Camila Cabello on Familia & the Cuban Food that Inspires Her

Camilo Cabello is all about her familia’s Cuban food heritage. Just ask her fans and follow her on social, where she sometimes posts about go-to dishes. That’s why we’re betting some of her favorite comida gets namechecked in her third album Familia, which drops April 8. The two-time Latin Grammy winner announced her forthcoming music on her birthday, March 3, with this tweet: ”2 facts: it’s my birthday and this album is my whole fucking heart.” The post included a sneak peek of the cover, showing a young Camila and her mother, to the joy of Camilizers around the world.

In this musical celebration of everything that is most importante to her, we’re pretty sure the Havana-born singer will celebrate her island’s foods, so essential to her sense of family, community, and Cuban heritage.

The title of her new album “means community,” Camila told Billboard News last fall. ”I guess the opposite of you on your own. It’s more you with other people, and sharing in that joy and success, whatever that means. Interdependence: realizing how important everybody is in your life. A lot of it is inspired by my relationships: My relationships to my family, my relationship to my friends, my relationship to my partner … it’s all about connections with other people: hence, Familia.”

Camila’s respect for community and culture is often expressed through her mother’s side of the family tree. The ”Señorita” singer with a Cuban mom and Mexican dad came to the States at age 6, not speaking one word of English. As she learned to speak and eat like an American teen, she stayed true to many of the dishes she grew up loving. She regularly tweets about them. Like the time she posted to her fans: “I’m currently eating fried plantains on my couch with [my dogs] Sofi and Thunder and Leo and refuse to not be in pajamas for the next few days.”

In honor of the new album, her third, here are 3 recipes for Cuban classic foods she’s talked about loving in the media, plus 1 extra we think Camila will love (and top with her favorite fruit).

Camila’s Favorite Food: Banana-na-na-na

Let’s begin with the “Havana” singer-songwriter’s No. 1 all-time food. As every single one of her fans surely knows, Camila Cabello loves-loves-loves bananas. She famously eats one with every meal every day of her life, she has told countless media sites. Three times a day?, asked an aghast U.K. host in this video. ”That’s mental!”

Cabello smiles. “Let me explain to you why. For Cuban people, you have fried plantains with every meal. That’s my way of getting that banana flavor in.”

Here are two family-famous Familia Kitchen recipe for plantains—tostones or plantain fritters, and sweet plantain maduros—for Camila and her fans to make and eat when listening to her new album.

The Classic Cuban Dish Camila Loves: Bistec Encebollado

In another inteview, when asked about her favorite food (the topic comes up a lot), Camila cited this classic Cuban meal. instead of pizza or chicken nuggets—which she also famously adores—she said: bistec encebollado. This traditional dinner is a staple in Cuban homes and restaurants. It’s a thinly-sliced cut of beef, usually palomilla, slow-cooked with sweet, sliced onions. The steak is served with freshly made white rice, a slice of avocado, and—of course—a healthy side of golden-fried plantains‚ either maduros or tostones.

A Dessert Camila Can Eat With Bananas—Flan!

The sole meal Camila has said she might not eat with a banana is dessert. But we think she could stay true to her favorite fruit with this postre. By roasting and caramelizing a banana, Camila could layer its sweet slices over her choice of one of these 7 superstar flans from our Familia Kitchen community of cooks. Flan is a traditional dessert in Cuba. May we recommend the flan de calabaza or pumpkin flan?

Felicidades on this new album, the newest member of her recording Familia. Familia Kitchen is sending all our best to music’s favorite ”Señorita” as she sings, dances and cooks her way home. May her tour schedule be filled with deliciosas comidas. Buen provecho, Camila!