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Latin American Recipes

June 04, 2016
Photo: Greg Dupree
You don't have to travel far to savor Latin flavors. From Mexican tlayudas to Peruvian anticuchos to Brazilian feijoada, we've gathered traditional foods (and foods inspired by Latin flavors) that are guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
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Latin American Recipes

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Prawns al Mojo de Ajo

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Prawns al Mojo de Ajo

Traveling the world no longer requires plane tickets and suitcases. You can experience the food cultures and traditions of many varied regions from the comfort of your kitchen thanks to the wealth of traditional recipes available today. In this collection, we've highlighted dishes with a Latin culinary heritage that are sure to excite and entice all the diners at your table.

These Prawns al Mojo de Ajo are a great example of the big flavor profiles you'll taste in every Latin American dish. This is like shrimp scampi, but grilled and 100 times better, thanks to a kicky serrano chile and enough garlic to stave off vampires forever. This dish employs a great trick many cooks don't know: using skillets on the grill, which gives fiery grilled flavor to simmered components like the garlic and onion.

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Monterrey-Style Skirt Steak

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Monterrey-Style Skirt Steak

Carne asada is the quintessential grilled dish of Mexico. At its best, it's the stuff dreams are made of. Nonetheless, it has come a long way from its origins in northern Mexico. Consider this recipe a way of preserving what carne asada really stands for: juicy, smoky, heavenly steak.

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Salsa Tatemada

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Salsa Tatemada

A taco is only as good as the quality of its simple components, especially the salsa. Good salsa is about balance: not too spicy, too tart, or too watery. Charred tomato and serrano bring bold flavor to this versatile salsa.

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Chicken Anticuchos

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Chicken Anticuchos

Over the last decade, Peruvian cuisine has come into Los Angeles' Latin American-dominated food scene, and it has come in swinging. It didn't just bring its famous sashimi-like ceviches; it also brought the Peruvian tradition of yakitori-like anticucho skewers. The brushed-on sauce, loaded with plenty of Peru's bright, fruity, yellow aji pepper, makes these skewers practically habit-forming. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Look for aji amarillo paste, a spicy Peruvian seasoning made from yellow chile peppers, in Latin markets. It's wonderful in marinades and meat rubs.

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Mini Veggie Tlayudas

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Mini Veggie Tlayudas

Mole aside, tlayudas are the Oaxacan dish. Imagine grilled pizza with corn tortilla crust and bean puree instead of tomato sauce, topped with cabbage and avocado. It's as healthy as it is tasty. A whiff of robust smoke flavor gives this vegetarian dish a meaty feel. We love drizzling on a little of the Salsa Tatemada for a nice juicy kick.

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LA Charred Chicken

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: LA Charred Chicken

When cruising the streets of South and East Los Angeles, you'll be partially hypnotized by the thick fumes emanating from LA's proud charred-chicken street vendors. A one-two-punch of citrus and fearless use of eight spices give this blackened, moist chicken its addictive bite. A nice long bath in spice-laced citrus marinade lends the chicken bold flavor, tender texture, and incredible moistness. Don't fear the flame: A little light charring makes the dish sing.

Look for ground annatto seeds and ground guajillo chile powder in the spice section of Latin markets. If 3-pound chickens are unavailable, buy enough precut, bone-in, skin-on breasts, thighs, legs, and wings to equal 6 pounds.

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Poc Chuc

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Poc Chuc

If you are in the humid, evergreen state of Yucatán, Mexico, you might be surprised by what arrives when you order carne asada. There, it means grilled pork, like this. You can find a few versions of it in LA, it being the capital for regional Mexican food.

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Oaxacan-Style Grilled Corn on the Cob

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Oaxacan-Style Grilled Corn on the Cob

Look for crema at Latin markets or by the supermarket's Mexican cheeses. It's slightly tangier than sour cream.

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Peruvian Steak and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl

Photo: Hector Sanchez
View Recipe: Peruvian Steak and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowl

A little meat travels far since there's no center stage in a bowl. Here, a few ounces of Peruvian steak works wonders on top. Season well, and shred or finely chop to get a little in each bite. 

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Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Red Onion

The pork gets a big flavor boost from achiote paste, a mix of ground annatto seeds, vinegar, salt, and spices. Find it at Latin markets.

