Aruba, a jewel in the Caribbean, is celebrated for its stunning beaches and vibrant culture. But beyond the sun-kissed shores lies a culinary landscape as rich and diverse as the island itself. Aruba Food is a fascinating melting pot, reflecting the island’s history and the myriad cultures that have shaped it. Originally settled by the Dutch in 1634, Aruba has become home to over 90 nationalities, each contributing their unique culinary traditions. This blend of African, Dutch, South American, Indonesian, Spanish, Portuguese, Indian, and Chinese influences has resulted in a flavorful and nuanced cuisine that is distinctly Aruban. Prepare your palate for a journey of taste, where fresh seafood, hearty stews, and sweet treats abound. In Papiamento, Aruba’s local language, the word “dushi” perfectly captures the essence of Aruba food – meaning “sweet” and incredibly tasty. Get ready to explore 19 must-try Aruba food experiences that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.
1. Pan Bati: Aruba’s Versatile Flatbread
When you order soup or stew in Aruba, expect to be served a generous portion of pan bati alongside. This Aruban food staple, whose name translates to “beaten bread,” is a flatbread made primarily from corn flour, often with a touch of all-purpose flour. Traditionally cooked in a cazuela, a Spanish clay baking dish, pan bati is perfect for soaking up flavorful broths and sauces.
But pan bati isn’t limited to savory dishes. Arubans also enjoy this versatile bread as a sweet breakfast treat. Fried and topped with jam, pan bati offers a delightful start to the day, showcasing its adaptability across different meals.
2. Pastechi: Aruba’s Beloved Snack
Feeling peckish after exploring Aruba’s sights or relaxing on its pristine beaches? Reach for a pastechi, affectionately known as Aruba’s national snack. This popular finger food is Aruba’s take on the Latin American empanada, but with a distinctive twist.
Instead of a cornmeal crust, pastechi features a crescent-shaped pastry shell, offering a flaky and satisfying bite. The fillings are diverse and cater to all tastes, ranging from beef, chicken, tuna, and cheese to ham and vegetables. Often, raisins, cumin, nutmeg, and a hint of hot peppers are incorporated into the savory mixtures, adding layers of flavor. You can find pastechis at vendor stalls, grocery stores, and snack bars throughout Aruba, making them an easily accessible and delicious Aruba food to try.
3. Sopi: Exploring Aruba’s Soup Culture
Soup, or “sopi,” is a cornerstone of Aruban cuisine, reflecting the island’s multicultural heritage. With influences from various nationalities, Aruba offers a wide array of sopis, each with its unique character and flavors, making soup a must-try Aruba food experience. For a refreshing option on a warm day, cool island soup is a fruit-based delight. This light and thirst-quenching soup blends pineapple, cantaloupe, apricot, and papaya, often with a zesty dash of lime juice.
For heartier appetites, erwtensoep, a traditional Dutch pea soup, stands out with its thick and rich consistency. Packed with split peas, smoked sausage, and ham hocks, erwtensoep is a comforting and substantial Aruba food, especially popular on cooler evenings.
Sopi mondongo, or tripe soup, is an adventurous choice for those seeking authentic Aruba food. This soup utilizes less common cuts of meat—cow’s stomach and cow’s heel—and elevates them with a flavorful combination of onion, sweet potato, plantains, and West Indian pumpkin. Two more notable sopis are yambo, a gumbo-like soup made with pureed okra, salted beef, and snapper fillets, and sopi di pampuna, a creamy pumpkin soup. Sopi di pampuna achieves its vibrant orange hue and depth of flavor from ruku seeds (annatto) heated in oil and added to the soup base.
Of course, being an island, Aruba boasts exquisite seafood soups, known as sopi di pisca. These are quintessential Aruba food experiences. Beyond the daily catch variations, popular choices include sopi oester, a delicate oyster soup with a light cream base, and lobster bisque, a French-inspired creamy soup often enriched with sherry or cognac.
