, and tomatoes, imparting a bit of extra flavor to the dish. Once tamal de pollo is fully cooked, it can be consumed immediately, but some people say that it's even better the next day, when all the flavors are combined and the texture becomes even better.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Tamal
Yuca con chicharrón is a typical Honduran and Salvadorean dish consisting of boiled yucca root combined with lemon juice and cabbage, topped with crispy, deep-fried pork chicharrón, and a tomato-based hot sauce. The dish is commonly served on the side, accompanying various soups, tamales, or roasted meat dishes, although it can also be served on its own as an appetizer.
The star ingredient of this traditional Salvadoran soup or broth is a free-range, home-raised chicken known as gallina india. With an incomparable, rich flavor due to it being raised in a natural environment and fed on a natural diet, the chicken is typically cooked in water with a variety of chopped vegetables, garlic, herbs, spices, and seasonings.
Typical vegetables used in the soup include carrots, onions, pipián (a type of small squash eaten as a vegetable), tomatoes, potatoes, corn, green chilis, and chayote (a green, pear-shaped vegetable), while the most common herbs and spices used in the dish include parsley, chipilín (a leguminous plant), pepper, red pepper, achiote (a type of spice made from the seeds of the annatto tree), and basil.
Leche poleada is a traditional dessert, a creamy vanilla custard that can often be found plated on dried corn husks throughout the markets in the country. It is made with a combination of cornstarch, milk, vanilla, sugar, egg yolks, and cinnamon.
The mixture is heated until it thickens, and it is usually served hot, because the cold custard will harden. Before consumption, leche poleada is generously dusted with cinnamon powder. This dessert is especially popular during the festive Christmas season.
Cóctel de conchas is a seafood delicacy typical of Salvadoran cuisine. It is a type of shellfish cocktail that usually combines black shell clams (conchas negras), diced onions and tomatoes, cilantro, and lemon or lime juice. The whole thing is dressed with a mixture of Worcestershire sauce (called salsa inglesa or salsa perrins in El Salvador), hot sauce, and salt.
Typical accompaniments served with this clam cocktail include crackers, lemon halves for squeezing extra lemon juice over the cocktail, hot chili peppers, and cold beer. This refreshing specialty is especially popular during the summer season, and it is often served inside the shells for better visual effect.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Quesadilla Salvadoreña is a sweet dessert cake or a sweet bread that's usually found in local bakeries. In some villages, the cake is traditionally prepared on Sunday morning. It's made with a combination of flour, queso fresco or parmesan cheese, sugar, baking powder, milk or sour cream, eggs, and butter.
Before baking, the cake is sometimes sprinkled with sesame seeds on top. Once done, it's cut into wedges and served.
Lomo relleno or stuffed loin is a traditional meat specialty from El Salvador, consisting of pork or beef tenderloin that is cut open and pounded lightly before it’s rolled around a filling. The meat is typically seasoned with spices and seasonings, and it is usually brushed generously with mustard sauce or other sauce on both sides.
There are many variations on the filling but it most commonly contains a variety of chopped vegetables (usually carrots, onions, potatoes, green beans, peppers, chili peppers, eggplants, or güisquil), garlic, mushrooms, capers, olives, boiled eggs, various herbs and spices, and slices of ham or bacon.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Casamiento is a traditional dish hailing from El Salvador. It's usually made from leftover beans and rice that are mixed together. The dish can be enriched with the addition of sautéed bell peppers and onions When paired with scrambled eggs, casamiento makes for a great breakfast.
It's typically served with fried plantains, fresh tortillas, cheese, or crema. The name of the dish means wedding, reffering to the marriage of rice and beans.
Sopa de pata is a traditional soup. It's made with a combination of tripe, cow's feet, sweet corn, green beans, chayotes, cassava, and bananas. The soup is spiced with onions, garlic, cumin, and achiote, while its rich and buttery flavor is coming from cow hooves.
The hooves are washed in lemon juice before being added to the soup in order to lose their barnyardy aroma. When served, the soup is often garnished with culantro and sprinkled with chili powder.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Salvadoran Food Producers
Aida Batlle Selection refers to a premium line of coffees sourced and curated by Aida Batlle, a renowned coffee producer from El Salvador. Batlle is known for her meticulous approach to coffee cultivation, processing, and selection, earning her international acclaim in the specialty coffee industry.
Sourced primarily from her family farms in El Salvador, notably in the Santa Ana region. Includes Bourbon, Pacamara, and other high-quality Arabica varieties. Aida Batlle was the first woman to win the Cup of Excellence in El Salvador. Her coffees are sought after by specialty roasters and cafes worldwide.
BEST Aida Batlle Selection Coffees
AWARDS

