Holy Week: Traditional Colombian Recipes for the Season

Holy Week is a time when gastronomy takes center stage. In every country that observes this holiday, traditional recipes adorn family tables, and Colombia is no exception.

The coffee-producing nation has given a very local touch to its Holy Week celebrations, largely defined by the dishes Colombians consume during this time.

What Do Colombians Eat During Holy Week?

In Colombia’s Holy Week recipes, fish is king. Since there is a tradition of avoiding red meat during these days, many of the typical preparations are based on fish and seafood. Some examples are salpicón de bonito (shredded bonito fish salad), mojarra frita (fried mojarra, a fish similar to tilapia), palometa al horno (baked pomfret), cachama guisada (stewed cachama, an Amazonian fish), sopa de pescado (fish soup), rampuchada (a traditional river fish soup), juanesca (a hearty fish and grain stew), and cazuela de mariscos (seafood casserole), among others.

Another of the main protagonists during the Holy Week (Semana Mayor) are the sweets. In Colombia, there is no Holy Week without sweets; it is a tradition for every home to prepare them and share them with friends, neighbors, and family. This custom is much more present on the Caribbean Coast (Costa Caribe), where every year, in various cities and municipalities, sweet festivals are held that reveal the great variety of desserts the country possesses. Some of the most popular are dulce de papa (potato sweet paste), dulce de guandu (pigeon pea sweet), dulce de ñame (yam sweet paste), dulce de mango (mango jam), and mongo mongo (a traditional slow-cooked fruit and plantain jam).

(Discover the best recipes for Colombian Holy Week sweets here)

Colombia is a country with a lot of diversity; no region, department, or city is the same. That is why, depending on the area, different dishes are prepared. For example, on the Coast, it is quite common during this time to prepare black bean rice, beet salad, shredded fish, and the sweets mentioned above. In the Santander region, stews (potajes) are very popular; there they usually prepare the “seven dishes” (siete potajes) during this week, which also includes fish. Thus, each Colombian region has its traditional recipes.

Typical Colombian recipes perfect for Holy Week

We have compiled a collection of traditional Colombian recipes perfect for preparing during Holy Week.

Shredded Fish Salad (Salpicón de Pescado)

This is a delicious recipe that can be prepared with almost any fish; you can use bonito, snook, tarpon, mullet, etc. It can also be made with either dry or fresh fish.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of fish
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 1 white onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tomato
• 4 sweet peppers (ajíes dulces)
• 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon of achiote (annatto)
• A splash of vinegar
• Salt (only if the fish is fresh)
• Pepper

Preparation: Make a sofrito (base sauce) with the finely chopped onion, garlic, tomato, and sweet peppers. Add the achiote, vinegar, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Then, cook the previously pre-cooked and shredded fish in the sofrito. This recipe pairs perfectly with white rice or black bean rice.

Fried Cachama, Tilapia, or Mojarra

A very simple and delicious recipe. You can make it with mojarra (tilapia) or cachama (tambaqui).

Ingredients:

• 4 mojarras (or cachamas)
• Cooking oil
• Salt to taste
• Lime (optional)

Preparation: Wash the fish thoroughly, clean it (removing the innards), and salt to taste. Fry in oil until golden brown.

Smothered Potatoes (Papas Chorreadas)

The delicious papas chorreadas are a simple recipe that will undoubtedly be perfect for Holy Week.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of potatoes
• 4 stalks of scallions (green onions)
• 2 tomatoes
• ½ pound of farmer’s cheese (queso campesino)
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
• Cumin, pepper, and salt to taste

Preparation: First, wash the potatoes well, peel them partially, and boil them in water for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a sofrito with the remaining ingredients. Once the potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the heat, place them on a plate, and smother them with the sauce.

Mullet Rice (Arroz de Lisa)

Mullet rice is a rich recipe highly popular in the Colombian department of Atlántico. For this Holy Week season, it is a perfect dish to delight your family.

Ingredients:

• 4 mullets (fish)
• 1 pound of rice
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
• 1 white onion
• 2 sprigs of chives
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Cilantro
• Salt, food coloring (or achiote), and parsley to taste

Preparation: Simmer the mullets in water with seasonings to taste for about 10 minutes. Then, with the previously chopped onion, tomato, chives, garlic, and cilantro, prepare a sauce using the oil, salt, food coloring, and parsley to taste. Next, add the previously shredded (and de-boned) mullets along with the rice. Sauté everything for a few minutes and add 6 cups of water or the broth used to cook the mullets. Cover and simmer until the rice absorbs the liquid.

Other Popular Colombian Recipes for Holy Week

• Bocachico fish soup (Sopa de bocachico)
• Corn cassava bread (Casabe de maíz)
• Taro stew (Malangada)
• Stewed fish (Pescado guisado)
• Octopus salad (Ensalada de pulpo)
• Dry or salted fish (Pescado seco o salado)
• Potatoes in cheese sauce (Papas en chupe)
• Amazonian smoked fish (Pescado moquiao)