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Chimichurri Shrimp

Photo: Erin Kunzel
View Recipe: Chimichurri Shrimp

Forget shrimp cocktail—this will be your go-to party staple from now on. You could take the shrimp off the skewers for the platter, but the pick-up nature of kebabs is great for parties.

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Best of Brazil

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Shrimp in Bahia Sauce

Two of the most popular dishes in Brazil's Bahia state are bobo camarones (shrimp in yuca cream sauce) and moqueca (seafood coconut stew). This recipe combines both. Coconut milk flavors the sauce, while mashed yuca adds creaminess. Dendê oil (bright orange palm oil) is usually stirred in at the end to lend the sauce color, but we've used annatto oil instead.

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Steak Tacos

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Steak Tacos

In Latin cuisine, a little bit of blistering on tortillas, peppers, onions, and garlic adds pleasant smoke and incredible complexity to a dish. The marinade for our Steak Tacos depends on this for bold taste that can stand up to the Toasted Chile Salsa.

If you're ready for a real game changer, make your own homemade tortillas instead of buying the bagged kind. If you're in a pinch, the La Tortilla Factory corn tortillas are the next best thing to homemade.

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Mushroom and Charred Corn Tacos with Guacamole

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Mushroom and Charred Corn Tacos with Guacamole

This quick taco filling is perfect for weeknight dinners, Poblano chiles bring rich, earthy flavor but little to no heat. (Every once in a while you can get a hot one, though.) If you want to add a little spice, add some crushed red pepper when you sauté the mushrooms.

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Ropa Vieja Empanadas

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Ropa Vieja Empanadas

Cookbook author Sandra Gutierrez learned about entertaining from her grandmother, who frequently hosted huge parties at her home outside Guatemala City. "It's my greatest inheritance: her love for style, food, entertaining, and making people happy," says Gutierrez. Those gatherings often featured empanadas, flaky hand pies filled with savory or sweet fillings. Gutierrez developed an appreciation for the portable turnovers: "I love them for parties," she says. "They're easy to eat—perfect for standing and talking." Take a cue from Gutierrez and create your own memorable gathering with the make-ahead empanada recipes that follow.

This is a classic empanada recipe: Rojo Vieja. In Latin American cuisine, flank steak is the go-to choice for recipes that call for boiled meat because it shreds beautifully and offers bold flavor. It's also inexpensive, making it ideal for feeding a crowd.

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Grilled Skirt Steak with Mint Chimichurri and Honey-Roasted Sunchokes

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Grilled Skirt Steak with Mint Chimichurri and Honey-Roasted Sunchokes

This dinner is a play on classic meat and potatoes—with amped up flavor from the herby sauce. The sunchokes are roasted with a touch of honey until tantalizingly caramelized.

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Brazilian Feijoada

Photo: Nina Choi
View Recipe: Brazilian Feijoada

Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) is a delicious stew of pork and black beans that's traditionally served over rice with fresh orange slices. In Brazil, this dish is often served on special occasions, but preparing it in a slow cooker makes it possible to serve this rich dish on the busiest weeknights.

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Churrasco with Chimichurri Sauce

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Churrasco with Chimichurri Sauce

Churrasco referes to beef or grilled meat. Grilled sirloin is the star of this rendition, accentuated by vinegar-based chimichurri sauce.

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Vatapa

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Vatapa

Our second variation of this classic Brazilian soup, vatapa offers a harmonious balance of tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors. For an added traditional touch, try sprinkling the soup with chopped peanuts just before serving. If you can't find a Brazilian lager, Mexican beer such as Dos Equis works well in its place.

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Cuban Pork Shoulder with Beans and Rice

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Cuban Pork Shoulder with Beans and Rice

You don't have to presoak the beans for this hearty dinner—they go straight into the cooker and end up perfectly tender 8 hours later. Since you blend up a whole orange, peel and all, pick up an orange at the market—Florida oranges have thinner skins than the thick-peeled fruits from California.

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Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas

Photo: José Picayo
View Recipe: Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas

Full of protein and only 343 calories per serving, these enchiladas are savory and satisfying. You can make all the components ahead of time and simply assemble the enchiladas before baking.

