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 |