Argentina has a rich gastronomy sheltered in its vast and fertile fields, where cattle grow wild and all kinds of cereals, fruits and vegetables are abundant.
Let us know in this article the 40 typical foods of Argentina.
1. Argentine barbecue, all of Argentina
Although lamb, pork and other cuts are also popular, Argentine barbecues are mainly beef, since the country’s herd exceeds 50 million cattle (more than one per inhabitant).
The most common methods are the cross roast (typical way of preparing a whole lamb), the stake roast and the spit roast, while the iconic cut is the rib or strip.
As the asado is slow-cooked and takes time, Argentines eat the picadita and the choripán accompanied by a good Mendoza red.
2. Jigote catamarca, province of Catamarca
Jigote is a traditional dish from Catamarca, a province in the north of the Argentine Republic. It is a very powerful and energetic preparation typical among workers in times of reaping and harvesting.
It has minced meat, beef or goat, goat cheese, hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, bread, onions, salt and condiments.
A mixture of water or a broth with salt and some condiments such as cumin, oregano, pepper and paprika powder is made. The bottom of a saucepan is covered with oil and the ingredients are placed in layers or floors.
First a layer of sliced onions, then a layer of minced meat, followed by layers of sliced cheese, sliced hard-boiled egg, and ending with slices of bread.
For a larger jigote, other layers must be placed in the same order. After putting each one, it is sprinkled with the dressing made with the condiments. After cooking it is left with the appearance of a lasagna.
3. Locro, province of Chaco
The locro is typical of the Chaco, a province of Norte Grande Argentino in the northeast of the country. It is a stew of pre-Columbian origin, although its definitive recipe was settled with the arrival of cattle and pigs brought by the conquerors.
It is a succulent dish based on beef, sausages, pork legs, fat tripe, beef tripe and smoked bacon, as the main animal components. A caloric stew that is consumed accompanied by red wine, especially in winter.
The vegetables used are beans (beans), white corn and pumpkin. Some of the many locro recipes include cassava, wheat, and peas. The meat can be fresh or charqui and is cooked over a slow heat.
The most succulent locro (pulsudo or poor locro) does not contain meat, while the “light locro” has fewer ingredients and its texture is light.
The dish is traditionally eaten on the main Argentine national dates such as May 25 and July 9. It is prepared and served in summer with refreshments and light drinks.
4. Roast lamb, province of Chubut
Chubut is one of the provinces of Patagonia and the Patagonian lamb is one of the typical dishes of Argentina. It is a popular animal in the region whose meat is tender, lean and tasty.
In order for an Argentine lamb to be classified as Patagonian, it must have been raised in a natural environment in the provinces of Chubut, Neuquén, Río Negro, Santa Cruz or Tierra del Fuego, exclusively fed with mother’s milk and Patagonian forage.
It is easy to recognize it in supermarkets by the sticker on a blue background with the stylized image of a lamb and the texts “Patagonian Lamb” and “Argentina”.
The cross-roasted lamb is made on a special spit in which the piece is secured by the legs with the head down, keeping it between 50 and 80 cm from the embers.
It is a typical dish from Chubut and Patagonia, where the animal must be between 3 and 6 months old, the age when the meat reaches its greatest tenderness and softness.
For a group of 6 to 8 people, a standing 8 to 12 kilo specimen is needed.
5. Empanadas from Córdoba, province of Córdoba
A typical dish from Córdoba is the empanadas from Córdoba made with a dough of flour, brine and pork fat. The filling is a stew based on ground meat, eggs and vegetables.
For a good amount of empanadas, mix 400 grams of flour, 100 cc of brine and 50 grams of melted pork fat in a bowl, ingredients that are kneaded until well integrated.
After letting it rest for 30 minutes, the dough is spread out to 2 mm thick and cut into rings of the desired size for the empanada.
Sauté red bell pepper (100 grams) with onion (200 grams) and add ground meat (200 grams) and salt and ground chili to taste.