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Pork and Ancho Chile Tamales with Mexican Red Sauce

Photo: Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Pork and Ancho Chile Tamales with Mexican Red Sauce

For ease, make the pork mixture for these tamales a day or two ahead. The recipe makes quite a few servings; serve with Spanish saffron-flavored rice for a fun evening with friends.

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Cuban Sandwiches

Becky Luigart-Stayner 
View Recipe: Cuban Sandwiches

Citrus-laced mojo and tangy relish add big flavor to this Latin classic.

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Healthy Cuban Black Bean Soup Recipe

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Cuban Black Bean Soup

Inspired by his Cuban mother's black bean soup, Chef Douglas Rodriguez of DeLaCosta restaurant in Chicago developed the robust flavor in this recipe for people who didn't have money to spend on meat for stock. Here we use both fresh and dried oregano because each imparts a different flavor to the final dish.

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Orange and Avocado Salsa

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Orange and Avocado Salsa

Serve this salsa with chips, or spoon it atop sautéed chicken breast or fish. If you want to make the salsa ahead, omit the cilantro and avocado, and stir them in just before serving. If you find blood oranges, substitute them for regular oranges for seasonal color.

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Brazilian Cheese Bread

Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Brazilian Cheese Bread

With its six simple ingredients, gluten-free Brazilian Cheese Bread delivers abundant and powerful flavor in every single bite. Tapioca flour plays a key role. It's light and starchy, producing a bread that is crisp on the outside with airy pockets in the middle. This delectable bread is best when served hot directly from the oven.

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Stuffed Cuban Pork Tenderloin

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Stuffed Cuban Pork Tenderloin

All the flavors of your favorite Latin sandwich are here. While the pork is cooking, add fresh vegetables to the grill for a complete meal. This dish is impressive, but only requires 15 minutes of hands-on time.

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Turkey Arepas

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Turkey Arepas

Arepas are corn cakes popular in Latin American countries. Look for arepa flour in the international food section of large supermarkets or in an ethnic market. Don't substitute masa harina or cornmeal for the arepa flour, which is precooked. Store the flour in an airtight container in your freezer to extend its shelf life.

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Chimichurri Halibut Tacos

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Chimichurri Halibut Tacos

Green-hued Chimichurri sauce is composed of parsley, oregano, cumin, and garlic and originated in Argentina. The blend of seasonings gives the halibut a distinct, bold taste.

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Seviche-Style Shrimp and Avocado Tacos

Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Seviche-Style Shrimp and Avocado Tacos

Seviche traditionally “cooks” raw seafood with a long soak in citrus marinade, but our version cuts the time and effort by using precooked shrimp. The sharp lime flavor suffuses all the ingredients without overpowering the sweet tomato and creamy avocado. Try this recipe with cooked scallops, crab, or fish.

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Golden Peach Soup with Shrimp and Crab Seviche

Photo: Gentyl & Hyers
View Recipe: Golden Peach Soup with Shrimp and Crab Seviche

As intriguing as it is beautiful, this sweet-tangy-slightly spicy soup makes a stunning first course. It’s refreshing and cool flavors (and temperature) make it the perfect choice for a mid-summer’s dinner.

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Sopa Caldosa

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Sopa Caldosa

This popular soup from the Oaxaca region of Mexico features chorizo, a coarsely ground pork sausage flavored with chili powder, garlic, and other seasonings. We use a simple, homemade Mexican Chorizo that's easy to put together (better yet, it can be prepared the day before).

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Peruvian Beef Kebabs

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Peruvian Beef Kebabs

Street vendors in Peru sell anticuchos (grilled meat skewers) made with beef hearts. If you're not feeling that adventurous, sirloin works well, too. Either way, the real star is ground aji amarillo, made from Peru's medium-hot, sunny-yellow chile pepper. It shows up in both the spice rub and the sauce for the beef, lending a subtle floral aroma and radiant yellow color.

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Argentinean Pork

Photo: Nina Choi
View Recipe: Argentinean Pork

Tenderloin pairs beautifully with an herb-packed sauce based on classic South American chimichurri. Serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with fresh cilantro.

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Aji Amarillo Sauce

Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Aji Amarillo Sauce

You won't believe this Peruvian condiment's resemblance to classic nacho cheese sauce. Top tortilla chips, or stir into hard-cooked egg yolks for deviled eggs with a kick. Look for aji amarillo paste at Latin markets.

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