4. Arroz Moro: A Taste of Caribbean Rice and Beans
Arroz moro, also spelled “arros moro,” is a flavorful rice and beans side dish that is a staple in Aruban cuisine. Similar to “rice ‘n’ peas” found on other Caribbean islands, Aruba’s version features fried rice mixed with red kidney beans and a distinctive red sauce made from tomato paste and soy sauce.
This satisfying side dish has culinary roots tracing back to the Moorish influence in Spain. From Spain, arroz moro journeyed across the Atlantic to become a beloved component of Caribbean food, including Aruba food. It’s a perfect accompaniment to grilled meats or seafood, adding a hearty and savory element to any meal.
5. Funchi: Aruba’s Polenta-Like Side Dish
Funchi, a popular polenta-like side dish, is frequently served alongside stews and fish dishes in Aruba. The preparation of funchi involves vigorously stirring cornmeal mush in a pan until it reaches the perfect consistency.
Local folklore recounts that Aruban cooks of the past maintained the rhythm of stirring by chanting “un pa mi, un pa bo, un pe”—one for me, one for you, one for him. When the mixture transformed into a smooth, pudding-like texture free of lumps, it was traditionally scooped onto a plate using a calabash. Today, a spoon serves just as well. Cooled funchi is often sliced and served with stews and fish, offering a comforting and versatile Aruba food experience.
For a snack variation, try funchi fries. The cooked funchi is poured into a baking tray, chilled, cut into fry-like shapes, brushed with olive oil, and baked. These funchi fries can be found at street vendors or as side dishes in restaurants. Enhance them with a dipping sauce or melted cheese for an extra layer of flavor.
6. Cocada: A Sweet Coconut Treat from Aruba
For those with a sweet tooth, cocada is an irresistible Aruban grated coconut and sugar candy. Some recipes incorporate condensed milk to achieve a fudgier, softer consistency compared to a hard candy. Often presented on pieces of coconut shell, cocada is the perfect way to satisfy your “boka dushi,” Papiamento for sweet tooth. You can easily find cocada in grocery stores throughout Aruba, making it a readily available sweet Aruba food to enjoy.
7. Fresh Seafood: A Highlight of Aruba’s Culinary Scene
Aruba is rightfully known as the “happy island,” especially for seafood enthusiasts. Freshly caught fish is abundant, making seafood a cornerstone of Aruba food. Local fishermen bring in a diverse bounty, including wahoo, snapper, shrimp, lobster, oysters, mahi-mahi, grouper, conch, and more. This delectable seafood is prepared in various ways – grilled, fried, and featured in flavorful soups and stews.
For an authentic local experience, join Arubans for lunch at Zeerover, a casual wharfside eatery in Savaneta, a short drive from Oranjestad. At Zeerover, you select from the daily catches and pair your seafood with sides like banana hasa (plantains), funchi, and pan bati.
Island recipes showcase creative seafood preparations. Swordfish or shark, marinated in a refreshing pineapple and lime juice blend before grilling, is a testament to Aruban culinary ingenuity. Keri keri, also known as karikari, is considered a local delicacy – shredded shark that is boiled, flaked, and cooked with celery, pepper, and onions.
If you’re craving fried fish, look for pisca hasa. Pisca hasa creole, a classic Aruban entrée, features fried fish topped with a vibrant onion, tomato, pepper, and garlic sauce. For a wide selection of seafood dishes with stunning waterfront views, visit The West Deck at Governors Bay. This popular grill offers pan-fried grouper fillet and grilled red snapper with a flavorful creole sauce, among many other seafood delights, solidifying seafood as a must-experience Aruba food category.
8. Stoba: Hearty Aruban Stews
Stews, a universal comfort food, have deep roots in culinary history, and Aruba boasts its own delicious variations known as “stoba.” Both cabrito stoba, goat stew, and carni stoba, beef stew, feature meat that is slow-cooked until tender in a rich tomato-based sauce, or gravy.
