Cubans Don’t Know Tacos & Other Misconceptions in Hispanic Food

One of the most important components of culture is food. When we think of Italians, we think of pizza and pasta. When we think of Greeks, we think of gyros or hummus.

What  food comes to mind when you think of Cubans? Please don’t say tacos. There are misconceptions in Hispanic food. Hispanics may all speak the same language but they don’t necessarily eat the same foods.

Cubans Aren’t Taco Experts

There have been countless times in my life where people have assumed that since I speak Spanish and my family is Cuban, we must know how to make tacos. Last I checked, tacos aren’t part of traditional Cuban faire – although my family does love them – I have a slew of recipes that use leftover taco meat.

Cubans have their own dishes, like picadillo, ropa vieja, and pan con bistec. They even have FANTASTIC sandwiches – medianoche, cubano and an Elena Ruz are some of our favorites. Our dishes aren’t spicy. Our dishes commonly use inexpensive meats. A Cuban cuisine isn’t the same as a Mexican, Peruvian or Chilean cuisine, but it is equally as delicious.

Hispanic Recipes by Country

During Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) celebrate the Hispanic culture by cooking and eating traditional Hispanic foods, while recognizing the specific country where the dish originated.

The foods used are influenced by the geography of the country. There are also regional foods within the country. You will find a lot of seafood dishes in Peru and meats in Colombia.

To entice you to broaden your Hispanic menu, try making dishes from different Hispanic countries. Mamás Latinas has a great list and slideshow of Hispanic Foods by Country. I’ve included a few of my own favorites below. Let me know which one you try!

Cuban Recipe

Our Family’s Black Beans – I ate black beans & rice growing up like others may have had spaghetti and sauce. Our black bean recipe is simple and tasty.

Mexican Recipe

Shredded Beef Enchiladas – Create homemade enchiladas that will impress your guests by topping them with a combination of beef and LA VICTORIA® Red Enchilada Sauce.

Peruvian Recipe

Simple Shrimp Ceviche – Ceviche is the national dish of Peru. It is a cold dish where seafood is cooked in the acid of lemon or lime. Ceviche can be made with different types of fish. I’ve made it with white fish, tilapia and shrimp. At a recent Miami foodie event, Iron Fork Miami, we sampled a local restaurant’s Shrimp Ceviche and it was our very favorite dish.

Adding More Hispanic Recipes

I would like to showcase your family’s Hispanic recipe in an upcoming post. Please contact me if you would like to share a recipe!

The post was done as part of a non-compensated partnership with Hormel Foods. Products are provided to experience the Hormel Foods brand. All opinions are my own.