Charquicán

Name: Charquicán
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chilean
Ingredients: 400g beef chuck, diced small; 4 potatoes, cubed; 300g pumpkin, cubed; 1 cup corn kernels; 200g green beans, cut into pieces; 1 onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp paprika; Salt, pepper; 4 fried eggs for topping

Charquicán (char-kee-KAHN)

Chilean Beef and Vegetable Hash

⏱ Prep Time 20 min

📈 Difficulty Easy

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 394 kcal

A comforting rustic hash of diced beef, potatoes, pumpkin, corn, and green beans, mashed together and topped with a fried egg.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 25.0g

Carbs 42.0g

Fat 14.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

large skillet or pot potato masher cutting board

Presentation Guide

Vessel: flat clay plate

Garnishes: fried egg, cilantro

Accompaniments: pebre, Chilean salad

Ingredients

400g beef chuck, diced small
4 potatoes, cubed
300g pumpkin, cubed
1 cup corn kernels
200g green beans, cut into pieces
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
Salt, pepper
4 fried eggs for topping

Instructions

1
Brown diced beef in oil with cumin and paprika. Remove and set aside.
2
Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add pumpkin and potatoes with a splash of water.
3
Cover and cook 15 min until vegetables soften. Add corn and green beans, cook 5 more min.
4
Return beef to the pot. Mash everything roughly with a fork or potato masher — it should be chunky, not smooth.
5
Season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 more min to meld flavors.
6
Serve in bowls topped with a fried egg.

💡

Did You Know?

The name charquicán comes from Quechua "charki" (dried meat) combined with "kan" (stew) — the same root that gave English the word "jerky."

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large skillet or pot
potato masher
cutting board

Garnishing

fried egg, cilantro

Accompaniments

pebre, Chilean salad

The Story Behind Charquicán

Charquicán is one of Chile's oldest dishes, originally made with charqui (dried llama or guanaco meat) by indigenous peoples of the Andes. Spanish colonizers adapted it with beef, but the hearty, mashed character remains unchanged. It is everyday Chilean comfort food at its most honest.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed weekday lunch 📜 Origins: Pre-Columbian, adapted

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