Colombian desgranado is a popular street-food dish, especially in cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla. It starts with sweet corn, often grilled or sautéed, then combines it with cheese, meats, sauces, and crunchy toppings.
This traditional version uses grilled corn cut from the cob, chicken, bacon, melted cheese, pink sauce, and pineapple sauce. It is a hearty dish that works well as a casual dinner or a shareable street-food-style meal.
Ingredients
For the grilled corn
- 6 large fresh sweet corn cobs, husks removed
- 30 ml melted butter (2 tablespoons)
- 4 g salt (¾ teaspoon)
For the desgranado
- 300 g chicken breast, cut into small cubes
- 150 g bacon, cut into small pieces
- 200 g shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
- 100 g grated costeño cheese (1 cup)
- 100 g crushed shoestring potatoes or potato sticks (2 cups)
- 120 ml pink sauce (½ cup)
- 120 ml pineapple sauce (½ cup)
- 60 ml mayonnaise (¼ cup)
- 30 ml ketchup (2 tablespoons)
- 5 g crushed garlic (1 clove)
- 3 g ground cumin (½ teaspoon)
- 4 g salt (¾ teaspoon)
- 2 g ground black pepper (½ teaspoon)
- 15 ml vegetable oil (1 tablespoon)
Preparation
- Grill the corn, brush the corn cobs with melted butter and season with salt. Grill them on a barbecue, griddle, or grill pan over medium-high heat for 12 to 15 minutes, turning often, until tender with lightly charred spots.
- Cut off the kernels, let the corn rest for 5 minutes so you can handle it safely. Stand each cob upright on a cutting board and carefully slice off the kernels, keeping them as whole as possible. Keep the corn warm.
- Cook the meats, heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the chicken, cumin, salt, and pepper; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and fully cooked. Remove the chicken, then cook the bacon in the same skillet for about 5 minutes, until crisp.
- Combine the filling, add the grilled corn kernels and cooked chicken to the skillet with the bacon. Stir for 2 minutes, just until everything is hot and evenly combined.
- Build the servings, divide the mixture among 4 heatproof bowls or cups. Top with mozzarella and costeño cheese, then cover for 2 minutes so the cheeses melt slightly.
- Finish and serve, add pink sauce, pineapple sauce, mayonnaise, and ketchup to taste. Finish with shoestring potatoes and serve immediately.
Chef’s tips
- Choose tender sweet corn with juicy kernels for the best texture.
- Grill the corn before cutting off the kernels for its signature toasted flavor.
- Add the shoestring potatoes at the very end so they stay crisp.
- Add sauces immediately before serving, especially when preparing several portions.
Traditional variations
Across Colombia, you can find desgranado made with shredded beef, sausage, chorizo, grilled beef, or a combination of several meats. Some versions include mushrooms, caramelized onions, or guacamole, but the core combination of corn, cheese, meats, potato sticks, and sauces remains the most familiar style.
How to serve
Serve desgranado hot in cups, trays, or deep bowls. Put extra pink sauce, pineapple sauce, and Colombian hot sauce on the table. It is a classic late-night street-food meal and pairs well with Colombian soda or fresh fruit juice.
Recommended accompaniments
- Colombian hot sauce.
- Pineapple sauce.
- Pink sauce.
- Colombian soda.
- Passion fruit or mango juice.
Food tradition
Desgranado developed as a practical way to turn corn into a filling, easy-to-eat street meal. While corn is always the base, each city and vendor often has its own mix of meats, cheeses, and sauces, making it one of Colombia’s most customizable fast-food dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Frozen sweet corn works well when fresh corn is not available. Cook it according to the package instructions, then sauté it with butter until it takes on some color. Fresh grilled corn gives you a more traditional toasted flavor, but frozen corn is a practical option.
Mozzarella is common because it melts easily and creates a stretchy texture. Grated costeño cheese adds a saltier, more distinctly Colombian flavor. Using both gives you the familiar contrast of melted cheese and stronger, salty cheese.
Grilled corn is served whole on the cob, usually with butter, salt, cheese, and sauces. Desgranado uses kernels removed from the cob and combines them with meats, cheese, crunchy potatoes, and sauces for a more filling, complete dish.
You can prepare the meats, sauces, and corn kernels ahead of time. Before serving, reheat the mixture in a skillet and add the cheeses and potato sticks at the end. This keeps the cheese melted and the potatoes crisp.
