Llapingachos
Dennisse's version, with the peanut sauce her family swears by.
COAST
Encebollado
A tuna and yuca soup with pickled red onion, eaten in the morning. Guayaquil's famous cure for everything.
What to eat
Dishes we can't wait to share
COAST
Bolón de verde
A fist-sized ball of mashed green plantain with cheese or pork crackling. The coastal breakfast.
ANDES
Hornado
Slow-roasted whole pork with mote (hominy), potato patties, avocado and curtido. A highland market classic.
ANDES
Llapingachos
Golden potato and cheese patties with chorizo, fried egg and peanut sauce. Ambato's pride.
AMAZON
Maito
Fish wrapped in bijao leaves and cooked over the fire. Simple, smoky and very Amazon.
SEASONAL
Fanesca
A rich soup of 12 grains and salt cod, made only during Holy Week. Every family's version is the best one.
SEASONAL
Colada morada & guaguas de pan
A spiced purple corn and fruit drink with bread babies, made for Día de los Difuntos on November 2.
Play with your food
Build your Ecuadorian plate
Tap up to three dishes to fill your plate.
Good start. Pick two more.One more and it's a feast.¡Buen provecho! That's a proper Ecuadorian lunch.Your plate is full. Clear it to start again.
Dennisse's kitchen
Family recipes
The dishes Dennisse grew up on, written down as she cooks them, in English and Spanish.
RECIPERECIPEColada morada
The November tradition, written down for the first time.
RECIPEBolón de verde
The easiest Ecuadorian breakfast to make anywhere.
Mateo tries it
First tastes of Ecuador
A short video series: Mateo meets Ecuadorian food one bite at a time, with his pediatrician's go-ahead and abuela's supervision.
See our video series →1
Mashed plantainThe Ecuadorian baby classic
2
NaranjillaThe sour fruit he'll either love or hate
3
Locro de papaPotato soup, the first family dinner
Eat your way through the Top 20
What to eat at each stop
- QuitoLocro de papa, empanadas de viento
- OtavaloFritada, and helados de paila in nearby Ibarra
- CuencaMote pillo and hornado
- BañosMelcocha, pulled taffy made in doorways
- MindoBean-to-bar chocolate
- GuayaquilEncebollado, bolón and crab
- Manabí coastViche, corviche and fresh ceviche
- TenaMaito and guayusa tea
- GalápagosFresh fish and ceviche by the harbor