It is cooked and green olives (20 grams), raisins (30 grams) and sugar (2 tablespoons) are added. 150 grams of chopped potatoes are boiled until softened and added to the stew along with 2 finely chopped hard-boiled eggs. The empanadas are assembled and baked.
6. Mbaipy, province of Corrientes
One of the dishes from Corrientes with Guarani heritage is the mbaipy, a very caloric preparation based on yellow corn flour, although there are variants with cassava, wheat and white corn flour.
The other ingredients are vegetables, cheese and an animal component that can be chicken, red chorizo or charqui.
The recipe spread from the countryside to the cities, where they prepare the mbaipy mainly with chicken or sausage. Although it has similarities with polenta both in origin and flavor, they are two different dishes.
The mbaipy was already eaten by the Guarani before the Conquest, but it was with the arrival of the Spaniards that the dish ended up conforming to the contributions of the invaders.
7. Grilled dorado, province of Entre Ríos
A simple local recipe for preparing goldfish is grilled.
A dressing is made based on garlic, onion, salt, lemon and chimichurri and with this mixture the open fish is bathed in a butterfly style, roasting it over a wood or charcoal grill. When golden, remove from the heat, add more lemon and it will be ready to eat.
8. Baked surubí, province of Formosa
The surubí or cat fish is a traditional food from the Argentine province of Formosa.
To prepare a couple of good baked slices, mix 100 grams of chopped black olives, 2 chopped perita tomatoes, 200 grams of grated cheese and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. It reserves.
Put the fish in a container for oven and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Cover with the previous mixture and if you want, add more grated cheese. After baking, it is accompanied with potatoes and sliced zucchini.
9. Anchi, province of Jujuy
Anchy is one of the typical desserts of Argentina and Jujuy, a province in the Norte Grande region, bordering Bolivia and Chile.
Jujuy is a great producer of citrus fruits and 2 of them, lemon and orange, are part of this delicious dessert that is based on corn grits.
½ kilo of semolina, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, ¼ kilo of sugar, a stick of cinnamon and water are required.
Citrus juice is boiled together with sugar, cinnamon and orange peel. The semolina is rinsed 3 times in water and added to the boiling juices, letting it cook over low heat for another 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
After resting, it is placed in a glass bowl and refrigerated, eating only when it is cold and has reached a thick consistency. It can also be eaten hot, but with a lighter texture.
10. Pickled vizcacha, province of La Pampa
One of the typical foods of Argentina, especially in the vast plains of the Pampas, in the center of the republic, is the vizcacha, a rodent similar to a rabbit.
For a clean and chopped vizcacha, you need 2 cups of oil, one of vinegar, a kilo of carrots, a kilo of onions, a red and a green bell pepper, and salt and seasonings to taste.
Boil the vizcacha in oil and vinegar and add salt and seasonings to taste. Let it boil until the meat is almost tender and add the carrot, onion and bell peppers cut into julienne strips. It is turned off when the vegetables are cooked, it is left to rest, bottled and stored in the refrigerator.
11. Peaches in wine, province of La Rioja
La Rioja is a province in northwestern Argentina bordering Chile, characterized by its mountainous relief, sparse vegetation and lack of permanent watercourses, so its agriculture is based on artificial irrigation.
Among its main products are olives, grapes and wines, which are used in the preparation of meals and desserts such as peaches in wine.
For 4 large, fresh and healthy peaches, 100 grams of sugar, the peel of a lemon, a cinnamon stick, red wine and a touch of brandy (optional) are required.
Peel and chop the peaches and put them in a container together with the sugar, the lemon peel and the cinnamon stick, covering them with red wine and if desired, adding the brandy.
It is left to macerate for at least 4 days so that the fruit is impregnated with the flavors and aromas of the other ingredients.
12. Chanfaina burguillana, province of Mendoza
Mendoza, a province in the center-west of Argentina bordering Chile, is the main seat of the republic’s wine industry with more than 60% of national production, world-class wineries and tourist routes focused on wine.
