The Puerto Rican Dishes You Absolutely Need To Try

As reported by History, Puerto Rico is an archipelago that has been deeply influenced by a number of cultures. Hunter-gatherers first inhabited the island alongside the Arawak Indians. The Taino, a subgroup of the Arawak, became the dominant population of Puerto Rico pre-Columbus, with a population ranging between 20,000 and 50,000 by the late 1500s, per Britannica.

The arrival of the Spanish and their subsequent colonization of the archipelago changed Puerto Rican society and culture forever. Furthermore, a reliance on an enslaved, largely African, workforce during this time also brought new cultural practices to the island. More changes were experienced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when America gained control of Puerto Rico. According to Britannica, the main goal of American governors at the time was Americanizing Puerto Rico, both culturally and structurally — a process that has indelibly influenced the lives of all Puerto Ricans to this day.

A country's food reflects its cultural identity, and Puerto Rico is no different with contemporary ingredients, cooking techniques, and dishes all speaking to the archipelago's complex socio-cultural history. Many of its dishes offer not only a wide array of flavors and textures, but also a bite-sized look at Puerto Rico's history. If that's not reason enough to enjoy some amazing food, we don't know what is.

BBC reports that pigs were introduced to Puerto Rico during Columbus' second voyage to the Americas in the late 15th century. Pork has since become one of the most widely-adored foods in Puerto Rico, serving as the centerpiece for many important celebrations such as New Year's Eve and Noche Buena (per The Wall Street Journal).

However, pork is not only consumed during feasts and celebrations. Rather, it is commonly enjoyed as part of the archipelago's daily rhythms, frequently in the form of tripleta. Name because of the trio of meats used to fill it, tripleta is a sandwich considered worker's fare thanks to its robust filling of steak, pernil, and ham, per The Washington Post. According to Taste Atlas, the sandwich also boasts robust toppings, which include cheese, Puerto Rico's ubiquitous mayo-ketchup, and french fries.

Tripleta is a perfect example of how pork is consumed on a daily basis in Puerto Rico, offering a different perspective on the cuisine while also highlighting the meat's importance to the archipelago's food culture. Tucking into a tripleta sandwich is a must for anyone looking to experience the full range of Puerto Rican cuisine.

Tostones are the other extremely popular Puerto Rican dish made from plantains. These pressed, twice-fried golden discs are a common sight throughout both Puerto Rico and the United States. This is partly because of the ease with which they can be made, as well as the wide availability of the ingredients: green plantains, oil, water, and salt. Consequently, tostones are an accessible way for many Puerto Ricans to enjoy and reconnect with their culture, wherever they may be in the world (per Whetstone Magazine).

According to The Plantain Council, the fruit's neutral flavor, cooking versatility, and quick growth in tropical climates have made it the 10th most important staple food in the world. Since its introduction to Puerto Rico, plantains have been used to sustain its various populations. Whetstone Magazine reports that enslaved workers were forced to consume the crop, as were poor farmers who often relied on plantains to survive times of scarcity. It's not difficult to see why dishes like tostones have become etched into the Puerto Rican identity.

Today, tostones are not only a common feature in Puerto Rican households, but also in Puerto Rican restaurants. Whether it's in high-speed Bronx-based trailer restaurant, La Piraña Lechonera (via The New York Times), or Puerto Rico's highly esteemed Bacoa (per BBC), tostones will be available. Or if you're looking for a slightly healthier version at home, tostones can be baked as well.

Sorullos are cigar-shaped, fried corn flour sticks that are frequently filled with cheese (per Taste Atlas). Simple to make, sorullos are usually served as a side dish or snack and are eaten hot. While their crisp exterior and fluffy, cheesy interior make them instantly appealing to most, sorullos have also become widely popular throughout Puerto Rico thanks to their association with chinchorros.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, chinchorros are the Puerto Rican food stalls that stand together in streets throughout the archipelago. Local custom is to eat, walk, and dance from one to another trying dishes as you go. Sorullos frequently feature in these settings, served alongside other classics of the cuisine, such as arroz con gandules. Their grab-and-go nature makes them perfect for the informal nature of chinchorros, which Puerto Rican culinary tour guide Stephen Santiago compared to Texas roadhouses, per Smithsonian Magazine.

