Home / Guatemalan Kitchen / Curtido Guatemalteco

Curtido Guatemalteco

A traditional Guatemalan dish — Curtido is the rosy pickled slaw that brightens enchiladas, pupusas, and tostadas across Guatemala.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 10 minCook time
🍽 8Servings
🏷 Guatemalan KitchenCategory
☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
Curtido Guatemalteco - Guatemalan cuisine

A traditional Guatemalan dish — Curtido is the rosy pickled slaw that brightens enchiladas, pupusas, and tostadas across Guatemala. Shredded cabbage, beets, and carrots rest in a tangy vinegar brine with oregano, turning a vivid pink as the beets bleed their color. It keeps for days in the fridge and only gets better with time.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Toss the cabbage with a teaspoon of salt and let it sit for 20 minutes, then squeeze out the excess liquid.
  2. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and oregano in a bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Add the cabbage, beets, carrots, onion, and chile, and mix well.
  4. Transfer to a jar or bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
  5. Serve cold, spooned over enchiladas, pupusas, or tostadas.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The beets will tint the whole slaw pink within a few hours — that is the classic look. Kept refrigerated in its brine, curtido stays crisp for up to a week.

Rate this recipe

☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
Sign in to rate this recipe.

Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook10 min
Servings8
CategoryGuatemalan Kitchen
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →