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Whether you’re celebrating Guatemala’s Independence Day on September 15 or Hispanic Heritage Month, these are the traditional Guatemalan recipes I come back to year after year. I’ve pulled together my favorite savory dishes, from tamales colorados, enchiladas, and chiles rellenos to Guatemala’s national dish, pepián, plus the Guatemalan desserts my family asks for every year: canillitas de leche, buñuelos, champurradas, and rellenitos de plátano.
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Celebrating Guatemala’s Independence Day
Living in Guatemala, September was one of my favorite months of the year. The whole country turns blue and white weeks ahead of time, and you can feel the 15 de septiembre energy building from the first day of the month. For me, Guatemala’s Independence Day celebrations always come back to two things: the parades and the food.
What I remember most from growing up here is my mom dressing me up the day before in a traje típico (traditional Guatemalan woven clothing) for the school dance, then heading downtown for the 15 de Septiembre parade.
The Parades, Marching Bands, and Antorchas
Honestly, the marching bands are a full production. Schools start rehearsing in July. For two months straight, you hear drums coming from every school yard in the neighborhood, the same eight bars of a march over and over, until the kids can do it in their sleep.
And nobody who grew up here forgets the antorchas de la Independencia (independence torches). On the night of September 14, runners carry the flame in a relay across the country, crossing the cities dressed in blue and white, the colors of the Guatemalan flag. It’s beautiful to watch. It’s also a traffic nightmare, so if you’re ever here that week, find a good spot on the sidewalk early and just enjoy it on foot.
September 15 is not only Guatemala’s Independence Day. It’s also the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, all of which declared independence from Spain on the same day in 1821. That’s why the date also marks the start of Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana (National Hispanic Heritage Month) in the US.
At home, we celebrate with a 15 de septiembre party full of traditional Guatemalan food, a special Guatemalan-themed cake, and fun Guatemalan crafts and activities for the kids. And then, of course, we cook!
Best Traditional Guatemalan Recipes
I’ve put together my favorite traditional Guatemalan recipes here, from stews and tamales to delicious Guatemalan desserts and candy. These are the ones I make for Independence Day, but honestly, they’re in my rotation all year. Start with whichever one calls to you.
Guatemalan Savory Recipes
Guatemalan cuisine mixes Mayan traditions and flavors with colonial influences. Foods vary widely from one region to another, and when it comes to savory dishes, you will find everything from tamales and stews to seafood dishes.
Pepian de Pollo, Guatemala’s National Dish
Pepian de pollo (or chicken pepián) is Guatemala’s national dish and one of the country’s oldest recipes. A rich chicken stew in a tomato-based sauce, flavored with toasted seeds and dried chiles. It’s traditionally served with potatoes and carrots. The toasted-seed base gives it a deep, nutty flavor you won’t find in a simple stew. Add white rice as a side dish for a complete meal.
This Guatemalan chicken recipe is so central to our culture that it was declared Patrimonio Cultural Intangible de la Nación (Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation) in 2007. You don’t want to miss out on making Guatemala’s national dish!
Guatemalan Enchiladas (Jardineras)
Traditional Guatemalan enchiladas, or jardineras as my grandma called them, are nothing like the Mexican kind. There’s no rolled tortilla, no melted cheese on top. Ours is a crispy toasted tortilla piled high with escabeche (pickled beet salad), seasoned ground beef, and tomato sauce, finished with a slice of hard-boiled egg and a dusting of dry cheese.
This is my husband’s favorite Guatemalan food. He asks his mom to make it for his birthday every year, and the recipe I use came straight from her. They’re colorful, fresh, and perfect as a healthy appetizer at a 15 de septiembre party.
Guatemalan Chiles Rellenos
Chiles rellenos or stuffed peppers are one of my favorite traditional Guatemalan foods, and this recipe comes straight from my mom’s kitchen. A popular Guatemalan dish, the perfect recipe to make during Hispanic Heritage Month. Sweet bell peppers, not poblanos, stuffed with a mixture of beef and vegetables, dipped in a fluffy egg batter, fried, and finished in a light tomato sauce. Quite different from the Mexican version.
In fact, many people eat them tucked inside a corn tortilla, no fork needed! If you’ve never tried Guatemalan food, put this easy chiles rellenos recipe at the top of your list.
