Top 14 Chilean Seafood Dishes

Machas a la parmesana is a typical Chilean dish consisting of razor clams that are topped with salt, white wine, butter, and parmesan cheese. The clams are then broiled until the cheese melts, and it is recommended to serve them immediately, preferably with a glass of white wine on the side. This Chilean classic is typically served as an appetizer and it was invented by an Italian immigrant named Edoardo Melotti Ferrari in Viña del Mar in the 1950s.Expand

Chupe de mariscos is a traditional and Chilean seafood chowder that includes ingredients like shrimp, mussels, clams, squid, and sometimes fish. The choice and variety of seafood can vary based on availability and regional preferences. The broth is typically made from fish stock or the cooking liquid from the seafood. It's thickened with rice, while other common ingredients include potatoes, choclo, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peas. What sets this dish apart from other soups is the addition of dairy. Evaporated milk or fresh milk is often added to give the soup a creamy consistency, and some versions might also have a touch of cheese, which is melted into the soup. Aji peppers, typically aji amarillo (a yellow chili pepper), give the chowder its characteristic color and a hint of heat. The soup is also seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, and fresh herbs like coriander or parsley. Towards the end of the cooking process, eggs are usually cracked into the simmering soup, where they poach in the hot liquid. Chupe de mariscos is typically served hot, garnished with fresh herbs. Given its hearty nature, it's often enjoyed as a main dish rather than a starter.Expand

Corvina al horno is a traditional saltwater fish dish in Latin American cuisine, especially popular in Chile and Peru. The dish is made with a combination of corvina sea bass, tomatoes, onions, garlic, white wine, lemon, olive oil, parsley, and salt. The onions and tomatoes are sliced, placed into a baking dish, seasoned with salt, drizzled with olive oil, and baked in the oven for ten minutes. The sea bass is placed on top of the vegetables, and it’s seasoned with salt and dressed with a mixture of wine, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. The dish is baked in the oven for about half an hour or until the fish is fully cooked. If desired, potatoes can also be added to the dish, and they’re often baked with vegetables.Expand

Pastel de jaiba is a decadent Chilean crab casserole hailing from Santiago, where it can be found in most restaurants. The dish is made with crab meat, crustless bread, garlic, onions, milk, chili peppers, white wine, butter, fish stock, cream, and spices such as cumin, oregano, and paprika powder. The combination is traditionally baked in clay pots (pomaires), and when done, it is usually topped with grated cheese and served with bread and a glass of medium-bodied white wine on the side.Expand

Caldillo de congrio is a hearty Chilean fish soup made with conger eel as its key ingredient. Chopped and cooked conger eel is usually boiled in water, creating a flavorful broth in the process. The broth and the eels are then combined with sautéed onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Optionally, heavy cream can also be stirred into the soup. Caldillo de congrio is typically seasoned with salt and black pepper, and it is garnished with coriander, parsley, or scallions. This nourishing soup is traditionally paired with crusty bread and a glass of wine on the side. Interestingly, the soup is so popular and rooted in Chilean culture that the famous poet and Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda wrote a poem called Ode to the Caldillo de Congrio.Expand

Locos con mayonesa is a traditional dish originating from Chile. It’s usually made with a combination of abalone, salt, onions, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and pisco. The abalone is washed, boiled in water with onions and peppers until soft, and then cut into pieces. These mollusks are arranged on a plate, often on a bed of lettuce, and they’re garnished with coriander, chives, or parsley. Mayonnaise is mixed with a bit of pisco, and it’s then placed on top of each abalone piece. Locos con mayonesa is usually served as an appetizer.Expand

Paila marina is a traditional stew consisting of a shellfish stock combined with a variety of seafood, shellfish, herbs, spices, and vegetables such as tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and onions. This flavorful stew, which is said to be a great hangover cure and an aphrodisiac, is typically flavored with paprika and parsley. The word paila in the name of the dish refers to an earthenware bowl in which the dish is traditionally served, while marina refers to a variety of seafood and shellfish used in the stew.Expand

Curanto is a traditional technique of cooking meat and seafood originating from Chiloé. In order to prepare it, chicken, pork, sausages, seafood (clams, mussels, giant barnacles), chapaleles potato dumplings, potatoes, and various vegetables are placed in a pit that's lined with curanto, meaning hot stones. Each layer of the ingredients is topped with large nalca (Chilean rhubarb) leaves that keep the steam trapped inside. Once cooked, the meat and seafood are usually served with pebre, hot sauce, and milcao potato pancakes. Ideally, the feast should be paired with a pisco sour for an authentic experience.Expand

Choritos con arroz is a traditional rice dish originating from Chile. The dish is usually made with a combination of rice, mussels, onions, carrots, bell peppers, butter, and salt. The onions, carrots, and bell peppers are chopped and sautéed in butter. Rice is added to the pan, and the mixture is stirred and cooked for a few minutes. Mussels are added to the pan, and the mixture is then covered with water and simmered over low heat. Once the rice is tender, and the mussels have opened up their shells, the dish is ready to be enjoyed, ideally with a fresh green salad on the side.Expand

Almejas al matico is a traditional dish originating from Chile. The dish is usually made with a combination of clams, matico leaves, lemon juice, onions, garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. The clams are washed and soaked in cold water in order to remove any sand residue. The onions, garlic, and matico leaves are chopped and mixed with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil. The clams are added to the mixture, and almejas al matico is ready to be served, typically as an appetizer in washed clam shells.Expand