What Are Some Typical Foods Eaten in Cuba?


Quick Answer

Typical foods eaten in Cuba include lechon asado, ropa vieja, Cuban sandwiches, empanadas and arroz con pollo. A Cuban breakfast typically consists of a toasted piece of Cuban bread and cafe con leche, which is espresso coffee with milk. The Cuban bread is buttered and toasted, and Cubans dip the toast or "tostada" in coffee before eating it. Another typical breakfast item is ham croquetas: small breaded and fried croquettes filled with smoked creamed ham.

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Full Answer

A typical Cuban lunch includes empanadas or one of various Cuban sandwiches. Empanadas are pastries filled with meat, such as chicken or beef. A popular Cuban sandwich is the media noche, which comes with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles on sweet egg bread. Another Cuban sandwich is the pan con bistec, a simple sandwich containing a thin slice of steak, lettuce, tomatoes and fried potato sticks on Cuban bread. Fried plantain chips go well with empanadas and sandwiches.

A typical Cuban dinner features a meat, chicken or fish entree with white rice, black beans and sweet fried plantains, called maduros, served on the side. Lechon asado is a roast pork dish marinated with mojo sauce. Ropa vieja, which translates to "old clothes," is a beef dish consisting of shredded meat stewed with tomatoes and other seasonings. Another classic Cuban dish is arroz con pollo: chicken cooked with rice and a traditional sofrito base.

Typical snacks include fried finger foods from Cuban bakeries, such as pastelitos, croquetas, bocaditos and empanadas. Pastelitos are similar to empanadas and come with savory or sweet fillings. Bocaditos are bite-size sandwiches made with ham.

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