Having grown up in a Cuban household, a lot of what is cooked in my home today is traditionally Cuban or at least has some sort of Cuban seasoning. These quick and savory Cuban-inspired recipes are among the favorites in my household.
I count on a lot of these favorites for getting nutritious meals on the table on the weekdays, and they take me back to my childhood, which is a huge bonus.
Both my kids and my husband love these recipes, and I promise yours will too.
Nine Easy Kid-Friendly Cuban Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less
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Cuban Vegan Asparagus Chicken with Black Beans & Rice
This Cuban inspired dish is not only fast but healthy too. Get this one on the table stat.
Get the recipe here.
Image and recipe by my aunt Maria Gold FT/ on The Body Book
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Pastel de Pollo (Pollo Pastry)
What a fantastic lunch for the kiddos...and adults. This involves a bit of prep, but the cooking time is just thirty minutes. The flavor takes me back way to my childhood. Your kids will love this.
Get the recipe here.
Image by My Big Fat Cuban Family
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Cuban Rice and Kidney Beans
Rice and beans is a go-to at my house. My kids love kidney beans, so thankfully these beans when paired with rice make a quick and nutritious meal. I also love that I don't have to worry about my older son's allergies with this healthy go-to.
Get the recipe here.
Image by Goya Foods
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Cuban Black Bean Everything
So by default, my household loves us some black bean, and it goes on everything. We do black beans with rice (as shown here), black bean "soup" (which is really potaje, which means a stew—not a soup), black beans as a side, etc. Here's a quick recipe for making black beans at home that both you and your kids will love.
Quick black beans:
Simmer a tablespoon of olive oil with diced onions and garlic in a soup pan. Once that sofrito is ready, add in a can of organic or low-sodium Goya Canned Black Beans. We always use Goya at our home. Add in a can of filtered water and place the lid on your soup pan. You can also add diced peppers like I did here. Let that simmer together for about 15 minutes or less, and you've got hearty and savory black beans in an instant.
Image and recipe by Maritza Buelvas
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Cuban French Vegan Sandwich
Ooh la la. I love this quick and easy go-to meal for my kids...and myself. This happens to be vegan meat, but this Cuban seasoning approach works for real meat, too.
How to season your meat Cuban style:
For super quick meals, I place a tiny bit of olive oil and diced onions in a pan. I then add the meat and just add Sazón Goya with Azafrán. I stir the meat and let it cook for about 15 minutes or so, stirring the meat occasionally and lowering the heat so as not to burn anything. I then place the meat inside a croissant and ask my kids if they want to add vegan or American cheese. Sometimes, they just want the meat and bread.
Image and recipe by Maritza Buelvas
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Crema de Malanga (Malanga Puree)
This was often referred to as puree de malanga in my childhood home, and I LOVE it to this day. It's so satisfying and delicious and probably my most favorite comfort food...ever. The way we make it at home is the condensed version of what you can find here.
Get it in under thirty minutes with this recipe:
Peel, cut, and boil the malanga (a root often used for cooking in the Caribbean) in a soup pan filled with water. Next, transfer your boiled malanga to a blender. Add milk or water (or half water, half milk), about one to two spoonfuls of butter, and salt to taste. Press the puree button, and in seconds you have a delicious meal that's so old world Cuban. You can also add slices of ham before pureeing in the blender like my grandmother used to do. Delish!
Image by Taste Of Cuba / Recipe by Maritza Buelvas
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Cuban Quinoa
I love this Cuban style quinoa because it's very tomato-y (a term I use often when it comes to food). This is my aunt's delish recipe. (Her masterful hand can be seen along with the dish.)
Get my Tia Daisy's recipe here:
Saute olive oil, diced onions, and garlic in a pan. Add 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth and one whole envelope of Sazón Goya with Azafrán. Add 1½ cups of uncooked quinoa (any variety). Add loads of diced tomatoes (you can even add tomato sauce) with ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring everything to a boil. Once boiled, top off your dish with more diced tomatoes and cilantro and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Altogether, this dish takes just 15 to 20 minutes.
Image by my aunt, Maria Gold
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Mama's Cuban Chicken Soup
My mom's traditional Cuban chicken soup is always the perfect antidote to any cold or weekday stressor. I swear she whips up this soup at a moment's notice. My kids love it as is or with rice. This is her magic recipe:
Saute 2 tablesppons olive oil, 1 envelope Sazón Goya with Azafrán, chopped onions, garlic, and several pieces of chicken for 5 minutes. Add 14 ounces of water slowly and cook for another 10 minutes. Add egg noodles and put on the lid. Simmer for another 15 minutes and voila!
Image Maritza Hernandez
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Cuban Platanos
Sometimes when my kids are under the weather—or being extra finicky—I may turn to a quick and satisfying plate of platanos maduros. This sweet and savory dish is a Cuban staple, and I bet your kids will enjoy them, too!
Get the recipe here.
Image The Kitchn
