Best Ecuador Tours & Vacations 2023/2024

Ecuadorian cuisine is largely shaped by its abundance of fresh produce. Seafood and the plantains dominate the coast. Fresh ceviche, tropical fish (especially corvina or sea bass) and seafood soups such as encebollado are dietary staples. Creamy coconut milk is commonly used to create flavourful sauces. Look for the word ‘encocado’ on the menu – it means the dish is served in a coconut sauce.

Things to try in Ecuador

1. Locro de papa

A classic Ecuadorian potato and corn soup, usually served with cheese, corn and avocado.

2. Enceballado

Ecuadorians swear this soup is the ultimate hangover food. Usually made with albacore tuna, encebollado is a pickled onion fish soup.

3. Ceviche

There are many variations of this dish, but just about all of them use seafood as its core ingredient, such as fish, shrimp, octopus, squid, crab, clams or lobster. It’s diced and then marinated in various ways for flavor.

4. Ceviche de chocos

Vegetarians don’t need to feel left out while everyone is feasting on all the ceviche – ceviche de chochos is a vegetarian alternative. An indigenous bean called chocho is combined with onions, tomatoes, cilantro (coriander), limes, oranges and tomato sauce, then topped with maiz tostado (toasted corn nuts), chifles (plantain chips), avocado and hot sauce.