El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America.  As a matter of fact, it is known as “El Pulgarcito de America” (the Tom Thumb of America).

Now, do not let that fact deceive you. Salvadoran food is delicious!  What is eaten in the country is a mix of Native American (Pipil, Lenca) and Spanish cuisine with recipes dating back hundreds of years. 

Here is a list of must-try El Salvador food dishes you cannot miss:

Salvadoran Typical Breakfast

When in El Salvador, you should start your day by having a typical Salvadoran breakfast. It consists of scrambled eggs (prepared with onions, peppers, and tomatoes), refried beans, fresh cheese, cream, fried sweet plantains, and tortillas. Some versions include fresh avocado or requeson (a type of ricotta) instead of cream.

Pupusas

Pupusas are the stars of the Salvadoran cuisine.  Locals consume them often and you can find them literarily at almost every corner.

A pupusa can be seen as thick corn tortilla stuffed with ingredients such as cheese, beans and chicharron (pork).  This Salvadoran dish is prepared freshly right after being ordered. Pupusas taste better when eaten piping hot and accompanied by curtido (pickled cabbage) and tomato sauce.

I recommend trying as many varieties of Salvadoran pupusas as possible – you are going to find them stuffed with shrimp, onions, jalapenos, carrots, squash, mushrooms and other local herbs.  

Pupusas are eaten using your hands and no utensils are going to be provided.

Pupusas de Arroz

These pupusas are prepared using rice flour.  Some people (if not most people) feel like these taste better than their corn counterparts. Rice pupusas are a bit harder to find, however, any renowned pupuseria located in a big city should have them on the menu.  

The town of Olocuilta is famous for this type of pupusas. You can stop by when driving to or from the international airport.

Casamiento

Casamiento can be translated as marriage or wedding. The name comes from the fact that previously cooked rice and beans are combined in a hot pan to create a new dish. This is a great way of El Salvadoran people to give new life to leftovers!

Casamiento can be served with eggs, meats, or poultry. It is called Gallo Pinto in other Central American countries.

Panes Rellenos

Think of panes rellenos as a Salvadoran-style torta or sandwich. A big piece of bread is stuffed with stewed chicken or turkey and topped with cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, beets, and watercress. The result is smothered with sauce or stew juices.  

Some regional varieties include hard-boiled eggs, green beans or escabeche (cooked and seasoned veggies, served cold).

In San Salvador, you can try them at Panes Mayra or Panes Reinita.

Sopa de Pata

This soup is prepared with parts of the cow’s leg (hooves, tendon), tripe, yuca, onion, garlic, chayote, cabbage, corn, and other ingredients.

Because of the elaborated process involved to get the soup right, many consider this El Salvador food a delicacy. Some places prepare the soup daily but it is more common to find it during the weekends. If you want to try it, have it early in the day since it sells fast.

Empanadas

If you have a sweet tooth, you will enjoy eating empanadas after your meal or as part of a coffee break.

These little morsels are made of mashed sweet (ripe) plantains and filled with a mix of milk, sugar, and cinnamon (thicken with cornstarch). Once assembled, they are fried and dusted with sugar. A more savory version is prepared by stuffing the empanadas with refried beans.

Quesadilla Salvadorena

Do not get confused! In El Salvador cuisine, a quesadilla is a cheese-based cake with its consistency reminiscing of a coffee cake.

Quesadilla Salvadorena can be found in bakeries, coffee shops and restaurants and it is one of the most consumed type of bread (or dessert) in the country.

Salvadoran Coffee

Salvadoran coffee has gained international fame. A pound cultivated in the highest parts of the country can be sold for up to $15 in big cities such as Los Angeles or New York.

Apaneca, Ataco, and Juayua (part of La Ruta de las Flores) are some of the best places to try the local El Salvador coffee (there are many farms in the area).

If you cannot make it to that part of the country, you can have a cup at Viva Espresso, Photo Cafe or Dr. Coffee in San Salvador or Point Break Cafe in El Tunco.

Kolashampan

Kolashampan is a bottled, carbonated drink unique to El Salvador. It is made from a fruit Salvadorans call mamey (Mammea Americana, not to be confused with what is called mamey in Mexico).  

It can be found at convenience stores, cafes or restaurants.

What Salvadoran dishes from this list have you tried? What other Salvadoran foods do you recommend?

Author’s Bio:

Born and raised in tropical Puerto Rico, Ruth moved to Southern California over a decade ago to pursue careers in engineering and data analytics. California was the perfect place to fuel a long-time travel passion and the inspiration to share a bucket load of adventures on her blog Tanama Tales.

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