7 Delicious Appetizers You Have to Try When You Visit Belize

May 5, 2023
by denidimchev@webohub.com +

When most people hear about Belize, they focus more on the lively outdoor lifestyle powered by its amazing sceneries and unique topography. Think about the beautiful white-sand beaches, barrier reefs, mountain forests, rivers, corals, and caves, among other natural attractions. It makes it a perfect destination for a fun vacation. Others love the country for being an ideal place to start an offshore company, being a tax haven.

However, very few people pay much attention to Belize cuisines, which is one of the things that make everything else perfect. They visit the country with minimal expectations when it comes to food choices. The good news is that Belize has different types of delicacies from different cultures, courtesy of a multi-ethnic population. It is a mixture of seafood, savory treats, Caribbean classics, and fresh fruits. Today, we are going to highlight for you the best Belizean appetizers that you must try.

1. Conch Fritters

Conch fritters is one of the most loved snack food in Belize. Most people make this delicacy as a soup or stew and can be served with a sauce, a dressing, or a hot sauce. You can take conch flitters as an appetizer if it is in the form of flitters, which most people do, but you can also serve it with white rice. Conch flitters are rich in protein from shellfish, making it a perfect combination in every meal.

2. Ceviche

Ceviche is one of the dishes that go a long way in Belize. Let’s call it a revitalizing seafood delicacy, whereby the seafood gets marinated in lime juice and garnished with onions, habanero peppers, garlic, onions, and cilantro, among other ingredients. The good thing about this food is that it is easy and quick to make. The seafood used to make ceviche can be a lobster, conch, shrimp, octopus, or lionfish. Once it is ready, serve it with tortilla chips. It is a perfect appetizer that you will find in almost all local restaurants and parties in Belize.

3. Salbutes

Salbutes is another snack food that is very popular in Belize. It is made from deep-fried corn tortillas chopped into small pieces, then mixed with chicken, cabbage, avocado, and your favorite sauce. Some people add onions, tomatoes, and pepper for better tasting, and whichever way you choose, just know it is a finger-licking meal. Salbutes can be a perfect choice for dinner or lunch.

4. Garnaches

Garnaches is similar to Salbutes except that its corn tortillas get slightly fried to be just crunchy. The topping ingredients for Garnaches include beans, cabbages, cheese, and onions, making it easier to make than salbutes. Garnaches and salbutes are delicious corn tortilla appetizers that you can buy from a street food vendor if you can’t make yours.

5. Panades

Panades can be described as a crispy pocket delicacy made from deep-fried corn tortillas. The cook can stuff the tortillas with fish, beans, or meat, and it is for you to choose what you like most. Panades usually gets served with pepper salsa, cabbage, onions, and cilantro to give it that perfect finishing. It is one of the most loved appetizers in the country, and outside Belize, the delicacy is known as an empanada.

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6. Cheese Dips

Cheese dip is that tasty snack that everyone will be looking for in a social gathering, be it a party, a wedding, a sporting event, a birthday, or a kids’ event — it is always a must-include. The appetizer is a mixture of evaporated milk, processed cheese, pepper, and salt. You can serve cheese dips with tortilla chips, and it can be satisfying enough to make your stomach full.

7. Belizean Pico De Gallo

To make a Pico de gallo, one requires raw ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, cabbage, cilantro, olive oil, pepper, lime juice, and salt. Chop all these vegetables and mix everything in a bowl. On a separate bowl, mash a few avocados and add it to the mixture and salt for tasting. Finally, top it with lime juice. It is effortless to make this slaw, and you can serve it with tortilla chips as well. Enjoy your tasty Belizean pico de gallo by scooping every bite with a tortilla chip. If cabbage is excluded from the recipe, then the meal gets served as a salsa.

Are you planning a trip to Belize and unsure what to eat when you get there? I can assure you that numerous delicacies are waiting for you to enjoy. On this list, you will find the most amazing appetizers you must try once in a while.