131 Facts About Argentinian Food That Will Make You Salivate

The Argentines have a reputation for being keen eaters! 

It has many different types of delicious dishes to serve. Food sharing is a prevalent theme during social events. 

Dinner invitations are often regarded as a show of friendliness and inclusion. Sunday family supper is regarded as the most important, with mostly Asado as their dish. Restaurants in Argentina provide a wide range of cuisines with varying pricing and flavors.

Big cities are home to high-end international cuisine as well as bodegones, which are cheap traditional taverns, less sophisticated restaurants, and pubs and canteens that serve a variety of foods. Let us have a look at their cuisine in detail.

Argentine cuisine includes regional variances and is greatly influenced by its European heritage. Argentina is known for its asado, dulce de leche, empanadas, and yerba mate.

The cuisine is cooked uniquely, and various types of meals are manufactured in numerous sections of the nation; even food from pre-Columbian periods is made. Argentina's cuisine is unique in South America since it incorporates several European culinary inspirations that aren't seen in neighboring nations.

Italian influence is the most common, followed by French.

Even in the deep south of Patagonia. Traditional cuisines inherited from tribes like the Mapuche, Quechua, and Guarani have also influenced the creation of local food, culminating in a diverse combination of flavor profiles that make every meal in the second largest country in Latin America unique.

When it comes to local cuisine in Argentina, savory grilled meats are something that many Argentines cook on a regular basis. Beef is undoubtedly amongst the most popular meats in the country, and you will be able to see it on every grill in the street.

After reading about the cuisine of the second-largest country in Latin America, also read our articles about hands cave Argentina and ocean east of Argentina.

Fun Facts About Argentine Food

Argentina is the second-largest country in South America that adores meat. The cuisine of the country has a warm, natural flair that is far from ostentatious. When seasoned and spiced ground beef is used inside an empanada, as well as in huge steaks on the grill, you know you are in Argentina! People come together to enjoy their food. 

Argentine food brings people together in the kitchen for a memorable experience. They prefer to use loads of meat along with various fresh ingredients to prepare some amazingly delicious foods that are enjoyed by people from all over the world.

This is the reason that Argentine cuisine has found appreciation in many countries across the world. Whether it be simply grilled beef or a more complicated pizza, the food from Argentina is truly amazing.

Argentina is a huge fan of dulce de leche. When they need a sweet bite, they reach for dulce de leche.

Argentinian cuisine has a lot in common with that of other South American countries. Argentina is one of the largest countries in South America, occupying the majority of the continent's bottom half with Chile.

So, there is some overlap in terms of cuisine. Throughout South America, sweets called alfajores are found. Argentina's heaven in food is buttery, sweet, and dripping with creamy dulce de leche.

Potatoes and maize can be found in plenty. Potatoes and maize are always included in Argentine soups, and side dishes as corn and potatoes have been grown in Argentina for thousands of years. These native American crops pair nicely with cheese and are frequently featured in casseroles such as this pastel de papa con elote.

Traditional Argentine Food Facts

The traditional dishes of Argentina are the foods that we had a look at above. Argentina is a country with a plethora of fascinating sights to see.

Argentinian barbeque is famously called and known to be Asado. Though it isn't technically the name of a food, it is more widely used and denotes the grilling technique. The barbequed meat, called Asado is a favorite of the Argentine people.

The meat parade during Asado is a must-try. The Asado features huge plates of appetizers, morcilla (an Argentinian sausage), and chorizo. There is meat everywhere in abundance, all grilled low and long on the Argentinian grill known as parrillas.

If Argentina's street food culture is more your taste, then empanada, which is basically found in Buenos Aires, is for you. These are little pastries filled with meat, cheese, sweet corn, and a variety of other ingredients used as meal starters.

The empanada gallega, or Galician empanada, is a large, spherical meat pie prepared most typically with tuna and mackerel, known in Spanish as 'caballa.'

The Argentinian version of the hot dog is a chorizo sandwich known as a choripan. Choripan is another prolific example of Argentina's street food industry, named after its components, chorizo, and pan bread. It's topped with an incredibly spice-infused chimichurri, which is cheap and wonderful despite its simplicity.

