Close your eyes, you’re in an Andean plaza, the dawn air cool against your skin. A vendor cracks open kernels of corn on a metal pan, and the scent - warm, tender, just a touch smoky - drifts through the crisp air. Below, the mountain hum is low and steady, like a giant breathing beneath your feet.
Soon, you’ll find coconut and panela simmering on a stove, where the air is fragrant with tomato, onion, and cumin. And there’s something deeper, an unexpected comfort in flavours so simple they stay with you long after you’ve left the place they came from.
Imagine tender Andean potatoes cloaked in a rich tomato and onion sauce, brightened with garlic and coriander. Traditionally cooked in clay pots, papas chorreadas are rustic, comforting, and entirely plant-based when made in the old-fashioned way - no cheese, no cream, just pure, simple flavour!
Where to go: Stop by family-run fondas in Villa de Leyva or Zipaquirá. You’ll find steaming bowls of these potatoes served with avocado and a sprinkle of salt (the very definition of humble perfection, I must say).
A dish that tastes like sunshine and sea breeze! Arroz con coco combines rice, coconut milk, panela, and a pinch of salt to create a sweet-savoury masterpiece. It’s the heart of coastal Colombian cuisine and pairs beautifully with fried plantains and tropical fruit.
Where to go: Visit Cartagena or Santa Marta’s beachfront cafés, order a plate of coconut rice and listen as the sea laps gently against the shore.
Crisp, golden discs of twice-fried green plantain - patacones are a Colombian staple! Lightly salted and irresistibly crunchy, they’re perfect with hogao, a tomato-and-scallion sauce that’s naturally vegan and deeply satisfying.
Where to go: You’ll find patacones in every corner of Colombia, from bustling Bogotá eateries to roadside stalls along the Caribbean coast. The best ones? Usually served from a sizzling oil pan by someone’s abuela.
These aren’t your average arepas. Arepas de maíz pelao are made from whole corn kernels soaked, peeled and stone-ground, then grilled over an open flame. With no butter or cheese, they celebrate the pure taste of maize and smoke - ancient, earthy and unforgettable!
Vegan Colombian Dishes
Papas Chorreadas – Boyacá and Cundinamarca
Imagine tender Andean potatoes cloaked in a rich tomato and onion sauce, brightened with garlic and coriander. Traditionally cooked in clay pots, papas chorreadas are rustic, comforting, and entirely plant-based when made in the old-fashioned way - no cheese, no cream, just pure, simple flavour!
Where to go: Stop by family-run fondas in Villa de Leyva or Zipaquirá. You’ll find steaming bowls of these potatoes served with avocado and a sprinkle of salt (the very definition of humble perfection, I must say).
Arroz con Coco – Caribbean Coast
A dish that tastes like sunshine and sea breeze! Arroz con coco combines rice, coconut milk, panela, and a pinch of salt to create a sweet-savoury masterpiece. It’s the heart of coastal Colombian cuisine and pairs beautifully with fried plantains and tropical fruit.
Where to go: Visit Cartagena or Santa Marta’s beachfront cafés, order a plate of coconut rice and listen as the sea laps gently against the shore.
Patacones – Throughout Colombia
Crisp, golden discs of twice-fried green plantain - patacones are a Colombian staple! Lightly salted and irresistibly crunchy, they’re perfect with hogao, a tomato-and-scallion sauce that’s naturally vegan and deeply satisfying.
Where to go: You’ll find patacones in every corner of Colombia, from bustling Bogotá eateries to roadside stalls along the Caribbean coast. The best ones? Usually served from a sizzling oil pan by someone’s abuela.
Arepas de Maíz Pelao – Santander and the Caribbean
These aren’t your average arepas. Arepas de maíz pelao are made from whole corn kernels soaked, peeled and stone-ground, then grilled over an open flame. With no butter or cheese, they celebrate the pure taste of maize and smoke - ancient, earthy and unforgettable!
Where to go: Try them in Barichara or Cartagena’s traditional markets. Ask for them sin relleno (plain) and enjoy with a drizzle of hogao or a slice of avocado.