One of the typical dishes from Mendoza is the Burguillana chanfaina, a recipe based on suckling pig entrails whose ingredients are local.
A small piece of meat is minced with a hyderabad, the lungs, heart and kidneys of a suckling pig and sautéed over low heat in a sauce prepared with garlic and some bay leaves.
Pepper, thyme, rosemary, mint, cloves and salt to taste are added. Continue frying until the preparation is bathed in juices. Finally, a piece of meat and a glass of wine are added, keeping the fire low until the final cooking.
13. Dulce de mamón, province of Misiones
Mamón is an exotic fruit from the American intertropical zone that is very rich in vitamin C. One of the main producers is Brazil and the Argentine province of Misiones has adopted it because it is a neighbor of the Amazonian giant.
Although it is slow-cooked, dulce de mamón is easy to prepare.
The recipe calls for one kilo of sugar for every kilo of raw fruit. The shell is removed and with a spoon the thin layer of pulp is removed, which is added to boiling water.
After boiling for 4 minutes, the cooking water is discarded and the pulp is rinsed several times with fresh water. Cook in enough cold water for 3 hours over low heat, adding the sugar little by little and reserve for the next day.
Put it back on the fire adding some sugar, vanilla and cloves, until a syrup of the desired texture is formed.
14. Lamb curry, province of Neuquén
The province of Neuquén is in the center-west of the Argentine Republic, bordering Chile. It is an important producer of apples, pears, plums, peaches, sour cherries, sarsaparilla, grapes and fine white wines.
Lamb curry is one of the typical dishes in Argentina, particularly in Neuquén. For 800 grams of meat, you need the mixture of spices, a glass of white wine, an onion, flour, olive oil, salt, pepper and water.
The meat is cut into small pieces, passed through flour and fried. Once the meat is browned, add the diced onion, a tablespoon of curry (or more if you want more spice), the wine, salt and pepper, adding water so that it does not dry out. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the meat is cooked and juicy.
15. Spicy shrimp, Río Negro province
Río Negro is a huge province in the north of Argentine Patagonia with intense agricultural and fishing activity.
Among its main seafood products are hake, squid, crabs, prawns and shrimp.
For this recipe you will need 300 grams of fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined, Italian dressing, 2 tablespoons of hot pepper powder (or less if you want not so hot), ¼ cup of orange marmalade, a little cilantro and white rice .
The shrimp are cooked over low heat in a pan with enough dressing for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the jam and chili, cooking until the shrimp are soft (try and adjust the salt). After turning off the heat, add chopped coriander and serve the preparation on white rice.
16. Empanadas salteñas, province of Salta
The Deliberative Council of the city of Salta, capital of the homonymous province in northwestern Argentina, declared April 4 as the “day of the empanada salteña”.
That day the tourists enjoy a larger portion of the popular “chuecas” from Salta, accompanied by the typical drinks of the region and the rejoicing of the population.
They are prepared with the excellent Argentine lean meats, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, chives, onions, bell peppers and paprika or paprika from the Calchaquí valleys, a vegetable emblem of this territory that encompasses parts of Salta, Tucumán and Catamarca.
Some versions have olives, peas and raisins. They are cooked in a clay oven or fried in pella fat (fat that surrounds the viscera of the pig).
The most typical drink to accompany the Salta empanadas is a torrontés, Salta’s flagship white wine with moderate acidity and smooth on the palate.
17. Tomatican, San Juan province
This province in central-western Argentina borders Chile and its gastronomy includes the iconic asados, empanadas, machacados, humitas, carbonadas, corn cake, rabbit in a saucepan, wrapped children and tomaticán, a stew of Chilean origin.
The tomaticán is typical of the Cuyo region, formed by the Argentine provinces of San Juan, Mendoza and San Luis.
The dish originated in the 16th century when the beef of the conquerors was combined with corn and tomatoes grown by the Mapuche.
A typical tomaticán recipe is prepared by browning 200 grams of steaks in a frying pan, removing the meat and reserving the oil.
