Americas · Traditional

Chilean cuisine

Chilean cuisine stretches from Pacific seafood and central-valley agriculture to Mapuche traditions, Andean crops and Patagonian livestock. Empanadas, maize dishes, stews, bread, shellfish and grilled meat reflect one of the world's longest and most varied food geographies.

Explore recipes Build a Chilean menu Wine pairings

Food history

Why Chilean cuisine is worth exploring

Chilean cuisine was shaped by Indigenous Mapuche and Andean food traditions, Spanish colonisation, Pacific fishing and later European migration. The country's extraordinary length creates cuisines that change from desert to fertile central valleys, Patagonia and remote islands.

Why it is famous

The international reputation of Chilean food rests partly on empanadas de pino, pastel de choclo, cazuela, completo, curanto, seafood and pebre. Yet many of the most revealing things to cook are less famous: the soups, breads, vegetable dishes, preserves and regional meals that show how people have used local ingredients day after day.

Regional food story

The north has Andean ingredients such as quinoa and llama; central Chile is the heart of wine, wheat and many classic home dishes; the south is known for potatoes, pork and German influences; Chiloé has a distinctive potato and seafood culture centred on curanto; Patagonia brings lamb.

How to cook it

Flavours, ingredients and menu ideas

Signature ingredients

Maize, potatoes, beef, chicken, seafood, onions, pumpkin, beans, coriander, chillies and wine are among the ingredients that repeatedly shape Chilean food. Their importance comes from how they are used locally, not simply from appearing in recipes, so regional technique and seasonality remain essential.

Cooking style

Chilean cooking is often comforting and home-style, with baking, stewing and grilling central. Seafood can be extremely simple, while maize and potato dishes show older Indigenous foundations.

Build a menu

Begin with empanadas or seafood, then serve pastel de choclo, cazuela, grilled fish or Patagonian lamb depending on the region. Add pebre for freshness and finish with fruit, leche asada or a simple cake.

Starters Mains Desserts

Cook by course

Chilean recipes

Start with a starter, choose a main, then finish with a dessert to build a complete country-inspired menu.

Starters

Chilean starters

Pebre with Marraqueta

Fresh tomato, coriander, onion and chilli salsa served with crisp Chilean bread.

Starter 15 mins

Palta Reina

Avocado halves filled with a cool chicken, tuna or seafood salad.

Starter 20 mins

Ceviche Chileno

Fresh fish cured with citrus, onion and coriander in a restrained Chilean style.

Starter 25 mins

Choritos al Vapor

Chilean mussels steamed until just open with wine, aromatics and herbs.

Starter 27 mins

Machas a la Parmesana

Razor clams baked on the half shell with wine, butter and Parmesan.

Starter 27 mins

Empanadas de Queso

Fried or baked pastry filled with molten cheese and served piping hot.

Starter 55 mins

Sopaipillas with Pebre

Pumpkin-enriched fried breads served warm with lively pebre.

Starter 1 hr

Humitas Mini Parcels

Fresh corn mixture wrapped in husks and steamed into tender savoury parcels.

Starter 1 hr 25 mins

Main courses

Chilean main courses

Congrio Frito

Conger eel coated and fried until crisp outside and juicy within.

Main 40 mins

Lomo a lo Pobre

Steak with fried potatoes, caramelised onions and eggs.

Main 50 mins

Merluza al Horno

Baked hake with onion, tomato, herbs and clean coastal flavours.

Main 50 mins

Chorrillana

Chips piled with beef, onions and fried eggs for a generous shared plate.

Main 55 mins

Caldillo de Congrio

Aromatic conger-eel broth with vegetables, wine and coastal depth.

Main 1 hr 15 mins

Empanadas de Pino

Baked empanadas filled with seasoned beef, onion, egg, olive and raisin.

Main 1 hr 15 mins

Pollo Arvejado

Chicken braised with peas, carrots and onion in a homely savoury sauce.

Main 1 hr 15 mins

Charquicán

A rustic mash-like stew of beef, potato, pumpkin and seasonal vegetables.

Main 1 hr 20 mins

Pantrucas

Soft strips of simple dough simmered in a comforting meat-and-vegetable broth.

Main 1 hr 20 mins

Carbonada Chilena

Beef and vegetable soup with potato, pumpkin and often a touch of rice.