Guatemalan Cocido de Res
Cocido de res, usually just called cocido, is the ultimate Guatemalan comfort food. A beef-and-vegetable stew with chayote (squash), potatoes, and corn. This slow-cooker version of my grandma’s recipe is my dinner take on the classic dish. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for an easy Guatemalan recipe. Set it up in the morning, and it’s ready by evening, no fuss in between.
Tapado
Tapado is the dish that surprises most people. While most Guatemalan cooking draws on Mayan heritage, using maize and beans in its dishes, tapado comes from the Caribbean coast and the Garifuna culture there. It’s a seafood stew built on green plantains and coconut milk, and it tastes like an entirely different country. A great way to show the full range of Guatemalan cuisine at your table.
Tamales Colorados
Tamales colorados are one of the most iconic traditional Guatemalan dishes, and this recipe is based on my grandmother’s with a few tweaks of my own. Corn masa topped with recado (a cooked tomato-and-dried-chile sauce), filled with chicken or pork, wrapped in fresh banana leaves, and steamed. They’re bigger and softer than a Mexican tamale, and the banana leaf gives them a flavor corn husks can’t.
Of course, making tamales takes time, which is exactly why we turn it into a tamalada: a group cooking session around a large steamer pot for tamales where everyone helps. My recipe breaks it all down step by step, so you can make these for the September 15 celebration or any day of the year.
Chuchitos
Part of the Guatemalan tamal family, chuchitos are smaller than tamales colorados: corn masa stuffed with chicken or pork, drizzled with a tomato-based recado, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed. We eat them year-round, but they’re a fixture at holiday celebrations and festivities like Independence Day.
Still, once you make them, you’ll see that these small Guatemalan tamales are easier than they look. The step-by-step approach in the recipe takes the guesswork out of this traditional Guatemalan food recipe.
Best Traditional Guatemalan Desserts
From traditional candy to classic cookies and sweet fair foods, Guatemalan desserts are half the reason to throw a 15 de septiembre party!
Rellenitos de Plátano
If you’re looking for the best Guatemalan rellenitos de plátano recipe, you’ve come to the right place. Ripe plantains mashed, filled with sweetened refried beans, fried, and rolled in sugar. Sweet, a little savory, and one of the most delicious Guatemalan foods you will ever taste!
This easy Guatemalan recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make. This is an authentic Guatemalan dessert to make at home with the kids while celebrating Independence Month!
Guatemalan Buñuelos
Buñuelos are fried wheat-based dough balls, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served swimming in a warm sugar syrup flavored with anise. They’re one of the most popular fair foods across many Latin American countries.
There are many versions of buñuelos: round, flat, or even a twisted strip of dough. And I’ll admit I’m a little biased, but the Guatemalan version is the best one. The first really good ones I ever had were at a feria (town’s fair) in Guatemala City, and I’ve been chasing that taste at home ever since.
Canillitas De Leche
Canillitas de leche are my favorite traditional Guatemalan candy: a soft milk-based sweet shaped by hand into little logs. Instead, this recipe takes a few shortcuts for a no-bake version with all the flavor and none of the hard work! It’s hands down my kids’ favorite Guatemalan dessert recipe to make because they get to braid, roll into balls, or shape them however they want.
Champurradas
Champurradas are thin, giant, crunchy Guatemalan cookies, perfect for dunking in coffee. They’re like a sugar cookie made with butter and toasted sesame seeds. Since I couldn’t find them in the U.S., making champurradas at home was something I was so excited about. I love that they are so easy to make!
We love making these crunchy cookies to celebrate Independence Day and eating them with a cup of hot chocolate while crafting Guatemalan decorations for the party.
Guatemalan Street Food for September 15
Half the fun of Independence Day in Guatemala happens on the street. The parade routes fill with vendors, and the smell of grilled meat and roasting corn is part of the day as much as anything cooked at home. A few favorites worth knowing, even if you’re celebrating from your own kitchen.
Shucos
A shuco is Guatemala’s take on a hot dog, and calling it just a hot dog doesn’t do it justice. Grilled sausage in a soft roll, loaded with guacamole, mustard, mayo, and the vendor’s own sauce. Guacamol is a smooth Guatemalan avocado spread, not chunky like Mexican guacamole. Everybody has a guy whose shucos are the best, and everybody argues about it.
