The Caribbean is known for the lush beauty of its islands and beaches. But beyond that, the Caribbean is also home to some of the world’s tastiest meals.
The Caribbean comprises 12 countries located around the Caribbean Sea. They include Barbados, Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Dominican Republic. Others include Grenada, The Bahamas, Belize, Saint Kitts, Guyana, and Suriname. Considering this diversity, Caribbean food is drawn from different cultures and ethnic groups making it colorful and flavorful. With a wide variety to pick and choose from, we bring you the top 20 Caribbean dishes of all time, to spice up your weekly dinners.
What Ingredients Do Caribbean Dishes Contain?
Typical Caribbean dishes consist of fresh seafood, fruits, salt fish, and other fresh ingredients. They are also spicy, so bold flavors, black pepper, ground beef, roast pork, and green seasoning are quite essential.
The Caribbean is a popular holiday destination for people from all over the world. These tourists are often delighted to try out the Caribbean cuisines you’ll find on this list. Some even try to replicate them in their home country. Here’s a list of 20 Caribbean dishes of all time, with ingredients delivered from OjaExpress.
1. Jamaican Curried Goat
Although goat meat may not be the most popular meat in the United States, it is one of the most widely used meats in Caribbean recipes. Curried goat meat is a Jamaican national dish with many variants. It consists of chunks of goat meat slowly cooked in an aromatic blend of curry, ginger, garlic, onion, thyme, and assorted chili peppers.
2. Arroz con Gandules
This tasty Caribbean meal is originally from the Greater Anthill region of Puerto Rico. The main ingredients are rice and pigeon peas. It, however, gets its delicious taste and flavor from the aromatic sofrito. The sofrito is a mixture of sweet Caribbean peppers blended with onions, leafy greens, garlic, and green peppers.
3. Twice-fried Plantains
This delicious Caribbean meal is made with unripe plantain. It is a popular dish in the Caribbean and is also known as banana peze, or patacones.
4. Metemgee
Metemgee is a traditional Guyanese and Caribbean dish. It is made of cassava, sweet potatoes, eddoes, and plantain cooked in a broth of seasoned coconut milk. Some people also add corn and boiled eggs to make this delicious meal.
5. Basic Sofrito
Sofrito is an essential part of many Caribbean dishes. It is the spice base of different Latin American cuisines, and the recipe varies from region to region. The essential ingredients include bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, hot peppers, and garlic.
6. Empanadas
Empanadas are another top Caribbean cuisine you’d love to try. They’re a popular pastry in many Latin American and Caribbean cultures. The recipe contains fried or baked delicacies filled with ground beef, sweet potato, and spices.
7. Gizzarda
Your Caribbean diet is not complete without Gizzarda. This is a popular Jamaican dish you’ll find in the west indies, Puerto Rico, and other countries. This popular dish is made of coconut tarts spiced with ginger, brown sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla. Serves as dessert, a side dish, or just a snack for the best results.
8. Antigua Raisin Bun
This delicious Caribbean cuisine originates from Antigua and Barbuda. It has over time become a staple around the Caribbean islands and West Indies. This delicious bun is made with flour, brown sugar, yeast, etc. It is then fried in olive oil. It is best eaten with cheese.
9. Baigan Choka (Roasted Eggplant)
Baigan Choka is a popular Trinidadian dish made from roasting eggplants on a smoky grill till it turns golden brown. It is also mashed with roasted pepper, onions, garlic, tomatoes, lime juice, and butter for extra shining.
10. Pineapple Chow
Pineapple chow is another top part of the Caribbean diet. It’s an easy snack or side dish made with sliced pineapples spiced with chili, garlic, and cilantro. You’d also find this popular dish in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and parts of West Africa.
11. Conch Fritters
Conch fritters are made from finely minced conch meat. It is one of the most popular dishes in the Caribbean. This seafood meat is mixed with flour and egg to give an irresistible cuisine.
12. Cou-cou
Coucou is a national dish of Barbados. It is usually served with flying fish. This meal is made with corn flour and okra finely garnished into a creamy pudding.
13. Pepper pot
This Caribbean dish is a staple in Guyana. It’s a meat-based stew made with spicy bell peppers, clove, cinnamon, thyme, and other hot peppers.
14. Callaloo
Callaloo is another Caribbean national dish every tourist should try out. This popular dish is made with local vegetables steamed with scotch bonnet, scallion, garlic, and onions.
15. Tchaka
Tchaka is a popular Caribbean food made with hominy, pumpkin, beans, and meat. This nutritious meal is a Haitian national dish, but it’s generally popular in Caribbean culture.
16. Dominican Rainbow Rice
The Dominican Republic has a special way of cooking rice. They use a blend of sweet corn, sweet peppers, pasta and peas, olive oil, and assorted ingredients, to make this delicious rainbow rice.
17. Jerk Chicken
Jerk Chicken is a special roasted chicken made the Jamaican way. It is finely spiced with garlic cloves, scotch bonnet peppers, jerk seasoning, dark rum, and red onion. Some Caribbean hotels also garnish their Jamaican jerk chicken with coconut milk.
18. Tamarind Balls
This Caribbean dish is made by mixing tamarind with coconut and brown sugar. For the best results, serve it as a snack or side dish.
19. Roti Flatbread
Roti is originally an Indian dish, but it is also popular among people in Jamaica, Haiti, and other Caribbean countries where it is used to wrap a variety of dishes.
20. Haitian Legume
This Haitian food contains an assortment of vegetables. They include eggplant, cabbage, leafy greens, spinach, black pepper, and other ingredients. It is the perfect Haitian food for vegetarians. It contains lots of vitamins and fiber, so the Caribbean regards it as a national dish.
The Caribbean islands have some of the tastiest cuisines in the world. These meals are made with natural ingredients, so they’re enriched with healthy nutrients. We have more inspo for your Caribbean meal adventures, which you can find here.
You can get these meals at Intercontinental hotels in the United States. You can also make them at home using simple ingredients you’d find on OjaExpress.