Chimichurri is another must-try food in Buenos Aires. It is a raw sauce or condiment prepared from chopped parsley, oregano, minced garlic, red chili flakes, vinegar, and olive oil. This sauce is a barbecue staple in South America, and it may also be used as a marinade or a condiment on the table.

Chimichurri comes in two flavors: green and red. The red color of Chimichurri comes from the use of red bell peppers as well as tomatoes.

Some people also add chili flakes for that extra kick. Chimichurri has a light, vibrant flavor that goes nicely with the meat. If you're eating steak in Buenos Aires, make sure you order it with chimichurri.

Argentinians love meat pizza, and it is a staple in their diet. While preparing pizza, they make sure that the sauce is light, the crust is thick, and loads of cheese is added.

When it comes to toppings, oregano, olives, and chili flakes are the most popular options.

If you are looking to enjoy yourself like a native, order a slice of Faina with the pizza, which is a crispy flatbread prepared from the flour of chickpeas. It is usually added to the top of pizza slices in order to absorb the fat dripping from the cheese, which also enhances the flavor of the pizza.

Food Culture Facts About Argentina

If you haven't tried Argentina's food yet, you're in for a treat. The Gauchos, (cowboys who worked the Pampas for generations), had a strong fondness for beef, which was a mainstay of their diet. Asado is now seen as a symbol of national pride.

You'll also find delectable treats that are made from dulce de leche and have creamy deliciousness. No discussion of Argentinian cuisine would be complete without mentioning the country's most famous beverages, Mate and Malbec.

Dulce de leche is an Argentinian dessert made from condensed milk.

It's traditionally created by boiling sweetened cow's milk until it caramelizes and thickens to the consistency of a spread, a cake or pie filling, or an ice cream topping. It is reported that dulce de leche began in Buenos Aires when a serving lady was heating sugar and milk to make la lechada.

She discovered it had turned into dark brown stuff when she kept it on the heat a little longer than normal, and dulce de leche was formed.

Today, dulce de leche is used to flavor chocolates, cakes, pastries, waffles, and ice cream and is occasionally flavored with vanilla, lemon, or cinnamon. This delicious dessert is popular not just in Argentina but across the world, as seen by the numerous variants on the original recipe found in France, Norway, Russia, and Latin America.

Dulce de Leche is just sweetened milk that has been heated over low heat until it has caramelized. It is Argentinians' go-to ingredient for topping, filling, or accompanying practically any other type of dessert.

Foods To Try In Your Next Visit

Apart from asados and empanadas, there are a few foods that you must try, like the tasty maize snack called Humita en Chala. This dish is similar to the tamales you get in Mexico and is prepared with creamed corn, spices, and cheese. These ingredients are wrapped in corn husks and are then boiled or steamed as per preference. 

There's also an Argentinian croissant called Medialunas, which roughly translates as half-moons in the local language. These croissants are a staple in coffee shops across Argentina and resemble the French croissant to some extent.

It is served essentially as a breakfast item, along with coffee. You may choose between savory and sweet variants.

If you are looking to have some tea, then Yerba Mate is a good option to drink as it is a caffeinated beverage that has been prepared from a unique local plant in South America.

This tea offers numerous health benefits as well as revitalizes the mind with its mild flavor. The earthy taste of the tea drink might be bitter for some, but those who like it vouch for it.

If you are someone who likes cookies, then trying a cookie sandwich is a must for you. These cookies are prepared using the standard ingredients and are quite sweet.

This is why kids absolutely love the cookie sandwich, which can be filled with any of their favorite fillings. Matambre arrollado is a fillet steak that is prepared by rolling the flank steak, which has been stuffed with spices, eggs, ham, or vegetables.

It's delicious as an appetizer or as a main course. It possesses a delicious and rich flavor. Has your stomach started growling for some Argentine food?

Argentine food can make you salivate even when you're just reading about it. But remember that Argentines do not have any particular inclination for spicy food and do not prefer eating spicy food.

Did You Know...

In the sun of May, on the national flag is a dazzling golden yellow sun with a human face and 32 rays that alternate between 16 straight and 16 wavy on the flag of Argentina.

Did you know, the Spanish spoken in Argentina is different from that spoken in Spain? 

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 131 facts about Argentina food that will make you salivate, then why not take a look at major rivers in Argentina, or fun facts about Argentina.