Delicious and Healthy Cuban Recipes
If you’re looking for some delicious and healthy Cuban recipes, you’ve come to the right place. Cuban cuisine is a fusion of African, Caribbean, Native Taino, and Spanish influences, resulting in dishes that are full of flavor, color, and texture. Whether you want to try a classic Cuban dish like ropa vieja or a refreshing cocktail like Cuba libre, there’s something for everyone in this list of 13 healthy Cuban recipes that are easy to make at home.
- Cuban Picadillo
Picadillo is a hearty ground beef dish that’s cooked with garlic, bell peppers, olives, tomatoes, and cilantro. It’s seasoned with cumin, salt, pepper, and bay leaf for a savory and aromatic flavor. Picadillo is usually served over rice, but you can also use it as a filling for tacos, empanadas, or stuffed peppers. This recipe uses lean ground beef and low-sodium tomato sauce to make it healthier without compromising taste. - Healthy Picadillo (Cuban Style)
This is another version of picadillo that uses chicken or turkey instead of beef for a lower-fat and higher-protein option. It also adds carrots, currants, white wine, and balsamic vinegar for a sweet and tangy twist. The sofrito (onion, garlic, peppers) base gives this dish a rich and complex flavor that goes well with plain rice or rice and black beans. - Cuban Shrimp Creole
Shrimp creole is a saucy and slightly spicy dish that’s perfect for seafood lovers. It’s made with shrimp simmered in a tomato-based sauce with fresh Latin spices like oregano, cumin, and bay leaf. You can adjust the heat level by adding more or less hot sauce to your liking. Serve this dish over white rice or with some crusty bread to soak up the sauce. - Cuban Chicken With Yellow Rice
This is a one-pot meal that’s easy to make and satisfying to eat. It features seasoned and seared chicken breasts on top of moist yellow rice with red peppers, green peas, and chorizo slices. The yellow rice gets its color and flavor from saffron, turmeric, chicken broth, and garlic. This dish is a great way to use up leftover chicken or rice, or you can make it from scratch in less than an hour. - Cuba Libre
Cuba libre is a simple but refreshing cocktail that celebrates the end of oppression and war in Cuba. It consists of rum, cola, and a wedge of lime for a citrusy kick. The original rum used for this drink was Bacardi Carta de Oro, but you can use any light or dark rum you prefer. Just make sure to use a good quality cola and fresh lime juice for the best flavor. - Cuban Frita
A frita is a Cuban-style burger that’s unlike any other burger you’ve had before. It’s made with a well-seasoned patty infused with chorizo butter and paprika for a smoky and spicy taste. It’s topped with fried potato strings for an extra crunch and served on a soft bun with ketchup and mustard. This recipe uses lean ground beef and oven-baked potato strings to make it healthier and easier to prepare. - Ropa Vieja
Ropa vieja is one of the most popular Cuban dishes and the national dish of Cuba. It means “old clothes” in Spanish because the shredded beef resembles torn rags. The beef is slow-cooked with onions, peppers, tomatoes, olives, capers, and spices until it’s tender and flavorful. Ropa vieja is traditionally made with flank steak, but this recipe uses chuck steak for a more moist and succulent result. - Cuban Black Beans
Black beans are a staple in Cuban cuisine and a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. They’re cooked with onion, garlic, green pepper, bay leaf, oregano, and cumin.