To make them at home, grill your sausages, mash ripe avocado with lime and salt for the guacamol, pile everything onto a toasted roll. A thin spiced tomato sauce or a good hot sauce stands in for the vendor’s secret blend.
Elotes Locos
Elotes locos, or crazy corn, and the name fits. Corn on the cob, boiled or grilled, loaded with mayo, crumbled salty cheese, chili powder, and lime. Some stands add mustard or crema. Admittedly, it sounds like too much. But honestly, it’s undoubtedly the right amount, and it’s ready in under twenty minutes at home.
Tostadas de Feria
Tostadas de feria are the street version of the Guatemalan tostadas: a crisp fried tortilla loaded with black beans, recado, or guacamol, topped with onions and cheese, eaten standing up. Simpler flavors, looser assembly, but a dish every chapín (popular nickname for Guatemalans) knows by heart.
Atol de Elote
Atol de elote is a warm, sweet corn drink with cinnamon, sold from big pots by vendors set up since before sunrise. A cool September morning, waiting for the parade with a hot cup of atol, is a core Guatemalan memory. Thick, almost a light porridge, made from fresh corn off the cob.
Barquillos
Finally, to top it all off, a bag full of freshly made barquillos, delicious wafer cookies sold at every corner. Perfect way to end the celebrations!
Common Questions About Guatemalan Traditions
How do Guatemalans celebrate Independence Day?
Guatemalans celebrate Independence Day on September 15 with school parades, marching bands, and family meals. The night before, runners carry the antorchas de la Independencia in a relay across the country. Schools rehearse for the parades from July onward. Families cook traditional dishes at home while vendors sell street food like shucos, elotes locos, and atol de elote along the parade routes. In the US, the date marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.
What food do they eat on Guatemala Independence Day?
On Guatemala Independence Day, families eat traditional dishes like tamales colorados, pepian de pollo, chiles rellenos, and Guatemalan enchiladas. Along the parade routes, street vendors sell shucos, elotes asados, ice-cold rosa de Jamaica tea, and atol de elote, and many other traditional Guatemalan drinks. For dessert, rellenitos de plátano, buñuelos, and canillitas de leche are the classics. These are the same dishes served at other major celebrations, but September 15 is the occasion to make the ones that take the most time.
What are traditional Guatemalan foods?
Traditional Guatemalan foods include pepian de pollo (chicken and toasted-seed and chile stew), Kak’ik (Guatemalan turkey soup), jocón de pollo (green chicken stew), tamales colorados (banana leaf tamales with chicken or pork), chiles rellenos (battered stuffed bell peppers), chuchitos (small corn husk tamales), Guatemalan enchiladas (loaded fried tostadas), and rellenitos de plátano (fried plantain filled with sweet beans).
What is Guatemala’s national dish?
Guatemala’s national dish is pepian de pollo, a pre-Columbian stew made from toasted pepitoria (pumpkin seeds), sesame seeds, dried chiles, and tomatoes. It was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation and is served at celebrations throughout the year, including during our Christmas holiday traditions and on Independence Day on September 15.
Cook a Piece of Guatemala This September
Even if you make one dish or the whole spread, that’s how these traditional meals stay alive: someone cooks them, someone else learns them, and the tradition keeps moving. So pick the recipe that pulls at you and start there. Whether it’s for September 15 or just for dinner this week, that’s how every one of these Guatemalan dishes became part of my family’s menu.
For me, September is when it all comes together, but none of these traditional Guatemalan recipes is locked to a single date. Make pepian on a random Tuesday, and your kitchen will smell like home all day long!
If you’re planning a trip to Guatemala and want to know exactly where to eat these dishes in person, I help travelers plan food-focused itineraries built around the real thing — Plan your Guatemalan food trip.
Through her writing, Paula helps travelers discover Guatemala beyond the typical tourist route with practical advice, local recommendations, and authentic experiences that connect visitors with the country’s people, culture, and traditions.
Planning a trip to Guatemala? Paula offers personalized Guatemala itinerary planning and trip consultation services tailored to your interests, travel style, and budget. Contact her at [email protected] to learn more.
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I love celebrating Guatemala’s Independence Day. Now I have the perfect excuse to try these traditional Guatemalan recipes!