Last Updated on August 30, 2020 by Chef Mireille
High Protein Caribbean Breakfast
Breakfast Dominican Style is power packed full of protein to give you that energy needed to handle the day.
This post may include affiliate links.
My best friend’s family since I was 8 years old is from the Dominican Republic so their cuisine is just as familiar to me as my own cultural cuisine. When I would sometimes spend the night at her house, she would still be sleeping and I would be with her Mom in the kitchen to see how she was cooking up our breakfast. Yes, I’ve been a foodie since childhood.
If you are following a high protein diet, you get a triple play of protein in this breakfast platter that is so quick and easy to put together. Eggs, Cheese and Meat all in one plate.
Maybe you are following a Keto or Paleo diet and looking for more ways to add protein in your diet. Here is a list of High Protein Foods to help you plan your high protein meals!
Specialty Ingredients
This week I have been presenting different cooking cheeses, that are sometimes overlooked in the protein diet with so many people always focusing on meat. Cooking Cheeses are a great way to get that protein in. Today I am using Queso de Freir, the Latin cooking cheese. If you can’t find Queso de Freier, though not traditional, you can simply substitute one of the other cooking cheeses like halloumi or paneer.
I also used Dominican salami. Dominican salami is not like Italian salami. It is closer to ham and is not as oily as Italian salami.
Dominican Salami
So where can you purchase Dominican salami?
In NYC, corner stores are called bodegas. NYC is a diverse city and through the years certain cultures have monopolies over certain businesses. Of course, these are exceptions but generally speaking dry cleaners are run by Chinese, fruit and vegetable markets as well as nail salons are run by Koreans and bodegas are generally run by Dominicans or Puerto Ricans, although in recent years we now also have Arab run corner stores/bodegas.
Bodegas sell a little bit of everything – dry food supplies like cereal, canned soup, cookies, bread etc., household supplies, over the counter medicine, juice, beer and other junk food. Many of them also make sandwiches and sell cold cuts and cheese. A select few might also sell limited fresh produce and make breakfast egg sandwiches.
You can find Dominican salami in a Dominican bodega and some supermarkets that are in neighborhoods with large Dominican populations like Sunset Park in Brooklyn. Outside of NYC, I’m not sure so I would suggest substituting ham if you can’t find Dominican salami.
Had enough of NYC culture? Ok let’s get to the High Protein Breakfast – Breakfast Dominican Style recipe!
…but before we get there maybe you’d like to try some other delicacies from the Dominican Republic.
Domincian Dessert Recipes
- Majarete – Corn Pudding
- Habicheulas con Dulce – Sweet Bean Pudding (protein packed dessert)
To make this a truly traditional Dominican breakfast, it would be accompanied with boiled yuca/cassava or plantain and avocado. I am an avocado hater. Yes, I know it’s a choice I have to defend practically on a daily basis especially with me being Caribbean but it is what it is. I thought this breakfast was filling enough without the yuca or plantain. After all, I am not a laborer going into the fields with my machete to cut down sugarcane. This is a perfect way to start the day without the extras if you live an urban life.
I often add tomatoes or fruit to add some freshness to it and the salami, cheese and egg was balanced perfectly with the tomato. It made the perfect bite of food.
About Dominican Republic
Before we get to the recipe, let’s learn a little about the Dominican Republic.
Dominican Republic is 2/3 of the island of Hispanola. The other 1/3 of the island is the country of Haiti. Dominican Republic is a diverse country with descendants of African slaves, Spanish colonizers and the native Taino population.
The island is often referred to as Quisqueya by the locals. Quisqueya, sometimes spelled as Kiskeya is the Taino word for the island of Hispanola.
The island of Hispanola is located in the Caribbean approximately 800 miles from Miami. It is located in the hurricane belt, so if you are planning to visit, make sure you plan to do so outside of hurricane season.
If you would like to travel to Dominican Republic, the two most popular resort towns are Punta Cana and Puerto Plata. I visited Punta Cana many years ago and it is a great place for kayaking, snorkeling or just lying on the beach!
OK so here’s how to make this easy shmeezy High Protein Breakfast – Breakfast Dominican Style or Desayuna Quisqueya.
High Protein Breakfast – Breakfast Dominican Style
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 4 slices Dominican salami
- 3 slices queso de freier
- grape tomatoes as desired
- sriracha salt as desired
Instructions
- Place eggs in water and cook on high heat for 20 minutes.
- Immediately cover with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- As soon as they are cool enough to handle, remove shells and slice.
- Sprinkle salt as desired on the eggs.
- Spray a skillet with non stick spray.
- Fry cheese until browned on both sides.
- Fry salami slices until browned on both sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Want to add some more Caribbean inspiration into your diet? Check out all the other Caribbean recipes here from Aruba to Trinidad and Puerto Rico!
DO YOU YUM? SAVE IT BELOW!
YumDon’t forget to visit the RECIPE INDEX with over 1000 recipes from around the world including lots of Vegetarian Recipes and Gluten Free Recipes!
Eggs, salami and cheese, that is one filling protein rich breakfast! Like the addition of tomatoes to protein platter.
yes tomatoes are really needed for something fresh to balance the protein and the salt that is in both the cheese and salami
Wow, what a platter, my elder one will definitely enjoy this high protein Dominican style breakfast. Fabulous dish Mir.
thanks – it is quite a filling breakfast!
awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you
What a nice and hearty breakfast to start the day.
hearty it definitely is
That does sound like a very filling dish with that meat, cheese and eggs! Agree something like tomatoes are needed to balance the flavors…
definitely as both the salami and cheese are salted you need something fresh to balance the salt profile in the plate
A healthy combination to kick start one’s day….Beautiful clicks
thank you Renu – it’s definitely a power breakfast!
Love the way you have plated the complete breakfast.Looks nice and colorful.
thank you Vaishali
What a delightful breakfast, though I would add the avocado and some plantain as I’d have to omit the salami. Any excuse to eat cheese in the morning.
yes cheese makes the day go better right 🙂
High protein diet for sure!! Good one, Mir.
thank you – yes for ones looking for a high protein way to start the day this definitely fits the bill
This is my kind of breakfast. Less of carbs and high in protein, it looks so delicious Mir.
yes – its perfect for a Paleo or any kind of low carb diet
The entire plate looks awesome, Mir. Indeed a protein rich breakfast to start your day.
that it is – perfect for low carb diets
That’s a sumptuous breakfast and a protein punch to start the day! Lovely clicks!
thank you Sowmya
That sure is a protein packed breakfast Mir. I have some queso de freier in the fridge and would love to make this some time.
definitely a protein packed way to start the day
definitely a lazy yet hearty weekend breakfast/brunch!:)
that it is – very simple to put together
Eggs, salami n cheese. Sure is packed with protein. Looks yum Mir
thanks – that it is!
This surely is a protein-rich and filling breakfast dish. Looks like the Dominican version of the English breakfast.
never thought of it that way before but yes you’re absolutely right
This protein packed breakfast is good for every day starts meal.
definitely with the energy to get you going in the morning!