In the same pan, brown an onion cut into julienne strips and then add the tender grains of 2 corns and 2 diced tomatoes, stirring and cooking for 5 minutes.
Steaks cut into thick fajitas are added, seasoned with salt and pepper, and served with white rice and/or boiled potatoes.
18. Patay, San Luis province
The province of San Luis, in the central region of Argentina, has a rich gastronomy headed by the goat a la chanfaina, mazamorras, locros, empanadas, humitas and several recipes based on the carob tree, one of them, the patay.
Since 2004, the carob tree is officially the “provincial tree of San Luis” and apart from its landscape and ecological value, its fruit is used in the preparation of patay (flour to make pancakes), arrope (sweet), añapa (refreshing drink and sweet) and aloja (alcoholic beverage).
The patay has traditionally been a food of the Chilean aborigines and of the geographical region of Cuyo in Argentina, of which the province of San Luis is part.
To prepare the flour, the carob pods are placed in the sun for at least a week and ground when they are very dry. The flour is mixed with water to make a dough with which pancakes are made.
19. Stuffed leg of lamb, province of Santa Cruz
The stuffed leg of lamb is one of the typical dishes of Argentina that is prepared in Santa Cruz, a huge territory in southern Patagonia that is the second largest province after Buenos Aires.
Patagonian sheep grow splendidly and freely. The people of Santa Cruz make this delicious dish by stuffing the tender meat of the lamb with mushrooms.
You need a boneless leg of lamb cut into a butterfly, 400 grams of mushrooms, a bunch of aromatic herbs, a cup of mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Cut and fry the mushrooms in olive oil for 5 minutes and set aside. Extend the leg of lamb, season with salt and pepper, spread with butter, add the mushrooms, cheese and chopped aromatic herbs and close the meat by tying it at several points with kitchen string. It is sealed in a pan on all sides and baked for 90 minutes.
20. Alfajor from Santa Fe, province of Santa Fe
The province of Santa Fe, in the northeast of the republic, houses more than 20% of Argentina’s arable land and is one of the granaries of the country and the world with large productions of wheat, corn, soybeans, sorghum and sunflower. It also has a strong livestock activity, both intensive and extensive.
One of the gastronomic symbols of Santa Fe is the Santa Fe alfajor, a famous and tasty cookie dipped in meringue and stuffed with dulce de leche.
21. Bolanchao, province of Santiago del Estero
The province of Santiago del Estero, in the central part of the Norte Grande region, is the main forest reserve in Argentina and the most important national producer of wood and charcoal. It also has an active agriculture and livestock, especially in the territory limited by the sweet and salty rivers of the north.
One of the typical desserts of Santiago del Estero and northern Argentina is the Bolanchao, also called Gualanchao and Balanchao, a sweet meatball made from the fruit of the mistol, a very hard wood tree used to make handles for farming tools and radios. of cart wheels.
The mistol drupe has a sweet flavor. It is ground in a mortar or grinder to make a thick and granular mass that does not require water, since the fruit provides the necessary moisture.
The dough is made into little balls that are sprinkled with toasted carob flour or breadcrumbs and browned in the oven.
22. Stewed mussels, province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands
This province is the most extensive and geographically dispersed, as it encompasses southern Patagonia, Argentine Antarctica and the islands of the South Atlantic, some of which are in dispute, including the Malvinas.
Among the typical foods of Tierra del Fuego are guanaco meat, lamb, spider crab, black hake, trout and mussels.
The Fueguinos enjoy wild mussels and hatcheries. The breeding farms are located mainly in the area of Puerto Almanza, in the Brown Bay of the Beagle Channel. Mythology has been developed in this remote region of southern Argentina as a self-sustaining economic strategy.
In Tierra del Fuego you cannot miss out on trying the tasty mussel stew that they prepare with white onion, green onion, bell pepper, oregano and salt as basic ingredients.
The usual accompaniments are potatoes, carrots, peas and leeks.
