| A | |
| Aceite (de oliva) | (Olive) oil |
| Aceituna | Olive |
| Aderezo | Dressing, condiment, seasoning |
| Agridulce | Sweet and sour |
| Agua (con/sin gas) | (Sparkling/still) water |
| Aguacate | Avocado – Mexico and Central America |
| Ahumado/a | Smoked |
| Ají | Chilli pepper |
| Ajo | Garlic |
| Ajonjoli | Sesame |
| Ajiaco | Potato and chicken stew |
| Albóndiga | Meat ball |
| Alcachofa | Artichoke |
| Alfajores | Biscuit with sweet filling |
| Almendra | Almond |
| Almeja | Mussel, clam |
| Almuerzo (del dia) | (Set) lunch |
| Ananás | Pineapple |
| Anchoa | Anchovy |
| Anchoveta | Anchovy |
| Anguila | Eel |
| Anticucho | Meat (often beef heart) skewer – Peru |
| Apio | Celery |
| Apanado/a | Breaded, flattened steak or chicken fillet |
| Arenque | Herring |
| Arepas | (Usually filled) corn bread pockets |
| Aresancocho | Meat soup – Peru |
| Arrollado/a | Rolled (as in Swiss roll) |
| Arrebosado/a | In batter |
| Arroz | Rice |
| Arroz con leche | Rice pudding |
| Arveja | Pea |
| Atún | Tuna |
| Asado | Selection of barbecued meats |
| Asado/a | Roasted/barbecued |
| Ave | Poultry |
| Avena | Oats |
| Avellana | Hazelnut |
| Azafrán | Saffron |
| Azucar | Sugar |
| | |
| B | |
| Bacalao | Cod (often salted) |
| Bagre | Catfish |
| Batata | Sweet potato, yam – Argentina |
| Batido | Smoothie, shake |
| Bebida | Drink |
| Berenjena | Aubergine |
| Bien cocido / bien hecho | Well done |
| Bife / biftek / bistek | Steak |
| Bocadillo | Snack, sandwich |
| Bola | Ball |
| Bollo | Croquette |
| Brocheta | Skewer, kebab |
| Buen provecho | Bon appetit |
| Budin | Pudding |
| | |
| C | |
| Cabrito | Kid goat |
| Cacahuete | Peanut – Mexico |
| Cacerola | Casserole |
| Café | Coffee |
| (Café) cortado | Coffee with a small amount of milk |
| Café con leche | Coffee with a large amount milk |
| Calabacín | Marrow |
| Calabacita | Courgette |
| Calabaza | Pumpkin, marrow |
| Caldo | Broth (often seafood) |
| Callos | Tripe |
| Caliente | Hot, warm |
| Calamares | Squid |
| Camarones | Prawns, shrimps, crayfish |
| Canasta | Basket (eg of bread) |
| Canela | Cinnamon |
| Canelones | Cannelloni pasta |
| Cangrejo | Crab |
| Carapulcra | Dried potato and pork stew – Peru, Bolivia |
| Carbonada | Meat stew with fruit – Chile, Peru |
| Carne | Meat |
| Carne de res | Beef |
| Carta de vinos | Wine list |
| Cáscara | Skin, peel |
| Casco | Shell |
| Castaña | Chestnut |
| Causa | Mashed potato dish, usually with seafood and mayonnaise |
| Caymito | Orange fruit with succulent flesh |
| Cazuela | Thick stew or casserole |
| Cebada | Barley |
| Cebolla | Onion |
| Cebolletas | Chives, spring onions |
| Cena | Dinner |
| Centeno | Rye bread |
| Centolla | King crab – Chile, Argentina |
| Cerdo | Pork |
| Cerveza | Beer |
| Ceviche/cebiche | Fresh fish marinated in lime juice and chilli |
| Chactado/a | Seared |
| Champiñones | Mushrooms |
| Chancho | Pork – Andean region |
| Chapulines | Fried grasshoppers |
| Charqui / charque | Dried meat (jerky) |
| Chaucha | Runner bean |
| Chaufa | Chinese fried rice |
| Chicha | Fermented maize drink |
| Chicharrones | Deep-fried pork pieces |
| Chifa | Chinese-influenced cuisine – Peru |
| Chilaquiles | Spicy tortillas – Mexico |
| Chino/a | Chinese |
| Chirimoya | Custard apple |
| Chivato/chivo | Kid goat |
| Choclo | Corn |
| Cholga | Large mussel |
| Chopp | Draught lager |
| Choro | Mussel |
| Chuleta | Cutlet, chop |
| Chupe | Seafood stew with potato |
