After centuries of the co-evolution of corn and the civilizations that helped shape the crop as we know it, it’s no surprise that it continues to be an essential staple food across Latin America and the diaspora. Throughout Central and South America, we can find corn as a foundational food in many diverse cuisines, revealing its impressive versatility and cross-cultural importance over time.
Here are eight different traditional dishes showing the breadth of corn from a savory staple to a sweet treat!
1) Tortillas de Maíz
No list of corn-based foods is complete without tortillas de maíz, or corn tortillas, which originated over 12,000 years ago in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico. They are made from nixtamalized corn flour (or masa harina), salt, and water, which is kneaded into a dough, flattened, and cooked traditionally on a comal. Today they are enjoyed all throughout Mexico and beyond in tacos, fried in tortilla chips, and much more.
2) Arepas
Arepas have a long history that can be traced back to the indigenous peoples of modern-day Venezuela and Colombia. Arepas are made from a precooked, ground corn flour called masarepa, which is made into a round cornmeal patty and stuffed with an endless variety of fillings, from beans and plantains to cheese and meat, fit for any meal of the day.
3) Atol de Elote
Atol de elote shows corn’s sweeter side: It’s a creamy, sweet corn beverage with cinnamon or vanilla that’s served in street markets in Guatemala and throughout Central America. Fresh corn is pulverized with a grinding stone, then heated up in a pot with milk, sugar, and spices for a warming, sweet treat!
4) Pozole
Pozole is a flavorful Mexican soup made with hominy, or whole corn kernels that have been nixtamalized (or soaked in an alkaline solution) which results in a chewy and fluffy grain. To make pozole, hominy is simmered with meat, chiles, and other aromatics and spices and topped with sliced radishes, thinly shredded cabbage, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
5) Pastel de Choclo
Pastel de Choclo is a traditional Chilean beef and corn casserole that can be found throughout South America and likely originates from the Mapuche people in Southern Chile. It is made with layers of creamy corn, seasoned ground beef, and sweet and savory additions like raisins, olives, and hard-boiled eggs, then baked until golden brown.
6) Pupusas
A Central American staple, the origin of pupusas go back 2,000 years to the Pipil tribe occupying modern-day El Salvador and Honduras. Various fillings like cheese, beans, and meat are added to masa and then flattened and griddled, then enjoyed with a punchy curtido de repollo (cabbage salad) and a tomato-based salsa.
7) Sopa Paraguaya
Sopa Paraguaya is a cheesy cornbread found in Paraguay, traditionally served alongside grilled meats. Some say its origins can be dated way back to the Cario-Guaraní indigenous people, while others insist it came to be as a cooking accident in the mid-1800s when the president of Paraguay requested a corn soup but the chef mistakenly added too much cornmeal, creating what soon became a beloved staple.
8) Majarete
We’re ending this list on a sweet note with majarete, a traditional Caribbean dessert that can be found in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and beyond. Corn and coconut milk are blended with spices, milk, sugar, and cornstarch and heated in a pot to create a creamy corn pudding. It’s usually eaten chilled with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top, and traditionally made during Lent.