# Venezuelan cuisine

Venezuelan cuisine is influenced by its European (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French), West African, and indigenous traditions. Venezuelan cuisine varies greatly from one region to another. Food staples include corn, rice, plantains, yams, beans and several meats.
Potatoes, tomatoes, onions, eggplants, squashes, spinach and zucchini are also common side dishes in the Venezuelan diet. Ají dulce and papelón are found in most recipes. Worcestershire sauce is also used frequently in stews. Venezuela is also known for having a large variety of white cheese (queso blanco), usually named by geographical region.

## Main dishes

| Name | Description |
| Arepa | Ground maize dough cooked, typically grilled on a budare (which is similar to a comal) or deep-fried in a regular pan. The arepa is served filled, similar to a sandwich. There are many fillings including shredded beef, black beans, Venezuelan cheese, ham, fish. Some fillings have proper names. Reina Pepiada (old Venezuelan Spanish for "curvy queen") is a filling for arepa composed of avocado, chicken, and mayonnaise. This particular filling is named after the Venezuelan beauty queen Susana Duijm. |
| Arepa andina | Same as arepas but made with wheat. Popular in the Venezuelan Andes region. |
| Asado negro | Slow-cooked beef roast in dark sugar-cane sauce. |
| Cachapa | A maize pancake, usually filled with fresh cheese and/or fried pork |
| Cachitos (de jamón) | Similar to French croissant filled with ham |
| Caraotas negras | Black beans, usually eaten at lunch time, with rice, plantains and shredded meat, or pabellón |
| Casabe | A flat bread made of bitter cassava |
| Chicharrón | Typically fried pork rinds and eaten as a snack, or as a side dish |
| Chupe andino | A soup traditionally made with cheese, shredded chicken or hen, vegetables and cream. |
| Ensalada de pollo | Chicken salad, usually made with mayonnaise, green cabbage and carrots |
| Hallaca | A typical Christmas dish; hallacas typically have a mixture of beef, pork, chicken, capers, raisins, and olives wrapped in maize (cornmeal dough), bound with string within plantain leaves, and boiled or steamed afterwards |
| Humitas | Small tamales consumed throughout the Andes region of South America, including the Venezuelan Andes region |
| Huevos pericos | Scrambled eggs, butter, sautéed diced onions, and tomatoes; used often to fill an arepa |
| Hervido de gallina | Hen soup, usually with chunks of corn, potatoes, carrots and local root vegetables such as cassava, ñam, auyama (name for local variety of pumpkin), ocumo (cocoyam), and seasoned with onions, garlic, and cilantro |
| Mandoca | Deep-fried cornmeal ring |
| Mondongo | Soup made from diced tripe and slow cooked vegetables |
| Pabellón criollo | Creole pavilion, the national dish: white rice, shredded beef in stew, tajadas (fried ripe plantains) and stewed black beans |
| Pastel de chucho | An pie made from stingray and plantains |
| Polvorosa de pollo | Caracas version of chicken pot pie made with pâte sablée |
| Pastelitos | Fried puff pastries, famously a specialty of the Venezuelan Andes. These are made with wheat flour dough, and filled with, for example, cheese and chicken. Usually pastelitos are eaten at breakfast |
| Pasticho | Similar to the Greek dish pastitsio and the Italian lasagna |
| Polenta | Also known as "funche" in some areas of the country |

## Typical snacks

| Name | Description |
| Tajadas | Fried ripe plantain slices |
| Tequeños | Deep-fried breaded cheese sticks |
| Tostones and patacones | Tostones are a common side dish for fried fish, typically eaten at the beach. They are also used to make the "Zulian patacón", which is a kind of sandwich made using tostones instead of bread |
| Empanadas | Served as snacks by street vendors; can also be eaten as a full meal. The dough is made with corn flour, similar to arepas, and the fillings are typically cheese, stewed black beans, shredded beefs, among others |
| Pastelitos | Same as empanada but made from wheat. Common in the Venezuelan Andes region. |

## Beverages

* Beer
* Catara sauce – an alleged aphrodisiac based on juice of cassava
* Chicha – non-alcoholic drink, made of boiled white rice, milk and sugar
* Cocada – Coconut milkshake, found mostly in coastal areas
* Papaya juice
* Mango juice
* Passion fruit juice
* Malta – Non-alcoholic carbonated malt
* Papelón con limón
* Ponche crema – Served especially during Christmas season
* Venezuelan rum
* Frescolita (strawberry-flavored soda)
* Chinotto (the counterpart to Sprite or Seven Up)
* Cocuy – Similar to Tequila. Served at celebrations.
* Guayoyo – Slightly watered down black coffee, commonly served after meals

## Breads

* Casabe – cassava flatbread
* Pan dulce – Spanish for "sweet bread"
* Pan de jamón – usually filled with ham, olives, and raisins and usually eaten during the Christmas season

## Desserts

* Alfajor – maize cookie with arequipe and grated coconut
* Bienmesabe
* Brazo gitano (the Spanish Swiss roll)
* Conserva de guayaba – Guava confection
* Chupichupi – a water-based frozen snack in a plastic tube, a freezie
* Dulce de lechosa – Green papaya slowed cooked in a syrup flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla
* Cascos de guayaba
* Cucas – cookies with brown sugar also called catalinas
* Golfeado
* Masamorra
* Majarete
* Mousse de chocolate
* Naiboa
* Pudín de chocolate – chocolate pudding
* Quesillo – local–style caramel flan
* Panelas de San Joaquin – biscuits twice baked recipe flavored with anis seed from San Joaquin, Carabobo State
* Polvorosas – butter cookies with cinnamon
* Paledonias – cookies with brown sugar also called cucas or catalinas

## Cheese

Queso blanco is very popular in Venezuela. It is produced all over Venezuela with different flavors and textures. The name of each variety of cheese is usually related to the geographical region.
* Cuajada andina
* Llanero cheese
* Queso blanco duro
* Queso de año
* Queso de mano
* Queso crineja
* Guayanés cheese
* Paisa cheese
* Palmita cheese
* Palmizulia cheese
* Telita cheese

## Other foods

* Arepa de Coroba
* Palo a pique
* Salpicón