23. Tucuman empanada, province of Tucumán
Tucumán, enclosed in the Great North of Argentina between Salta, Santiago del Estero and Catamarca, is the smallest province after the autonomous city of Buenos Aires.
Several typical Argentine foods are popular in Tucumán, among them the famous Tucuman empanada, humitas, locros, carbonadas, tortillas al rescoldo and buns with pork rinds.
The Tucuman empanada, freshly baked and juicy, has an incomparable flavor. It is prepared like a classic empanada with a dough spread in a circle in whose center the filling is placed, folding it in half and closing the edges with the repulgue.
The classic filling for this delicacy is a stew of beef, hard-boiled egg and green onion, cooked traditionally in a clay oven or using gas and electric ovens. They can also be fried in fat. There are variants of chicken, tripe, ham and cheese, among others.
24. Rabas, province of Buenos Aires
The province of Buenos Aires, in central-eastern Argentina with a long coastline on the Atlantic, is the most populated and also the largest in the republic after Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands. Its main coastal town is Mar del Plata, the most popular city-spa in the country.
Among the typical dishes of Mar del Plata, called the “Biarritz Argentina” for its French architecture, are the rabas, simple fried squid that are eaten as an appetizer or side dish in almost all River Plate restaurants.
The 3 non-negotiable requirements for a good portion of squid rings are quality squid, hot oil and frying time according to the size (around 3 minutes).
The dish is one of the great stars of the Mar del Plata Gastronomic Festival, held in mid-December.
25. Achilata, province of Tucuman
Achilata, an attractive fuchsia-colored ice cream, is one of the typical dishes of Argentina, especially in the cities of Tucumán and Santiago del Estero.
It was introduced by Italian immigration at the beginning of the 20th century, which had its main seat in northwestern Argentina in Tucumán.
At a time when refrigeration was in its infancy, any ice was used to make achilata (name that comes from the phrase “there is gelata”), including hail.
After the massification of refrigeration, ice creams became popular and achilata went into the background as water ice cream, although it still has its charm, especially among the popular classes and fans of traditional products.
It is made with crushed ice and its characteristic color comes from natural dyes.
26. Chubut cheese, province of Chubut
Chubutense or Chubut cheese is a semi-hard dairy product made from cow’s milk linked to the history of a Welsh migratory current, which settled in the lower valley of the Chubut River at the beginning of the 20th century.
It is a shell cheese with a pleasant flavor, a buttery paste and a closed texture with few holes. It has a flattened cylindrical shape with a layer of paraffin and its color is pale yellow.
More than 100 years later, it is still an almost artisanal cheese made by milk and dairy cooperatives, especially in the towns of Gaiman (head of the department of the same name in the province of Chubut) and Dolavon (population of the department of Gaiman).
The Chubut brand was the first cheese brand registered in Argentina. The maturation period of the pieces is between 30 and 50 days and the cheese is mainly used to make sandwiches in the traditional Argentine picadas and in the preparation of various desserts, muffins and tarts.
27. Scrambled eggs with gramajo, city of Buenos Aires
The provenance of this tasty mix of potato sticks, eggs, ham, oil and a little butter is uncertain.
One version states that the recipe was invented at the beginning of the 20th century in the Río Bamba restaurant in Buenos Aires, in the Pasaje de la Piedad, by two night owls from Buenos Aires and regulars in the area’s bars.
Another version, fictionalized by the writer Félix Luna, suggests that the dish was created in the 1880s for Colonel Antonio Gramajo, assistant to President Julio Argentino Roca, to snack on during his nights of drinks in the billiards and bars of Buenos Aires.
In any case, the lucky combination became popular and is a typical dish on both sides of the Río de la Plata, in Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
It is prepared in a frying pan with a little oil, quickly stirring the ingredients so that the cooking is homogeneous. Some variants include pancetta, bell pepper, peas, olives, mushrooms, hearts of palm, chicken and seafood.
28. Cheese from Tafi, province of Tucumán
Another of the symbolic cheeses of Argentine gastronomy is this one originating in Tafi del Valle, a welcoming town in the province of Tucumán, whose economy revolves around the production of milk and dairy products.
