Fiambre
A Guatemalan chilled salad made for Day of the Dead and All Saints Day
Fiambre is a cold salad from Guatemala, prepared each year for Day of the Dead and All Saints Day. It brings together a wide mix of ingredients such as sausages, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, cheeses, olives, and chicken. Every family has its own recipe, and sharing fiambre is a tradition during the holiday.
- Fiambre is only eaten for Day of the Dead and All Saints Day in Guatemala
- Each family has its own unique recipe for fiambre
- It combines meats, cheeses, pickled vegetables, and more in a cold salad
- Sharing fiambre with other families is a holiday tradition
What is Fiambre?
Fiambre is a festive salad from Guatemala, made for Day of the Dead and All Saints Day. It is served cold and can include dozens of ingredients. Common elements are sausages, various cold cuts, pickled vegetables such as baby corn and onions, beets, pacaya flower (a local edible flower), cheeses, olives, chicken, and sometimes Brussels sprouts. The dish is colorful and layered, with a mix of flavors and textures from the meats, cheeses, and tangy pickles.
Where does Fiambre come from?
Fiambre has its roots in the Guatemalan custom of bringing favorite foods of deceased relatives to cemeteries on Day of the Dead. As families gathered and shared their dishes, the foods were combined into a single, elaborate salad. Over time, this became a tradition, with each family developing its own version and passing recipes down through generations. Sharing fiambre with other families is now a key part of the holiday.
How is Fiambre made?
There is no single recipe for fiambre, as each family prepares it differently. The salad is assembled from a wide range of ingredients, often including several types of sausage and cold cuts, pickled vegetables, beets, pacaya flower, cheeses, olives, chicken, and sometimes Brussels sprouts. All the components are arranged together and served chilled. The dish is usually prepared in advance and shared among family and friends during the holiday.
How and when is Fiambre eaten?
Fiambre is eaten only once a year, on Day of the Dead and All Saints Day. Families prepare large platters and bring them to gatherings or cemeteries, sharing with relatives and neighbors. It is served cold, often as the centerpiece of the holiday meal. The tradition of sharing fiambre strengthens community ties and honors the memory of loved ones.
Kinds of Fiambre
There are several well-known versions of fiambre. Fiambre rojo includes beets, giving it a red color, while fiambre blanco omits them. Fiambre verde is a vegetarian version without cold cuts. Some regions, such as Jalapa, have their own traditional style called fiambre desarmado. Fiambre from Antigua is another recognized variant. Each family may add or leave out ingredients according to their own tradition.
What Fiambre means
Fiambre is deeply tied to Guatemalan culture and the observance of Day of the Dead and All Saints Day. Preparing and sharing the salad is a way to remember ancestors and connect with family. The dish is not eaten at other times of year, making it special and anticipated. Recipes are treasured and passed down, and the act of sharing fiambre with others is a symbol of community and remembrance.
When Fiambre is on the table
Questions people ask about Fiambre
What is fiambre made of?
Fiambre is a cold salad with many ingredients, often including sausages, cold cuts, pickled baby corn and onions, beets, pacaya flower, cheeses, olives, chicken, and sometimes Brussels sprouts. Each family may use a different mix.
Where does fiambre come from?
Fiambre comes from Guatemala. It began as a tradition of sharing foods at cemeteries on Day of the Dead, which led to mixing dishes into a single salad.
When is fiambre eaten?
Fiambre is prepared and eaten once a year, for Day of the Dead and All Saints Day. It is not eaten at other times.
Are there different kinds of fiambre?
Yes, there are several versions, such as fiambre rojo (with beets), fiambre blanco (without beets), fiambre verde (vegetarian), and regional styles like fiambre desarmado from Jalapa.
Is fiambre always made with meat?
No, while many versions include meats and cold cuts, there are vegetarian types like fiambre verde, which has no cold cuts.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Fiambre", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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