Ecuadorian side dishes

Here are some of my favorite recipes for traditional Ecuadorian side dishes. These side dishes range from simple salads/salsas to salads, potato dishes, rice, plantains, yuca/cassava, and more.

Cebollas encurtidas: Cebollas encurtidas are Ecuadorian style pickled or lime marinated red onions. These are so easy to make and go great with everything from seafood to meat dishes. I usually make a batch and use it for a few days – if they last that long.

Choclo asados {Grillled corn}: Grilled corn or even boiled corn, called choclos in Ecuador, are served as a side dish. They can be served alone or with a creamy cheese sauce.

Curtido de cebolla y tomate: This lime marinated red onion and tomato salsa, called curtido, is one of my must haves for many Ecuadorian main meals. It’s a variation of the cebollas encurtidas from above and adds tomatoes and cilantro.

Chifles: Chifles or tajadas are chips made by frying green plantains or green bananas.

Ecuadorian style rice: Basic recipe for cooking rice Ecuadorian style, both basic white rice and arroz amarillo or yellow rice.

Ensalada de papas con camarones: Ecuadorian or South American potato salad with shrimp, carrots, onion, garlic and mayonnaise.

Ensalada mixta: Delicious and refreshing salad recipe made with lettuce, tomato, onion and avocado with a lime cilantro dressing

Ensalada rusa: Ensalada rusa is a classic salad and side dish served throughout Latin America, made with potatoes, carrots, peas, apples, celery, onion, and mayonnaise.

LLapingachos: Llapingachos are potato patties or pancakes stuffed with cheese, cooked on a hot griddle until crispy brown and served with peanut sauce, fried egg, tomato and onion curtido, avocado slices and hot sauce.

Llapingachos de mote: Hominy corn patties stuffed with pork or cheese, cooked on a hot griddle, and served garnish with peanut sauce, pickled red onions and aji criollo hot sauce. A great way to use pork fritada or pork carnitas leftovers.

Mote or hominy: Mote or hominy corn is very popular side dish in Ecuador, especially in the Sierra or Highlands region. It’s served with beef and pork dishes. I recommend making it from scratch, it will taste so much better than the canned ready to eat hominy.

Mote refrito en salsa de hornado: Mote blanco refrito en salsa de hornado, also known as mote sucio, is white corn hominy sautéed in pork gravy

Papitas al perejil: Fingerling potatoes tossed with butter, parsley and salt

Ecuadorians style beans or menestra de porotos: Menestra de porotos o frijoles is an Ecuadorian bean stew, made with beans simmered in a sauce of onions, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, chili powder and cilantro or parsley. There’s also a variation with lentils.

Molo or Ecuadorian mashed potatoes: Molo style mashed potatoes are made with a refrito or sofrito of butter, onions, garlic and achiote. These delicious mashed potatoes are served with queso fresco, hard boiled eggs, scallions or green onions, avocado slices and other garnishes. They are traditionaly served as a side dish for the Easter fanesca meal, however I love to make them for any occasion.

Patacones: Patacones, or tostones, are a popular Ecuadorian appetizer and side dish made thick green plantain slices that are fried once, then smashed or flattened, then fried again.

{Platanos asados} Baked or grilled ripe plantains: Ripe plantains or platanos maduros can be baked or grilled whole. You can also fry them or even boil them.

Platanos maduros fritos: Fried ripe plantains are another must have side dish for many Ecuadorian main meals, depending on the meal you might either have ripe fried plantains or green fried plantains (aka patacones or tostones).

Tostado: Maiz tostado is a South American snack made by toasting cancha or chulpe corn.

You can also check out some of the delicious Ecuadorian sauces that are usually served with main dishes.