Seco de pollo is a deeply comforting and vibrant chicken stew that stands as a cornerstone of traditional Ecuadorian home cooking. The flavor profile is an extraordinary balance of savory, earthy, and mildly tart notes, driven by a rich base of achiote, garlic, and fresh cilantro. What truly sets the taste apart is the addition of a fermented beverage, usually a light lager beer or traditional chicha, combined with the tropical, citrusy tang of naranjilla juice. This unique simmering liquid …

Seco de chivo (goat) is a stew where goat is slow cooked along with garlic, cumin, peppers, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, chicha, orange juice and spices.

Menestra is an Ecuadorian bean stew, made with beans simmered in a sauce of onions, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, chili powder and cilantro or parsley. It is served with white rice.

Guatita (little guts) is an Ecuadorian stew where the main ingredient is tripe (cow stomach) cooked in a sauce of spices, potatoes and peanuts.

The dish is often considered an acquired taste. Because of its strong taste, it is sometimes served in small quantities.

In Ecuador, it is believed that guatita helps relieve hangover symptoms. For this reason, it is often served by restaurants early on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Encebollado is a fish stew from Ecuador. It is the national dish of Ecuador. It is prepared with albacore tuna (billfish or bonito may also be used) and may be served with avocado.

Caldo de gallina is a foundational pillar of Ecuadorian comfort food, renowned for its remarkably deep and concentrated poultry flavor that far surpasses a standard chicken soup. The star of the dish is the "gallina criolla" or free-range hen, which lends a robust, savory richness and a slightly tougher yet intensely flavorful meat texture. The golden, aromatic broth is often tinged with a hint of achiote and infused with garlic and cumin, creating a soul-warming eating experience that feels both …

Fanesca is a soup traditionally prepared and eaten by households and communities in Ecuador during Holy Week.

The components of fanesca and its method of preparation vary regionally, or even from one family to another. It is typically prepared and served only in the week before Easter (Holy Week). It is a rich soup, with the primary ingredients being figleaf gourd (sambo), pumpkin (zapallo), and twelve different kinds of beans and grains including chochos (lupines), habas (fava beans), lentils, peas, …

El tigrillo is a traditional Ecuadorian dish normally served for breakfast. It is made of cooked plantains mixed with eggs and cheese.

Bolon de verde is a traditional Ecuador dish normally served for breakfast or brunch. Green plantains are fried, then mashed and stuffed with cheese, chorizo and/or chicharrones and finally made into a ball and fried again until crispy.

Cazuela de mariscos is a magnificent coastal Ecuadorian seafood masterpiece traditionally baked and served in rustic terracotta clay pots. The flavor profile is an incredibly rich and earthy symphony where the briny, ocean-fresh umami of mixed seafood perfectly marries the deep, roasted nuttiness of freshly ground peanut paste. The heart of the dish relies on grated raw green plantains that transform during the cooking process into a luscious, velvety, and almost pudding-like texture, punctuated by the tender bite of fresh …