Traditional Cooking
Authentic Curaçao Recipes
Cook the real Curaçao at home — from the national dish keshi yena to crispy pastechi and festive ayaka.
Traditional Curaçaoan cuisine
Curaçaoan cuisine is a unique blend of Dutch, Indonesian, African, and South American influences, shaped by the island's history as a trading post and colonial crossroads. The result is a food culture unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean — hearty, spiced, and deeply comforting.
The signature dish is keshi yena, a whole Edam cheese stuffed with spiced meat and baked until melty. Other staples include stobá (slow-cooked beef stew), funchi (cornmeal polenta), and pastechi (fried stuffed pastries sold at every bakery).
During Christmas, families gather to make ayaka — meat-filled parcels wrapped in banana leaves, a tradition with roots in the Dutch-Indonesian kitchen. And for breakfast, nothing beats arepa di pampuna — sweet pumpkin pancakes crispy on the outside and fluffy within.
Main CourseKeshi Yena (Stuffed Cheese)
The national dish of Curaçao — a whole Edam cheese shell stuffed with spiced meat, raisins, and olives, then baked until melty and golden.
Main CourseStobá (Curaçaoan Beef Stew)
A rich, slow-cooked beef stew with tender meat, vegetables, and warm spices — a comfort food staple in every Curaçaoan household.
Side DishFunchi (Curaçaoan Cornmeal Polenta)
Smooth, creamy cornmeal polenta — the essential side dish that accompanies almost every Curaçaoan meal.
SnackArepa di Pampuna (Pumpkin Pancakes)
Sweet, fluffy pancakes made with pumpkin — a beloved Curaçaoan breakfast and snack, crispy on the outside and tender inside.
SnackPastechi (Curaçaoan Fried Pastries)
Crispy half-moon pastries filled with cheese, meat, or chicken — the ultimate Curaçaoan street food and breakfast staple.
Main CourseAyaka (Curaçaoan Christmas Tamales)
Festive meat-filled parcels wrapped in banana leaves — a Curaçaoan Christmas tradition with Dutch-Indonesian roots.