Top 63 South American Snacks

These empanadas are a specialty of the region of Tucumán, and they are quite different than numerous empanadas found in Buenos Aires. Tucumanas are typically handmade according to old, traditional recipes, and are characterized by a crispy dough and ideal proportions of dough and fillings. The dough is made with wheat flour and beef fat, and it is then usually filled with beef, chicken, or tripe, along with other ingredients such as onions, hard-boiled eggs, paprika, and cumin. Authentic Tucumanas should be baked in a clay oven, and it is best to enjoy them with a glass of local wine on the side.Expand

Literally translated to cheese bread, pão de queijo has its origins in the culinary inventions of African slaves, when they started to use the residue of the cassava plant. A fine white powder, or starch, was rolled into balls and baked. At the time, no cheese was added, so it was just baked starch, but at the end of the 19th century, when slavery ended, other foods started to become available to the Afro-Brazilians for the first time. In the state of Minas Gerais, the dairy center of Brazil, cheese and milk started to be added to the starchy balls, and pão de queijo was created. Today, it is a popular Brazilian snack or breakfast food that is also widely consumed in northern Argentina, sold at numerous coffee shops, snack bars, and bakeries.Expand

Empanadas argentinas, or Argentinian empanadas, make up a group of traditional Argentinian pastries filled with a variety of ingredients, from meat to cheese and vegetables. Although they are mostly enjoyed in their savory form, there are sweet dessert varieties filled with ingredients such as dulce de leche and quince. The dough, typically made with wheat flour, is rolled thin and folded over a filling, and the resulting parcel is then baked or fried to golden perfection. Traditional empanadas often feature ingredients such as ground beef, onions, and spices, giving them a robust and savory flavor. Still, each region of Argentina boasts its own unique style and flavor profiles - small and spicy from Salta, large Mendoza-style ones with garlic and olives, ones from Cordillera with lamb, and so on. Empanadas argentinas are not just a culinary delight; they are also a cultural symbol (empanadas criollas have even been declared a Cultural Heritage of Food and Gastronomy by the Argentine Ministry of Culture). They are enjoyed as a quick snack, a light lunch, or a hearty dinner and are often served during parties and various festivities.Expand

Choclo con queso is a Peruvian meal that is often consumed as a snack, an appetizer, or a side dish. Peruvian choclo is a type of corn with large kernels, nutty flavor, and chewy texture. When paired with creamy and salty cheese and a dab of butter on top, it results in choclo con queso (lit. corn with cheese). Although it can be found in restaurants, this delicious snack is most commonly bought from street vendors. In some modern interpretations, the dish can also be made into a baked casserole with added onions, cumin, flour, and milk.Expand

One of the most common fast food items in Brazil is known as pastel, a deep-fried, stuffed pastry. This half-circle or rectangle-shaped miniature pie is stuffed with a variety of ingredients, most commonly shredded chicken, ground beef, mozzarella, or small shrimps. Sweet varieties also exist, and they are usually made with chocolate, bananas, or guava jam, but they are not as common as their savory counterparts. The exact origin of the dish is not familiar, but it is believed that pastel evolved from the Chinese spring roll, which was brought to Brazil by Japanese immigrants. The shape and the ingredients changed, but pastel retained its thin and crispy outer layer. They are usually served hot and are most commonly accompanied by beer or a glass of sugarcane juice. It is a snack that is usually sold in snack bars, and it is almost always meant to be eaten by hand.Expand

One of Brazil's favorite street foods, coxinha (lit. little thigh) is a crispy croquette filled with chicken meat and cream cheese that is cleverly shaped into a chicken drumstick, then breaded and deep-fried. Coxinha originated around São Paulo in the 19th century, and by the 1950s it spread to Rio de Janeiro and Paraná, having now become one of the most popular salgados (savory appetizers) across the country. Legend has it that coxinha was first made for the Brazilian princess Isabel's son who only liked chicken thigh meat. However, according to food historians, it was probably invented during the industrialization of São Paulo to be marketed as a cheaper and more durable substitute to traditional chicken cuts that were sold at the gates of local factories as snacks for the workers. Nowadays, coxinhas can be found anywhere from Brazilian snack bars called lanchonetes, cafés, buffets and even bakeries to numerous stand-up lunch counters and street food stalls. The perfect coxinha has a golden, crunchy crust which envelopes the chicken stock and flour dough and breaks away into its creamy interior made with shredded chicken breast and Catupiry requeijão cremoso cheese. It is typically flavored with onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime. For a well-rounded snack, these delicious Brazilian chicken-filled nibbles are usually served with hot chili sauce, vinaigrette or garlic mayonnaise, and best enjoyed with a glass of cold beer.Expand

Pan de queso is a cheese bread from Colombia, namely the Paisa region where it is extremely popular. The main ingredients are tapioca flour and grated cheese, but it is the fermented cassava starch that gives these rolls their lightness and volume. They are eaten for breakfast or as a parva—a quick breakfast snack, either plain or filled with cream cheese or jelly.Expand

Tequeños are a traditional Venezuelan snack consisting of fried wonton wrappers or empanada dough filled with cheese. It is believed that this snack originated from the city of Los Teques. Tequeños are usually served with various sauces and dips such as guacamole or salsa de palta. Although the snack got its start in Venezuela, it soon spread throughout Latin America. In Peru, tequeños are popular as an appetizer or an afternoon snack, and Peruvians sometimes add ham, lomo saltado, or aji de gallina to the cheese filling.Expand

Golden, tender, and warm papa rellenas are traditional Peruvian stuffed potatoes, a type of croquette consisting of fried mashed potatoes with a meat filling on the interior. The filling usually consists of chopped beef that is mixed with onions and cumin. In Peru, the typical accompaniment to papa rellena is salsa Criolla (hot Creole sauce). The dish is popular as a street food, but it is also served at restaurants and prepared at home. A popular theory suggests that the dish was invented in 1879, in the height of the War of the Pacific by Peruvian soldiers who needed durable, pre-made food, so they would cook the meat, season it, and place it into the hollowed potatoes, which were later fried and wrapped in cloths. As the soldiers returned home, the dish was popularized by their families who would add their own touch to the basic recipe. Today, the dish is no longer reserved for Peruvians, ever since the biggest chefs of Peru have promoted it throughout the world.Expand

Pan de yuca is a traditional bread consisting of cassava flour, eggs, and cheese. It is usually shaped into small, round balls. The bread is popular throughout Colombia and Ecuador, although there are variations on pan de yuca throughout Latin America. It makes for a delicious warm appetizer or an afternoon snack, preferably paired with a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee.Expand