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    Home / Dinner / Cuy Asado Ecuatoriano

    Cuy Asado Ecuatoriano

    Whole guinea pig marinated in garlic and achiote, roasted until the skin crackles — the ancient Andean celebration roast, served with potatoes and ají.

    ⏱ 30 minPrep time
    🔥 1 hr 15 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Cuy Asado - Roasted Guinea Pig, Andean Celebration

    Cuy, or guinea pig, has been raised in the Andes for over 5,000 years and remains the centerpiece of Ecuadorian highland celebrations, from weddings to fiestas in the sierra. It is marinated in garlic, cumin, and achiote, then roasted or grilled until the skin is crisp and lacquered, and served with boiled potatoes, tostado, and a fierce ají.

    A crackling-skinned roast from the heart of the Andes

    The meat is lean and delicate, somewhere between rabbit and dark chicken, and it drinks up the garlicky achiote marinade. The skin roasts to a shattering crisp, and the traditional plate — potatoes, toasted corn, and spicy ají — keeps every bite bright and balanced.

    Ecuadorian recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Rinse the cuy and pat it completely dry, then butterfly it open by cutting along the belly.
    2. Mix the achiote oil, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper into a paste and massage it all over the meat, inside and out; marinate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
    3. Preheat the oven to 375°F and place the cuy skin-side down on a rack in a roasting pan.
    4. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn skin-side up and continue roasting for 45 to 55 minutes, basting with beer every 10 to 15 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden and the meat registers 165°F.
    5. Rest for 10 minutes, then cut into serving pieces.
    6. Serve with boiled potatoes, tostado corn, and ají on the side.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    The skin should be shatteringly crisp — pat it dry before roasting and keep basting to the meat, not the skin. Cuy is hard to find outside the Andes; check specialty or live markets, or ask your butcher, with rabbit as the closest home-kitchen substitute.

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    Recipe details

    Prep30 min
    Cook1 hr 15 min
    Servings4
    CategoryDinner
    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 →

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