A FOOD TRADITION
Coastal Ecuadorian Cuisine
Coastal Ecuadorian cuisine develops across the Pacific lowlands, where seafood, plantains, rice, cassava, peanuts, coconut, and achiote are central. Cooking commonly involves pounding green plantain into dough, simmering seafood in coconut or peanut-based sauces, and combining rice with richly seasoned broths or stews. Ceviches, encebollado, and encocados are widely recognized examples, although their local forms vary considerably between fishing communities and inland agricultural areas. The tradition also reflects Indigenous, African, and Spanish influences, making it broader than a single provincial style. Its ecological setting and strong reliance on coastal produce distinguish it from highland and Amazonian Ecuadorian cooking.
Dishes linked to this cuisine
1–5 of 5
Arroz Marinero
A savory Ecuadorian seafood rice dish cooked with mixed seafood, aromatics, herbs, and seafood stock.
Bolón de Verde
Ecuadorian bolón de verde is a hand-shaped ball of mashed green plantain that may be filled with cheese, pork crackling, or shrimp.
Ceviche Ecuatoriano
An Ecuadorian ceviche of seafood marinated with citrus and combined with tomato, onion, and cilantro.
Encebollado
A hot Ecuadorian fish and cassava soup topped with pickled onion and commonly served with tomato, herbs, and citrus.
Encocado
A coastal Ecuadorian stew of seafood gently cooked in a savory coconut-milk sauce with aromatics and herbs.
Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.