Its elaboration began in the 18th century when the Jesuit missionaries arrived in the area carrying cows, sheep and goats, with whose milk they taught the local aborigines how to make cheese.
Due to its history and culinary importance, Tafi cheese was declared a National Gastronomic Heritage.
It is a soft dairy with a unique flavor with a touch of delicious acidity similar to that of goat cheese. It is made by hand and its texture and flavor are influenced by different variables, such as the recipes passed down from generation to generation and the feeding of the cattle.
It does not have industrial production and is obtained mainly in ranches in Tafi del Valle, Raco and San Pedro de Colalao.
29. Patero wine from Catamarca, province of Catamarca
This typical wine from Catamarca owes its name to its artisan production, one in which no artificial mechanical means are used to crush the grapes, but rather the natural compression force of the feet of the people who participate in the pressing party, which they do it barefoot or with rubber boots.
It is a wine that can be made at home in the old-fashioned way, without storage in barrels and with fermentation only from the skin, which forces the manufacturer to manually remove the stems from the bunches of grapes.
The harvest of the grapes is late, so the use of very ripe fruit gives it a markedly sweet flavor.
It has a high alcohol content and no additives or preservatives are used in its manufacture, which is why it is classified as a “homemade wine” by the National Institute of Viticulture.
The wineries that produce it use metal presses, but the real thing is pressing with your feet.
30. Carrero stew, province of Chaco
It is a typical dish that the peasants of Chaco prepare in the morocha, an iron pot with 3 legs.
To make it out in the open, the men from the countryside set up the pot over a wood fire and prepare the stew with jerky or meat from a piece hunted in the bush, adding pumpkin, cassava and thick noodles.
The name of carrero stew is due to the fact that during colonial times the 3-legged black pots were clinking, hanging on the back of the carts. The noodles usually used are stews called coditos.
There are many recipes for carrero stews, as it is a versatile dish that was adapted to the ingredients that were carried on the carts.
31. Fernet, province of Cordoba
It is a highly alcoholic drink made with chamomile, rhubarb, myrrh, cardamom, oregano and saffron, herbs that are macerated in wine alcohol. The content is then filtered and left to rest in oak barrels for between 6 and 12 months.
Fernet was introduced to Argentina by Italian immigrants who used it as a digestive tonic and in the preparation of homemade medicines. It is dark in color, bitter in taste and intense in aroma, with an alcoholic content of between 39 and 45 degrees, which is why it is mainly consumed combined with mineral water, soda and soft drinks and as an ingredient in cocktails.
There are several commercial brands and the great Argentine consumers are the province of Córdoba and Greater Buenos Aires.
The combination of fernet with cola became popular in the city of Córdoba during the 1990s, later spreading to the rest of the country. As home medicine, it is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal and menstrual discomfort.
32. Chivito pampeño, province of La Pampa
In Uruguay and Argentina they call chivito a meat sandwich with various ingredients seasoned with mayonnaise and accompanied with a side of French fries or Russian salad.
It was invented in the 1940s in the El Mejillón restaurant, in the Uruguayan city of Punta del Este, and from there it spread to the rest of Uruguay and Argentina.
The Pampas version of the chivito is one of the typical foods of Argentina and is prepared with churrasco loin, slices of ham and mozzarella cheese, bacon, eggs, lettuce and tomato, as main ingredients.
The meat is browned on the grill with seasonings to taste and the eggs, bacon and ham are fried. These components, along with sliced cheese, lettuce and tomato, are used as a filling for a hamburger bun, served with mayonnaise and ketchup. It is eaten with French fries like a hamburger and chopped olives can be added.
33. Meat to the pot, province of Mendoza
The city of Mendoza, capital of the homonymous province in central-western Argentina, is one of the main national industrial and tourist hubs.
One of its typical foods is meat in a pot, which carries a Mendoza wine, a symbolic product of the province.
