Cuban cuisine combines Spanish colonial traditions, indigenous Taíno ingredients and African culinary techniques, creating a range of unique dishes. These unique dishes reflect the island’s culinary history. Vacationers visiting Cuba on an all-inclusive vacation can experience the culture first-hand with these three iconic meals.
Travellers looking to discover Cuba’s cuisine this season can explore with ease thanks to Sunwing Vacations’ comprehensive all-inclusive packages with flights on board WestJet to the island.
Ropa Vieja
Cuba’s most beloved comfort food, Ropa Vieja, literally translates to “old clothes”. Originating in Spain, legend has it that a poor man once cooked his own clothes out of desperation to feed his family and, praying over the pot, it turned into a delicious stew. This slow-braised shredded beef dish combines Spanish cooking techniques with New World ingredients, featuring tender beef, simmered in a rich sauce of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and aromatic spices. The dish’s Spanish roots evolved through Cuban hands, incorporating local sofrito – a fragrant base of garlic, cumin and oregano that forms the foundation of countless Cuban recipes.
Lechon Asado
Lechon Asado has roots in Spanish feasting traditions that became deeply embedded in Cuban culture. This whole roasted pork dish transforms simple ingredients into a delicious dish, an example of life on the island. The pork is traditionally marinated in mojo – a zesty blend of sour orange juice, garlic, cumin and oregano that penetrates deep into the meat, for a juicy interior and crispy skin. Spanish colonists introduced pork to the island, but Cuban cooks pushed it further. By incorporating indigenous citrus fruits and developing unique spice combinations, this is a dish that reflects the island’s diverse cultural influences and history.
Ajiaco
Ajiaco is Cuba’s unofficial national dish, embodying the island’s complex cultural heritage in a single bowl. This hearty stew represents the ultimate fusion cuisine, combining indigenous Taíno root vegetables like yuca and malanga, Spanish-introduced pork and beef and African cooking techniques that emphasize slow simmering and complex seasoning layers. The dish’s foundation includes corn, plantains, calabaza squash and various root vegetables, creating a rich, thick consistency that varies by region and family. Each spoonful delivers different textures and flavours, all unified by a savoury broth that develops its depth through hours of patient cooking.