| Churrasco | Barbecued or grilled meat |
| Churros | Battered, sugared snacks, similar to doughnuts |
| Cigales | Crayfish |
| Cilantro | Coriander |
| Ciruela | Plum |
| Cobertura | Topping |
| Coca | Coca leaf |
| Coca | Coca Cola |
| Cocido | Thick soup or stew (also: cooked) |
| Coco | Coconut |
| Coctel | Cocktail |
| Col | Cabbage |
| Cola | Tail |
| Coliflor | Cauliflower |
| Completo | Hot dog – Chile |
| Conchas / conchitas | Scallops |
| Conejo | Rabbit |
| Conserva | Jam |
| Congelado/a | Frozen |
| Corazón | Heart |
| Cordero | Lamb, mutton |
| Corvina | Sea bass |
| Costilla | Rib |
| Crema | Cream (also: cream of... soup) |
| A la criolla | Creole-style |
| Croqueta | Croquette |
| Crudo/a | Raw |
| Cubierto | Cover charge |
| Cuy | Guinea pig |
| |
| D | |
| Datil | Date (fruit) |
| Desayuno | Breakfast |
| Dorado | Mahi mahi (large ocean fish) |
| Dulce | Sweet |
| Dulce de leche | Caramelised condensed milk |
| Durazno | Peach |
| |
| E | |
| Escabeche | Lightly pickled chicken or fish |
| Elote | Sweetcorn – Mexico |
| Empanada | Pasty |
| Empanado/a | Breaded |
| Encebollado/a | With onions |
| Enchilado/a | With chillis |
| Ensalada | Salad |
| En su tinta | In its own ink (squid) |
| Entradas | Starters |
| Envuelto/a | Wrapped |
| Espárragos | Asparagus |
| Espinaca | Spinach |
| Estofado | Stew |
| |
| F | |
| Fiambre | Cooked cold meats |
| Fideos | Noodles |
| Frambuesa | Raspberry |
| Frances | French |
| Fresa | Strawberry |
| Frijoles (refritos) | (Refried) beans |
| Fritanga | Grilled pork |
| Fritas | Chips (fries) |
| Fruta | Fruit |
| Frutos de mar | Seafood |
| Frutilla | Strawberry – Argentina, Chile |
| |
| G | |
| Galleta | Biscuit |
| Gallina | Chicken |
| Gamba | King prawn |
| Ganso | Goose |
| Garbanzo | Chickpea |
| Gaseosa | Fizzy drink |
| Gelatina | Jelly |
| Glaseado/a | Glazed |
| Guajalote | Turkey – Mexico |
| Guayaba | Guava |
| Guiso | Gravy, stew |
| Al gusto | As you like it |
| |
| H | |
| Habas | Broad beans |
| Hamburguesa | Hamburger |
| a la Hawaiiana | With pineapple |
| Helado | Ice cream (also: frozen) |
| Hervido/a | Boiled |
| Hielo | Ice |
| Hierba | Herb |
| Higado | Liver |
| Higo | Fig |
| Hongos | Mushrooms |
| Al horno | Oven-baked |
| A la huancaína | In a cheese and chilli sauce – Peru |
| Huevo | Egg |
| Huevo frito | Fried egg |
| Huevo pasado/cocido | Soft/hard-boiled egg |
| Huevos revueltos | Scrambled egg |
| | |
| I | |
| Impuesto | Tax, VAT |
| | |
| J | |
| Jalea | Fried mixed seafood – Peru (elsewhere: jelly) |
| Jamón | Ham |
| A la jardinera | With mixed veg (and usually mayonnaise) |
| Jarabe | Syrup |
| Jarra | Jar, carafe |
| Jengibre | Ginger |
| Jeréz | Sherry |
| Jugo | Juice |
| Judia | Bean |
| Jugoso/a | Rare (juicy) |
| |
| K | |
| Keke / queque | Cake (usually sponge) |
| |
| L | |
| Langosta | Lobster |
| Langostino | Crayfish or prawn |
| Lasaña | Lasagne |
| Lechón | Suckling pig |
| Lechuga | Lettuce |
| Legumbres | Vegetables |
| Lengua | Tongue |
| Lenguado | Sole |
| Lenteja | Lentil |
| Licuado | Mixed fruit juice (often with milk) |
| Lima | Lime |
| Limón | Lemon (can also be lime) |
| Limonada | Lemonade |
| Locro | Thick soup or stew with corn or potato |
| Lomo / lomito | High-quality beef |
| Lomo saltado | Stir-fry of beef, chips and vegetables – Peru |
| Lúcuma | Sweet fruit (often used in ice cream) – Peru, Chile |
| |
| M | |
| Macarrones | Macaroni |
| A la madrileña | In tomato sauce |
