Cuisine is one of the most vibrant shades in Puerto Rico’s colorful cultural canvas. Tracing its roots back to the habits of the indigenous Taino people, the island’s culinary heritage has multiple flavors, creating a fascinating range of fares. Moreover, the heartbeat of any family gathering on the island originates from the kitchen.

Even though the wave of modernization has hit Puerto Rican cuisine, the traditional recipes bind the community. For anyone looking for the best places to live in Puerto Rico, gaining a basic idea about the island’s culinary history is a must.

The Cultural Roots of Puerto Rican Food

It would not be wrong to call Puerto Rican cuisine a unique cultural assortment. The touch of the Spanish influence is seen in its love for olive oil, pork, and garlic. Beyond that, it encompasses ingredients from the American kitchen of the 1950s, the use of indigenous Taíno root crops, and African deep-frying techniques.

When the indigenous group of the Taíno people occupied the Puerto Rican islands, their diet was based on agricultural practices. Note, that this was the pre-Columbian era, long before the Europeans arrived on the island.

Their diet consisted of sweet potatoes, maize, and various tropical fruits; but most importantly, cassava. The Taínos also consumed native beans, culantro (it tastes similar to cilantro), sweet and spicy chili, and peppers. Fish and other seafood were also a part of their diet.

Spanish colonization popularized pork as an integral part of the diet of the islanders, along with beef, chicken, rice, and olive oil. In addition, it brought about the use of flavoring agents like oregano, cumin, and basil. Coffee and sugar also reached the islands through European settlers.

With the rise in sugarcane plantations, the Africans arrived on the island. They brought plantains and their cousin, the banana, to the island. African food items like okra and yautia (taro root) were integrated with the traditional dishes of the island.

In time, the African style of wrapping and cooking food in leaves also became a popular practice as well as deep-frying, mashing, and grating. These methods are used in dishes like arañitas and mofongo.

In the 20th century, the US influence brought preserved meats like corned beef, Spam, and Vienna sausages to the island. They became popular as they can withstand storms with their long shelf life and are easy to cook.

But that was not all. With a rise in the number of immigrants from countries like France, Italy, and China, more elements of the Mediterranean and Asian cuisines made their imprints on the island’s culinary tapestry.

With all these extra-island influences, a culinary journey through the island is nothing short of sensational. For Puerto Ricans, family meals have a traditional touch and food equals an expression of love and care for each other. It is also the thread that connects the generations. The traditional way of cooking dishes is passed down to the newer generations by the seniors. 

Besides, a new generation of Puerto Rican chefs and food enthusiasts are sharing their love for traditional culinary delights on various social media platforms. While blending the traditional with contemporary twists has always been there, young Puerto Ricans are experimenting with their culinary legacy to create new wonders like never before.

Popular Ingredients in Puerto Rican Cuisine

Before we dive into some of the popular Puerto Rican dishes, here is a quick look at the main components of the cuisine.

Plantains 

Plantains are an integral part of Caribbean cuisine and while they resemble a banana, they need to be cooked. Some common dishes are mofongo, tostones (fried plantain), and pastelón – a lasagna-style dish.

Rice and beans

A typical Puerto Rican meal will consist of rice and beans along with root vegetables.Rice and beans are not only easy to prepare, but many families have their own special recipes that make them unique.

Pork

The truth is, that Puerto Ricans love pork dishes. No wonder, the signature dish of the island, mofongo, is made from pork cracklings. Dishes like lechón, arroz con gandules, and morcilla will give you the best flavors of pork.

Seafood

There is no shortage of fresh fish and seafood in Puerto Rico. Grilled octopus, conch salad, ceviche, and Caribbean shrimp are some dishes that you must try. Apart from the top restaurants, you will find some of the best seafood delights in the food shacks where fishermen bring in their fresh catch.

Tropical fruits and seasonings 

Fresh fruits like mangoes, pineapple, avocado, papaya, guava, and lemons are an integral part of the daily food in Puerto Rico. Tomatoes, red onions, hot or mild peppers, and cucumber are also combined with various dishes. For seasoning, bay leaves, basil, oregano, and cilantro are commonly used. Garlic, parsley, thyme, culantro, and other forms of dry seasoning mixes are also used.

Best and Most Popular Dishes

1. Mofongo

If Mofongo sounds delicious to you, wait until you taste it. Interestingly, food historians have traced the origin of the name to an Angolan Kikongo term, mfwenge-mfwenge. It is the perfect example of Afro-Caribbean cuisine.

While the main components are fried green plantains mashed with garlic, mofongo can be prepared in various ways. It is often mixed with chicharrones, and topped with fresh lobster. Pork can be replaced by plant-based ingredients as well.

For more flavor, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and other sauces are added to the dish. While it is popular, mofongo is a heavy dish and is not a part of the daily Puerto Rican food. The traditional way of consuming it is with chicken or beef broth,but you can combine it with other stewed shrimp as well. 

2. Arroz con Gandules

Arroz con gandules is Puerto Rico’s national dish. This mixture of Puerto Rican rice with pigeon peas (gandules), green olives and sofrito is a flavorful combination of multiple textures.

The dish presents a perfect fusion of African, Spanish, and Taíno ingredients and cooking techniques. Besides, each family has their own way of preparing it. It is also a favorite Puerto Rican holiday dish and is often served with pernil (pork roast), and a glass of coquito. 

The cooking technique is special and the dish has multiple layers with sofrito forming the base layer. For the best flavors, medium-grain rice is used to create the middle layers. You can add various meats to it or avoid meat to make the dish completely vegan.

3. Pernil

This delicious slow-roasted dish of marinated pork shoulder or leg is another holiday favorite on the island. The name Pernil originates from the Spanish word pierna, meaning leg. In Puerto Rico, Christmas dinners and Pernils are inseparable.

