Cebolada is a traditional sauce or paste that's made with onions as the key ingredient. Although there are many recipes, cebolada usually also includes tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, paprika, and additional (optional) ingredients such as parsley and red bell peppers.

The ingredients are sautéed in olive oil until the sauce thickens. Once prepared, it is chilled, then used with a variety of meat dishes such as steaks and pork chops, as well as fish. Some of the dishes where cebolada is used include atum de cebolada (tuna steak and cebolada) and bife de cebolada (thinly sliced steak and cebolada), which is usually served with fried potatoes on the side.