Kak'ik
Often eaten: Often served at lunch or at festive family meals
Known for: Alta Verapaz
National DishFestive
Photo: Luisfi (CC BY-SA 4.0)
3 dishes to discover
Food of Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America with a rich and diverse food culture. Many of its meals feature corn, beans, and chili peppers. Guatemalan food is a delicious blend of Indigenous and Spanish influences, offering a variety of flavors that can be spicy, sweet, or savory.
Featured Dishes
Meal Culture
In Guatemala, meals are very important and often enjoyed with family and friends. People love sharing food and spending time together. Many meals include tasty corn tortillas that are freshly made.
Eating Etiquette
It's polite to wait for everyone to be served before eating. You might use a fork and knife, but it's also okay to use your hands for some foods like tortillas.
When People Eat It
Rellenitos
Often eaten: Usually enjoyed as a sweet snack or dessert
Known for: Popular across Guatemala, especially in home kitchens and market stalls
Sweet Treat
Jocón
Often eaten: Often served at lunch or as a main family meal
Known for: Western highlands, especially around Huehuetenango
Traditional
Make It Yourself
👩🍳 Cook together! Always ask a grown-up to help with hot or sharp steps.
Kak'ikKak'ik
Makes 4 servingsIngredients
- 1.5 lb (680 g)Turkey pieces
- 3 tomatoesTomatoes
- 3 tomatillosTomatillos
- 2 chiliesMild chilies
- 1/4 cup eachCilantro and mint
- to serveCooked rice
How to Make It
- 1Ask a grown-up to simmer the turkey in a big pot of water for about 30 minutes.
- 2Roast the tomatoes, tomatillos, and chilies until soft, then blend them smooth.
- 3Pour the red sauce into the pot with the turkey.
- 4Add the cilantro and mint and simmer for 20 more minutes.
- 5Season with a little salt.
- 6Serve the spicy turkey soup with rice — a Mayan dish from the Q'eqchi' people.
RellenitosRellenitos
Makes 10 piecesIngredients
- 3 plantainsRipe plantains
- 1 cup (200 g)Cooked black beans, mashed
- 3 tbsp (40 g)Sugar
- 1/2 tspCinnamon
- 1 cup (240 ml)Oil, for frying
How to Make It
- 1Ask a grown-up to boil the plantains until soft, then mash them.
- 2Sweeten the mashed black beans with the sugar and cinnamon.
- 3Flatten a scoop of plantain in your hand and add a spoonful of beans in the middle.
- 4Wrap the plantain around the beans and shape into an oval.
- 5Ask a grown-up to fry them until golden brown, then drain.
- 6Dust with sugar and enjoy this sweet Guatemalan treat.
JocónJocón
Makes 4 servingsIngredients
- 1.5 lb (680 g)Chicken pieces
- 5 tomatillosTomatillos
- 1 bunch eachGreen onion and cilantro
- 1 pepperGreen bell pepper
- 1/4 cup (35 g)Toasted pumpkin seeds
- to serveCooked rice
How to Make It
- 1Ask a grown-up to simmer the chicken until cooked, saving the broth.
- 2Blend the tomatillos, green onion, cilantro, pepper, and pumpkin seeds with some broth into a green sauce.
- 3Pour the green sauce into a pot and warm it.
- 4Add the cooked chicken and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 5Season with a little salt.
- 6Serve over rice — a tangy green stew from Guatemala.
Vocabulary
If you love tacos and burritos, you'll enjoy exploring how Guatemalan dishes like pepián and kak'ik bring new flavors from the same family of ingredients!