Dominican traditional cuisine is known for making you fall in love with their taste and flavors. Their food has rich flavors that please the food lovers the most. 

They say the Dominican cuisine can make anyone fall in love with this Caribbean country. Their cuisine is a reflection of their tradition, identity, and history. The recipes are a blend of Spanish, Tainos, and African roots.

Santo Domingo was appointed the Caribbean’s Culinary Capital. This not only supports the fact that Dominican food is great but also pays respect to their extravagant uses of flavors and traditional recipes. 

It is said that their food carries the soul of their land and tradition. 

History is wrapped around the origin of the recipes of Dominican cuisine. They learned the uses of fruits in food from the Tainos, beef and pork from the Spanish, bananas, and yams from the Africans. 

Dominican Dishes you Must Try

Here are some dishes from Dominican cuisine that you must try once in your lifetime. 

  • Sancocho

This must be the most typical dish served by the country. It is a must-have on parties and special occasions. It is a thick stew made of meat, vegetables, tubers and served with white rice and sliced avocado. 

Sancocho is usually made with a lot of tubers and other locally grown vegetables, such as yams and squash. The additional ingredients for this stew are corn on the cob, cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and some more.

Some like to keep it simple with all kinds of meat in it. Sancocho de Siete Carnes is prepared with seven kinds of meat. It is a win-win situation for meat lovers who like their dishes to be simple yet flavorful. 

They even say it’s a great dish for curing hangovers. 

  • Mofongo

Mofongo is a dish that originated from African roots. This is made by mashing fried plantain, pork, garlic, and dough made into small balls. After cooking, it is served in a bowl. 

Sometimes it is served with shrimps and avocado slices, and eaten by dipping into the broth. 

Mofongo is eaten as both main and side dishes and can be found in any restaurant. People often opt for this dish on any night outs. 

  • La Bandera Dominicana

This is the most famous dish in Dominican cuisine. The three basic ingredients to make this dish are white rice, stewed meat, and beans. The additional ingredients for adding flavors and garnishing are avocado, tostones, eggplant stew, and green salad. 

The dish is inspired by the nation’s flag white rice, red beans, and blue (imaginary) meat. It is commonly made at home and served as set menus in restaurants. 

  • Mangú

This food is made of plantains that have been mashed. The process begins with boiling or stewing the plantains and thereafter mashing them with maybe a little butter or oil and water to create a puree-like texture. Making it lump-free. 

It is garnished with red onions sauteed in oil and vinegar.

It is served for breakfast with white cheese, fried eggs. The eggs can also be scrambled, salami. What a great dish to start your day with. 

  • Tostones

They are thin slices of plantain which are fried until crispy and salty. They are a versatile dish which can be eaten as snacks or as sides, like chips. 

This can be eaten at any hour of the day depending on you. To enhance the taste you can use dips or sauces. 

Dominican Cuisine tostones-min

  • Dominican Rice

This particular dish is available everywhere and in every home. Dominican rice can be eaten as both main and side dish. Traditionally they put beans, peas, chicken, mango, seafood, and vegetables in it to enhance the flavors. 

You can have this rice with almost anything. Locrio de Pollo, moro de habichuelas, pastelón de arroz, rice noodles, asopao, chofán, any item you can think of. 

  • Fried Fish

As it is located in the Caribbean Islands, it’s quite obvious they have a taste for fish and seafood. From grilled lobster to a vast array of fish stews, various dishes can be found in Dominican cuisine. 

One of the most commonly eaten and famous dishes is fried fish. It is mainly made with grouper or snapper, directly caught from the sea and served with a side of tostones. 

  • Habichuelas Con Dulce

This is the country’s most liked dessert. It is also known as sweet beans. It is prepared with red beans, evaporated milk, coconut milk, condensed milk, butter, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, vanilla, nutmeg, raisins, and many more ingredients. You can guess by the list, how rich in flavor this dessert can be. 

  •  Jugo De Chinola

For a tropical nation, the country holds pride in its tropical fruits as well. They have fruits like bananas, papaya, passion fruit (Chinola), mango, tamarind, coconut, pineapple, guava, star fruit, and many more.

There are stalls in the streets that sell freshly squeezed or blended juices and fruit slices. The hot tropical weather can be tough, but with so many fruits in the offering, the heat feels bearable. 

Passion fruit juice a.k.a Jugo de Chinola is one of the most famous fruit juices in Dominican cuisine. On top of that, it has great health benefits too. 

Dominican Cuisine what to eat

  • Yaniqueque

Crispy flour fritters, which are round, are common street food in the region. It has got many varieties as well, depending on one’s taste and preference. 

These are usually eaten for breakfast or as snacks with hot chocolate. 

Some eat them with fillings such as cheese, chicken, eggs, ham, and vegetables. No matter which way you have, it is the perfect street food. 

Enjoy the Exquisite Dominic Flavors

If you are planning to go on a trip to the Dominican Republic, having these famous dishes are a must. You can never have enough of the flavors of Dominican cuisine. They’re heavenly like that.