10 Traditional Colombian Breakfast Dishes

A few weeks ago an American reader asked me what is the most popular traditional Colombian breakfast, and a lot of dishes immediately came to mind: arepa con quesito, huevos pericos, caldo de costilla, tamal, changua, calentado and cayeye, so I’ve decided to write a post about it.

Here are ten of the most popular Colombian breakfast dishes:

1. Calentado literally means “heated” and is a traditional Colombian breakfast born in the Andean region of the country. It is very common, in this region, to eat beans and rice every day for dinner. Then, for breakfast the next day, the beans and rice are reheated and served with egg, arepa, chorizo, chicharrón or grilled beef and hot chocolate. You will find this dish on the menu of almost any Colombian restaurant around the world.

2. Changua is a typical breakfast in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. Until recently, I had never made Changua and I didn’t have a recipe. My mom loves this egg soup, so I gave her a call hoping that she had a recipe. Well, she did so now that’s two of mom’s recipes in a row.

3. Arepa con Quesito is what I usually eat for breakfast everyday. It is simple and quick to make and one of my favorites.

4. Huevos Pericos is a quick and easy egg recipe and is one of the most popular breakfast dishes in Colombia which we serve with arepa, cheese and hot chocolate.

5.Caldo de Costilla is a rich and delicious soup made with beef ribs, potatoes, carrots and herbs, and is from the Andean region of Colombia. This Beef Soup is usually served for breakfast and it is the best cure for a hangover, or Guayabo in Colombia.

6. There are many variations of Tamales in Colombia, but they all have something in common, and that is Colombian Tamales (Tamales Colombianos) are all wrapped in banana leaves. I am going to post many types of tamales recipes on my blog, but to start let me introduce you the Tamales Antioqueños, from the region Antioquia, my hometown. This tamales recipe is my mom’s and they are delicious.

7. Cayeye, also called Mote de Guineo, is a traditional Colombian dish from the Caribbean Coast of the country. Cayeye is made by cooking small green bananas (guineos) in water, then mashing and mixing them with refrito, made with onions, garlic, red bell pepper, tomato and achiote.

8. This Arepa Boyacense is from El Boyacá department of Colombia, located in the Andean region of the country, and it is made with yellow pre-cooked corn meal (masarepa), all purpose flour, sugar and fresh cheese. I love the combination of sweetness from the sugar with the saltiness of the cheese. This Arepa Boyacense is absolutely delicious.

9. Arepa de Huevo is a typical dish from the Caribbean region of Colombia where they are sold at street stalls. These arepas are served in Colombian homes for breakfast, but I remember my family making them for dinner, so you can serve them at any time of the day.

10. Migas de Arepa: This dish of eggs scrambled with pieces of arepa and tomato-onion sauce is a popular breakfast served in Colombia. There is no better way to start the day! You can serve this dish with Colombian chorizo, avocado and beans on the side. Migas de Arepa is designed to use up old corn arepas. The results won’t be the same if you use arepas made with masarepa. And by the way, migas means “crumbs” in English.