Locro argentino is a thick Argentine stew made with dried white corn, beans, squash, and slow-cooked meat. Tender beef and pork make it satisfying, while a spoonful of paprika-and-scallion sauce adds a bright red finish and as much heat as you like.
Especially associated with patriotic celebrations, locro is also a welcoming meal for a cool day. You need the right dried corn, a little preparation the night before, and enough time for the meat, corn, and beans to become tender.
What Is Locro?
Locro is one of Argentina’s best-known traditional dishes. Its thick texture develops as the squash breaks down and the corn and beans soften. The finished stew should be spoonable, with enough liquid to bring everything together.
Recipes differ from one household to another. Some include chorizo colorado, pancetta, pork skin, or trotters alongside beef and pork. This home version uses boneless meat and a separate sauce for serving, making preparation more straightforward.
Locro’s Andean Origins and Argentine Traditions
Locro has roots in the cooking traditions of Indigenous Andean peoples. Corn, squash, and beans formed an early foundation; later versions incorporated additional meats and ingredients following Spanish colonization. Over time, the dish spread beyond its regional origins and became closely connected with Argentine national identity. Argentina’s official cultural overview describes that history.
Today, a shared pot of locro is especially associated with May 25, which commemorates the May Revolution, and July 9, Argentina’s Independence Day. Both dates fall during the country’s cooler months. Argentina’s May 25 food traditions reflect the stew’s role in gathering family and friends around the table.
Ingredients That Make Locro Distinctive
Dried white corn: what to buy
Look for maíz blanco partido, or dried cracked white corn sold for locro. This is the corn specified in the recipe below. The name appears in Argentina’s government-published locro recipe.
A label that simply says “hominy” does not tell you whether you have the product this recipe uses. Check the package and choose dried cracked white corn for locro. Canned hominy and sweet corn are not direct substitutes in these soaking and cooking instructions.
White beans and squash
Dried Great Northern beans add substance to this version. Soak them separately from the corn so both are easy to drain and rinse.
Squash contributes sweetness and helps thicken the stew as it softens. Butternut squash is a practical choice for this recipe. Weigh it after peeling and removing the seeds.
Beef, pork, and pancetta
Beef chuck and pork shoulder provide tender pieces of meat after slow cooking. A smaller amount of pancetta or thick-cut bacon adds richness. Other locro recipes use ribs, chorizo, or trotters, but these ingredients need their own preparation and are not interchangeable in equal quantities.
Paprika-and-scallion sauce
A warm sauce made with scallions, oil or fat, paprika, and chili is a traditional accompaniment. Often called grasita colorada, it lets each diner season their bowl. Cocineros Argentinos includes this finishing sauce in its locro preparation.
How to Make Locro Argentino
Start by soaking the dried corn and beans overnight. The next day, cook the aromatics, add the meat and soaked ingredients, and simmer gently. Add the squash partway through cooking, then continue until everything is tender.
The recipe card below includes the quantities, full method, and sauce. Allow about 30 minutes for preparation and roughly 3 hours for cooking, plus 8–12 hours for soaking. Older dried ingredients may need more time.
This home-cooking adaptation draws on the ingredient combinations and staged cooking methods used by Paulina Cocina and Cocineros Argentinos, with simplified meat choices.
Locro Argentino (Argentine Corn, Bean and Meat Stew)
A thick Argentine stew made with dried white corn, beans, squash, beef, and pork, finished with a warm paprika-and-scallion sauce.
Ingredients
- For the locro
- 250 g dried cracked white corn for locro (maíz blanco partido)
- 200 g dried Great Northern beans
- 450 g beef chuck, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 450 g boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 100 g pancetta or thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 750 g butternut squash, weighed after peeling and seeding, cubed
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Up to 2 tablespoons neutral oil, as needed
- 2.5 liters water, plus more as needed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- For the paprika-and-scallion sauce
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 4 scallions, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon crushed chili
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Soak the corn and beans in separate bowls with plenty of water. Refrigerate for 8–12 hours, then drain and rinse.
- Heat a heavy pot of at least 7 liters over medium heat. Cook the pancetta until some fat renders. Add oil as needed, soften the onion, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the beef, pork, corn, beans, and 2.5 liters fresh water, adding more to submerge the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer, partially covered, for 1.5 hours. Stir occasionally and replenish water as needed.
- Add the squash, paprika, and cumin. Simmer for another 1–1.5 hours, or longer, until the meat is fork-tender and the corn and beans are fully softened. Stir more frequently as the stew thickens.
- Mash some squash against the pot and stir it back in. Add hot water if too thick, or simmer uncovered if too thin. Season with salt and pepper.
- For the sauce, warm 3 tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the scallions until softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the paprika, chili, and salt.
- Ladle the locro into bowls and drizzle with sauce. Offer extra sauce at the table.
Notes
Use dried cracked white corn sold for locro; canned hominy and sweet corn are not direct substitutes. Cooking time is approximate: older corn and beans can take longer. Soaking takes 8–12 hours; the displayed total uses 8 hours. Yield is approximately 6–8 servings. Stir across the bottom to prevent sticking. Equipment: heavy pot of at least 7 liters and a small skillet.
Tips for a Better Pot of Locro
- Check tenderness before serving. Taste several corn kernels and beans. They should be fully softened, even if they need extra cooking time.
- Stir more often as it thickens. Sweep the spoon across the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking.
- Keep extra hot water nearby. Evaporation varies with your pot, lid, and burner. Add water gradually to maintain a thick but spoonable consistency.
- Season gradually. Pancetta and bacon vary in saltiness. Taste the stew before adding the final salt.
- Serve the sauce separately. Everyone can choose their preferred heat level.
What to Serve with Locro
Locro makes a substantial main course on its own. A little crusty bread is useful for soaking up the last spoonfuls, and a simple green salad can round out the meal. If you enjoy wine with dinner, Malbec is one option to consider.
For more meals to add to your cooking list, explore our guide to Argentinian soups and stews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is locro spicy?
This version is mild before the sauce is added. Adjust the crushed chili in the topping to suit your taste, or leave it out for a milder finish.
Does locro need cream to thicken it?
No cream is needed in this recipe. The softened squash and starchy ingredients give the stew its body. Mash a few squash pieces against the side of the pot and stir them back in.
Can I use canned corn or beans?
This recipe is written for dried ingredients. Canned products need different quantities and timing, so they should not be substituted directly into these instructions.
Why is my corn still firm?
Dried corn varies in age and cooking time. Keep the stew at a gentle simmer, add hot water as needed, and continue cooking until the kernels soften. Also check that you bought the dried cracked white corn specified in the recipe.
Is there one traditional locro recipe?
No single version represents every household. The combination of meats, beans, squash, and seasonings varies. This recipe uses accessible boneless cuts while keeping dried white corn at its center.
Bring Locro to Your Table
Start the soaking the night before, give the pot time, and let tenderness guide the cooking. Finish each bowl with the scallion sauce, set out some bread, and gather everyone around while the locro is hot.
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.