Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

El Salvador

El Salvador’s food is built around pupusa-centered comfort food of corn masa, beans, cheese, and cooling morro-seed horchata. Look for Pupusas (griddled masa cakes stuffed with cheese, beans, chicharrón), Sopa de pata (cow-foot soup with tripe, yuca, and vegetables) and Quesadilla salvadoreña (sweet cheese pound cake sprinkled with sesame). Thick stuffed maize cakes of Pipil origin; the Legislative Assembly declared them the national dish and set National Pupusa Day in 2005. This atlas has 36 El Salvador dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

36 dishes.

AlborotoAlborotoBall of popped corn bound with red panela syrup, sold in bagsAlguashteAlguashteGround toasted pumpkin seed sprinkled over fruit, corn and soupsAtol de eloteAtol de eloteHot drink of fresh sweetcorn, milk and cinnamon, thick enough to spoonAtol shucoAtol shucoThick purple-corn atol with beans and pumpkin-seed alguashteCasamientoCasamientoRice and beans fried together, everyday stapleChaparroChaparroClear maize moonshine distilled in the countryside, drunk in shotsChichaChichaLightly fermented maize beer poured from clay jars in Bogota chicheriasChilateChilateUnsweetened maize and ginger drink with cacao, served hot with sweetsCurtidoCurtidoLightly fermented cabbage slaw served with pupusasElotes locosElotes locosBoiled corn on a stick smeared with mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and cheeseEmpanadas de plátanoEmpanadas de plátanoFried plantain dumplings filled with milk custardEnsaladaEnsaladaChilled fruit punch of chopped apple, pineapple and lettuce in juiceFresco de chanFresco de chanWater with swollen chia seeds, lime and panela, drunk very coldGallo en chichaGallo en chichaRooster braised in fermented corn drink with panelaHorchata de morroHorchata de morroGround morro-seed drink with spices and milkMariscadaMariscadaCreamy seafood soup loaded with shellfishMarquesoteMarquesoteLight cornstarch and egg sponge cake eaten with morning coffeeMinutaMinutaShaved ice doused in bright fruit syrupsNuégadosNuégadosFried yuca or corn fritters soaked in dark panela syrupPacamara coffeePacamara coffeeLarge-bean highland coffee with intense floral and fruit flavoursPan con pavoPan con pavoTurkey braised in dark relajo sauce, piled into crusty bread with saladPanes con polloPanes con polloChicken sandwich soaked in tomato sauce with watercressPastelitosPastelitosFried masa turnovers filled with meat and vegetables, topped with curtidoPilsenerPilsenerPale lager poured cold with pupusas and grilled meatPupusasPupusasGriddled masa cakes stuffed with cheese, beans, chicharrónQuesadilla salvadoreñaQuesadilla salvadoreñaSweet cheese pound cake sprinkled with sesameRiguasRiguasGrilled fresh corn cakes cooked in banana leaves, eaten with creamSalpicónSalpicónMinced beef tossed with radish, mint, onion and limeSemita de piñaSemita de piñaLayered shortbread pastry filled with pineapple jam, cut in squaresSopa de gallina indiaSopa de gallina indiaFree-range hen soup with vegetables, served with rice and limeSopa de pataSopa de pataCow-foot soup with tripe, yuca, and vegetablesTamal pisqueTamal pisqueCorn tamale mixed with mashed beans, eaten with cream and cheeseTamales de eloteTamales de eloteSweet young-corn tamales served with cremaTorrejasTorrejasFried egg-soaked bread steeped in panela and clove syrupTorta de yemaTorta de yemaEgg-yolk sponge soaked in sweet syrup, eaten in small squaresYuca fritaYuca fritaFried cassava topped with chicharrón and pickled cabbage

  • Salpicón

    Minced beef tossed with radish, mint, onion and lime. Ready in 25 min prep and 1 hr 30 min cooking.…

  • Pastelitos

    Fried masa turnovers filled with meat and vegetables, topped with curtido. Ready in 50 min prep and 25 min cooking.…

  • Alguashte

    Ground toasted pumpkin seed sprinkled over fruit, corn and soups. Ready in 15 min prep and 10 min cooking. About…

  • Alboroto

    Ball of popped corn bound with red panela syrup, sold in bags. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 25 minutes…

  • Atol shuco

    Thick purple-corn atol with beans and pumpkin-seed alguashte. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 1 hour cooking. Serves 6. A…

  • Atol de elote

    Hot drink of fresh sweetcorn, milk and cinnamon, thick enough to spoon. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 30 minutes…

  • Casamiento

    Rice and beans fried together, everyday staple. Ready in 15 minutes prep and 20 minutes cooking. Serves 6. A salad…

  • Chaparro

    Clear maize moonshine distilled in the countryside, drunk in shots. A wine & spirit recipe from El Salvador.

  • Chicha

    Lightly fermented maize beer poured from clay jars in Bogota chicherias. A wine & spirit recipe from Colombia.

  • Chilate

    Unsweetened maize and ginger drink with cacao, served hot with sweets. Ready in 20 min prep and 40 min cooking.…