The dish can be prepared with many cuts, although some cooks prefer the tortuguita (calf), which is cheap and tasty.
For a kilo of meat, 4 large carrots, 5 onions, a green apple, 4 whole cloves of garlic, a liter of white wine, half a liter of vegetable and celery broth, salt, pepper, paprika, chili, parsley and oregano are required. to taste.
Chop the apple and vegetables and brown them in a large saucepan. Add the meat and rotate until it is sealed on all sides. Add the salt, seasonings, broth and half the wine and leave over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add half of the rest of the wine and let it boil. After 60 minutes of cooking, pour the remaining wine and cook for 15 minutes or until the meat is soft and juicy.
34. Casserole of seafood, province of Buenos Aires
The city of La Plata was planned and founded in 1882 to be the capital of the province of Buenos Aires, after the city of Buenos Aires was converted into a federal district in 1880.
One of the typical dishes of La Plata is the seafood casserole, whose main ingredients are squid, shrimp, mussels and prawns.
The mussels are washed in fresh water, their shells are cleaned with a spoon and they are boiled. Rinse the squid and fry the onion, peppers and green onion, adding seasonings to taste (salt, pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, saffron) and tomato (cherries and crushed perita tomato).
Sliced squid, shrimp, prawns and a glass of white wine are added. Lastly, the mussels. Continue cooking until the shellfish are tender and cooked, taking care that they are left with enough sauce. It is accompanied with white rice or steamed potatoes.
35. Street food, Santa Fe province
The city of Rosario is the largest in the province of Santa Fe and the third most populous in Argentina after Buenos Aires and Córdoba.
Rosario is called the national capital of artisanal ice cream, a local product that is favored by the city’s location in the heart of the Argentine dairy basin.
On Pellegini Avenue there are small companies dedicated to making ice cream of different brands and flavors, including gourmet editions.
Turcas, puff pastry cookies filled with pastry cream, and carlito (toasted ham and cheese), are other emblematic street food products in Rosario.
At the stalls in La Florida you can enjoy the catch of the day (boga, pacú, surubí) taken from the Paraná, a river that passes through the city.
36. Hesperidina, city of Buenos Aires
In 1864, the American Melville Sewell Bagley founded a company in Buenos Aires to produce an orange liqueur, which would become one of the most iconic typical Argentine drinks.
It is prepared with the rinds of unripe bitter and sweet oranges with a high content of flavonoids, which gives the drink a sweet and smooth taste.
The name hesperidin was inspired by the mythological Garden of the Hesperides, despite the fact that the orchard of the goddess Hera produced golden apples that gave immortality and not oranges.
The popular Argentine liquor is consumed alone or combined with soda, tonic water and soft drinks. It is also used to prepare various cocktails.
Sewell Bagley created it in a still that he installed in the Buenos Aires pharmacy La Estrella, still in use on the corner of Alsina and Defensa streets.
37. Rosquetes, province of Santiago del Estero
In the central part of the province of Santiago del Estero is the small town of Loreto, also called Villa San Martín, famous in Argentina for its rosquete, a tasty, doughnut-shaped sweet dipped in meringue.
If you want to make Loreto donuts, beat 12 egg yolks with 4 whole eggs until thickened and add the necessary amount of sifted flour, a teaspoon of salt and 2 of alcohol. Add 2 tablespoons of margarine and knead sufficiently.
Form some donuts of about 5 cm, put them to boil until they float in the water, drain them and leave them in the sun for 20 hours. After sunbathing, bake them.
To whiten them, boil a cup of water with a cup of sugar until you make a thick syrup. Beat 2 egg whites until stiff, add the hot syrup, a few drops of lemon and continue beating. Paint the threads with a brush and leave them in the sun for a while.
38. Milanesa de guanaco, province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands
Except for marine animals, the guanaco is the largest mammal in Patagonia that can reach a height of 1.2 meters at the withers and 1.9 meters at the head. The animal weighs up to 140 kilos and is one of the few land mammals that can drink salt water.
