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Valle del Cauca
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10 recipes

Valle del Cauca

Cali's Sweet & Savory World

Valle del Cauca and its capital Cali have a cuisine that blends Andean and Pacific influences with a distinctly sweet character — from Manjar Blanco to Lulada.

10 Recipes from Valle del Cauca

Colombian Tamal Valluno from Valle del CaucaAdvanced
Valle del Cauca

Tamal Valluno

Valle del Cauca Tamal

The Valle del Cauca tamal — known for its distinctive masa made with hogao and its generous filling of pork and vegetables.

3 hr 30 min10 servings
Colombian Arepa de Queso from Valle del CaucaBeginnerStreet Food
Valle del Cauca

Arepa de Queso

Cheese Arepa

The Valle del Cauca cheese arepa — made with queso blanco mixed directly into the masa for a rich, savory corn cake.

25 min4 servings
Colombian Aborrajados Vallunos battered plantain with cheeseBeginnerStreet Food
Valle del Cauca

Aborrajados Vallunos

Valle Battered Plantain & Cheese

A Valle del Cauca specialty — ripe plantain slices stuffed with queso blanco, dipped in egg batter, and fried golden.

30 min4 servings
Colombian Marranitas Vallunas plantain balls with chicharrónIntermediateStreet Food
Valle del Cauca

Marranitas Vallunas

Valle Chicharrón-Stuffed Plantain Balls

A Cali street food classic — mashed ripe plantain balls stuffed with chicharrón and fried until crispy outside.

40 min8 servings
Colombian Pandebono cheese bread rings fresh from the ovenBeginner
Valle del Cauca

Pandebono

Colombian Cheese Bread

Colombia's most beloved cheese bread — a soft, chewy ring made with yuca starch, queso blanco, and egg. Eaten warm, always.

35 min12 servings
Colombian Arroz Atollado Valluno wet rice with porkIntermediate
Valle del Cauca

Arroz Atollado Valluno

Valle Wet Rice with Pork

Cali's beloved 'drowned rice' — a wet, soupy rice dish cooked with pork ribs, chorizo, and vegetables in a rich achiote broth.

1 hr 30 min6 servings
Colombian Manjar Blanco white milk caramelIntermediate
Valle del Cauca

Manjar Blanco

White Milk Caramel

Valle del Cauca's signature white milk caramel — a silky, sweet confection made from milk and sugar, distinct from arequipe in its lighter color and flavor.

1 hr 40 min8 servings
Colombian Cholado Valluno shaved ice with tropical fruitsBeginnerStreet Food
Valle del Cauca

Cholado Valluno

Valle Shaved Ice with Fruit

Cali's beloved street refreshment — shaved ice topped with tropical fruits, arequipe, bocadillo, condensed milk, and fruit syrups.

15 min2 servings
Colombian Lulada lulo fruit drink from CaliBeginnerStreet Food
Valle del Cauca

Lulada

Lulo Fruit Drink

Cali's iconic lulo fruit drink — crushed lulo (naranjilla) with water, sugar, and lime, served over ice. Tangy, refreshing, and unmistakably Colombian.

10 min4 servings
Colombian Champús Valluno corn and fruit drinkIntermediateStreet Food
Valle del Cauca

Champús Valluno

Valle Corn & Fruit Drink

A traditional Valle del Cauca fermented corn drink with lulo, pineapple, and panela — thick, tangy, and deeply Colombian.

1 hr 5 min8 servings