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Know More About Argentinian Cuisine
Eating and drinking play an important role in Argentinian culture, as meals are a time where friends and family get together. Mealtimes are an unhurried and often a sit-down affair, although a fast food culture does exist in cities. Drinking herbal tea (yerba-mate) is popular and is usually a social activity. Argentina is home to an impressive selection of regions where wine is produced, and it is also famous for its meat produce.
Argentinian cuisine has diverse influences, but much of it has its roots in Italian cooking. Pasta, meats, potatoes, and desserts are features of many meals. Meat, especially beef, is a large part of the cuisine. Food is often boiled, grilled and stewed. Very little food is fried in Argentina, making for a generally low-fat diet. And Beef is extremely popular in Argentina and the country has the second highest consumption in the world. Beef is often served with chimichurri sauce, made from garlic, parsley, vinegar and red pepper flakes.
There is a great variety in regional dishes, as produce and preparation methods differ from region to region.
Mealtimes
Breakfast is usually between 07:00 and 08:00. This is a light affair consisting of coffee or tea with toast. Lunch is usually between 13:00 and 14:00. Lunch is neither extensive nor heavy, as the main meal of the day is in the evening. Dinner is usually between 21:00 and 23:00, although it can be earlier or later. This is the largest meal of the day. Light snacking between mealtimes is common.
And here are some popular Argentinian traditional Dishes:
Asado
The way to Argentina’s heart is through its asado, or barbecue. Also known as parrillada, it is a crime to leave the country without spending a leisurely afternoon beside the warmth of a grill or open fire, feasting on copious grilled meats. This is the national dish, originating with the country’s gauchos, or cowboys, who would subsist on the abundant cows dotting the country’s plains. Expect to find beef, pork, ribs, sausages, blood sausages, and sweetbreads hot off the fire. In Patagonia, look out for a whole lamb or pig roasting over an open flame. Lightly salted, topped with chimichurri, and paired with Malbec.
Asado
Chimichurri
Chimichurri is the country’s go-to condiment. A green salsa made of finely chopped parsley, oregano, onion, garlic, chili pepper flakes, olive oil and a touch of acid, like lemon or vinegar, chimichurri is as engendered here as the River Delta. This tangy, garlicky salsa is sometimes used as a marinade, though most often it’s blanketing grilled meats and heaps of other savory foods throughout the country.
Chimichurri Steak
Dulce de leche
Salted caramel choc pots Cows roaming Argentina’s expansive grasslands have not only provided the country with phenomenal beef, but also dairy. And it is from condensed milk that Argentina gets one of its culinary treasures, Dulce de leche. Loosely translated as “milk jam,” this thick caramel is the result of condensed milk, reduced slowly until sweetened and sticky. Look for in it everything from alfajores, to dessert empanadas, to another national favorite, helado (or, ice cream) where it is liberally drizzled in and downed by the kilo-full.
Dulce de leche Cake
Empanadas
Like a South American pasty, empanadas are deep-fried or baked, then filled with sweet and savoury stuffing, depending on the province. Dessert empanadas are commonly packed with quince jam, sweet potato paste, or dulce de leche, and sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar or sweet raisins, as is typical in Cordoba. Savoury empanadas hug stewed and spiced ground beef, chicken, goat’s meat, cheese and/or vegetables, with the markings on the pastry fold identifying the treasures inside
Choripán
Chorizo rolls a pre-requisite before any football match, a go-to amongst taxi drivers, and a mainstay at markets and from street vendors, choripán is the ultimate Argentinean street food. Made with pork and beef chorizo cooked over charcoal or wood flames, the sausage is grilled then butterflied down the center, topped with chimichurri, and served between slices of crusty bread. Depending on the province, caramelised onions, pickled aubergines, green peppers and a host of other condiments are also added. Another gaucho tradition the choripán has experienced a rural-to-urban shift that has placed it firmly on the country’s culinary map.