Bartender Spirits Awards - Double Gold
2023
BEST Licorera Cihuatan S.A. de C.V. Spirits
Fairafric Ghana Limited is a chocolate producer based in Ghana. The company is known for producing organic chocolate that is fully made in Africa, utilizing local cocoa beans. This approach ensures added value remains within the country, supporting the local economy and providing jobs.
Fairafric also focuses on sustainability and fair trade practices in its production processes.
AWARDS

Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2022
BEST Fairafric Ghana Limited Chocolates
Belú Cacao is a chocolate producer located in Santa Tecla, El Salvador. They focus on handcrafting their products using locally sourced ingredients and traditional methods. The company offers a variety of chocolate products, including bars and drinks, which highlight the rich cacao heritage of the region.
Belú Cacao actively participates in sustainable practices to support both the environment and local communities.
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Silver
2020

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2022, 2021
BEST Belú Cacao Chocolates
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2020
BEST Cacaoterra Chocolates
Xocolatisimo El Salvador is a chocolate producer based in San Salvador, El Salvador. The company specializes in crafting artisanal chocolate products using locally sourced cacao. Their product range includes dark chocolate bars, truffles, and cacao nibs.
Xocolatisimo is committed to sustainable practices and supports local cacao farmers. The company offers its products both locally and for export.
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2019
BEST Xocolatisimo El Salvador Chocolates
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Salvadoran Food Products
AWARDS

Bartender Spirits Awards - Double Gold
2023
Discover the exceptional flavors of Aida Batlle Kilimanjaro, a truly unique coffee grown on the legendary slopes of the Santa Ana volcano in El Salvador. This remarkable coffee seamlessly blends tradition and innovation, offering a rich and complex flavor profile that captivates specialty coffee enthusiasts around the world.
This extraordinary coffee originates from Finca Kilimanjaro, a plantation recognized for its ideal terroir at elevations of 1,520 to 1,700 meters above sea level. The region’s fertile volcanic soil, high altitude, and optimal climate conditions create the perfect environment for growing high-quality coffee cherries.
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Silver
2020
Organic 70% Dark Chocolate with Nibs by Fairafric Ghana Limited is a luxurious chocolate bar crafted from ethically sourced cocoa beans grown in Ghana. This chocolate bar is made from organic ingredients, ensuring a high-quality and environmentally friendly production process.
It features 70% cocoa content, providing a rich and intense chocolate flavor, enhanced by the crunchy texture of cocoa nibs. This product is known for being a part of Fairafric's commitment to supporting local farmers and sustainable practices.
AWARDS

Great Taste Awards - 2 stars
2022
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2022
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2020
Cinnamon Dusted Chocolate Covered Almonds made by Cacaoterra are a gourmet treat that combines the rich flavors of premium chocolate and fresh, crunchy almonds dusted with a hint of aromatic cinnamon. Each almond is carefully coated in a layer of high-quality chocolate, which is then lightly sprinkled with cinnamon to add a warming spice that complements the sweetness of the chocolate.
This product is ideal for snacking or as an elegant addition to a dessert platter.
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2020
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2021
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2020
Rosa de Jamaica (Hibiscus) Truffle made by Cacaoterra is a unique chocolate confection that combines the rich, velvety texture of truffle with the tart, floral notes of hibiscus. This sophisticated treat is known for its vibrant, deep red color derived from the hibiscus flowers, which also impart a subtle tanginess that perfectly balances the sweetness of the chocolate.
The truffle is handcrafted with high-quality ingredients, ensuring a luxurious mouthfeel and an exquisite taste experience.
AWARDS

Academy of Chocolate - Bronze
2020
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. 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.