A Fantastic Journey Through Our Native Cuisine

Many native peoples who lived in the current Argentinean region obtained food through hunting and gathering. Other native peoples, like the Guaraní, the Mapuche, and the cultures of the northwest linked to the Inca Empire, focused on animal farming and husbandry.

With the natives, Argentina’s long agricultural and livestock history was born. Taking advantage of the extremely fertile soils and majestic indigenous fauna, they laid the foundation for hundreds of culinary traditions in our country, based on maize and potatoes.

There were also foods that were replaced when the Spanish introduced cattle, like llama and guanaco. Their meats were consumed as part of rituals, and they are now primarily raised for wool.

Before the 16th century, different cooking techniques were already being practiced in South America. At that time, the natives already knew how to boil, roast, fry and toast the foods they ate. They were renowned for stews, now a key part of Argentinean cuisine.

The legacy of the natives is evident in Argentina’s food culture. A good example of this is humita. This dish is based on maize, an original South American cereal, which gained its name from the Quechuan word “humint’a” and was created using a milling technique.

Charqui or charque, a type of very finely cut meat which is sun-dried and preserved in salt for long periods of time, is another legacy from the natives. Its name comes from the Quechuan word “charki” and is one of an endless range of northern dishes.

Other examples of typical Argentinean recipes passed down from the natives are calapurca (a stew with meat seasoned with ground chili and cooked on hot stones heated by embers), and tamales, made with maize and with different fillings.

The biggest legacy of Guaraní tradition is without a doubt the consumption of yerba mate, which was later strengthened by the arrival of Jesuit missions in the region from the 17th century.

Guaraní tradition has a strong influence in many locations in Argentina, mainly in the Mesopotamian provinces. This is evidenced in recipes like chipá guazú, mbejú, chipá and Paraguayan soup, and many more.

The Tehuelche, the Pehuenche, the Selk’nam and the Yaghan are some of the indigenous peoples who inhabited Patagonia, from the Pampas to the remote Tierra del Fuego. Due to rugged climate conditions, their food culture was based on hunting, fishing and gathering.

In Argentinean and Chilean Patagonia, the Mapuche dominated agriculture. Many of their culinary traditions live on in the region, such as curanto: a technique for cooking meat, fruit and vegetables with hot stones covered with dry leaves or linen.

Just like back then, Tierra del Fuego culinary tradition continues to be closely linked with seafood, with products like crab being a marker of quality and their identity.