Recipes from Cuba
Cuban cooking moves slowly with garlic, citrus and oregano — ropa vieja shredded and simmered with peppers, picadillo loaded with olives and raisins. Sweet plantains finish the plate; rice keeps the peace.
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Ropa Vieja
Ropa vieja — 'old clothes' in Spanish — is Cuba's national dish: beef braised until it falls into shreds, then cooked in a sofrito of tomatoes, peppers, onion,…
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Picadillo
Picadillo is everyday Cuban food — a flavorful hash of ground beef cooked with tomatoes, onion, garlic, bell pepper, and the surprising sweet-salty combination…
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Moros y Cristianos
White rice cooked directly in black bean broth, flavored with an onion-and-pepper sofrito.
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Tostones
Green plantain slices, fried twice until crisp outside and soft inside.
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Vaca Frita
Boiled, shredded beef, marinated in lime, then pan-fried over high heat until crisp.
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Sandwich
Ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese and pickles, pressed between bread slices until crisp.
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Croquetas de Jamón
Creamy ham-and-béchamel cylinders, double-breaded and fried until golden and crisp.
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Ajiaco
Thick stew-like soup with beef, pork, chicken and four root vegetables, soured with lime juice.
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Lechón Asado
Lechón asado is the whole roast pork that anchors Cuba's biggest celebrations, above all Noche Buena on Christmas Eve, when families traditionally roast a…
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Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo traveled to Cuba with Spanish settlers, who brought the technique of simmering rice and meat together in one pot from Valencia's paella…
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Yuca con Mojo
Yuca, also called cassava, was a staple root of the Taíno people long before European ships reached Cuba, grown across the island and ground into flour as well…
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Frijoles Negros
Black beans arrived in Cuba's kitchens through a mix of Spanish, African, and Indigenous influences, and frijoles negros became the everyday backbone of the…
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Flan Cubano
Flan came to Cuba with Spanish colonization, carrying centuries of Roman and Moorish influence on the custard tradition, and the island's cooks reshaped it…
Flavours of Cuba
The cuisine of Cuba is built on corn, beans, chillies, lime and slow-cooked meats. The 13 recipes gathered on this page lean on those everyday building blocks, so you can bring an authentic taste of Cuba to your own kitchen without hunting down hard-to-find ingredients or specialist equipment. Each one keeps the techniques approachable while staying true to the way the dish is traditionally made.
What you can cook here
Browse dishes such as Ropa Vieja, Picadillo, Moros y Cristianos, Tostones. Each recipe opens with a complete, measured ingredient list, then walks you through the method one clear step at a time, with cooking times and per-serving nutrition so you always know exactly what is on the plate. Whether you want a quick midweek dinner or a dish to linger over at the weekend, there is something here worth cooking next.
Add Cuba to your week
Every recipe here is portioned for a household and slots neatly into a balanced week — light enough for a busy weeknight, generous enough for a relaxed weekend cook-up. Pick a few favourites from Cuba, add them to your free weekly meal plan, and we will fold every ingredient into one organised shopping list so the cooking is the only part left to do.