Argentinian cuisine was so much better than I had expected. I had lived in Buenos Aires for three months earlier on in the year, and their dishes were so much fun to explore.
The desserts are ridiculously rich and the traditional recipes have so much flavor.
And while there is the typical Argentinian food like empanadas and asado, you’ll also find unique dishes like postre vigilante and choripán.
Also, you can’t skip the influences from Europe like fugazzeta and pre-Hispanic dishes like humita.
And whether you wanna try the country’s famous steaks or their dulce de leche filled desserts, I really do think you’re gonna like it. There is so much to explore with their cuisine, so here are some common (and very tasty) foods in Argentina you should know about before you visit.
Food in Argentina: 22 Traditional and Popular Dishes to Try
1. Asado
If you’re going to do Argentina, then you need to know that asado (or their version of BBQ) is gonna be everywhere.
My husband and I went to the Asado and Empanada food festival held at Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo (a beautiful 148 year old horse race track). There was so much meat and tasty foods everywhere.
We got to try amazing cuts of beef like bife de ojo (ribeye), vacio (flank steak), and HUGE ribs!
The traditional asado (or also called parrillada) was super tender, juicy, salty, and savory. It was definitely worth the money and I can’t remember the last time I had beef that good!
2. Fugazzetta
Argentina had a big Italian immigration between the 1850s and 1950s, and that means you’re going to be getting some amazing fusion dishes like fugazzetta.
And while this traditional food just looks like a pizza, it’s a bit more rich than that.
A fugazzetta has four layers: dough, cheese, dough, cheese. No tomato sauce, but it does have a sprinkling of caramelised onions on top.
I can’t tell you how satisfying and creamy this dish was and it didn’t even make me feel sick from all the rich ingredients.
I actually felt amazing after eating it and wasn’t hungry for hours.
One of the Best Places to Get It: El Cuartito
3. Empenadas
Coming from Spain, empanadas are probably one of the most fun and most famous dishes in Argentina.
And whether they’re baked or deep fried, there are so many empanada flavors to try!
Of course you’re going to get ones with beef and tasty spices, but there are also ones with ingredients like cheese, olive, egg, goat, ham, and more.
I’d suggest finding a restaurant that makes really good empanadas, ordering multiple flavors, and doing a bit of a tasting. We did and it was pretty fun. 🤷♀️
4. Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche is like caramel except it’s SO much richer and creamier.
This thick smooth sauce is made up of caramelized milk and sugar and is put into so many desserts! So whether that’s alfajores, flan, ice cream, or cake, you’ll find it everywhere and it’s a very good thing. 👌
5. Helado
Originating from the Italians bringing over their gelato, Argentina took this dessert and made it its own thing.
Being described as creamier because of the type of cream and milk that goes into it, I can 100% verify that it is really good.
Also, there are so many different flavors you’re not gonna find in Italy. Here are the ones we’ve tried so far:
- Dulce de leche
- Tramontana (vanilla ice cream with dulce de leche + chocolate-covered cookies)
- Dulce de leche granizado (dulce de leche with chocolate bits)
- Patagónico (dark chocolate with chocolate chips + red fruits)
- Flan
Some of the Best Places to Get It:
6. Chimichurri
Chimichurri is this really nice garlicky, tangy, and savory sauce you can put on just about any dish.
I really loved having it on the asado I got at the food festival; it really enhanced the flavors of the meat and was the perfect addition to my meal.
Here are the ingredients you’ll normally find in Argentinian chimichurri:
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Red chilis
- Oregano
- Bay leaves
7. Traditional Argentina Flan
I am in love with flan and Argentine flan is one of my favorite kinds!
It’s super creamy, caramely, and rich. Also, it kind of has this almost burnt sugar flavor to it like a creme brûlée.
I also had it paired with dulce de leche and it’s honestly the perfect pairing. The creamy smooth sauce just worked so well with the flan.
One of the Best Places to Get It: El Cuartito
8. Medialunas
If like European croissants, then you’ll love the Argentinian version, medialunas!
They’re honestly so good and it doesn’t even matter if they’re hot and fresh or cold.
If they’re cold, they’re still super flaky and buttery and pair so well with a hot coffee.
And if they’re hot, they’re still really flaky, buttery, and have this nice doughiness to them. So people who love different textures in one food will definitely like this!
Personal Recommendation: Try it heated up with some butter; the butter soaks so well into the flaky soft layers and makes it so much better.
One of the Best Places to Get It: Salvaje Bakery
9. Alfajores
I’ve been living in different South American countries for over a year now and alfajores are one of my favorite desserts!
