16 Latin-American Comfort Food Recipes You Need In Your Life

From fried plantains to hearty oxtail soup.

With fall in full swing, there's no better time to indulge in delicious, feel-good comfort foods. From Peruvian aji de gallina to Mexican pozole, here're some the most delicious and comforting Latinx dishes from around the world.

1. Causa with Chicken

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This classic Peruvian dish is usually served as an appetizer. It's basically a mashed potato cake layered with egg, avocado, and in this recipe, a Dijon chicken salad. Get the recipe.

2. Pozole Chicken Soup

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There's no better way to take advantage of soup season than with classic Mexican pozole made with tender pork and hominy cooked in red chili sauce and spices. Get the recipe.

3. Empanadas de Plátano Maduro

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These are basically fried plantain disks stuffed with mozzarella cheese and baked until perfectly brown and melty. Get the recipe.

4. Provoleta

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The Argentinians take grilled cheese to the next level with this popular dish. It's a provelone-type cheese that's cooked until bubbly and golden brown. Get the recipe.

5. Nicaraguan Vigoron

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This popular Nicaraguan street food is made with boiled yuca, crispy pork rinds, and tangy cabbage salad. Get the recipe.

6. Citrus Pulled Cochinita Pibil

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If you want comfort food at its best, look no further than this Yucatan specialty: Pulled pork shoulder marinated and braised in a bunch of citrus, jalapeños, honey, and spices. Get the recipe.

7. Pan de Yuca

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This bread made with tapioca flour, queso fresco, mozzarella, and egg is more commonly known as pao de queijo in Brazil, but it's a popular snack food in Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, and Bolivia as well. Get the recipe.

8. Rellenitos de Platano

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This Guatemalan dessert is made of mashed plantains that are fried and stuffed with a sweet mixture of refried beans and chocolate, then topped with cinnamon sugar. Get the recipe.

9. Sancocho

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This hearty stew is popular in a handful of Caribbean islands and Latin American countries like Puerto Rico, the Domincan Republic, and Cuba. It typically contains potatoes, yuca, corn, plantains, and meat like oxtail or beef shank. Get the recipe.

10. Pescado Encocado

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This Ecuadorian seafood dish is made with either shrimp or any flaky local fish. It all gets simmered in rich coconut milk. Get the recipe.

11. Mofongo Relleno

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This Afro-caribbean dish is made with fried plantains that are mashed with garlic, olive oil, and spices. In this version, it's topped with sautéed shrimp. Get the recipe.

12. Aji de Gallina

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If you can't book a trip to Lima, transport yourself to Peru with this traditional dish. It's chicken that's smothered in a rich sauce made from aji peppers, garlic, walnuts, evaporated milk, and white bread (which gives the sauce its thick and creamy consistency). Get the recipe.

13. Canoas de Platanos Maduros (Ripe Plantain Canoes with Eggplant)

Dominican Cooking / Via dominicancooking.com

By now, you probably realize plantains are a staple of many Latin American comfort foods, and these mashed plantain boats are no exception. Here, they're stuffed with a vegetarian filling of eggplant, pepper, tomato, and plenty of cheese. Get the recipe.

14. Ajiaco Colombiano

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There are few foods as comforting as a big, piping bowl of soup. This Colombian take on chicken soup is loaded with corn, chunky potatoes, and topped with avocado and red chilli. Get the recipe.

15. Chivito

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When you think of Uruguayan cuisine, the chivito steak sandwich will probably come to mind. This massive creation is made with steak, bacon, cheese, onion, red bell pepper, chimichurri sauce, lettuce, tomato, and sliced hard-boiled eggs all stuffed into a roll. Get the recipe.

16. Crispy Salted Tostones

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Crispy fried plantains — known as tostones, patacón pisao, or tachinos depending on the country — are a popular snack food throughout Latin America. They're often served with ketchup or garlic and oil for dipping. Get the recipe.

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