Argentine cuisine
A beef-centered cuisine shaped by Indigenous and immigrant traditions.
Argentine cuisine is a blend of Indigenous, Spanish, and later immigrant influences, particularly from Italy and Spain. It is defined by a strong beef-centric diet, with asado (barbecue) as a national staple, and reflects the country's vast area and cultural diversity.
- nationality
- Argentine
- field
- Cuisine
- known_for
- Asado, beef consumption, empanadas, Italian-influenced dishes
- key_ingredients
- Beef, maize, potatoes, tomatoes, yerba mate, pasta, pizza
- immigrant_influence
- Second only to the United States in number of immigrants (6.6 million)
Lore & Background
The Columbian Exchange brought Old World ingredients, and by the 19th century, beef was cheap and widely consumed, with annual per capita consumption approaching 180 kg. Social standing was not tied to food access; bread was expensive while meat was abundant.
Reader's Guide
The great immigratory waves of the 19th and 20th centuries—especially from Italy and Spain—transformed Argentine cuisine. Italians introduced pizza, pasta varieties (spaghetti, lasagna, gnocchi), and ice cream; Spanish immigrants popularized olives, olive oil, and wine. British settlers brought tea, establishing teatime. Today, asado remains central to national identity, with chimichurri as a common condiment. Empanadas, milanesas, and sandwiches de miga are widespread. Homemade food is associated with affection and celebration, and Sunday family lunch is the week's most significant meal. Argentine restaurants range from high-end international cuisine to inexpensive bodegones.
Did You Know?
- Argentina was the second country in the world with the most immigrants (6.6 million), after the United States.
- The empanada originates from a 15th-century Spanish dish of bread filled with various ingredients.
- In Patagonia, lamb and goat are eaten more frequently than beef.
More in World Cuisines 1-24
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