Calco stoba, conch stew, offers a different flavor profile, often using a white wine vinegar stock with onions and peppers. Another version of calco stoba incorporates tomatoes for the base. To sample a variety of flavorful stobas and other authentic Aruba food, visit local restaurants like Pika’s Corner Aruban Cuisine in Palm Beach, Peanuts in Oranjestad (also known for its peanut sauce), and Kamini’s Kitchen in San Nicolas. And remember to use pan bati to soak up every last drop of the delicious stoba sauce.
9. Keshi Yena: Aruba’s Stuffed Cheese Delight
Keshi yena is a uniquely Aruban dish, featuring a savory mixture of meats, onions, peppers, and raisins baked inside a hollowed-out Gouda or Edam cheese rind. This iconic Aruba food has historical ties to 17th-century slaves brought to Aruba by the Dutch.
Resourceful slaves repurposed the discarded rinds of Edam or Gouda cheese, filling them with meat and vegetable scraps and baking them to create a flavorful and satisfying meal. Contemporary keshi yena recipes often include onions, raisins, capers, and olives in a filling of beef, chicken, or seafood. When expertly prepared, keshi yena is a true highlight of Aruba food, showcasing the island’s culinary creativity and history.
10. Dutch Pancakes: A Taste of the Netherlands in Aruba
Arubans have a deep fondness for pancakes, but not just any pancakes. Dutch pannenkoeken, distinct from their American counterparts, are dinner plate-sized and thin, resembling crepes. These are a popular Aruba food enjoyed throughout the day.
For breakfast, pannenkoeken are often filled with sweet options like apple, bananas, or pineapples. Lunch and dinner bring heartier variations, with fillings such as salami, ham, cheese, or tuna. For snacks between meals or late-night cravings, Arubans indulge in poffertjes, miniature, bite-sized pancakes dusted with sugar.
To enjoy pannenkoeken like a local, use a fork and knife to cut and eat, or roll up a section and slice it into smaller pieces. For a dedicated pancake experience, visit well-known establishments like The Dutch Pancakehouse in Oranjestad and Linda’s Dutch Pancakes in Palm Beach, both offering a wide array of Dutch pancake creations and a delightful taste of Dutch-Aruban food fusion.
11. Dutch Chocolate: A Sweet Legacy
Chocolate lovers will appreciate Dutch chocolate, a sweet treat with a distinctive character. Dutch chocolate’s smooth, mellow flavor comes from Dutch cocoa, which undergoes a special process using an alkali to neutralize the natural acidity of cocoa beans. This process results in a less bitter and richer chocolate experience, making it a unique Aruba food treat to seek out.
Look for renowned Dutch chocolate brands like Verkade and Droste in grocery stores and specialty shops throughout Aruba. Whether in bars, boxes, or cookies, Dutch chocolate offers a delightful taste of Dutch influence on Aruban sweets.
12. Bolita di Keshi: Crispy Cheese Balls
Bolita di keshi, deep-fried cheese balls, are a popular snack enjoyed by both children and adults in Aruba. These crispy treats are made from a blend of cheddar or other yellow cheese and a white cheese like ricotta or feta, combined with eggs and cornstarch. Served hot and crispy, bolita di keshi are readily available from street vendors and food trucks, making them a convenient and tasty Aruba food snack to grab on the go.
13. Pica di Papaya: Aruba’s Fiery Hot Sauce
For those who enjoy a spicy kick, pica di papaya, Aruban hot sauce, is a must-try condiment. The key ingredients are locally grown Madame Jeanette peppers, known for their intense heat, and papayas, which add a touch of sweetness to balance the fiery spice.
Legend has it that Madame Jeanette peppers, originating from Suriname, were named after a Brazilian courtesan known for her striking beauty. Pica di papaya is a staple on Aruban restaurant tables, with a bottle readily available to add zest to your meal. It also makes a fantastic and flavorful gift for friends who appreciate spicy food, allowing them to take a taste of Aruba food home with them.
