Cuchuflí: How to Make Chile’s Manjar-Filled Wafer Rolls
Cuchuflí are Chile’s crisp wafer rolls filled with manjar. Learn what they are, how they compare with barquillos and cubanitos, and how to bake them at home.
Chilean Foods: Recipes, Drinks, Desserts & Cooking Guides
✦ October’s Featured Dish
Terremoto
Sweet pipeño wine topped with pineapple ice cream and a splash of grenadine. The drink poured at every fonda during Chile's Fiestas Patrias in September.
Get the Recipe →Explore Chilean Food
Breads
Sopapillas and the breads of Chile's table.
Desserts
Brazo de reina and Chile's favorite sweet treats.
Drinks
Terremoto, cola de mono, and Chile's favorite beverages.
Empanadas
Empanadas de pino, Chile's beloved beef empanadas.
Holiday Dishes
Pan de Pascua, cola de mono and the Christmas asado.
Ingredients
Pisco, marraqueta, and the pantry staples of Chilean cooking.
Main Dishes
Pastel de choclo, bistec a lo pobre and chorrillana.
Sandwiches
Churrasco italiano and Chile's iconic sandwiches.
Seafood
Fresh catches from Chile's 2,600-mile coastline.
Side Dishes
The classic sides that round out a Chilean meal.
Soups & Stews
Hearty traditional Chilean soups and stews.
Street Foods
Completos, empanadas de pino and sopaipillas.
The Complete Chilean Food Guide
25 traditional dishes, ingredients, and cooking guides in one place.
Explore the Guide →Empanadas de Pino, Chile's Classic Beef Empanadas
Hand-folded pastries filled with seasoned beef, onions, olives, and egg.
View the Recipe →Pastel de Choclo, Corn and Beef Casserole
A sweet-savory casserole of ground beef and chicken under a golden corn crust.
View the Recipe →Chorrillana, Chile's Ultimate Comfort Food
A mountain of fries topped with beef, sausage, onions, and fried eggs.
View the Recipe →Bistec a lo Pobre, Steak, Potatoes & Eggs
A hearty steak plate piled with fries, caramelized onions, and fried eggs.
View the Recipe →Latest Chilean Recipes
View All Recipes →Cuchuflí: How to Make Chile’s Manjar-Filled Wafer Rolls
Paila Marina: How to Make Chile’s Classic Seafood Stew
Empanadas de Pino (Chilean Beef Empanadas)
Empanada Dough: Easy Homemade Recipe for Baking or Frying
Locos con Mayonesa: Chilean Abalone with Homemade Mayo
Charquicán Recipe: Chile’s Hearty Beef and Squash Stew
Yuca Fries (Yuca Frita): Crispy Fried, Baked & Air Fryer Recipe
Pebre Recipe: Fresh Chilean Salsa with Tomato & Cilantro
Pastel de Choclo Recipe: Traditional Chilean Corn Pie
Chilean Ingredients: 14 Essentials from Desert to Patagonia
A little Chilean curiosity
Fun Facts About Chilean Foods
Big flavors. Little surprises. There’s a story in every bite.
Flag on a bunChile’s hot dog is an Italian flag.
The favorite completo, the “italiano,” is buried under mashed avocado, chopped tomato and mayonnaise: green, red and white. It takes two hands and a lot of napkins.
Tea timeChileans eat “eleven” at 6 p.m.
The evening tea of bread, avocado, cheese and tea is called once, Spanish for eleven. One story says it was code for aguardiente, which has eleven letters. Nobody’s sure.
Chilean Food FAQs
A little curious? Open a question.Is Chilean food spicy?
Mostly not. Chilean cooking is built on bread, seafood, beans and corn. The heat comes from the table: merkén, a smoked chili seasoning, and pebre, a fresh salsa of cilantro, onion and ají.
Explore the Chilean pantry →What’s the national dish of Chile?
There’s no official one, but pastel de choclo is a strong favorite: a clay dish of beef, onion, olives and egg under a sweet, golden crust of ground fresh corn. Empanadas de pino are close behind.
Get the pastel de choclo recipe →Is pisco Chilean or Peruvian?
Both countries make it and both claim it. Chilean pisco comes from five northern valleys, is made from Muscat grapes and is sold by strength, from 30% to 46% alcohol.
Read about pisco →What is mote con huesillo?
Chile’s summer drink: sweet, cold nectar poured over dried peaches (huesillos) and cooked husked wheat (mote), sold from street carts and eaten with a spoon.