A hearty stew at the heart of Colombian comfort food. While modern versions include meat, the traditional base is entirely vegan: red beans simmered with ripe plantain, onion, garlic and cumin. The sweetness of the plantain and the savoury depth of the beans make it a meal in itself.
Where to go: Medellín’s menu del día spots often start with a steaming bowl of beans. Pair it with rice and avocado and you’ve got the essence of paisa hospitality!
Golden, chewy, and sweetly addictive, cocadas are coconut confections made with just grated coconut, sugar and panela. Their crisp edges and soft centres make them the perfect street snack or after-dinner treat!
Where to go: Walk through the markets of Cartagena or Palenque and you’ll see bright trays of cocadas glistening in the sun (sold by vendors who’ve perfected the recipe over generations).
Beneath its humble appearance lies one of Colombia’s best-kept secrets: yuca frita is cassava root, boiled until tender and fried until golden, with a texture that’s crisp outside and buttery inside. Served with a squeeze of lime or a spoonful of hogao, it’s simple, hearty and deeply satisfying.
Where to go: Roadside eateries between Cali and Popayán are famous for their yuca frita. It’s the perfect companion to a cool glass of aguapanela after a long day of exploring.
As you embark on this culinary journey through Colombia, it's essential to ensure your travel documentation is in order. Before your trip, make sure to complete the Colombian check-mig form, which is required for entry into and exit from Colombia.
Each dish transports you to its roots:
Colombia’s food map is waiting to surprise you - coconut rice by the sea, smoky corn cakes in the highlands, and plantain crisps on every corner. Colombian cuisine is a living story of its people, regions, and rhythms, where even the simplest plant-based dishes tell of resourcefulness and care.
Fríjoles Antioqueños – Antioquia
A hearty stew at the heart of Colombian comfort food. While modern versions include meat, the traditional base is entirely vegan: red beans simmered with ripe plantain, onion, garlic and cumin. The sweetness of the plantain and the savoury depth of the beans make it a meal in itself.
Where to go: Medellín’s menu del día spots often start with a steaming bowl of beans. Pair it with rice and avocado and you’ve got the essence of paisa hospitality!
Cocadas – Caribbean Coast
Golden, chewy, and sweetly addictive, cocadas are coconut confections made with just grated coconut, sugar and panela. Their crisp edges and soft centres make them the perfect street snack or after-dinner treat!
Where to go: Walk through the markets of Cartagena or Palenque and you’ll see bright trays of cocadas glistening in the sun (sold by vendors who’ve perfected the recipe over generations).
Yuca Frita – Across Colombia
Beneath its humble appearance lies one of Colombia’s best-kept secrets: yuca frita is cassava root, boiled until tender and fried until golden, with a texture that’s crisp outside and buttery inside. Served with a squeeze of lime or a spoonful of hogao, it’s simple, hearty and deeply satisfying.
Where to go: Roadside eateries between Cali and Popayán are famous for their yuca frita. It’s the perfect companion to a cool glass of aguapanela after a long day of exploring.
A Sample Itinerary To Follow:
- Start in Boyacá for papas chorreadas and arepas de maíz pelao.
- Fly north to Cartagena for arroz con coco and cocadas by the sea.
- Head west through Antioquia for slow-cooked fríjoles antioqueños.
- Wander south to Cali for crisp yuca frita at sunset.
- Finish with patacones and hogao wherever you - they belong to all of Colombia!
As you embark on this culinary journey through Colombia, it's essential to ensure your travel documentation is in order. Before your trip, make sure to complete the Colombian check-mig form, which is required for entry into and exit from Colombia.
Why These Dishes Matter
Each dish transports you to its roots:
- Regional authenticity: flavours you simply can’t replicate elsewhere!
- Cultural connection: to ancestral farming, indigenous techniques and community kitchens.
- Actionable: you know where to go, what to ask for and how to enjoy it.
- Adventure: they challenge your expectations and redefine comfort food.
Final Thoughts
Colombia’s food map is waiting to surprise you - coconut rice by the sea, smoky corn cakes in the highlands, and plantain crisps on every corner. Colombian cuisine is a living story of its people, regions, and rhythms, where even the simplest plant-based dishes tell of resourcefulness and care.
