20 Puerto Rican Dishes Everyone Should Try Once
Puerto Rican food is a delightful celebration of flavors, drawing from a rich tapestry of cultural influences. From savory to sweet, the island’s cuisine offers a taste adventure like no other.
These 20 classic dishes showcase the very best of Puerto Rican cooking, each with its own unique story and flavor.
Whether you’re tasting them for the first time or rediscovering old favorites, these dishes are sure to bring joy and a sense of cultural pride.
1. Mofongo
Mashed green plantains are the heart of this dish, pounded with garlic and pork cracklings until savory and dense. It’s often shaped into a dome and served with a pool of broth or a mound of saucy meat.
Shrimp, chicken, or beef can be tucked inside or poured on top. The texture is soft yet filling, with crispy bits adding contrast.
2. Arroz Con Gandules
This is Puerto Rico’s national rice dish, dotted with pigeon peas and flavored with sofrito, olives, and pork fat. The rice soaks in every note of spice and salt.
It’s made for gatherings, cooked in big pots, and eaten with roasted meats. The peas add creaminess, while the seasonings bring depth.
3. Lechón Asado
Whole-roasted pig cooked low and slow until the skin shatters like glass. The inside stays juicy and dripping with fat.
Lechón is a celebration food, filling the air with smoky scent at every festival. Served with rice or yuca, it’s rich and festive.
4. Tostones
Twice-fried green plantain rounds, crisped until golden and sprinkled with salt. Their crunch is loud, their flavor clean and starchy.
Often dipped in garlic sauce or served as a side, they’re like thick, hearty chips. Each bite is pure, addictive simplicity.
5. Pastelón
Layered like lasagna but made with ripe sweet plantains instead of pasta. Ground beef and cheese form the center.
The plantains caramelize in the oven, adding sweetness to the savory mix. It’s a comfort dish that bridges salty and sweet perfectly.
6. Alcapurrias
Fritters made from grated green bananas and root vegetables, stuffed with seasoned meat and fried until crispy. They’re long, golden, and deeply flavorful.
The outer shell is earthy and crisp, while the inside stays hot and juicy. Found at food stands, they’re a go-to beach snack.
7. Bacalaítos
Thin, fried codfish fritters that ripple at the edges like ocean waves. Salty and light, they’re fried until golden and lacy.
Each bite has flakes of salted cod and hints of garlic and cilantro. They’re often eaten standing up with greasy fingers and big smiles.
8. Pollo Guisado
Stewed chicken simmered with potatoes, peppers, olives, and bay leaves in a rich tomato-based broth. The meat falls apart easily.
It’s the kind of home-cooked dish that warms the kitchen for hours. Best served over white rice to soak up every drop.
9. Tembleque
A wobbly coconut milk pudding with a silky texture and a sprinkle of cinnamon. It shakes on the spoon like jelly.
Served cold, it’s light yet creamy, with just enough sweetness. It’s a holiday favorite, but good any time you need comfort.
10. Asopao De Pollo
A thick rice soup with chicken, vegetables, and sofrito. It’s somewhere between a stew and a soup—rich, dense, and deeply spiced.
Served hot and steamy, it’s meant for rainy days and big ladles. The rice swells in the broth, making each spoonful hearty.
11. Sorullitos
Cornmeal fritters shaped like fingers, crisp on the outside and soft in the center. Some versions come stuffed with cheese.
They’re golden, slightly sweet, and often served with mayo-ketchup dipping sauce. Best eaten fresh and hot with a soda on the side.
12. Empanadillas
Turnover-style pastries filled with ground beef, cheese, or seafood, then fried to golden perfection. The dough is flaky with a chewy bite.
They travel well, making them perfect for beaches or road trips. Every family has their own twist on the filling.
13. Coquito
Puerto Rican coconut eggnog made with condensed milk, rum, and cinnamon. Thick, creamy, and spiced just right.
It’s poured into bottles during the holidays and shared like a secret recipe. Chill it, shake it, and pour over ice.
14. Arroz Con Dulce
Sweet rice pudding made with coconut milk, cinnamon, cloves, and raisins. Sticky, aromatic, and comforting.
It’s often garnished with a cinnamon stick and served cold. A perfect ending to a hearty Puerto Rican meal.
15. Carne Guisada
Chunks of beef slow-cooked until fork-tender in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, and garlic. The gravy is deep and savory.
Served over rice or with root vegetables, it’s rustic and soulful. Perfect for slow Sunday lunches or family dinners.
16. Rellenos De Papa
Mashed potatoes stuffed with ground beef, shaped into balls, and deep-fried until crisp. Crispy shell, soft inside, rich center.
It’s comfort food disguised as a snack. One bite gets creamy, salty, and crunchy all at once.
17. Piononos
Sweet plantains are wrapped around a scoop of seasoned meat and topped with cheese and egg, then baked until bubbling.
The plantains caramelize and hug the meat like a blanket. These mini casseroles deliver big flavor in a small package.
18. Mallorca Bread
Soft, coiled sweet bread dusted with powdered sugar. Light as air but rich with butter and egg.
Often sliced and filled with ham and cheese, then pressed like a panini. It’s breakfast, dessert, and snack rolled into one.
19. Tripleta Sandwich
A towering sandwich packed with three kinds of meat—steak, ham, and pork—plus fries, lettuce, tomato, and sauce.
Served on a soft, toasted roll, it’s a late-night legend. Messy, meaty, and incredibly satisfying.
20. Sancocho
A thick stew made with meats, root vegetables, and plantains. Every spoonful is hearty, earthy, and layered with flavor.
It’s cooked in big pots and served during storms or celebrations. The broth is rich, and the chunks are soft and steamy.