About
“I am a person who believes in the simple pleasures of life… Food is not just sustenance; it is an expression of our culture, our heritage, and our shared experiences.”Rigoberta Menchú said that, and you feel the truth of it the moment you sit down to a bowl of Guatemalan pepián — a dish that tastes like centuries layered into one pot.
Pepián isn’t shy. It’s thick, bold, earthy, and fragrant in a way that tells you it didn’t come from chefs in spotless kitchens. It’s a stew built on ground seeds and spices — sesame, pumpkin seeds, chilies roasted until they’re practically smoking — mixed with chicken, pork, or beef, plus vegetables that melt into the sauce.
Tortillas or stale bread get tossed in and ground down to give it that unmistakable, rustic weight. This is food meant to comfort you, fill you, remind you that you’re alive.
Its story goes back to the Maya — long before the Spanish ever thought about crossing an ocean. The Maya cooked with chilies, herbs, and seeds, grinding everything by hand on stone. So many of those flavors survived conquest, fire, and erasure attempts simply because they tasted too damn good to disappear.
Then came the Spaniards, dragging their own culinary baggage with them — pork, chicken, beef, European stewing techniques — and everything collided. Out of that collision came pepián, a dish that doesn’t belong to one culture or the other, but to the space where they met, fought, blended, and eventually fed each other.
Across Guatemala you’ll find versions that are smokier, spicier, greener, redder — each region claiming theirs is the truest one. Some swear the sauce should burn a little. Others prefer it mellow. But every pot is grounded in the same idea: take what the land gives you, grind it, roast it, simmer it, and honor the people who cooked it first.
Pepián shows up at celebrations, holy days, family gatherings — the moments when everyone squeezes around the table and history feels thick in the air. It’s a dish that carries pride and memory, the taste of a country that endured and kept its food traditions intact even when everything else was under threat.
Today, you can eat pepián in a local market stall or in a polished restaurant in Guatemala City. Doesn’t matter. What you’re tasting is the same story: ancient, stubborn, smoky, alive.
If you go to Guatemala, do yourself a favor. Skip the fuss, sit down with a steaming bowl of pepián, and let the country introduce itself properly.
Samp is meant to be simple and nourishing. Its texture can be adjusted easily: add more water for a looser porridge or simmer longer for a thicker, almost pudding-like consistency. It is one of the closest dishes you can make today to the foods shared at the earliest recorded harvest gatherings in New England.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. Let's explore international cuisine together!
.jpg)
Pepian From Guatemala
Pepián, often referred to as "Pepián de Guatemala," is a traditional Guatemalan dish that holds a significant place in the country's culinary heritage.
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
2 hours
Serves
4-6
INGREDIENTS
For the Pepián Sauce:
3 large tomato, chopped
1-2 corn tortillas
1 medium white onion, chopped in half
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 dried Guajillo or Ancho chile
2 dried Pasilla chile
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
cilantro and diced white onion for garnish
For the Chicken Broth:
5 bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
2 medium carrots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
half a white onion
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
1/4 cup green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Small Book Big Flavor Vol. 1 is your essential guide to transforming everyday meals into culinary delights with minimal effort. This compact book reignites the joy of home cooking by offering easy-to-follow recipes and practical tips that infuse bold flavors into your dishes. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced cook, you'll find inspiration in its diverse, globally-influenced ideas, from creamy chicken curry to flavorful pilaf rice. Embrace the art of soulful, memorable home cooking and make every meal an event with this indispensable culinary resource.
Instructions
A complex chile based chicken stew with lots of flavor.
Click here for video recipe and story on Instagram
Start by preparing the Pepián sauce:
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, until they start to brown slightly. Remove and set aside.
In the same skillet, brown your tortilla just until it starts to burn, remove.
In the same skillet add in cinnamon stick, garlic cloves, tomatoes, onion halves and dried chiles, toast until aromatic and the tomatoes have a nice char on them.
In a blender add pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, tortillas, charred onions, charred tomatoes, cinammon stick, cloves, allspice, black pepper and a bit of water. Blend until you get a smooth and rich sauce.
In a wide bottomed pan, add a few glugs of good oil and Brown the 4 pieces of chicken in a pot over medium-high heat.
Add in water just to cover the chicken and cook for 10 minutes. This would be a good time to add in some salt to your stock.
Add in your chopped carrots, potatoes and garlic cloves. Followed by your pepian sauce.
Simmer on low for 1-2 hours, or until everything really comes together and the vegetables are tender.
20 minutes before removing from heat, add in green beans.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed by adding more salt or spices.
Serve the Guatemalan Pepián hot with rice and corn tortillas. Garnish with extra sesame seeds and chopped cilantro, diced onions if desired.
