{"id":54123,"date":"2024-09-25T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/?p=54123"},"modified":"2026-09-14T04:45:34","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T11:45:34","slug":"vegan-latin-american-recipes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/blog\/vegan-latin-american-recipes\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Vegan Latin American Recipes To Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n Jump to Recipes<\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n

Empanadas. Tostones. Tacos. Burritos. Tamales. Pupusas. Moles.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a foodie, you may already be salivating at the names of some of the most iconic Latin American dishes. If these are new to you, you\u2019re in for a treat.<\/p>\n

But these and other Latin American dishes also reflect thousands of years of history, including half a millennium of colonization and subjugation. So, getting to know Latin American cuisine can expand your mind and palate.<\/p>\n

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place every year in the US between September 15 and October 15 (and which I think is fine to celebrate all year, so don\u2019t worry if you\u2019re reading this in January or July), we\u2019d like to aid that expansion.<\/p>\n

That said, a lot of Latin American cuisine is heavy on meat and dairy, so you might wonder why I\u2019m talking about it on a website that promotes a largely plant-based diet.<\/p>\n

Many traditional Latin American dishes are already plant-based, or close enough that they\u2019re easy to adapt for vegans.<\/strong> There are ways to honor the diversity of the region’s culinary traditions while catering to people who follow a more plant-based diet.<\/p>\n

Our recipes here are intended to respect cultural authenticity while making plant-based adaptations. We\u2019re pleased to present our take on plant-based Latin American recipes from Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador.<\/p>\n

What Is Latin American Food?<\/h2>\n
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There is no single defining dish that is \u201cLatin American,\u201d as there are dozens of different cuisines under the umbrella of Latin American food. Each country\u2019s cuisine also has nuances and specialties.<\/p>\n

To make things even more complicated, the definition of \u201cLatin America\u201d itself is complex and somewhat problematic.<\/p>\n

Broadly, Latin America is typically defined<\/a> as all parts of the American continent south of the US border, which includes Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.<\/strong> The word \u201cLatin\u201d defines it further: the countries where the Latin-based languages<\/a> of Spanish, Portuguese, or French are spoken as official languages.<\/p>\n

One problem with this definition is that it\u2019s Euro-centric: that is, it ignores the Indigenous peoples and languages that predated colonization, as well as the cultural, political, and culinary influences of the African slave trade.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not entirely inaccurate either \u2014 these regions have been heavily impacted by European colonization, for better and for worse (let\u2019s be honest: mostly for worse). And those influences are reflected in their cuisines.<\/p>\n

The Diversity of Latin America and Its Cuisines<\/h2>\n

European colonizers, mostly from Spain and Portugal, were alarmed when they arrived in what they called the \u201cnew world\u201d and discovered that their dietary staples<\/a> \u2014 wheat, dairy, and meat from livestock \u2014 were nowhere to be found.<\/p>\n

Columbus\u2019 second voyage<\/a>, in 1493, brought cows, pigs, goats, and sheep, which quickly multiplied in the presence of rich vegetation and the absence of predators and diseases. (That\u2019s why there\u2019s so much meat in many Latin American dishes today!)<\/p>\n

They also planted wheat (in part to ensure they had the right flour for the Catholic rite known as the Eucharist).<\/p>\n

These ingredients \u2014 meat, dairy, and wheat \u2014 combined with native foods such as corn, beans, chilies, and (in coastal regions) seafood created a series of fusion cuisines<\/a> that are now central to the region\u2019s cultural identities.<\/strong><\/p>\n

African influences, via the transatlantic slave trade, also left a mark on Latin American food, particularly in Brazil and the Caribbean.<\/p>\n

Settlers also brought their cooking tools and techniques to the Americas, including stewing and baking in iron (instead of clay) pots and frying in oil (which gave us popular foods like empanadas and churros).<\/p>\n

The spices and seasonings brought by European colonizers and enslaved African peoples further diversified Latin American cuisine and flavors.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The cuisines of Latin America today are a testament to this complex history, showcasing a blend (and often a clash!) of traditions that continue to evolve and influence global food culture.<\/p>\n

For more on the impact of colonized diets on Indigenous foods and peoples, check out our article Indigenous Foods: How Colonized Diets Have Made Native Nations Sick \u2014 and What\u2019s Being Done About It Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Plant-Based Ingredients and Substitutions in Latin American Cuisines<\/h2>\n
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While European colonists focused on bringing their traditional foods and ingredients to the Americas, they eventually saw the value in the myriad plant foods indigenous to their new home. These days, it\u2019s hard for many of us in the Americas to imagine a world without corn, beans, squash, potatoes, cacao, tomatoes, peppers, avocados, and tropical fruits.<\/p>\n

Those \u2014 and many other \u2014 plant-based ingredients have always played a central role in traditional Latin American diets, forming the foundation of many iconic dishes. Let\u2019s look at just a few examples.<\/p>\n

A staple of Central Mexican cuisine is the three sisters<\/a> that are grown together (via a horticultural technique known as companion planting<\/a>) and cooked together: corn<\/a>, beans<\/a>, and summer squash<\/a>. (Beans and corn are also grown together in parts of Africa.)<\/p>\n

In the Andean region, potatoes were a dietary staple long before colonization. Another Andean crop, quinoa<\/a>, has always been highly valued for its nutritional profile, rich in protein, fiber, and essential amino acids.<\/p>\n

Pre-colonial diets<\/a> also featured fruits and vegetables in abundance; people widely consumed and traded avocados<\/a>, tomatoes<\/a>, chili peppers<\/a>, and cacao<\/a>.<\/strong> The Caribbean<\/a>, in particular, was rich in herbs, tropical fruits, and various tubers that defined much of that region\u2019s cuisine.<\/p>\n

In fact, pre-colonial Latin American cuisine<\/a> was largely plant-based \u2014 except for seafood along the coast and the occasional hunting of wild game. Meat was not a big part of Indigenous diets until the introduction of livestock by European colonizers.<\/p>\n

Although many modern dishes include meat, there are many ways to substitute whole foods or meat analogs \u2014 or leave out animal products entirely. For example, you can use foods like mushrooms, jackfruit<\/a>, tofu, hearts of palm, and beans<\/a> to add protein and a meat-like texture to Latin American-inspired recipes.<\/p>\n

Examples of Latin American Dishes and Condiments That Are Already Vegan<\/h2>\n

Many Latin American dishes require minimal substitutions or none at all to make them completely plant-based. Below, you\u2019ll find a variety of appetizers, mains, and desserts so you can craft your own three-course menu!<\/p>\n

Appetizers and Condiments<\/strong><\/p>\n