| Mani | Peanut (except Mexico) |
| Mantequilla | Butter |
| Manzana | Apple |
| A la marinera | With seafood |
| Mariscos | Seafood |
| Matambre | Meat roll |
| Medialuna | Croissant – Argentina |
| Mermelada | Jam |
| (A la) milanesa | Breadcrumbed |
| Mole (poblano) | Chilli and chocolate sauce (usually with chicken or turkey) – Mexico |
| Molido/a | Minced |
| Morcilla | Black pudding or blood sausage |
| Mostaza | Mustard |
| |
| N | |
| Nabo | Turnip |
| Naranja | Orange |
| Nuez | Nut (especially walnut) |
| |
| O | |
| Ossobuco | Small veal cutlets – Argentina |
| Ostra | Oyster |
| |
| P | |
| Palmito | Palm heart |
| Palta | Avocado – South America |
| Pan | Bread |
| Pankeke / panqueque | Pancake |
| Panecillo | Roll |
| Pan tostado | Toast |
| Papa | Potato |
| Papa a la huancaína | Boiled potato in cheese and chilli sauce |
| Papa rellena | Stuffed potato |
| Papas fritas | Chips (fries) |
| Papas sancochadas | Boiled potatoes |
| A la parrilla / parillado/a | Grilled |
| Pasas | Raisins |
| Pastel | Pastry, cake |
| Patita/patitos | Trotter |
| Pato | Duck |
| Pavo | Turkey |
| Pecho / pechuga | Breast (poultry) |
| Pepino | Cucumber |
| Perejil | Parsley |
| Pera | Pear |
| Pescado | Fish |
| Picante | Spicy |
| Picarones | Sweet batter rings served with honey |
| Pimentón | Pepper (capsicum) |
| Piña | Pineapple |
| Pisco | Peruvian/Chilean grape brandy |
| Plátano | Banana, plantain |
| A lo pobre | (Steak) with onions, topped with fried egg |
| A la polaca | Polish-style |
| Pollo | Chicken |
| Pomelo | Grapefruit |
| Porción | Helping, portion |
| Porotos | Beans – Argentina, Chile |
| Postre | Dessert |
| Puerco | Pig, pork |
| Pulpo | Octopus |
| Puré | Mashed potato |
| |
| Q | |
| Quesadilla | Folded, grilled tortilla with cheese – Mexico |
| Queso | Cheese |
| Queso fundido | Melted cheese (like fondue) |
| |
| R | |
| Rábano | Radish |
| Rabo | Tail |
| Rabo de buey | Oxtail |
| Rallado | Desiccated, grated |
| Rebozado/a | Battered |
| Refresco | Soft drink |
| Relleno/a | Stuffed |
| Repollo | Cabbage – Chile |
| Res | Beef |
| Róbalo | Haddock |
| Rocoto relleno | Stuffed chillis – Peru |
| Riñon | Kidney |
| Ron | Rum |
| |
| S | |
| Sal | Salt |
| Salado/a | Salted |
| Salchicha | Sausage |
| Salpicón | Chopped veg and shredded beef |
| Salsa | Sauce |
| Saltado/a | Chopped up |
| Sancochado | Inexpensive meat stew |
| Sandía | Watermelon |
| Seco de... | Single piece of stewed meat without juices |
| Semilla | Seed |
| Setas | Wild mushrooms |
| Shop / Schopp | Draught beer |
| Sopa | Soup |
| Submarino | Hot chocolate – Argentina, club sandwich – Ecuador |
| Sudado de... | Stew of... |
| Suprema de pollo | Chicken supreme |
| Surtido/a | Assorted |
| |
| T | |
| Taco | Filled Mexican tortilla |
| Tacu tacu | Stir-fry of rice, beans, peppers and onions |
| Tallarines | Spaghetti, noodles |
| Té | Tea |
| Timbal | Meat pie |
| Tocino | Bacon |
| Tomate | Tomato |
| Toronja | Grapefruit |
| Torta | Rich cake – not Mexico; sandwich (often made with tortillas) – Mexico |
| Tortilla | Omelette – not Mexico; corn or wheat flatbread – Mexico |
| Tostadas | Toast (plural) |
| |
| U | |
| Uva | Grape |
| |
| V | |
| Al vapor | Steamed |
| Verduras | Vegetables |
| Vino (tinto/blanco) | (Red/white) wine |
| |
| Y | |
| Yema | Egg yolk |
| Yuca | Cassava, manioc |
| |
| Z | |
| Zanahoria | Carrot |
| Zapallo | Pumpkin |
| Zarzo/zarzamora | Blackberry |