14. Ayacas: A Festive Christmas Dish
Ayacas, originating from South America, have become a cherished traditional Christmas dish in Aruba. Each family often has their own unique recipe for this festive Aruba food.
The preparation involves spreading plantain or banana leaves with funchi, a cornmeal dough. A flavorful mixture of chicken or pork, spices, olives, raisins, prunes, and cashews is placed on the funchi-covered leaf. The leaf is then carefully folded around the filling and tied with string to create a small, sealed package, which is then boiled in water.
Ayacas are typically enjoyed in homes and restaurants from Christmas through New Year’s, although some restaurants may offer them outside of the holiday season. This dish represents a special and flavorful part of Aruban Christmas food traditions.
15. Bolo Preto: Aruban Black Fruit Cake
Bolo preto, a rich black fruit cake, is an Aruban specialty served at anniversaries, birthdays, weddings, and other significant celebrations. The preparation of this special Aruba food begins well in advance, with prunes, currants, raisins, dates, and figs soaked in a blend of cognac, port wine, and cherry cordial for periods ranging from days to months, depending on the recipe.
Flour, sugar, cinnamon, and molasses are then incorporated into the fruit mixture and baked. While bolo preto is incredibly flavorful, it is traditionally given as a small, individually wrapped piece, rather than a slice, by the host to guests, signifying its special occasion status.
16. My Way Sauce: Mama’s Food Truck Secret
One of the delightful culinary experiences near Eagle Beach in Aruba is Mama’s Food Truck. Their Aruban steak, pork chops, chicken, and fish dishes are elevated by My Way Sauce, Mama’s signature lemon butter creation. This special sauce enhances the flavors of the grilled meats and seafood, making it a memorable Aruba food experience.
Entrees at Mama’s Food Truck are served with your choice of rice, plantains, or fries. Another popular option is the chicken satay with peanut sauce, further showcasing the diverse flavors found in Aruba food trucks.
17. Patacon: A Venezuelan-Inspired Sandwich
Tia Rosa Snack in Savaneta gained recognition by winning first prize in an Aruban food truck competition for their patacon. This multi-layered Venezuelan-style sandwich is a substantial and flavorful combination of ingredients.
Instead of bread, fried plantains serve as the “buns,” bracketing a generous filling of beef, chicken, cheese, ham, and a fried egg. Patacon is a hearty and satisfying Aruba food option that showcases the Venezuelan culinary influence in Aruba.
18. Burgers, Aruba Style: A Global Twist on a Classic
Even in Aruba, sometimes a burger craving hits. American cuisine is part of the island’s diverse food scene, but for a truly unique burger experience, try the Colombian-style burgers from Chalo Burgers, a food truck in Palm Beach.
Chalo Burgers elevates the classic burger with Colombian spices, a wide array of toppings, and various sauce choices. Locals particularly recommend the pineapple sauce. Chalo Burgers also receives high praise for their BBQ, hot dogs, steak, and cheese platters, proving that even familiar dishes get an exciting twist in Aruba food culture.
19. Quesillo: Aruba’s Creamy Flan-Like Dessert
No exploration of Aruba food is complete without mentioning quesillo, a popular flan-like dessert. This creamy and sweet custard is a delightful way to conclude any meal in Aruba. While the article does not provide extensive details on quesillo, it is important to note as a quintessential Aruban dessert, often found on menus across the island. Its smooth texture and sweet flavor make it a perfect representation of the “dushi” nature of Aruban desserts.
Aruba’s culinary scene is a vibrant reflection of its multicultural heritage. From savory stews and fresh seafood to sweet treats and unique snacks, Aruba food offers a delightful adventure for every palate. Exploring these 19 dishes is just the beginning of discovering the rich and flavorful world of Aruban cuisine. So, when you plan your next Caribbean getaway, be sure to include a culinary journey through Aruba to truly experience the “happy island” through its delicious food.
