Fiambre: Guatemala's Day of the Dead Mega-Salad

Fiambre is the most ambitious dish in Guatemalan cuisine. It is a cold salad with 50 or more ingredients – cold cuts, cheeses, pickled vegetables, sausages, and a tangy vinaigrette – served exclusively on November 1st, Dia de Todos los Santos (All Saints’ Day). No other day. Just that one.

The preparation starts days in advance. Vegetables are cooked and cooled. Cold cuts and cheeses are sliced. The vinaigrette is mixed. On the morning of November 1st, everything comes together in a massive platter that looks like a work of art. Families bring it to the cemetery to eat near their departed loved ones, or gather at home around a table that groans under the weight of this singular dish.

The origins of fiambre trace to the colonial period, influenced by Catalan ensaladas. But over centuries, it became something uniquely Guatemalan – a dish that reflects the abundance and generosity of the culture. More ingredients means more love.

Ingredients (Simplified from the traditional 50+)

Cold Cuts & Sausages

• 1/2 lb (225g) salami, sliced into strips
• 1/2 lb (225g) mortadela, sliced into strips
• 1/2 lb (225g) jamon (ham), sliced into strips
• 1/2 lb (225g) longaniza sausage, cooked and sliced

Cheeses

• 1/2 lb (225g) queso de capas (or mozzarella), sliced into strips
• 1/2 lb (225g) queso fresco, crumbled

Vegetables

• 4 medium beets, boiled, peeled, and sliced (for fiambre rojo)
• 2 cups green beans (ejotes), blanched and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups cauliflower, separated into small florets, blanched
• 2 cups baby corn, drained
• 1 cup green peas, cooked
• 2 medium carrots, boiled and sliced into rounds
• 1 cup green and black olives
• 1/2 cup capers, drained
• 1 cup pickled white onions (cebolla curtida)
• 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup pacaya (palm flower), pickled – if available
• 1 head lettuce, leaves separated

Garnish

• 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• Brine from olives and capers (2-3 tablespoons)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 (Day before): Prep everything. Cook beets, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, and peas separately. Cool completely and refrigerate. Make pickled onions (slice white onions, soak in vinegar with salt for several hours). Slice all cold cuts and cheeses into uniform strips. Hard-boil the eggs.

Step 2: Make the vinaigrette. In a bowl, whisk together white vinegar, olive oil, and mustard. Add a few tablespoons of brine from the olive and caper jars. Season with salt and pepper. Some families add a pinch of sugar. Taste – it should be tangy with a mustard kick.

Step 3: Build the fiambre. Use the largest platter or bowl you have. Start with a bed of lettuce leaves. Then build in layers: a layer of cold cuts, a drizzle of vinaigrette, a layer of vegetables, more vinaigrette, a layer of cheese, and so on. Scatter beet slices throughout for the rojo version.

Step 4: Garnish. Arrange sliced hard-boiled eggs, radishes, olives, capers, and pacaya on top. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over everything.

Step 5: Chill and serve. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Fiambre is always served cold. When serving, use a large spoon to scoop portions that include ingredients from every layer.

Como Lo Hacemos en Guatemala (Local Tips)

There is no wrong way to make fiambre. Every family has their own recipe, handed down through generations. Some add asparagus. Others include sardines or anchovies. Some families insist on Brussels sprouts. The only rule is: more is more.

Pacaya is a uniquely Guatemalan ingredient. The edible flower of the pacaya palm, pickled in vinegar, adds a distinctive bitter-tangy flavor. If you cannot find it, the fiambre still works, but it will be missing something that Guatemalans will notice.

The debate: rojo vs blanco. Families have strong opinions. Fiambre rojo (with beets) is more common and more visually striking. Fiambre blanco (without beets) lets the individual ingredients shine more. Make both and let people choose.

Start two days early. The cooking and prep cannot be rushed. The vegetables need to be perfectly cooked and completely cooled. The pickled onions need time. The cold cuts need to be sliced uniformly. This is a multi-day project.

Approximate Nutrition (per serving)

More Guatemalan recipes: Pepian (National Dish) | Tamales Colorados | Ponche (Christmas Punch)

Related: Guatemala Food Guide | Holidays in Guatemala | Food Prices