Savory SnacksNo. 4354 · The 2026 edition
Fiambre (Guatemalan Day of the Dead Salad)
Fiambre is a Guatemalan Day of the Dead salad loaded with over a dozen meats and vegetables, all marinated in a tangy broth.
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This Guatemalan Day of the Dead salad, called fiambre, is a massive layered dish of cooked vegetables, various sausages, ham, tongue, and cheeses, all marinated in a chicken broth vinaigrette. Preparation starts two days ahead, with each vegetable boiled separately and the meats cooked and combined. The final assembly is a festive, chilled salad perfect for the holiday.
Ingredients
Directions
- Two days before serving, cook each type of vegetable on its own. Boil the beets until they are tender but still have a bite. Boil the carrots together with the green beans until they are just cooked. Boil the cauliflower and the cabbage. Separately boil the peas, fava beans, and corn.
- Boil the chicken along with the parsley, adding salt and pepper to taste. Let it cool, then skim off the fat. Shred the chicken into strips and set it aside.
- In a blender, combine the chicken broth with vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and nutmeg. Simmer this mixture for ten minutes, then chill it overnight.
- One day before serving, boil the chorizos together with the butifarras.
- Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and pour the chilled chicken broth mixture over them. Let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- On the day you serve, place a lettuce leaf on a plate, then add a layer of the vegetable mixture, followed by a layer of mixed meats and cheeses. Repeat this at least once. Decorate with pimientos, sliced cheese, asparagus, baby corn, radish roses, olives, and hard-boiled eggs. Serve chilled.
More photos
Photos hosted by growingupbilingual.com.
