What to eat in Boyaca, Colombia
Colombia is a diverse country in almost every way, gastronomy included, with each one of the country’s 31 departments home to unique traditional cuisine. Just a short 2.5-hours from Bogota, you will find the beautiful and culturally rich Colombian department of Boyacá. The region is known for its spectacular nature, fascinating history, quaint heritage towns, and friendly locals. The department is also home to some of the best restaurants in the country, serving both local and international cuisine. The traditional gastronomy of Boyacá uses farm-fresh ingredients and has been strongly influenced by local Indigenous cultures. In this article, we will explore 10 traditional dishes that you must try when visiting this beautiful region.Food in Boyacá: 10 Typical Foods to Try in Boyacá
10. Seasonal Fruits
Situated in the Andes Mountain Range, the climate of Boyacá varies from town to town, depending on the altitude. Thanks to the varying climates across the department, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of locally grown fruits including mango, bananas, peaches, passionfruit, pear, dragon fruit, strawberries, and more. Some of the more exotic fruits grown in Boyacá that you might not have heard of include, uchuva, lulo, and feijoa.
If you are a foreigner and want to discover the exotic fruits of Colombia, come and visit Boyacá!
Boyacá: Explore the Typical Towns & the Countryside
9. Bulgar Wheat & Pork Spine Soup (Cuchuco de Trigo con Espinazo) Cuchuco de Trigo con Espinazo de Cerdo
If you’ve read any of our other Colombian food articles, you’ll already know that soups form an important part of Colombian cuisine, and Boyacá is no exception. The regional soup – cuchuco de trigo con espinazo – contains tender beans, broad beans, potatoes, carrots, green peas, and “pork spine” (pork bone). This hearty dish has been heavily influenced by local Indigenous cuisine, and is very representative of Boyacá, Tourists can find this tasty soup served in cities and towns all over Boyacá, including Tunja (Runta), Paipa, Sogamoso, Duitama, and some of the more traditional restaurants in Villa de Leyva. Not only can visitors enjoy delicious traditional food in these towns, but they are also some of the best places for tourists to visit and explore in Boyacá.8. Little Mazamorra Soup (Mazamorra Chiquita)
Not only is little mazamorra a popular dish in Colombia, but variations of the soup are also popular in many other Latin countries including Chile and Argentina. This flavorful soup’s main ingredient is corn, and in Boyacá and it is also typically made with broad beans, peas, green beans, corn, potatoes, and meat. The hearty soup, also known as “home soup”, is a favorite amongst Boyacense grandmas. It is typically eaten at lunchtime but is also a popular dish to serve at barbecues and big family gatherings. The rich soup can be found in restaurants across the region, so if you are visiting some of the beautiful towns of Boyacá, be sure to try this delicious soup!
7. Paipa Casserole (Changua Boyacense)
This typical breakfast dish is made with milk, broth, eggs, salt, and pepper. If you’ve ever tried the famous “changua” from Bogotá, this soup-like dish is very similar, although the flavor profile is slightly different thanks to the addition of cheese, onion, and coriander. This Boyacense soup is almost always accompanied by one of the most traditional pastries from the region (typically an almojábana) and a spoon of rich cream can sometimes be added for extra flavor. You can enjoy this dish in restaurants across Boyacá, but of course, the best place to try it is in Paipa – one of the most popular tourist towns in Boyacá and Colombia.6. Paipa Cheese
The beautiful town of Paipa is the birthplace of the most famous and delicious cheese produced in all of Colombia. The full-bodied, rich, and sharp cheese is a great source of pride for the people of Boyacá, produced solely in the Valley of Sogamoso (which includes the towns of Paipa and Sotaquirá). The semi-hard, semi-fat, and semi-aged cheese is made by masters of the cheese craft and free from artificial colorants and chemicals. A trip to Boyacá wouldn’t be complete without trying the only semi-aged cheese produced in the country. The cheese adds a delicious salty flavor to any dish and is perfect to enjoy with a salad or alone with a glass of wine or a fresh cup of coffee. For a truly Colombian experience, try some Paipa cheese with a delicious hot chocolate and a fresh buñuelo pastry.