Main 1 hr 25 mins

Porotos con Riendas

Beans with pumpkin and noodles, thickened into a substantial everyday stew.

Main 1 hr 30 mins

Porotos Granados

Summer cranberry beans stewed with corn, pumpkin and basil.

Main 1 hr 35 mins

Pastel de Choclo

Beef and chicken filling beneath a sweetcorn crust browned with sugar.

Main 1 hr 40 mins

Cazuela de Vacuno

Clear beef broth with large pieces of potato, pumpkin, corn and vegetables.

Main 2 hr 25 mins

Curanto en Olla

Shellfish, meats, potatoes and dumplings layered and steamed in a pot.

Main 2 hr 35 mins

Plateada al Horno

Slow-roasted beef plate cut cooked until tender with concentrated pan juices.

Main 3 hr 55 mins

Desserts

Chilean desserts

Brazo de Reina

Thin sponge rolled around manjar into a soft spiral.

Dessert 45 mins

Alfajores Chilenos

Delicate biscuit sandwiches filled with manjar and often edged with coconut.

Dessert 50 mins

Calzones Rotos

Crisp twisted pastries dusted with icing sugar and scented with citrus.

Dessert 50 mins

Leche Asada

Baked milk custard with a deeply caramelised surface.

Dessert 1 hr 5 mins

Sopaipillas Pasadas

Pumpkin fritters soaked in warm chancaca syrup with citrus and spice.

Dessert 1 hr 5 mins

Kuchen de Manzana Chileno

German-Chilean apple cake with tender fruit and a buttery crumb or custard layer.

Dessert 1 hr 10 mins

Torta de Mil Hojas

Many thin pastry layers joined with dulce de leche and sometimes walnuts.

Dessert 1 hr 35 mins

Mote con Huesillos

Chilled drink-dessert of cooked wheat and dried peaches in spiced syrup.

Dessert 1 hr 45 mins

Wine and drink pairings

What to drink with Chilean food

When pairing wine with Chilean food, match the structure of the dish first: fresh whites for seafood and herbs, medium reds for tomato, spice or roast meat, sparkling wines for fried or salty starters, and sweet or fortified wines for desserts.

Red

Barbera

Bright Italian red with red fruit, low tannin and high acidity. Excellent with tomato, pork, sausages, cheese and heart…

Grape: Barbera Region: Piedmont, Lombardy

Red

Beaujolais / Gamay

Juicy light red with cherry, raspberry and low tannin. Excellent slightly chilled with charcuterie, poultry, pâté, saus…

Grape: Gamay Region: Beaujolais, Loire, Switzerland

Red

Cabernet Sauvignon / Bordeaux

Structured red with blackcurrant, cedar, graphite and firm tannins. Best with roast beef, lamb, steak, rich gravies and…

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc Region: Bordeaux, Napa, Coonawarra, Maipo

Red

Malbec

Plush, dark red with blackberry, plum, cocoa and smooth tannins. Excellent with beef, charred meat, pies and smoky dish…

Grape: Malbec Region: Mendoza, Cahors

Red

Pinot Noir / Burgundy

Elegant red with red cherry, earth, spice and fine tannins. Great with duck, mushroom, poultry, pork and lighter beef d…

Grape: Pinot Noir, Spätburgunder Region: Burgundy, Oregon, Central Otago, Baden

Red

Sangiovese

Italy’s signature red grape style: bright acidity, red fruit and savoury tannin.

Grape: Sangiovese Region: Tuscany, Romagna, Umbria

Red

Spätburgunder

German Pinot Noir with red cherry, earth and gentle spice. Excellent with pork, sausages, roast poultry, mushroom sauce…

Grape: Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir Region: Baden, Ahr, Pfalz

Red

Syrah / Shiraz

Peppery, dark-fruited red with savoury spice and medium-to-firm tannins. Great with grilled meat, pepper, smoke, sausag…

Grape: Syrah, Shiraz Region: Northern Rhône, Barossa, South Africa

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Plan the full table

Build a Chilean menu

Buy seafood very fresh, choose maize and potatoes suited to the dish, and keep merkén, cumin, oregano, onions and good stock ingredients. Chilean wine is useful in braises, but it should be drinkable rather than merely cheap. For empanadas, balance a moist filling with properly rested dough.

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