Types Of Food You Will Find Only In Chile

Chile an cuisine is renowned for being hearty, with carbs being the base for most dishes. Unlike many European meals that have become internationally known and are now readily available in every corner of the globe, many of these meals are unknown beyond the borders of Chile. If you’d like to try them, you’ll just have to book yourself a trip.

Curanto

Typically prepared in Chiloe, this popular dish has spread to many markets in the south of Chile. Its preparation is a real show; it’s cooked on hot stones in a hole in the ground, then covered with large palm leaves and left to smoke. The meal usually includes potatoes, vegetables, a variety of sea food, meat and sausage.

Chorillana

Sopaipillas

You will most likely see Chilean women selling sopaipillas on every street corner in Santiago, especially when it rains. This doughy mixture is made of pumpkin, lard and flour, deep-fried and served with either chancho en piedra or pebre.

Empanada de Pino

This is not your usual beef empanada: it has a couple of surprises for you that you will discover mid-bite. The ground beef pastry also includes onions, raisins, black olives and a hard-boiled egg. Another popular Chilean empanada is queso camarón, which containscheese and prawns.

Milcao

Another dish that is typical of the Chiloe archipelago is this potato pancake, made with raw grated potatoes and mixed with mashed potatoes. They can be eaten numerous different ways, whether they’re oven-baked or fried, cooked in a curanto or boiled and eaten sweetened with honey.

Pastel de Jaiba

With crab pulled straight from the depths of the Pacific Ocean, this Chilean crab casserole is an explosion of taste. Many spices play a role, and they include ají (smoked chilli), oregano, cumin, garlic, paprika and seasoning. It is a hearty meal, served with bread soaked in cream and melted cheese, and goes nicely with a glass of Chardonnay.

Machas a la Parmesana

Machas are a saltwater clam local to Chile. The macha is covered with parmesan and a little butter, and seasoned with white wine or a drop of lemon, then baked for a few minutes.The dish is thought to have been created in the 1950s in Viña del Mar by Italian Edoardo Melotti Ferrari.

Choriqueso

Brought to you from Punta Arenas, and namely from the famed picada (cheap restaurant) Kiosco Roca, this is a rather strange concoction of chorizo with homemade mayonnaise in bread. What’s more, it is traditional to eat it with a glass of banana milk. It’s not to be confused with the Mexican choriqueso, which is a fondue made with chorizo and cheese.

Chancho en Piedra

This is a traditional Chilean salsa that is pummelled with a pestle and mortar so that it obtains the correct texture – that is, relatively smooth, with no large chunks. It’s easy to try at home: use three ripe tomatoes, two cloves of garlic, two chilis, vegetable oil and seasoning. It is eaten with bread, sopaipillas and on occasions, fresh cheese.

Chumbeque

This sweet treat is common in the north of Chile, and traditionally comes from Iquique. It is made with vegetable butter, egg yolks, cinnamon, sesame and flour, with layers of honey or other fruits. Some adjustments have been made to the recipe, trading the honey for manjar or chocolate, much like an alfajor. These sweets have a long shelf life, as they don’t loose their flavour or become soggy.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.