5. Sweet Mazamorra Soup
The recipe for this traditional soup has been passed down through generations of Indigenous families in Boyacá. The sweet mazamorra soup is almost always made with the famous and ancestral chicha – a fermented beverage made from corn and one of the most emblematic drinks of Boyacá. The yummy soup is also made with panela and wheat flour, typically accompanied by some cheese and a delicious bread common to the region. This sweet soup is a favorite amongst the families of Boyacá who still preserve their ancestors’ gastronomic and cultural traditions. So, if you want to recharge your batteries, keep warm on a cold day, and try a unique dish with its origins from the ancient Muisca civilization, then this is the soup to try!
4. Boyacense Stew (Cocido Boyacense)
This traditional dish is one of those foods that people either love or hate, but we love it! The unique stew is another example of a dish that has been inherited from the ancient Indigenous Muisca gastronomy. Using ancestral and farm-fresh ingredients, Boyacense Stew is typically made with turnips, broad beans, hibia (a tuber known as uqa in Quechua), green peas, and lots of animal protein, including chicken, pork, and beef ribs. Fun Fact: The “cocido boyacense” is a dish with well over 4 centuries of history – the stew is particularly emblematic of the beautiful town of Villa de Leyva, having been officially named in 1572 by the man who founded the town, Andrés Díaz Venero de Leyva. Come and try this famous dish when visiting one of the most beautiful towns in all the country, full of history and culture.3. Arepa Boyacense
Colombia’s famous arepas are the foundation of many meals, with each part of the country having its own unique way of preparing these circular cornbreads. Some arepas are sweet, others salty, some made with white corn, others yellow corn, some baked, some fried, and some stuffed. Even within Boyacá, each one of the department’s 123 towns has its own distinct version of this Colombian favorite, and the town of Ventaquemada is home to one of the most delicious arepas of all. Here, the arepas are made with precooked yellow corn flour (porva), wheat flour, butter, curd, cheese, whole milk, salt, and grated panela. The slightly sweet flavor of these arepas makes them somewhat addictive. There are so many delicious variations of arepas to try for anyone visiting Colombia, but these arepas undoubtedly deserve a special mention.
2. Wrapped Corn Cakes (Envueltos de Maíz)
Lots of countries in Latin America have their own version of these corn cakes, but none are quite as delicious as the Colombian version. I promise we’re not biased! If you enjoy corn on the cob, you’ll be sure to like these delicious envueltos de maiz, often considered somewhat of a delicacy in Boyacá. Made with fresh corn, grated cheese, panela, salt, vanilla, and baking powder, these sweet and salty treats have a soft melt-in-the-mouth texture. These corncakes are another example of a recipe that has been passed down through the generations. It was (and remains) very popular amongst local Indigenous communities that would harvest the corn straight from the fields. This “wrapped” corn dish be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and is the perfect accompaniment to a fresh cup of Colombian coffee.1. Baked Goods (Amasijos): Almojábana, Pandeyuca, & Garulla
Colombian baked goods, or “amasijos”, are among some of the most traditional foods in the country. Colombian bakeries serve many delicious traditional pastries and baked goods, but there are three that you absolutely must try when visiting Boyaca: almojábanas, pandeyuca, and garulla. Almojábanas, are a type of corn cake, made with delicious cheese. The salty and slightly sweet bread is makes a great accompaniment to a hot chocolate or a fresh cup of coffee. Pandeyucas are another favorite that are perfect for a quick snack. This slightly chewy and delicious cheese bread are made with yuca flour/cassava starch. And finally, the delicious garullas are a type of bread made with cuajada (a special type of Colombian cheese), butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and cornmeal. These snacks are particularly common in Boyacá and are usually accompanied by a masato de arroz (a Colombian rice drink).-
Envueltos de Maíz -
Amasijos
A Special Mention: Sutamarchán Sausage (Longaniza)
The Sutamarchan sausage (longaniza) is known as one of the best sausages in all of Colombia. Prepared with the best quality pork meat, the delicious sausage is typically cut into pieces and accompanied by creole potatoes and chili for a delicious explosion of flavors. This famous longaniza is the perfect addition to any barbeques where it can be shared with friends and family. Como and try this delicious sausage on a trip to the quaint town of Sutamarchan, before visiting one of the most beautiful towns in all of Colombia, Villa de Leyva.
Put on your traditional ruana, try an arepa Boyacense, and enjoy an aguardiente in Boyaca!
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