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Bolivian Recipes

12 recipes

Bolivian cooking changes with altitude, from the cold altiplano around La Paz to the warm valleys of Cochabamba and the tropical lowlands near Santa Cruz. The Andean kitchen relies on potatoes in many forms, including chuño (freeze-dried potato), along with corn, quinoa, fava beans and beef. The valleys add peanuts, wheat and pastries such as salteñas, juicy baked turnovers eaten as a mid-morning snack. In the lowlands, rice, cassava and cheese appear more often. Heat comes from ají peppers, especially yellow ají and locoto, blended into llajua, the salsa that sits on the table at most meals. Lunch is the main meal and often opens with a soup, followed by a second dish served with rice and potatoes. Street food is strong, with anticuchos, salteñas and sandwiches at every market. Corn drinks such as api and mocochinchi, a dried-peach refresco, warm or cool the day, and festivals bring out stews and roast meats.

Staple ingredients

Appetizers

Soups

Main Dishes

Snacks

Drinks

Sauces, Dips and Condiments

Common questions

What is Bolivian food known for?

Salteñas, silpancho, pique macho, peanut soup and llajua salsa. Potatoes in many varieties, corn and chili peppers are the base of much of the cooking.

What is the national dish of Bolivia?

There is no single official dish. Salteñas are the best-known snack, while pique macho and silpancho often stand for the main course.

Is Bolivian food spicy?

It can be. Locoto and ají amarillo are common and llajua can be quite hot, but it is usually served on the side so each person controls the heat.