The traditional Venezuelan doughnut-shaped fried pastry is called a mandoca.
Mandocas are fried rings made primarily from cornmeal, often combined with grated cheese, plantain, and panela or another unrefined sugar. They are especially associated with the Zulia region of Venezuela, where they are commonly eaten for breakfast or as a snack. Their ring or horseshoe-like shape makes them visually similar to a doughnut, but their ingredients and flavor are distinctly savory-sweet.
The use of cornmeal connects mandocas with Venezuela’s broader tradition of maize-based foods. Cheese and plantain give the pastry a richer texture and a flavor profile unlike the sugar-glazed doughnuts common in North America.
Mandocas are sometimes confused with arepas because both use cornmeal and are important Venezuelan foods. Arepas are generally griddled or baked and are split or filled, while mandocas are shaped and deep-fried. The regional Zulia connection is an important clue when identifying the pastry.