They’re two biscuit-like cookies with a yummy dulce de leche filling. It’s super crumbly and rich and pairs so well with a hot drink. Definitely worth trying while exploring Argentinian cuisine.
10. Argentinian Milanesa
Milanesa is a thin slice of beef that’s been coated in breading and spices and is super juicy and filled with a lot of flavor.
I can’t tell you how good it is.
They also have it in sandwiches (caballo), Neapolitan style (with ham, cheese, and a tomatoes sauce), and many other variations.
It’s not healthy but if I could, I’d probably eat this satisfying Argentinian dish at least a couple of times a week.
One of the Best Places to Get Milanesa: Cafe Rivas
Photo below: Milanesa Napolitana
11. Choripán
Choripán is one of the most popular foods in Argentina. It’s a simple but very filling meal of bread stuffed with chorizo, sauces like salsa criolla and chimichurri, and sometimes lettuce and tomato.
12. Postre Vigilante
If you really want to get into Argentine cuisine, then you can’t skip this dessert. In fact, if you’re in South America in general, don’t ever skip any dessert dish that has cheese.
It’s not a common combination in the US, but it is always a good idea and should be enjoyed.
And for this Argentinian food, you have slices of a kind of quince jam/paste with slices of mild and creamy cheese. The combination is perfectly tasty.
13. Fresh Pasta
Because of the Italian immigrants from back in the day, you’ll find plenty of fresh pasta shops in Buenos Aires. So if you want to kind of feel like a local, then look up the hours and grab some pasta to make back at your short-term rental!
14. Matte
My husband had booked us a matte tasting since he knew I had wanted to get into it, and I was so happy with the experience.
I had no idea how much matte was about community and spending quality time with the people you cared about. I did enjoy the tea, but it was so cool to learn about the history of matte and how important it was to the people in Argentina.
Also, if you’d like to do the matte tasting yourself, I did it with Bertie and Aby and it was such a wonderful experience. They had nice pastries to pair with the tea and were so much fun to talk to! I wouldn’t have done this Argentina food tradition with anyone else.
15. Pastelitos Criollos
If you love flaky buttery pastries, then this should be at the top of your list of Argentina foods to try!
These multi-layered sweets were perfectly crunchy, and had a sweet and slightly tangy quince filling. Just make sure to enjoy it with a cup of coffee and good company!
16. Provoleta
Provoleta is one of the most traditional Argentina foods and it’s kind of hard to say no to.
It’s cheese that’s been grilled and you’ll see it being served as an appetizer. Provoleta is really tasty and something you can’t miss when visiting the country!
17. Humita
If you want to get into the Argentina food scene, then you can’t skip their pre-Hispanic dishes like humita.
Coming from the Incan empire in the 1400s, and changing by region, it’s a slightly-sweet and savory dish made with sweetcorn, butternut squash, cheese, and other flavorful and hearty ingredients.
It’s kind of the perfect comfort food for the colder months!
18. Matambre
Matambre, or Argentinian stuffed flank steak, is flavorful, hearty, and very satisfying.
You’ll find it being stuffed with things like egg, herbs, chorizo, olives, peppers, and other flavorful ingredients. It’s then boiled in milk or water, oven roasted, and then enjoyed warm or cold.
19. Pastel de Papa
If you’re craving more Argentina dishes that double as comfort food, then this potato and cheese dish is for you.
It’s basically their version of shepherds pie, but you’ll find different ingredients in the meat mixture like olives, red peppers, raisins, and even boiled egg. Of course it will vary by region, but I highly recommend it!
20. Parrillada de Achuras
This is definitely one of the most traditional Argentinian foods, and I can’t recommend it enough.
In certain countries like Argentina and Uruguay, you won’t just find big cuts of meat being grilled. You’ll also find sausages like morcilla (blood sausage, it’s amazing) and chorizo, and grilled innards like mollejas (sweetbreads), and chinchulines (chitterlings/intestines).
And while that might make some people from certain countries a bit nervous, please give it a try! It’s a big part of the Argentina food culture and really tasty and satisfying.
21. Lomito
Another very common and typical Argentina dish and great for a quick lunch.
It’s a steak sandwich that can be enjoyed with some fresh chimichurri and you’ll find it basically everywhere.
So if you’re craving some flaky, filling bread and steak, then this is a good meal to try!
22. Budin (Argentinian Pound or Tea Cake)
According to an Argentinian cook, it originated “from the need to use leftover bread.”
It takes on different forms, some more cakey (like in the image above), and some more pudding-like and almost taking on the appearance of flan.
The bread is soaked into a spiced milk mixture, blended, baked, and then enjoyed. Honestly, this version sound so good, so if you’d like to make it yourself, then here’s a budin recipe you can try!
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.