They say that if the belly is full the heart is happy, and the Dominicans have this phrase very much in mind, since this is the country with one of the best cuisines in the world. For this reason we invite you to plan your trip very well and learn which are the typical dishes that you cannot miss in Dominican gastronomy.
Being able to enjoy typical dishes, peculiar and delicious companions, breakfasts full of magic, traditional lunches and some of the best dinners of your life, is one of the best things you will be able to do while in the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican flag
We begin this attractive list with The Dominican flag, the national dish, the most traditional and the most famous of all. In this dish you will be able to find the most typical food from the entire country, as it is made up of:
- White rice.
- Stewed beef or chicken (whichever you prefer).
- Red beans.
- Green salad (with tomato or stewed eggplant).
- Avocado.
- Tostones (crushed fried plantains).
And since Dominican gastronomy never stops surprising and pampering us, when you try the Dominican flag, depending on your tastes, you will have the possibility of removing or adding many more ingredients.
The Dominican flag is perfect for you to enjoy at lunch or dinner, it is very typical in family preparations, but also in restaurants it is usually on the first pages of the menu, since it has become one of the most attractive dishes .
It is called the Dominican flag thanks to its colors that are inspired and designed by the country’s flag; the white color is represented in rice, the red in beans or salad and the blue, peculiarly and creatively, is represented with meat.
El Mofongo
The Africans who arrived in the Dominican Republic left a great gastronomic legacy that lasts over time and one of the most compelling proofs of this is the famous Mofongo. A traditional delicacy made from fried plantains that are then mashed but not in the way we know it, because Dominicans have their art in the kitchen and always seek to add a touch of magic to everything they do and in this case, To crush the bananas they use a mortar where garlic and chicharrón are added, and then join it and turn it into a delicious dough.
With the dough, some balls are made which are accompanied depending on the taste of each person, many of them usually accompany it with shrimp, others with a lot of meat and its broth or even others enjoy it in a much simpler way and adding only a piece of avocado to accompany.
If you are in the Dominican Republic and you are going to be eating in the country’s restaurants, you have no excuse to try the famous mofongo, since most restaurants have this striking dish, and the best of all is that you will be able to order it the size you want.
Many use it as a main course or starter; It is perfect for lunch or dinner, even, as a curious fact, many people usually eat it after a good party.
Mofongo is part of one of the typical dishes that you cannot miss in Dominican cuisine.
Mangu
Mangu It is part of the best Dominican gastronomy, this dish has one of the simplest preparations, but no less delicious on the list; It is basically a mashed green banana.
To complete the dish, boil or parboil (as is traditionally said in many places in the Caribbean) the bananas in water with a cautious spoonful of salt depending on taste.
When they are crushed, after being pureed you can combine them with butter or oil and if your taste leans more towards liquid, you can cook them with a little more water and mix until forming a much smoother puree.
This incredible dish is a great heritage from the African slaves from the Congo who came to the Dominican Republic and left their legacy.
As we told you before, this is one of the simplest dishes, but at the same time one of the most special and the most used in Dominican gastronomy since it is a fantastic piece for the three hits.
A good Dominican-style breakfast is made up of this incredible mashed banana, fried white cheese, scrambled eggs with onion or chili, or even some fried eggs, fried salami and as a special touch a good avocado. Perfect combination for you to start your day very well.
It is usually accompanied with red onion fried in vinegar and oil, but since in the kitchen you decide your tastes, you can choose whether to add it or not.
The sancocho
Sancocho is one of the most emblematic dishes in all of Latin America, and in the Dominican Republic it is no exception. The country has one of the most popular sancochos of all, this is usually served not only on everyday days, as Dominicans usually prepare it on other special dates, such as the important and emblematic New Year’s dinner.
The preparation of sancocho is made with different tubers and also other edible plants famous in the country; Some of these are cassava, yam, ahuyama, yautía and many others. To this, you also add cobs cut into small pieces, lemon juice to taste, garlic, cilantro, green banana, oregano, oil, salt and other spices that are on your taste list. Many people usually make it white, it looks like this when it is made only with chicken or brown, but when other ingredients are added such as beef, bananas, goat, or pork, the color is usually different.
Sancocho also usually includes green pigeon peas (this is a seed quite similar to the pea) or beans, also known in the Dominican Republic as red beans. These preparations are normally accompanied by avocados, white rice and sometimes fried plantains.
This dish is also known as the “seven meats” sancocho, since many people usually add various types of meats such as beef, pork, Creole chicken, goat, sausages, chops and smoked ribs; a true feast for meat lovers. One of the curiosities of sancocho and one of the reasons why it is one of the most attractive dishes is because Dominicans say that it cures the hangover after a good party, so don’t hesitate to try it.
