Colombian bread is often described as bland and soft relying on a standard, mild sweet flavors rather than rather than savory, fermented breads found in European atisanal breads. Staple Colombnian bakery breads are for the most part monotonous white breads very similiar from bakery to bakery. They usually have added sugar to amplify a sugary taste. Purposefully lacking  strong flavors these breads are made to go with sweetened Colombian coffee.

But fear not, Colombia boasts some exceptional cheesy, gluten free breads. Visitors must sit down at a coffee shop, bar or bakery, order a cup of Colombian coffee or hot chocolate and give these breads a try.

In fact,  five of Colombia's common breads are rated in the top 100 breads of the world by the prestigious foodie website - Taste Atlas - a renown encyclopedia of traditional flavors, local ingredients and authentic restaurants. The publication rates a number of foods from around the world every year. And in  their annual list of top 100 breads Colombia has continually snagged 5 of the top spots.  Coming in at number 2:

Pan de bono #2

Gluten-free

Pan de bono is a traditional cheesy bread consisting of cassava starch, cornmeal or corn flour, queso fresco, eggs, and sugar. The bread is shaped into bagels or balls that are slightly larger than golf balls and then oven baked. It is crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. Pan de bono is similar to other South American cheese breads like pan de queso, difference being the use of corn flour or cornmeal, and a hint of sweeteness due to the addition of sugar. The bread is gluten free made with cassava or yuca flour instead of wheat.

It is usually served warm with a cup of hot chocolate on the side. Some claim that the name pan de bono was created in the 1800s by an Italian baker in Cali who used to yell pane del buono (good bread). while others say that it is named after a place called La Hacienda El Bono, where it was first made.

While other say Pan de bone originated at an inn called La Hacienda el Bono which was located on the road from the city of Cali, in southern Colombia, to the port city of Buenaventura. The bread became famous with travelers and soon became a a staple in the city of Cali and through out Colombia.

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Almojábana #15

gluten free

Almojábana is another traditional cheesy bread made with corn and yuca flours, milk curds and cuajada white cheese. It is very popular in Colombia (and in other countries of Latin America) Almojabanas are very similar to pandebono. The difference is the texture. Almojabanas are spongy, soft and made with more corn flour, cheese and are sweeter while Pandebono is usually made with more yuca flour and are denser and more crispy.

Almojábanas are baked until they develop an inner spongy texture and a golden brown exterior color. This small, round bread is traditionally served warm.

This bread dates back to the conquest of Islamic Arabs in Spain in the year 711 and the Spanish name is taken from the Arabic - alomuyabbana. The Spaniards, not fond of the corn meal cakes (Arepas) being consumed in northern South America brought their Almojabana with them.

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Pan de Queso #28

gluten free

Pan de queso is yet another cheesy bread roll from Colombia, namely the Paisa region of Antiquia where it is extremely popular. The main ingredients in these clouds of goodness are yuca or tapioca flour, crumbled queso fresco or fresh cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, butter, egg and milk. It is the fermented cassava starch that gives these rolls their lightness and volume.

They are eaten for breakfast or as a quick breakfast snack, either plain or filled with cream cheese or jelly.

Ingredients: cassava flour, queso fresco, mozzarella, eggs, butter, baking soda and salt.

Pan de Yuca (Cassava bread) #32

gluten free

(Cassava bread)

Pan de yuca is a traditional bread consisting of cassava or yuca flour (tapioca flour) eggs, and cheese. It is usually shaped into small, round balls. The bread is popular throughout Colombia and Ecuador, although there are variations on pan de yuca throughout Latin America.

It makes for a delicious warm appetizer or an afternoon snack, preferably paired with a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee.

Pan de Yuca and Pan de Queso are very simimiliar but Pan de Queso uses more cheese and sometimes a mix of yuca and corn flours resulting in a lighter, more puffy and airy texture. Meanwhile Pan de Yuca is more dense, moist and chewy.

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Arepa #78

gluten free

Arepa is a highly versatile cornbread made from ground corn or precooked corn flour. They are very popular in Norterh South America - Colombia and Venezuela - and  served with almost every meal.

The golden disks with a crispy, browned crust are commonly stuffed with a variety of ingredients.

The name arepa comes from the word erepa, which is the indigenous word for this corn bread, as its origins are believed to be from the indigenous tribes across Venezuela and Colombia

Filled arepas are more interesting and are found all over Colombia as an afternoon or evening street food. The combinations are seemingly infinite, from beans, cheese, and avocado to shredded beef and onions. The most popoular in Colombia are:

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Arepas de huevo are arepa dough folded over a fresh egg and deep fried.

Arepas de Chocolo are made with dough made from sweet corn mixed with melted magarine and eggs then cooked on a hot gridle often served cut open and filled with fresh cheese.

While Taste Atlas gave Venezuelan arepas the honor of top 100 breadsoftheworld coming in at #78 - there is little difference between the Colombian and Venezuelean arepas. Both countries share the same foundational pre-Colombian corn based origin.  And both countries consume daily arepas with their meals like bread.

Difference being the Colombian arepas are often flatter, thinner, crispier an usually fried on a griddle while Venezuelan Arepas are thicker and often grilled but sometimes baked.

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Other typical breads that did not make the list but definately desrve and honarble mention are:

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Bunuellos

are typical fried breads popularly freshly fried in the doorways of Colombian bakeries and served for breakfast with hot chocolate or coffee. Bunuellos are made with a mix of yuca flour, corn starch, and a salty cheese called  queso costeno. They are deep fried in vats of oil - crispy on the outside and soft, warm and chewy on the inside. Depending on what part of Colombia you are in they can either be the size of golf ball or as big as a baseball hard ball.

Empenadas

are deep fried turnovers of crunchy cornmeal on the outside with a soft, flavorful potatoe and meat filling on the inside. They are served with a spicy herb and hot pepper sauce calle aji.

A staple Colomban snack and  comfort food they are best when they are homemade, artesinal and freshly fried. Often what is served in the bakeries and bars are factory made empenadas which are said to be not as good.

The fillings can vary from beef to pork, chicken or cheese with diced potatoes.

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