Its exotic meat can be enjoyed in Argentina and in some places abroad, since the province of Santa Cruz started a breeding and processing program to sell it inside and outside.
In Tierra del Fuego they prepare some delicious milanesas de guanaco that, apart from the camelid meat, contain eggs, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, pepper and salt.
39. Pasta, city of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires stands out for its enormous offer of restaurants and bars, some of them iconic. Of all the cuisines of Buenos Aires, the most outstanding after the national one is the Italian one, due to the great influence of the European Mediterranean nation on Argentine gastronomy.
If you want to get an idea of Italy’s impact on Argentine culture, check out the number of Italian surnames on the national soccer team, including Messi, Cuccittini, Otamendi, Tagliafico, and Armani.
At the beginning of the 20th century, when Argentina was more developed than Italy, there was an intense immigration that popularized pasta, noodles, lasagna, gnocchi, ravioli and tiramisus, in Argentine eating habits.
40. Choripan with chimichurri, all of Argentina
A chorizo inside a bread sauce with chimichurri is a simple dish that unites the Argentines.
It is claimed that it was created in the mid-19th century in the Río de la Plata region by gauchos who lived in rural areas. It is part of the traditional Argentine barbecues and is a common snack during football matches.
It is made with an open loaf, usually French, and a whole grilled sausage. The chorizo is almost always the so-called criollo or grill, made up more or less of 70% beef and 30% pork. It is soft and is roasted fresh without prior smoking or drying.
Chimichurri sauce is another icon of Argentine and South American cuisine. It is basically made with parsley, garlic, chili, vinegar and salt. Other ingredients that may be present are onion, chives, pepper, oregano, thyme, bell pepper, bay leaf and mustard.
What is the traditional food of Argentina?
Argentines eat an average of 58 kilos of beef per year, one of the highest rates in the world along with the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
To this must be added another 60 kilos per year of chicken, lamb and pork. Milk and cheeses are another important component of the diet.
They do not eat as much fish as would be expected considering their long Atlantic coastline and huge rivers.
What are the typical foods and drinks of Argentina?
Wine, produced especially in the provinces of Mendoza and La Rioja, is the Argentine drink to accompany its traditional barbecues and other meat-based meals, which constitute the typical diet of the country.
The consumption of the infusion of yerba mate is a gastronomic ritual. They also have a good list of both industrial and craft beers.
Typical food recipes from Argentina
A typical Argentine food of Italian heritage are sorrentinos, circular pasta filled with ham, cheese, vegetables, nuts and other ingredients.
One version states that they were created in Mar del Plata by an immigrant from Sorrento, the Italian city located on the Gulf of Naples.
Another story indicates that the invention occurred in a restaurant in Buenos Aires named Sorrento.
Images of typical foods from Argentina
Patagonia-style lamb, symbol of Argentine barbecues
Alfajores are an emblem of Argentine confectionery
Wine and mate, iconic Argentine drinks
Typical Argentine food by region
In this article we have reviewed Argentine gastronomy by province, highlighting the dishes of each one.
Argentine food additional recipes: other typical regional dishes are humitas in chalas (Mendoza province), potato cake (La Rioja), Bori-Bori (Salta), fish lollipop (Santa Fe), cold cakes (Entre Ríos), carrot cream (Santiago del Estero), Cordoba-style meatballs (Córdoba) and black hake in prawn sauce (Tierra del Fuego).
Typical food of Argentina: crumb sandwich
In Argentina they call sandwich de miga to the sandwich made with slices or tops of sliced bread.
It is usually 2 tapas with slices of ham and/or cheese in the center, but it can be 3 with 2 spaces to fill. The burrs are spread with butter or margarine to enhance the flavor and give the filling more adherence.
Those of 3 slices can have a filling of cold cuts and another of vegetables (lettuce and tomato slices).
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See also:
- We leave you our guide with the 25 best typical drinks in Argentina
- Click to know the 47 best tourist places in Argentina to visit
- Meet the 15 best places to travel alone in Argentina
