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What dishes do they celebrate Christmas with in Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru?
Christmas

What dishes do they celebrate Christmas with in Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru?

By Miranda Perea - 2022-12-21T16:46:58Z
The Latin American countries have a significant historical and cultural legacy, as well as a great gastronomic tradition that transcends borders and delights palates around the world.

In addition to the national dishes of each country, the nations of Latin America also have special recipes to celebrate Christmas. Below, at kiwilimón, we tell you what dishes are used to celebrate Christmas in Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru, so you can learn more about the cuisine of these countries.

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What dishes are used to celebrate Christmas in Venezuela?


The Venezuelan gastronomy is characterized by the fusion of indigenous roots and European and African influences. The national dish of this South American country is pabellón criollo, which consists of a stew with spicy shredded beef served over hot rice and accompanied by black beans, fried eggs, and slices of fried plantain. In addition, there are other irresistible recipes that can be enjoyed at any time of the year, such as arepas, tequeños, asado negro, and bienmesabe.

When it comes to the Christmas season, Venezuelan gastronomy also shines with its flavors, presenting unique preparations that give a special touch to the Christmas dinner. Examples include hallacas, pan de jamón, and ponche crema.

Hallacas
Hallacas are a typical dish from Venezuela that consists of a tamale made of corn dough colored with achiote. According to Larousse Cocina, they can be filled with beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, olives, grapes, raisins, and almonds and are wrapped in banana leaves, giving them a rectangular shape.

This delicious Venezuelan dish is a classic of the Christmas dinner in that country, and each family prepares it with their special recipe, making hallacas even more unique. If you want to learn how to prepare them, you can find the complete recipe here.

Pan de jamón
Pan de jamón is another classic dish that cannot be missing from the Christmas dinner of Venezuelans. It consists of a slightly sweet bread filled with raisins, ham, and olives. As noted by Taste Atlas, pan de jamón can be served as a side dish with soups and salads. If you want to try the delicious pan de jamón and prepare it for your Christmas dinner, you can find the complete recipe here.

Ponche crema
The ponche crema is a typical drink from Venezuela that is traditionally consumed during the Christmas season. Although there is a liquor with the same name, Venezuelan families have developed their own homemade recipes to prepare this creamy drink made from eggs, condensed milk, whole milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and a touch of rum, brandy, or aguardiente. If you want to add a sweet touch to your Christmas dinner with a drink, here we leave you the best ponche crema recipe so you can learn how to prepare it.

You can also read: 5 ways to use your air fryer this Christmas

What dishes are used to celebrate Christmas in Colombia?


The Colombian gastronomy is another favorite of Latin America, as it is full of hearty dishes that have an unparalleled comforting quality, as noted by Larousse Cocina. Proof of this is the bandeja paisa, the national dish of Colombia, which consists of a tray serving large portions of delicious food including hogao, beans, chicharrón, ground beef, fried egg, white rice, chorizo, fried plantain, and avocado.

Of course, Colombian cuisine does not fall behind when it comes to the Christmas season. Among the traditional Colombian dishes for Christmas, tamales, buñuelos, and ajiaco are essential.

Colombian Tamales
Colombian tamales are an essential dish for the Christmas dinner in their country of origin. The recipe can vary by region, but they are generally made with corn, mixed with rice, and filled with pork or chicken, and seasoned with cumin and color, what we know in Mexico as achiote. Don't miss out on these delicious Colombian tamales and learn to prepare them with the recipe we share here.

Colombian Buñuelos
Colombian buñuelos are very different from those we know in Mexico. In Colombia, buñuelos are balls of costeño cheese and starch, as noted by The Spruce Eats. These balls are fried and served with traditional natilla, which is also an essential Christmas recipe in Colombian cuisine. Their flavor tends to be more savory, although a sweet touch can be added by dusting them with powdered sugar. If you want to learn how to prepare Colombian buñuelos for Christmas, you can find the recipe here.

Ajiaco
The ajiaco is another of the national dishes of Colombia that is essential for Christmas dinner. This delicious and hearty main dish consists of a thick potato soup prepared with three varieties of that tuber. This stew is seasoned with a herb known as guasca, and includes chicken, avocado, capers, rice, corn, cilantro, and black pepper. If this Colombian classic has made your mouth water, you can prepare it by following the recipe we shared here.

You can also read: Chefs reveal the best tricks and secrets for making your turkey for Christmas

What dishes are used to celebrate Christmas in Peru?


It is undeniable that Peruvian cuisine represents the Andean tradition thanks to the use of its great variety of vegetable and animal ingredients such as guinea pig, llama, and alpaca, according to Larousse Cocina. In addition, it has influences from Spanish, Arab, African, and Asian cuisines, making it unmatched. To Peru, we owe the delicious ceviche, which is its national dish and is prepared with fresh fish or seafood, salt, onion, and chili, marinated in a mixture known as tiger's milk.

When it comes to Christmas food, it is very common in Peru to consume roast turkey, served with various salads depending on the region, or roast suckling pig, but Peruvian families also enjoy traditional dishes like humitas.

Humitas
Humitas are a Peruvian dish that resembles tamales, although they arise from the blend of Latin American and Andean culture. They can be both savory and sweet and are made with fresh corn or choclo and filled with various ingredients depending on the region. Humitas are usually smaller than the tamales we eat in Mexico and are steamed wrapped in the leaves of the same corn. If you want to prepare humitas for your Christmas dinner, you can find the recipe here.

Would you like to include any of these Christmas dishes from Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru in your Christmas dinner? At kiwilimón, we have the best recipes for side dishes, main courses, desserts, and drinks perfect for the December season that will make your Christmas dinner an unforgettable moment. You can't miss them!

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