Chilean

Cazuela

“Chilean home-style stew — clear broth with chunky beef shank, whole potato, corn-on-the-cob piece, pumpkin chunks, green beans, and rice, simmered together. Served in wide bowls with each element visible. The most-eaten Chilean weeknight dinner.”

Chilean·Central Chilean

Easy2 hours

Where it comes from

Cazuela is the most-Chilean of all Chilean dishes — everyday family dinner found at every household. Brought from Spain (cazuela = casserole), Chileanized by adding native ingredients (corn, pumpkin, potato). Variations: cazuela de vacuno (beef), de ave (chicken), nogada (with walnut, Patagonian). Whole-vegetable pieces are canonical.

On the plate

A bowl of cazuela is the most-honest Chilean home cooking. Clear amber broth, deeply beefy from long-simmered shank, slightly sweet from pumpkin and corn, herbal from thyme and cumin. Each element distinct: silky potato, soft pumpkin, fork-tender beef, hands-on corn cob, broth-soaked rice. Pebre adds brightness. Pair with Carmenère.

How it works

Two principles: (1) Whole vegetables (not diced) is canonical Chilean — keeps each component distinct. (2) Vegetables added LATE (after 60 min beef) preserves their texture. Rice cooks with vegetables in same time.

Variations

Central canonical (beef + whole vegetables); cazuela de ave (chicken, lighter); nogada (with walnuts); modern with ají; Patagonian uses lamb.

On the Palate

Ingredients

Serves 4

How it's made

7 steps · Show ↓

30 min active · 90 min waiting

1
10 min
Cut 800g beef shank into 4 chunks. Brown in 3 tbsp oil 8 min. Remove.
2
7 min
Sauté 1 onion + 2 garlic + 1 chopped carrot 6 min.
3
65 min
Return beef. Add 2.5L water + 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp paprika + 1/4 tsp pepper + 1 bay leaf + 2 thyme sprigs. Simmer covered 60 min.
4
1 min
Add 4 whole potatoes + 4 corn cob pieces + 4 pumpkin wedges + 200g green beans + 1/2 cup rice.
5
30 min
Simmer 25-30 min until vegetables tender and rice cooked.
6
5 min
Serve in wide bowls: 1 piece beef + 1 potato + 1 corn cob + 1 pumpkin wedge + green beans + rice + broth. Garnish cilantro + lemon.
7
2 min
Eat with soup spoon + fork + hands (for corn cob). Pair with pebre.

What you'll need

Parrillaspecialty

A heavy iron grate set 25-40 cm above a wood-or-charcoal fire, often with handle-cranked height adjustment to dial in the heat. The classic Argentinian asado parrilla cooks tira de asado (cross-cut short ribs), entraña (skirt steak), and chorizo over the embers of quebracho or hardwood — never gas. A real parrilla cooks for 2-3 hours; lifting the grate higher mid-cook is how the asador slows the meat for tougher cuts.

Sauteing Simmering