Features of Cuisine in Chile

The dishes of Latin American countries delight and surprise with unusual combinations of ingredients, delicious drinks, and refined delicacies. This is especially true for the cuisine of Chile. The culture, ecology, economy, location, and climate of the country are reflected in its cuisine. The national cuisine of Chile attracts with its unique flavor, local traditions, and influences from European countries and the Middle East. Here you can try many original dishes, but the majority are based on seafood, corn, rice, potatoes, yams, and other vegetables.

Let’s explore the characteristics of Chilean cuisine, taking into account regional peculiarities, the influence of other cultures, cooking methods, and the culinary preferences of Chileans. We also recommend the main dishes and desserts you should try if you are planning to immigrate to Chile, have a baby, or spend some time in this wonderful country.

Historical Overview of Chilean Cuisine

Before exploring the traditional cuisine of Chile, let’s take a look at how it has been shaped by other cultures.

The country was originally inhabited by Indian tribes such as the Incas. In the 16th century, the country was invaded by the Spanish, who almost wiped out the Incas. The surviving population had to adapt not only to the new life but also to the food. Very quickly, the cuisine of Chile was filled with traditional Spanish recipes. However, Spanish cooks also learned many culinary tricks from the Indians.

Soon, people from other parts of the world began to come to this exotic country, constantly modifying and improving the local cuisine. Today, it differs from many other Latin American countries, for example, by its minimal spiciness. Although the name of the country is associated with pepper, it does not refer to the spicy fruit. Chile resembles a pepper pod due to its specific geographical contours.

Chilean dishes are diverse. Some recipes resemble Peruvian, Argentinean, Mexican, or Spanish cuisine, while others are unique Inca recipes. The ingredients are simple, but the food is delicious and inexpensive. The popularity of Chilean cuisine is such that many consider it a unique tourist attraction.

What a Chilean Meal Looks Like

Chileans typically eat more often than people in many other countries, with four meals a day in relatively large quantities. These meals are strictly timed:

• Breakfast: More of a hearty snack, typically consisting of local strong mate tea and oil-fried slices of white bread (toast or crackers). Coffee is less common.
• Lunch: The main meal of the day, with government and commercial organizations closing between 1 and 3 pm. Rich lunches include several dishes (first, second, and appetizers), with impressive portions.
• Snack: Known as “Onse,” this falls between 5 and 7 pm and includes fried fritters with local sauces and cheeses, bread with sweet spreads, and desserts.
• Dinner: Served quite late, from 10 pm to midnight. Since it is not customary to cook dinner in Chile, all kinds of sandwiches are served, along with hearty meat or seafood dishes, but no soups. Red wine is almost always included.

Main Dishes and Recipes of Chilean Cuisine

There are differences in the culinary traditions of different regions. In the mountains, the menu is less varied, while in the central regions, many ingredients are used. One thing remains common to all regions: dishes often include corn, meat, potatoes, vegetables, and rice, with the addition of garlic and pepper. Tortillas (corn flour tortillas) and boiled corn with spices (humitas) are common. Meat recipes are varied, with chicken, beef, and pork preferred on the coast and in the center, while alpaca, llama, and lamb are common in the mountains.

Meat Dishes

• Grilled Meat: Typically includes chicken, lamb, and beef, cooked on coals. The ingredients are spread out on a grill, salted, seasoned, and roasted until juicy, often with sausages.
• Meat Soups: Important in the Chilean menu, such as cazuela (beef with vegetables), carbonara (vegetables and rice), and charkinan (pureed soup with lentils served with fried eggs). Other popular soups include ahiaco (pumpkin, carrots, potatoes), caldo de pata (pork legs), and consomme (chicken broth with a boiled egg and fresh herbs).
• Second Courses: French fries are often used, such as in choriyan (sausages and various meats on fried potatoes with onions) and pastel de choclo (minced meat, olives, boiled eggs, onions, raisins, baked in the oven). Parillada includes fried cow entrails and blood sausage.

Fish Dishes

Chilean seafood cuisine is varied and delicious:

• Soups: Paila Marina (fish, clams, eels, sea stars, mussels, cuttlefish, spring onions, coriander) and Caldillo de Congrio (eels and chili peppers). Sea urchin broth is a local favorite.
• Starters: Ceviche (finely chopped seafood with onions, coriander, pepper, lemon juice), Camarones al pil pil (shrimp in garlic wine sauce), and Machas a la Parmesana (mussels baked with cheese). Mountain regions offer simple yet tasty fried trout.

Dishes for Vegetarians

Vegetarian dishes are not very popular in Chile, but you can find traditional recipes from the Incas in some establishments:

• Humita: Cornmeal tortillas with hot peppers, oil, basil, and onions, wrapped in corncob leaves and boiled or baked.
• Porotos Granados: A vegetable stew with corn, beans, and basil, often with other vegetables.
• Pastel de Choclo: Prepared with meat but also available in vegetarian versions.
• Cyttaria: An orange mushroom served fresh with lime or lemon juice.
• Ensalada a la Chilena: Onions and tomatoes diced and seasoned with coriander and vegetable oil.
• Pebre: A classic sauce of onions, tomatoes, red pepper paste, and coriander, served with tortillas, main courses, and salads.

Baked Goods

Bread is revered in Chile, with a variety of delicious baked goods:

• Marraqueta Bread: Used for sandwiches and toasts.
• Hallulla Bread: Made in southern Chile, used for burgers with fried eggs, vegetables, and cheese.
• Pan para Completos: Special hot dog buns.
• Pan Amasado: Flour delicacy from the southern regions.
• Piñones: Made from the fruit of the Araucaria tree, tasting like chestnuts.
• Tortilla de Rescoldo: An Inca recipe, the dough is placed in hot sand and fire.
• Pan con Chicharrones: Savory bread with roasted pork, baked in the oven.

Desserts

Chileans love sweets, often served at every meal:

• Manjar: Milk caramel similar to boiled condensed milk, used in waffles, biscuits, rolls, and cakes.
• Berlines: Sweet round buns with pudding or milk caramel, deep-fried.
• Calzones Rotos: Dough fried in oil and sprinkled with powdered sugar, sold on the streets.

Drinks

Non-alcoholic drinks include packaged juices and sodas, with coffee and tea being less common. Notable drinks include:

• Mate: Tea brewed in a special way.
• Mote con Huecillo: Syrup made from peaches and wheat grains.

Chile offers a variety of alcoholic beverages, including numerous cocktails and quality wines that can compete with European ones. Popular drinks include Pisco sour, Piscola, Michelada, Fanchop, Malta, Cola de Mono, Vaina, Terremoto, and Hote.

Useful Information for Foreigners

Chilean cuisine offers a variety of flavors, influenced by European and local traditions. Every tourist, including vegetarians, expectant mothers, and healthy eaters, will find dishes worth trying. Fresh seafood, meat, shellfish, and a wide range of fruits and vegetables are always available.

Popular Chilean establishments serving local cuisine include:

• 99 Restaurante – Santiago
• Pica Mar Adentro – La Serena
• Borago – Santiago
• Donde Augusta – Santiago
• Singular – Santiago
• Aquí Está Coco – Santiago

Chile is a food lover’s paradise with an amazingly delicious cuisine. The importance of its cultural heritage and ancient recipes cannot be overstated. It is not by chance that the country attracts tourists with its original, exotic, and unique dishes.