Top 12 Barbadian Foods

Cassava pone is a sweet, moist, and gummy dessert made from cassava root, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, coconut, sugar, nutmeg, butter, and milk. Not much is known about the origin of this dessert, but it's believed it first appeared somewhere on Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago or in Guyana, although most probably at all of these territories at the same time. Today, cassava pone is so popular that it is regularly the first dessert to sell out at bake sales, and it is said that if you ask any local about pone, you are almost guaranteed to be regaled with a cherished childhood memory.Expand

Enjoyed throughout the Caribbean, souse is a versatile dish that is typically prepared with pork, namely some of the less-favored cuts such as head, feet, knuckles, or tail, while other versions also employ beef or chicken feet. The cuts are cooked until tender and are then doused in a vinegar and lime-based combination of various spices, herbs, and sliced vegetables. The dish is often compared to aspic or head cheese, though its consistency is not as firm and it is traditionally marinated for a short period. Souse comes in different regional varieties, but it is usually enjoyed as a cold appetizer or as an accompaniment to black or white pudding.Expand

Ham cutter is a typical sandwich from Barbados. It's made with a Bajan salt bread, which is a freshly baked roll with a fluffy interior and crusty exterior. The roll is sliced down the middle, then filled with thick slices of leg ham or picnic ham, with optional lettuce and tomatoes. The usual condiments are ketchup and pepper sauce. The sandwiches are often heavily stuffed with ham, so make sure you're really hungry before trying one of these Barbadian delicacies.Expand

Black eyed peas and rice is a savory side dish from Barbados that goes well with a variety of chicken, pork, fish, or vegetable dishes. In Barbados, it is most commonly served as an accompaniment to fried fish dishes. Rice and peas is a staple of the Bajan diet, and many locals believe that a Sunday meal without rice and peas is not a complete meal. Although black eyed peas and rice can be found in almost every Bajan home on Sundays, the dish can also be consumed at numerous Bajan food vans, which are Barbados' version of food trucks.Expand

A cutter is a type of Barbadian sandwich made with Bajan salt bread – which is a white flour bread roll characterized by its crusty exterior and a tender, fluffy interior. Insert a fillet of fried flying fish inside the bread roll, and you will have made yourself a flying fish cutter, popular throughout the island and sold at numerous food joints on Barbados. Before frying, flying fish fillets are often soaked in lime juice and salt, then seasoned with a variety of spices such as thyme, onions, garlic, parsley, basil, marjoram, and scotch bonnet peppers. It is recommended to add tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce into the cutter to make it even more appetizing.Expand

This popular Barbadian pasta dish is made with long, tubular macaroni, butter, cheese, eggs, milk, onions, mustard, ketchup, and either red pepper sauce or cayenne pepper for extra spiciness. The dish is baked as a casserole and is usually garnished with breadcrumbs and grated cheese on top. Flying fish is typically served on the side after it has been dipped in batter and breadcrumbs, then fried. Many visitors can try this delicious dish because it is sold at numerous locations throughout the island, and it is also a common lunch option for many Bajan workers.Expand

Coo-coo, also known as cou cou, is the first half of coo-coo and flying fish, the national dish of Barbados. It is a well-seasoned, wet polenta with bits of okra mixed in it, working great with savory sauces like Sauce Creole. It is said that if a man finds any lumps in his coo-coo, he is free to throw his wife out of the house. Obviously, the coo-coo needs to be stirred and beaten until the texture becomes silky smooth and tender. The other half of the dish, flying fish, is part of the national emblem of Barbados as it is extremely important to the local economy. They are small and silver-blue in color, with fins that look similar to the wings of dragonflies. The boats are specially designed to catch the fish who rise out of the sea, and once caught; they are filleted and seasoned with onions, parsley, thyme, garlic, red pepper, salt, paprika, and lime juice. Once they are seasoned, the fillets are fried or steamed and served on top of the coo-coo, making a colorful, unique, and flavorful meal.Expand

Conkies is a traditional dish of the West Indies that's especially popular in Barbados, and Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago (where it's called paime). It's made with a combination of cornmeal, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg), grated pumpkin, coconut, sweet potatoes, raisins, flour, sugar, butter, and sometimes eggs. The mixture is wrapped in banana leaves, then steamed until it solidifies. Conkies are served on their own as a dessert or as a side dish accompanying fish cakes or fried fish. They can also be served for breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee on the side. Traditionally, they're prepared during November to celebrate Barbados' independence, or late October to celebrate Creole Day on Saint Lucia. Expand

Jug-jug is a traditional dish originating from Barbados. Although there are a few versions of the dish, it's usually made with a combination of pigeon peas or lentils, bacon or pork, hot peppers, beef, onions, chives, corn flour, and butter. The peas and meat are boiled, drained, and mashed or puréed, then mixed with the other boiled ingredients and cooked until piping hot. Before serving, the dish is topped with butter. Jug-jug is traditionally prepared for Christmas and it's often accompanied by fried plantains or rice. It is believed that this dish is derived from the Scottish haggis.Expand

Pudding and souse is a traditional dish that is served exclusively as a Saturday lunch, consisting of two separate items: pudding, or steamed sweet potatoes, and souse, or pickled pork that is traditionally served in pork intestines. The meat is usually pickled in lime juice and served with pickled onions, cucumbers, and peppers. On the island, everyone has their favorite lunch spot to enjoy this hearty meal.Expand