Tequeños are a traditional Venezuelan snack consisting of fried wonton wrappers or empanada dough filled with cheese. It is believed that this snack originated from the city of Los Teques. Tequeños are usually served with various sauces and dips such as guacamole or salsa de palta.
Although the snack got its start in Venezuela, it soon spread throughout Latin America. In Peru, tequeños are popular as an appetizer or an afternoon snack, and Peruvians sometimes add ham, lomo saltado, or aji de gallina to the cheese filling.
MOST ICONIC Tequeños
Golfeados is the Venezuelan take on famous cinnamon rolls. This cheesy, sticky pastry typically consists of milk, yeast, sugar, flour, eggs, butter, and grated cheese. It is flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, and star anise. Halfway through the baking, golfeados are glazed with melado – a simple syrup based on panela.
As a result, these pastries are slightly crunchy on the exterior, while the interior remains soft, cheesy, and buttery. It is recommended to serve golfeados with a cup of robust coffee.
MOST ICONIC Golfeados
MAIN INGREDIENTS
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.
MOST ICONIC Cachapa
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Arepa frita is a variety of Venezuelan arepas that is popular throughout the country, especially in the Zulia region. The arepa is traditionally grilled, dipped in batter, then deep-fried in hot oil. When it develops a golden-brown color, arepa frita is usually stuffed with cabbage, queso de mano, mortadella, and condiments such as ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.
Although it is typically filled, this variety of arepa can also be consumed on its own as a quick snack.
Mandoca is a Venezuelan dish originating from the region of Zulia. These elongated rings are made with a combination of cornmeal, plantains, panela sugar, water, and queso fresco. Once prepared, the dough is fried in hot oil until golden-brown.
Mandocas are traditionally served hot for breakfast, accompanied by cheese, butter, and coffee on the side.
This unique version of the famous buñuelos fritters is prepared with puréed or grated cassava, eggs, sugar, baking powder, and occasionally grated cheese or wheat flour. Even though plain buñuelos originate from Spain, this cassava variety is traditionally associated with Venezuela and is commonly prepared in many Latin American countries.
They are usually enjoyed as a warm dessert served doused in a rich, sugary syrup spiced with cinnamon, anise, and cloves.
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.