If you love juicy, tender cuts of pork, this is a dish that you must taste. The seasoning is especially important to make pernil more flavorful. Spices like dried oregano, garlic powder, ground coriander, and onion powder are used as seasonings. One of the best parts of the dish is the dry, crispy skin that the pork is left with after roasting.

Pernil is traditionally served with arroz con gandules, but it also combines well with yellow rice and tostones. Keep in mind that there are Cuban and Dominican versions of pernil that taste slightly different.

4. Lechón

Lechón, a whole pig roasted slowly over coals, is another traditional Christmas menu in Puerto Rico. Undoubtedly, it is an iconic dish on the island with an entire highway dedicated to it – La Ruta del Lechón—the Pork Highway. 

The highway is lined with restaurants that serve lechón, called Lechoneras. Most of these are set up like a cafeteria and you can enjoy the vibrant ambiance while waiting for the melt-in-your-mouth meat to arrive. 

While the smoky meat is juicy, the skin remains brown and crispy. Again, seasonings like garlic, oregano, achiote oil, and pepper play a big role in adding flavor to the tender meat. 

Finding the best restaurant can be difficult as each one is different and every local has their own favorite choice. Overall, this road trip is one of the best experiences in Puerto Rico that seamlessly combines culture and cuisine.

5. Tostones

The popularity of tostones – fried green plantains- proves that plantains are an important marker of Puerto Rico’s culinary identity. They are easy to cook and have been a common dish in the kitchens throughout the island.

The green plantains are sliced into pieces and fried. Then again, these pieces are smashed to a flat shape and deep-fried until golden. The edges should be crispy. After a light sprinkling of sea salt, tostones are served as a side dish or a snack. 

Tasty and crunchy enough to rival french fries, tostones are often consumed with garlic mojo sauce or “mayoketchup”, a Puerto Rican pink sauce. However, you can try them with any other sauce as well.

6. Asopao

Asopao de pollo is another staple dish for Puerto Rican households and is the perfect definition of a home-cooked meal. Interestingly, there is no standard way of preparing this dish. The preparation methods and flavors vary from household to household. Seniors of every family have their signature asopao recipe.

The main ingredients are chicken, rice, sofrito seasoning, and vegetables. Onion, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper are also added. The final dish can turn out as a soup or a stew and is often served with tostones or slices of bread in restaurants.

This is a dish that has Spanish and African influences. Other versions like asopao de mariscos and asopao de gandules are also available.

7. Bacalaitos

If there is one Puerto Rican street food that you must taste, it is crispy fried bacalaitos. These codfish fritters spiced with pepper and cilantro come with a satisfying crunch and the flavor is unforgettable. They are super easy to cook and the key is to use fresh ingredients.

The codfish and the other ingredients are soaked in a flour-based batter and fried. Some suggest soaking the codfish overnight to prevent the flavor from getting “too salty”. The addition of classic Puerto Rican ingredients like sofrito and sazón seasoning enhances the flavoring.

Bacalaitos are served with a dash of lime juice and mayoketchup. You can experiment with other sauces too.

8. Empanadillas

Shaped like a half moon, Empanadillas are a traditional Puerto Rican dish with a long history. Extremely popular as a fried food it is available in almost every corner of the island. These are similar to beef turnovers but other forms of filing like chicken, seafood, or vegetables are used too.

Another ingredient used in the filling is potatoes. Other ingredients include tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Just like most other traditional Puerto Rican food, the quintessential sofrito is added to enhance the flavor. Note that Empanadillas can be air-fried or baked as well. 

9. Alcapurrias

Alcapurrias are another common street food In Puerto Rico. These are meat-stuffed fritters, deep–fried to perfection. Most roadside kiosks around San Juan and beyond sell this tasty snack. They come with a creamy filling packed inside a crunchy crust- exactly how the best street foods should be.

Traditionally, the filling is a combination of ground beef, chopped olives, and various spices. The dough is made from plantains and Yautia roots. Yautias look like a fleshy turnip and once you peel them, the fleshy starch is revealed. They have a nutty taste that lends a unique flavor to the dough.

10. Tembleque

Tembleque is a creamy coconut pudding and a common dessert in Puerto Rico. Made from coconut milk, this vegan-friendly recipe is extremely popular during the holiday season. 

The coconut milk is combined with cornstarch and ground cinnamon, lending it a creamy consistency.

Tembleque is not too sweet and its texture will remind you of Jello. The mixture of coconut milk and the other ingredients is poured into molds to give it the desired shape. Enjoy it as a mid-day meal or a snack after refrigerating for a few hours.

11. Coquito

Without a doubt, this rum and coconut cocktail is the best holiday drink on the island. Bottles of Coquito are gifted to friends and relatives in the holiday season. The strong and creamy flavor makes it a delightful drink.

It is often called the Puerto Rican “eggnog”. However, this tropical drink has a different flavor as it contains coconut, condensed milk, and cinnamon.

Homemade varieties of coquito are the best ones and are often made with various flavors like chocolate coquito and guava coquito. Coquito is best enjoyed cold and is usually served in small glasses because of its richness. But let me warn you, it is hard to drink just one glass.

Final Thoughts

If you are moving to San Juan, there is a range of delightful Puerto Rican foods that you must try out. Trying out the traditional dishes that make up the culinary legacy of the island is a great way of understanding the cultural ethos of Puerto Rico.

While we have listed some of the iconic Puerto Rican dishes, there are plenty of others that will help you widen your culinary experiences. In short, this unique gastronomic heritage with its exotic mix of flavors is sure to tingle your taste buds.