16 Popular Breakfast Dishes in Ecuador 

The primary ingredient of these fritters is green or unripe plantain, which is less sweet than the fully ripened varieties.

These savory treats also use cheese to give body to the breakfast treat.

This recipe is very basic, but what I like about these fritters is you can easily add more flavor to these bite-size breakfast favorites. 

This Ecuadorian breakfast food is a tropical take on oatmeal made with pineapple, naranjilla, and spices.

Unlike other oatmeals, the Colada de Avena can be served hot or cold and has a more liquid texture than the breakfast porridge American audiences are familiar with.

I love starting my day fast with this breakfast you can drink!

Another Ecuadorian breakfast food that uses versatile green plantain, these empanadas use the fruit to create dough.

The egg acts as a binder in the dough, creating a perfect crispy vessel for the cheese filling.

Serve alongside your choice of hot sauce, but I recommend trying the traditional aji criollo made with cilantro, lime, and hot peppers. 

These empanadas use less filling than other varieties and only a small amount of cheese and onions.

The savory flavors are contrasted by a small amount of sugar on the outside of the crispy empanadas.

I love the sweet and savory pairing of these empanadas, which go great with bitter coffee. 

This fish stew can be eaten anytime but is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast, especially on the coast.

Yuca and pickled red onions flavor the fishy stew, often garnished with cilantro. Lime adds a citrus punch to the dish and makes it refreshing as well as filling.

I like to serve the stew alongside crusty bread. 

The soft texture of Humitas is what I like most about this Ecuadorian breakfast dish.

These are somewhat similar to tamales; both are cooked in corn husks. Humitas use fresh corn, garlic, and onions to create a fresh and slightly spicy flavor.

Heavy cream and cheese add fat to the corncakes and their signature creamy consistency. 

This egg-based dish looks like an egg scramble. What’s different about the Ecuadorian dish is the added spices and hominy.

The hominy makes this breakfast meal more filling than just eggs alone.

My favorite aspect of this dish is that it can be made in under half an hour, and it’s easy to recreate at home, even if you’re unfamiliar with Ecuadorian cuisine. 

These buns use yuca or cassava starch to make the dough. Using the root vegetable starch results in an earthy flavor and unique mouthfeel.

The other key component of this dish is cheese, which adds a salty element to these buns.

These buns are often enjoyed on their own, but I suggest trying them with a tomato aji. 

This is another example of an egg scramble. What makes it stand out is the addition of a favorite Ecuadorian ingredient: green plantains.

The plantains in this dish are fried twice to coax out the most flavor.

Onions and queso fresco are used in this recipe to add a spicy and slaty element, but bacon or another breakfast meat can also be added for a more hearty meal. 

A tropical treat that you can drink and eat, this breakfast food reminds me of a ceviche made exclusively from fruit.

Mangos, bananas, and papaya create a tart and sweet fruit salad topped with orange juice.

While the recipe calls for the dish to be chilled, I prefer it freshly prepared and closer to room temperature. 

Another empanada recipe popular for Ecuadorian breakfasts, these examples of pastry use chicken for a more filling morning meal.

Something I appreciate about all empanadas is how easy they travel. They are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast!

This tasty chicken empanada recipe also calls for cream cheese to create a rich filling. 

Horchata Lojana is an Ecuadorean herbal tea that lacks the creamy element of similarly named drinks.

The tea mix is made from flowers like roses and violets, as well as herbs. I recommend buying a tea blend rather than seeking out each item individually.

Sweeten with honey and sugar to your preference to complete this tea! 

Check out other popular types of tea to enjoy.

Mashed green plantains are a flavorful way to enjoy fruit at breakfast.

As with other recipes using plantain, they are seasoned with onion and garlic to add a bite. I like adding hot sauce for even more heat!

You can mix in more vegetables or serve alongside other breakfast fare to make a complete meal.

These Ecuadorian pancakes are similar to other recipes I had made before.

They use russet potatoes, onions, garlic, and, of course, cheese.

What sets these apart is the addition of lime and the stellar peanut dipping sauce used for these potato pancakes!

The peanut sauce has a hint of heat to cut through the other savory flavors. 

These little doughnut holes are the perfect way to start your morning if you like something sweet with your coffee.

In Ecuador, they are often sold by street vendors with specialized equipment to make them quickly.

They will take some time at home, especially since the dough needs proof. Try them with the dipping sauce of your choice! 

This recipe calls for ripe fruit, unlike other great Ecuadorian breakfast foods using plantains.

The hardest part of making this is finding the perfectly ripened plantain to achieve the correct sweetness. I like to choose as dark fruit as possible since I prefer this dish sweeter than most!

The recipe is simple, though. You just have to slice the plantain and fry them in oil.