Make mote con huesillo →Chilean Food 101: Dishes You Need to Try
Chile is home to one of South America’s most distinctive culinary traditions, where Indigenous Mapuche heritage, Spanish influences, and the country’s remarkable geography have shaped a cuisine unlike any other. Stretching from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia, Chile’s diverse landscapes provide an abundance of fresh seafood, seasonal produce, hearty meats, and world-class wines. From comforting corn casseroles and traditional soups to fresh seafood, sandwiches, and beloved desserts, Chilean food reflects the country’s rich cultural heritage and regional diversity. Chilean cuisine is especially known for its simple, high-quality ingredients and recipes passed down through generations.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Chile, searching for authentic Chilean recipes, or discovering the country’s most iconic dishes, you’ll find everything you need here. Explore favorites like pastel de choclo, empanadas de pino, cazuela, completos, humitas, and curanto, along with traditional Chilean desserts, refreshing drinks, cooking guides, and regional specialties from Santiago, Valparaíso, Chiloé, and Patagonia. Whether you’re preparing a family meal or exploring Chilean cuisine for the first time, you’ll discover recipes and guides that celebrate one of South America’s most unique food cultures.
If you’re new to Chilean cuisine, start with our comprehensive guide to Traditional Chilean Foods, then continue exploring our authentic recipes, desserts, drinks, and regional food guides. Whether you’re cooking at home or planning a visit to Chile, AmigoFoods is your trusted resource for authentic Chilean food.
Paila Marina: How to Make Chile’s Classic Seafood Stew
Paila marina is Chile’s classic seafood stew: clams, mussels, firm white fish and shrimp simmered in a broth of fish … Read more
Empanadas de Pino (Chilean Beef Empanadas)
Empanadas de pino are Chile’s classic baked beef empanadas: a big, golden pastry folded around pino, a juicy filling of … Read more
Empanada Dough: Easy Homemade Recipe for Baking or Frying
A tender, sturdy homemade empanada dough with flour, cold butter, egg and ice water, plus disc sizes, baking vs. frying, variations and freezing tips.
Locos con Mayonesa: Chilean Abalone with Homemade Mayo
Locos con mayonesa is Chile’s most celebrated seafood starter: tender, chilled locos (the sea snail sold abroad as “Chilean abalone”) … Read more
Charquicán Recipe: Chile’s Hearty Beef and Squash Stew
Charquicán is Chile’s everyday comfort stew: ground beef, winter squash and potatoes simmered with paprika, cumin and oregano, then roughly … Read more
Yuca Fries (Yuca Frita): Crispy Fried, Baked & Air Fryer Recipe
Yuca fries, or yuca frita, are sticks of cassava boiled until tender, then cooked until golden and crisp. This six-serving … Read more
Pebre Recipe: Fresh Chilean Salsa with Tomato & Cilantro
Pebre is a fresh Chilean salsa of finely chopped cilantro, onion, chile and tangy dressing. This tomato version needs no … Read more
Pastel de Choclo Recipe: Traditional Chilean Corn Pie
Pastel de choclo is Chilean corn pie with savory beef-and-onion pino, chicken, eggs and olives beneath a fragrant corn-and-basil topping. … Read more
Chilean Ingredients: 14 Essentials from Desert to Patagonia
Chile is 2,600 miles long and never more than about 220 wide. That shape decides the food. There is desert … Read more
Chilean Street Food: 14 Street Eats & Where to Find Them
Street food in Chile is not a scene you have to hunt for. It is the cart outside the Metro … Read more
25 Traditional Chilean Dishes You Need to Try (Authentic Chilean Food Guide)
Stretching more than 2,600 miles (4,300 km) along South America’s Pacific coast, Chile is home to one of the continent’s … Read more
20 Traditional Chilean Desserts and Sweet Treats
Chilean desserts reflect the country’s mix of Indigenous traditions, Spanish influences, and local ingredients such as manjar, fruit, nuts, and … Read more
Pisco Sour Recipe: How to Make the Classic Peruvian Cocktail
Pisco sour balances grape brandy, fresh lime and simple syrup under a silky egg-white foam. This Peruvian-style recipe makes one … Read more
Pan de Pascua, Traditional Chilean Fruitcake for the Holidays
Pan de Pascua is a spiced fruitcake enjoyed at Christmas in Chile. This butter-based version combines dried fruit, nuts, citrus … Read more