Tostones
It may be a new word for you, but the product is one of the most popular in the world. These are green plantains or plantains that are well crushed and fried. Ideally, so that they can be Dominican style, they are very crunchy and with a considerable portion of salt.
The tostones are also known in the Dominican Republic as fried and tend to be in almost all preparations since they are a very good companion or even just delicious snacks at any time of the day, even at breakfast and well accompanied by some delicious Dominican sauces.
Although these fried plantains are quite famous and are even considered iconic and creative due to their name “tostones” in the Dominican Republic, it is important to highlight that this preparation is found in the gastronomy of several Latin American countries, which is why most of them People like this simple but delicious preparation.
Yaniqueques
Yaniqueques are the perfect snack for any occasion and any place; It doesn’t matter if you are on a beach day or visiting the cities of the Dominican Republic, because in any corner you will be able to find this little delight.
The Yaniqueques are similar to buñuelos or pork rinds covered in flour, which are then fried to make them crispy.
These snacks are one of the most famous in Dominican gastronomy; and there are several types of Yaniqueques, but one of the most common is the salty one, which has a round shape and is a little larger, more or less the size of a plate, but you can also choose them with the same preparation but with a smaller size. much smaller. There are also some that are usually filled with cheese, vegetables, egg or chicken.
You will be able to enjoy them either for breakfast, snack or lunch, they are usually eaten with chocolate, although you can accompany it with whatever you prefer; On many occasions they fold the Yaniqueques so that they are in the shape of an empanada.
Chinola juice
Chinola juice is ideal for fruit lovers, especially if you recognize that the typical fruits of the Dominican Republic are some of the best, since the country offers unique flavors when it comes to fruits. Chinola juice is made up of papaya, bananas, sapote, mango, soursop, star fruit, pineapple, guava, tamarind, coconut and many more. Chinola juice really is a great explosion of flavors.
You will be able to find this incredible juice in restaurants, but also in any street stall in cities throughout the country. The Dominican Republic is rich in fruits, so you will be able to find fresh fruits wherever you go. They say that chinola juice has very good health properties; Many people also usually take it in front of the sea to cool off a little from the hot climates during their visit to the Dominican Republic.
This is just one of the many refreshing and delicious juices that you will be able to find in the Dominican Republic, but in the country you will not only delight in juices, because with their various fruits and vegetables, Dominicans also make delicious desserts.
Sweet beans
As we mentioned before, the Dominican Republic is not only famous for its juices or its salty ducks, the country also has a wide variety of sweet dishes, such as desserts. These delicious and peculiar dishes captivate the attention of hundreds of tourists.
Sweet beans are one of the most traditional and delicious dishes. Dominicans usually use it a lot on important dates such as Lent or Holy Week, but you will still be able to order it and enjoy it at any time of the year.
Its preparation is based on preparing a puree of red beans, these are boiled, then passed through evaporated milk, coconut milk, condensed milk, butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, raisins, nutmeg, sweet potato ), anise, cloves and other ingredients to taste. This preparation might sound a little high in calories, but it is really worth trying.
Dominican gastronomy has a great legacy and a captivating history behind it. Many of these recipes are prepared with ingredients that were brought from Europe (flour), but were mixed with the tropical richness of the Dominican lands, and in general Latin America (fruits or tubers).
Sweet beans are another of the typical dishes that you cannot miss in Dominican cuisine. This dish is a good option if you travel to Punta Cana with children, because it is no secret to anyone that they are the most lovers of sweets.
Fish
The Dominican Republic is located on one of the best islands in the Caribbean, and thanks to this its beautiful beaches are full of a feast expected by many; So last but not least, there is the fish!
If you are a lover of seafood, let me tell you that you chose one of the best destinations, because in the Dominican Republic fish and seafood are the best specialties and therefore the most famous and preferred by those who come to visit the country.
On your visit to the Dominican Republic you will be able to find this dish from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata, from Punta Cana to Samaná and in any other corner of the country. The preparation will depend on your tastes, many people choose fried fish, but Dominicans are experts in innovating with dishes and they also have stewed fish and many other presentations that you will love.
Dominican Gastronomy at La Hacienda Park
Are you in Punta Cana and want to enjoy delicious Dominican cuisine? At La Hacienda Park we invite you to our restaurant, where you can delight in each of the captivating Dominican flavors in one place.
Live a tour full of unique and innovative gastronomic experiences is one of the activities that we are going to offer you. Don’t miss this tour full of flavors and many unforgettable moments, we are waiting for you.
