South American Beef & Lamb Recipes
A tour of South America through beef & lamb: 22 authentic dishes, each tied to a real country and region, each with its cultural story and dietary swaps built in.
22 recipes
Lomo SaltadoLima, Peru · easy · 35 minBeef flash-fried in a smoking wok with soy, vinegar, tomatoes, and fries, Lima's Chinese-Peruvian icon.
Lomo Saltado Empanadas MendocinasMendoza, Argentina · medium · 1 h 10 minBaked empanadas the Mendoza way: a juicy beef and olive filling heavy on onion, sealed with a braided edge.
Empanadas Mendocinas LocroMendoza, Argentina · medium · 3 h 30 minThe thick national stew of white hominy, beans, and squash slow simmered with beef, pork, and chorizo, finished with a spicy paprika oil.
Chivito al PlatoMontevideo, Uruguay · easy · 40 minUruguay’s glorious everything-plate: thin steak under ham, cheese, olives, and a fried egg with ensalada rusa.
Chivito al Plato Rocoto RellenoArequipa, Peru · medium · 1 h 15 minArequipa’s fiery rocoto peppers stuffed with spiced beef, olives, and raisins, capped with melting cheese.
Guyanese PepperpotDemerara (Georgetown), Guyana · medium · 2 h 50 minMeat slow-simmered in cassareep, cinnamon, and hot pepper until glossy black, the Amerindian-rooted Christmas classic.
Guyanese Pepperpot SilpanchoLa Paz, Bolivia · medium · 55 minA Cochabamba plate of rice, potato, a thin breaded beef cutlet, and a fried egg over chopped salad.
Silpancho Milanesa NapolitanaMendoza, Argentina · medium · 40 minA crisp breaded beef cutlet topped with ham, tomato, and melted cheese, the everyday lunch Argentina made its own.
Pabellón CriolloCaracas, Venezuela · medium · 1 h 55 minShredded beef, black beans, white rice, and fried sweet plantain on one plate, Venezuela's national dish.
Pabellón Criollo Tira de Asado con ChimichurriMontevideo, Uruguay · medium · 2 h 20 minCross-cut beef short ribs salted and grilled slowly over wood embers until the fat renders, served with a sharp garlic and parsley chimichurri.
MilanesaMontevideo, Uruguay · easy · 40 minA thin beef cutlet dredged in flour, seasoned egg and breadcrumbs, then fried crisp and golden and served with lemon.
Pastel de Choclo (Corn and Beef Pie)Central Valley, Chile · medium · 1 h 30 minA baked casserole of seasoned beef and chicken with egg, olives and raisins, under a thick, lightly sweet fresh-corn topping.
Pastel de Choclo (Corn and Beef Pie) Empanadas de PinoCentral Valley, Chile · medium · 2 h 10 minBaked pastry turnovers filled with a seasoned beef-and-onion pino, a piece of hard-boiled egg, an olive and a few raisins.
Asado Negro (Black Roast)Caracas, Venezuela · advanced · 3 h 20 minA lean beef roast seared in caramelised panela and braised for hours in wine and aromatics into a glossy, near-black gravy.
Pique a lo MachoLa Paz, Bolivia · medium · 55 minA big shared platter of seared beef and sausage over fries, with onion, tomato and fiery locoto, crowned with egg.
So'o YosopyAsunción, Paraguay · medium · 50 minA thick Guarani beef soup of finely ground meat and a little rice, stirred constantly into a smooth, savoury broth and served with cassava.
So'o Yosopy Bife Koygua (Paraguayan "Hidden" Steak with Eggs)Asunción, Paraguay · easy · 55 minThin beef steaks braised in one pan with onion, peppers, tomato, potatoes and oregano, then hidden under eggs cracked on top and steamed until just set, served with boiled mandioca.
Sopa de ManíLa Paz, Bolivia · medium · 1 h 20 minBolivia’s creamy peanut soup with beef, vegetables, and crispy shoestring fries on top, altiplano comfort.
Empanadas ColombianasAntioquia, Colombia · medium · 3 h 15 minCrisp golden corn-dough turnovers stuffed with shredded beef and potato, fried until they shatter and dipped in a bright cilantro ají.
Empanadas Colombianas SalteñasLa Paz, Bolivia · advanced · 9 h 20 minBaked pastry pockets of juicy, gently sweet meat stew, sealed with a rope-braided crimp, Bolivia's mid-morning ritual.
Anticuchos de Corazón (Peruvian Beef Heart Skewers)Lima, Peru · medium · 5 hCubes of beef heart marinated in ají panca, vinegar, garlic, cumin and oregano, threaded on skewers and seared over hot coals, served on the street with boiled potato, corn and ají sauce.
Lengua a la Vinagreta (Uruguayan Beef Tongue in Vinaigrette)Montevideo, Uruguay · medium · 6 h 30 minBeef tongue simmered for hours until meltingly tender, peeled, sliced thin and chilled under a sharp vinaigrette of garlic, parsley, pepper, onion and chopped egg, a cold starter of the Christmas table.
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