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Nochebuena

The Spanish-speaking world and the Philippines feast late on Christmas Eve, each with its own dishes.

Photo: Carl Larsson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What is eaten for Nochebuena

Nochebuena, the Good Night, is the main Christmas meal across Spain, Latin America and the Philippines, eaten late and often after midnight Mass. Cuba and Puerto Rico roast a whole pig, and Puerto Ricans add pasteles and coquito. Venezuelans make hallacas, maize dough filled with stew and wrapped in plantain leaves. Mexico serves salt cod, romeritos, tamales and hot punch. Spain ends with turrón. In the Philippines the Noche Buena table has ham and a ball of Edam cheese.

The dishes

Suckling pigWhole roast pig in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.HallacaVenezuelan Christmas parcel of maize dough and stew.RomeritosMexican greens in mole with dried shrimp cakes.TurrónAlmond nougat that ends the Spanish meal.TamaleMade by the dozen in Mexico and Central America.

Also part of it, and being written: Pasteles (Puerto Rican parcels of green banana dough and pork.), Coquito (Puerto Rican coconut and rum drink.).

More dishes made for Nochebuena

Gefilte fishFish or seafood 🇵🇱 Poland and 5 morePoached patties of seasoned fish, often topped with carrot Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Uszka 🇵🇱 Poland and 2 moreSmall twisted dumplings filled with mushrooms or meat, often served in borscht Dumpling, Dinner Fisherman's soupFish or seafood 🇭🇺 Hungary and 2 moreSpicy paprika-rich fish soup from Hungary and the Pannonian Plain Soup, Dinner Pickled herringFish or seafood 🇳🇱 Netherlands and 5 moreHerring preserved in salt and vinegar, eaten across Northern and Eastern Europe Sausage or cured food, Snacks, Lunch Christmas waferVegan 🇵🇱 Poland and 2 moreThin, embossed wheat wafers shared at Christmas in Poland and Lithuania Bread KūčiukaiVegetarian 🇱🇹 LithuaniaLithuanian Christmas Eve poppy seed buns, small and lightly sweet Sweet or dessert TourtièreMeat 🇨🇦 Canada and 1 moreFrench Canadian meat pie with spiced filling, often served at Christmas and New Year Main dish, Dinner BacalhauFish or seafood 🇵🇹 Portugal and 5 moreDried and salted cod, a staple of Portuguese cooking Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
About this page

Written by the Thali desk with AI assistance. Background: "Christmas Eve" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from family to family and place to place. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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