Sorullos are also so widely loved in Puerto Rico because they serve as the perfect vehicle for one of the archipelago's favorite condiments, mayo-ketchup. Known to some as fry sauce, mayo-ketchup has been popular in Latino communities for decades, and frequently tops fried foods such as sorullos and tostones, according to The Washington Post. That means you can enjoy two iconic Puerto Rican foods in just one mouthful.

Roasted pork, in any form, is well-loved in Puerto Rico. But pernil might be the most popular of all. Made with roasted pork shoulder, pernil can be found in homes and restaurants throughout Puerto Rico and the United States. The meat is known for its succulent, tender, and shreddable texture and is a favorite at Puerto Rican Christmases, as per Forbes.

The meat achieves its brilliant taste thanks to marinating overnight in two iconic flavorings, sofrito and adobo. Sofrito, usually made with culantro — a stronger variant of cilantro that grows widely on the archipelago, according to The New York Times – adds a herbaceous flavor to the pork. On the other hand, adobo — a wet marinade that contains vinegar — provides a much-needed tang that cuts through the rich meat (via Taste Atlas). Forbes reports that small incisions are usually made on the meat and both the sofrito and adobo are usually stuffed in. 

As perhaps Puerto Rico's most famous dish, and a much more flavorful alternative to your regular ham joint, pernil is a brilliant way to experience the classically Puerto Rican tastes of pork, sofrito, and adobo. And since it's just the shoulder, pernil is a classic Puerto Rican pig dish that can be made in a home kitchen — a stark contrast to the space and equipment needed to make lechón asado.

Empanadas are a dish that, in one form or another, span the globe. They consist of fried pastry that is used to envelop a filling. Of course, these fillings vary widely, but Puerto Rican ones usually revolve around ground beef or other meats (via Democrat & Chronicle).

Times Union reports that empanadas came from Arabic sfeehas. These hand-held meals will have been common throughout Spain during the Middle Ages thanks to the period of Muslim rule over what is modern-day Spain and Portugal from 711-1492 (via BBC). As Times Union states, Muslim and Arabic influence on Spain during this time resulted in the creation of traditional Arabic dishes with an Iberian twist, of which empanadas were one. Spain's colonization of the Caribbean and South, Central, and North America led to empanadas being introduced throughout what we now call Latin America.

In Puerto Rico, empanadas have taken the form of empanadillas, sometimes known as pastelillos. Empanadillas are generally smaller than Spanish empanadas and are frequently eaten as snacks for both children and adults alike, per Democrat & Chronicle. Consequently, empanadillas provide an easy, low-commitment way to experience Puerto Rican cuisine, one that can be easily tailored to your own specific preferences.

Coquito is the quintessential Christmas-time beverage, enjoyed by Puerto Ricans throughout the festive period. Made with a can of evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream of coconut, and coconut milk, sweetness and coconut definitely dominate the flavor profile, according to The Washington Post. However, the inclusion of a number of spices and a glug of rum adds to the coquito picture. Roberto Villanueva, a Puerto Rican who produces and sells coquito, told Sarasota Sarasota Magazine that drinkers should look for cinnamon and nutmeg as typical spices, but might find recipes that use vodka or sherry, and even some that contain egg yolks.

While each family may have its own spin on coquito, the drink's significance remains the same. The drink is made for sharing, most classically during parrandas — festive Puerto Rican events that involve singing, eating, and drinking, as per New York Latin Culture Magazine. So, if you want to experience a taste of a Puerto Rican Christmas, there is no better way to start than by making and sharing a few glasses of ice-cold coquito.