Authentic Guyanese Recipes
From Christmas-morning pepperpot to Saturday cook-up rice — the dishes we grew up on, written down so you can cook them anywhere in the world.
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Guyanese Pepperpot
The iconic Guyanese Christmas dish — beef slow-cooked in cassareep with cinnamon, clove and wiri wiri pepper until dark, glossy and deeply spiced. Traditionally served with homemade plait bread.
Guyanese Cook-Up Rice
Guyana's beloved one-pot national dish — rice simmered in rich coconut milk with black-eye peas, seasoned meat, thyme and wiri wiri pepper until every grain is tender and full of flavour.
Pholourie with Mango Sour
Light, spiced split-pea fritters fried golden and served with tangy mango sour — Guyana's favourite street snack and party food, crisp outside and fluffy inside.
Bake and Saltfish
The classic Guyanese breakfast — soft, golden fried bake paired with savoury sautéed saltfish loaded with onion, tomato and sweet pepper. Comforting, hearty and ready in under an hour.
Doubles
Soft, turmeric-yellow fried bara sandwiching spiced curried channa (chickpeas) — the ultimate Guyanese and Caribbean street breakfast, finished with mango chutney and pepper sauce.
Gojas (Coconut Turnovers)
Crisp fried pastry turnovers filled with sweet spiced coconut — a beloved Guyanese treat flavoured with cinnamon, ginger and a hint of clove. Perfect with a cup of tea.
Curry and Roti (Oil Roti / Paratha)
Flaky, buttery paratha 'oil roti' — clapped until it flakes into soft layers (buss-up-shut) — the perfect bread for scooping up any Guyanese curry like chicken, duck or dhal.
Guyanese Fishcake
Golden, crispy-edged fishcakes made with flaked fish, fluffy potato and fresh herbs and pepper — a popular Guyanese snack, breakfast side or party finger food.
Cassava Bread
A traditional Indigenous Guyanese flatbread made from just grated cassava — naturally gluten-free, toasted on a hot griddle until firm and golden. A taste of Guyana's Amerindian heritage.
Guyanese Peas and Rice
Fluffy rice simmered with pigeon peas, coconut milk and fresh herbs — a quick, comforting Guyanese side dish that goes with everything from stewed chicken to fried fish.
Coconut Choka
Smoky roasted grated coconut pounded with garlic, onion and hot pepper — a simple, intensely flavourful Guyanese side that's incredible with roti, rice or sada roti for breakfast.
Guyanese Dahl
Silky split-pea dahl simmered with turmeric and garlic, then finished with a sizzling garlic-and-cumin tarka (chunkay). A daily staple served over rice with curry.
Guyanese Chicken Curry
Tender chicken simmered in a rich, golden curry with fresh garlic, geera and wiri wiri pepper, cooked down until the gravy clings to every piece. The Sunday classic to serve with rice or roti.
Metemgee (Metem)
A hearty Guyanese one-pot of ground provisions, plantain and fluffy dumplings (duff) simmered in rich coconut milk, traditionally served with fried fish or saltfish. Pure comfort food.
Guyanese Chow Mein
Springy stir-fried noodles tossed with chicken, shrimp and crisp vegetables in a savoury sauce — the Guyanese-Chinese favourite that's a must at every birthday, wedding and Old Year's night.
Fried Fish and Bread
Crispy, well-seasoned fried fish with golden edges, served with soft Guyanese plait bread — a classic seaside and weekend meal that's simple, satisfying and full of flavour.
Guyanese Egg Balls
Boiled eggs wrapped in seasoned cassava, breaded and fried until crisp and golden — a popular Guyanese snack and party favourite, delicious dipped in mango sour or pepper sauce.
Guyanese Plantain Chips
Thin, crisp, lightly salted fried green plantain chips — an addictive homemade Guyanese snack that's far better than any from a bag. Just three ingredients and ready in minutes.
Bounjal Shrimp
Juicy shrimp dry-fried in a fiery, fragrant masala of garlic, geera and hot pepper until the seasoning clings to every bite. Bold, spicy and seriously good with rice or roti.
Guyanese Black Cake
Guyana's legendary Christmas cake — dried fruit soaked for weeks in rum and cherry brandy, blended dark and folded into a rich, moist spiced batter. Deep, boozy and unforgettable.
A little taste of home
Guyanese food is a delicious melting pot — African, Indian, Indigenous, Chinese, Portuguese and Creole flavours all simmered together over generations. At Taste of Guyana we collect these recipes and write them down clearly, so the dishes our grandmothers cooked can be made in any kitchen in the world.
Whether you're chasing the smoky-sweet flavour of pepperpot, a comforting pot of cook-up rice, crispy pholourie with mango sour, or a proper Christmas black cake, every recipe comes with step-by-step instructions, serving sizes and calorie counts. Pull up a chair — let's cook.