Argentina’s cuisine is a true melting pot of cultures and influences.
Taking its routes in both South American and European flavours, it comes together to create dishes that are unlike anything else.
An Argentina holiday is a true adventure for the senses in many ways, and that includes your taste buds.
However, for those not familiar with the wonders of Argentinian cuisine, you might be wondering where to get started.
That’s where we come in. Here’s a quick rundown of our top five traditional Argentinian dishes that you should try during your Buenos Aires holiday.
Empanadas
Although Argentina’s European influence generally comes from Spanish and Italian migrants, many Brits may recognise the empanadas to be more like a Cornish pasty, with a South American twist.
However, this treat is very much Argentina’s own and comes with a selection of fillings, ranging from succulent beef to blue cheese.
It’s a perfect snack to start off your culinary journey. It’s at once familiar in concept but different enough in execution to give your taste buds a sense of what’s to come.
Locro
Although a thick, hearty stew might not be what first springs to mind when you imagine dining in a country as hot as Argentina, locro is as authentic as South American food gets.
This national dish is made up of corn, chorizo (or beef, often depending on the time of year) and vegetables, including squash, beans, onions and more.
It’s often served with a delicious hot sauce and is considered so important to the local culture that it is traditionally served on the anniversary of the May revolution.
Good locro can be hard to find outside of its homeland, so this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss out on.
Llama steak
Argentina is well known for its very meaty cuisine, with beef often taking centre stage in many of their most beloved dishes.
However, it’s far from the only meat on offer, with llama steak in particular standing out as a unique and delicious alternative to traditional western meats.
Its flavour is believed to be an earthy, rustic tasting halfway point between beef and lamb, and it can be eaten on its own or can make up part of either of our two previous entries, among many more dishes.
Provoleta
This is a type of Argentinian provolone (stretched curd) cheese that is traditionally barbequed, and is often seasoned with chilli, oregano and a spice and oil mix known as chillichurri.
It is usually served with bread and is often eaten at the start of an Argentinian grilled meat feast known as an asado.
This in itself is an experience we’d recommend to anyone who is looking to holiday South America style.
Pizza
We know that pizza is of course best known as an Italian food staple and we’re certainly not here to rewrite the culinary history books.
However, Argentinian pizza is distinct enough for us to consider it a different beast entirely.
They throw out the traditional thin pizza for much thicker crusts, keep the tomato sauce to a minimum and instead give Argentinian mozzarella its place as the star of the show: often dousing the crust so heavily that it drips temptingly off the side.
While you can find great pizza all over Argentina, Buenos Aires stands out as a great spot where you can buy pizza by the slice while travelling around the area.
