Breakfast in Colombia

February 16th, 2021 | by Paula Vargas | Posted in Food

Want to know what’s for breakfast in Colombia? You came to the right place. In this article we will review 10 popular breakfast foods in Colombia. From creamy soups to cheesy corn bread, we’ll explore the culinary diversity Colombia has to offer. Let’s get started!

Changua

Changua is a hearty milk soup with eggs popular in the central Andes. The soup is made by mixing water, milk and eggs. Garnishments include scallions and cilantro. Some people melt cheese in the soup and serve it with Calado (a type of stale bread). It’s a good choice if you’re very hungry and want something hearty.

Calentado

You can’t discuss breakfast in Colombia without mentioning calentado. Calentado is the most popular breakfast dish in the country. It”s made from reheated leftovers (rice, beans, potatoes, pasta, eggs, beef, chorizo). Accompaniments include arepa, coffee, juice and/or hot chocolate. It’s a good way to use leftovers and save money.

Arepa con Quesito

Colombians eat arepas 24 hours a day. It’s a very popular Colombian food. They’re made by baking or frying ground maize (corn) dough. It’s common to have an arepa with butter and cheese before work because it’s filling and easy to prepare. You can use any cheese, there are a ton of choices including quesito, campesino, costeno, cuajada and more. Some of the aforementioned cheeses are very salty but compliment certain arepas very well. Make sure to try a lot of cheeses when you visit Colombia.

Huevos Pericos

Huevos Pericos is Colombia’s take on scrambled eggs. Ingredients include tomatoes, scallions and salt/pepper to taste. Some people put a little butter, milk or cream in as well. When I first arrived in Colombia I was surprised at how much Colombians like tomatoes in their eggs. If you don’t like tomatoes and order eggs make sure you say “sin tomate” (without tomatoes) because if you don’t it will probably come with tomatoes.

Caldo de Costilla

Caldo de costilla is a meaty soup usually made with beef ribs, potato, garlic, onion and cilantro. I’ve heard it’s a great way to get over a hangover. It’s usually accompanied with arepa, bread & sometimes chocolate. It’s usually served for breakfast or late at night after leaving the bar.

Chocolate con Pan

At some point you will have chocolate con pan for breakfast in Colombia. Simply put, chocolate con pan is hot chocolate with bread. The bread may vary but the premise is the same. Colombians love chocolate. If you’re a chocolate lover like me Colombia is paradise.

Tortilla Paisana

Tortilla Paisana is Colombia’s version of a potato omelet but people usually use fried plantain in place of the potato. It’s popular in Antioqueño (a department in northwest Colombia). People from this region are referred to as Paisa. Hence, the name “tortilla paisana”. This egg based omelet is filled with potatoes, carrots, peas, corn and choice of meat (ham, bacon, chorizo, etc). It’s a good choice for long lasting energy.

Pandebono

I love pandebono, it’s my favorite bread. It’s usually made with cassava starch, corn flour, sugar, salt, cheese, eggs, butter and milk which makes this bread gluten free. The bun is soft to the touch and has a doughy center with a hint of sugar. Pandebono is perfect with coffee and hot chocolate. As a warning, not all pandebono is good, it depends who makes it so I suggest you try a few bakeries to find your favorite. I can’t stress this enough, try pandebono.

Arepas de Huevo

Arepas de huevo (also known as corn cakes with egg) is a dish with deep roots on the Caribbean coast. It consists of a fried arepa stuffed with a whole egg. You can fry, bake or grill it. Some people call this a comfort food.

Arepas Rellenas de Queso

Arepas rellenas de queso is a corn arepa filled with mozzarella cheese. They are delicious. I drizzle frosting and maple syrup on them. Usually they are stuffed with a lot of cheese and are very filling. I would put this arepa in a breakfast dessert category.

There you have it, breakfast in Colombia! There are a lot of recipes online for the foods mentioned in this article. If you can’t make it to Colombia any time soon find a recipe and cook it at home! If you learn to cook arepas and plantain the possibilities are endless! We hope you liked this article. If you have any questions feel free to contact us!

Tags: BreakfastColombiaFeaturedFood

Paula Vargas

About the Author

Hi! I am Paula, a native of Colombia. I love my country. There are so many amazing places to explore. Come experience the culture, people, food and landscapes with us!