THE 10 MOST POPULAR TYPICAL CHILEAN DISHES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The typical Chilean dishes have meat as main ingredients, wheat and vegetables. The gastronomy of this country shows a combination of aboriginal and Spanish cuisine, two cultures that came into contact due to the process of colonization and conquest in America.

However, with the passage of time, other gastronomic cultures have been added to the already existing mix, resulting in current Chilean cuisine.

The phenomenon of migration brought Chile into contact with Italy, Germany, France and certain Arab nations, a relationship that is observed in some Chilean dishes.

For example, the Italians introduced the idea of ​​ice creams in Chile, desserts that they prepared with traditional fruits of the American country. The pasta tradition is also an Italian heritage.

The Arabs brought their love of spices and strong seasonings. The influence of German cuisine is mainly seen in desserts such as kuchens and strudels.

List of typical Chilean dishes

Chilean cuisine is above all the fusion of indigenous gastronomy and Spanish gastronomy.

From the aborigines they take ingredients such as potatoes and corn (the name given to corn). From the Spanish they take wheat and pork, sheep, chicken and cow.

1- Corn cake

The corn cake is prepared with baby corn. With the grains of this vegetable a dough is prepared that can be seasoned with herbs and spices (basil, cumin, sweet pepper, among others).

The dough is spread in a heat-resistant container and a stew of meat, onion and other ingredients is added to it. On top of the stew, another layer of corn masa is added to close the preparation.

Bake until the top layer is golden. When serving, it can be served with a salad of boiled eggs, tomato, basil and olive.

2- Pig in stone

The pig in stone is prepared with tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, oil and salt. All of these ingredients are ground together to form a sauce that can be lightly cooked or eaten fresh.

The pig is ideal to accompany it with bread or with cookies, as an aperitif. It is also used as a side dish in main dishes, to flavor meats and vegetables.

3- Sandwiches

In Chile, eating sandwiches represents a tradition. The two best known are called Chilean politicians: the Barros Jarpa and the Barros Luco.

The first is made of melted cheese and ham, and was named in honor of a former minister. The second is grilled meat and melted cheese, and is named after a former president.

Other typical Chilean sandwiches are the following:

-American: meat, ham, fried eggs and cheese.

-Dynamic: sausage, tomatoes, avocado, tomato sauce and basil sauce.

-Brazilian: melted cheese and avocado.

-As: fried meat, avocado, tomato and mayonnaise.

4- Curanto in hole

Hoyo curanto is one of the typical Chilean dishes that shows the aboriginal influence in its preparation. The most important ingredients are of marine origin.

The word curanto comes from the Mapundungun language and means “stone heated by the sun”, which refers to the way this dish is prepared.

The curanto is prepared in the open air. Before starting to cook, a hole should be dug in the earth, the bottom of which is covered with smooth stones (preferably). In this hole, a fire is made, so that the stones are heated to red hot.

When this happens, the remains of the fire are removed and the cooking is ready to begin. In the hole, a layer of cabbage leaves and a layer of clams and mussels are placed. On these, chicken, beef and pork are added.

To speed up the process, the hole can be covered with more cabbage leaves. This way, the steam will cook the meats faster.

5- Seafood soup

Despite the fact that the Chilean territory has a large coastal area, there are not many dishes that include marine products. One of these is seafood soup, which is made with fillet of hake (a type of white fish), shrimp, and other shellfish.

It is seasoned with onion, garlic, and coriander. It is served with wheat bread and fresh parsley leaves.

6- Paila marina

Another dish that has marine products is the paila marina. This is a soup that is prepared with various seafood: clams, mussels, squid, shrimp, among others. To flavor the broth, spices and white wine are added.

7- Chilean salad

The Chilean salad is prepared with onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, lemon, oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

The traditional Chilean salad is prepared by slicing the onions and letting them soak in water for an hour.

The onions are mixed with the tomatoes and the other ingredients are added to taste. It is served with fresh coriander leaves.

8- Carbon

Carbonada is a stew that is consumed in winter. This is prepared with beef cut into small pieces, various vegetables (potatoes, squash, beans) and dressings to season (chili, onion, garlic and coriander).

When serving this soup, fresh parsley leaves are added.

9- Empanadas

Empanadas are dishes originating from the Arab nations that were adopted by the Spanish due to the invasions of the Moors. Thus, this dish arrived in America after the conquest.

Empanadas are common throughout Latin America. However, in Chile the tradition is to prepare Sunday empanadas, which are made with family or friends.

10- Humitas

Humitas are one of the oldest dishes in Chilean cuisine. These are not exclusive to Chile, but are also found in Peru and Ecuador. These are ripe corn buns that are wrapped in corn husks and boiled.

The salty humita is filled with meat, tomato, onion, garlic and basil. It is accompanied by a stone chacho. For its part, the sweet humita is prepared with brown sugar.

References

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4. Chile Food Recipes. Retrieved on October 26, 2017, from thelatinkitchen.com
5. Food and Cuisine in Chile. Retrieved on October 26, 2017, from chileculture.org
6. Food in Chile. Retrieved on October 26, 2017, from foodbycountry.com
7. Traditional Cuisine. Retrieved on October 26, 2017, from chile.travel