Filed In:
Glossary of Culinary Terms
Never be stumped by a Puerto Rican menu again! This strictly criollo glossary of cooking terms, common dishes and local ingredients will help you navigate your way to an excellent meal.
Amarillos
The ever-popular Caribbean side dish.
Arroz Con Gandules
Arroz con Gandules is Puerto Rico's national dish, a simple combination of rice, sofrito, ham, and pigeon peas.
Arroz con Pollo
The old standby: arroz con pollo is the now-familiar Spanish and Latin classic that is a staple of the Puerto Rican diet.
Asopao
Asopao is a kind of stew that is considered the most traditional Puerto Rican dish. Usually made with chicken or seafood, asopao is like meatloaf, in that there are many varieties and “special recipe” versions of the dish.
Cazuela
A tropical twist on pumpkin pie.
Chillo
Chillo, or Red Snapper, is one of the island's tastiest and most popular items on the menu.
Chuletas Can Can
A musical-sounding name for a local classic: Puerto Rican-style pork chops.
Cuchifrito
A fried snack made with pork, usually pork ear, tail, or stomach.
Frituras
Simply put: fritters.
Gandinga
A stew not for the faint of heart (actually, it might contain a heart).
Gandules
Pigeon peas, often the substitute for red or black beans in Puerto Rican rice 'n beans.
Jueye
Quite simply: crab.
Lechón
Roast suckling pig.
Mallorcas
The Puerto Rican Danish.
Mofongo
The signature dish of Puerto Rico, mofongo is a combination of mashed plantains and seafood, meat, or vegetables.
Pavochón
Pavochón is a Turkey cooked in the manner of a lechón, or roast pork. It's a uniquely 'Rican take on a Thanksgiving classic.
Piragua
On a hot day, there's nothing like a icy, syrupy piragua to help you explore the streets of Old San Juan
Sofrito
Puerto Rico's secret sauce.
Tostones
The flat, hard-baked, crunchy and meaty slices of plantain that often accompany local specialties.