A hearty and filling dinner, this warm casserole is the Chilean version of a shepherd’s pie. Filled with beef, chicken and eggs and topped with a delicious corn topping, Pastel de Choclo is a great introduction to Chilean comfort food.
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I’m a midwestern girl, which means that casseroles are big in my household. My mom doesn’t cook very much, but she did have about 5 favorite recipes she would make when we were growing up, about three of which were casseroles….
There’s something about a casserole that makes the dinner table feel so much like home. One big dish filled with everything you need– vegetables, sides, sauces– steaming hot and waiting to be dug into. I love a good casserole! Apparently, so too, do other countries!
I’ve found Stuffed Pepper Casserole in Croatia, Macaroni Pie in Barbados, Moussaka in Greece, and now this Pastel de Choclo in Chile.
Pastel de Choclo is essentially a Chilean version of shepherd’s pie, made with corn instead of potatoes because the Humero Corn this recipe calls for is widespread in Chile.
What also makes this recipe different from a Western casserole is it is loaded with protein. There’s a layer of spiced ground beef, topped with chicken and hard boiled eggs. Raisins and olives add additional flavor–similar to Cuban Picadillo. For some of us, this may sound like a strange combination… normally unheard of in dishes in America. But give it a chance and I promise you’ll love it. This casserole is delicious!!
Recipe Origins
Pastel de Choclo is traditional Chilean comfort food. It is eaten year round but is most popular in the countryside, after a good summer corn harvest.
This dish traces its origin back to the time of colonization when many of the indigenous Mapuche were forced to work in Spanish kitchens. There they may have learned how to make Picadillo which became the base of this dish.
The native people added their own corn, called “choclo”, on top, as it was a staple crop for them.
The result is a dish that is a fusion of cultures and flavors.
Why Make This Recipe
- Tons of Protein: At a time when it feels like everyone is trying to get more protein into their diet–this recipe adds it all.
- Sweet and Savory: The meat at the base of this recipe is savory, but combines beautifully with the sweet corn (and sugar on top, if desired!). Then you throw in bits of eggs, raisins and olives and it’s a combination of flavors you are going to love.
- Taste of Chile: This is a beautifully traditional dish from Chile served all year round and a great way to experience Chile from home.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Vegetable Oil: This is the traditional choice as opposed to olive oil.
- Onion: I use a white onion, but you can use anything you have on hand. Make sure to dice it finely!
- Spices: Paprika, oregano, cumin, salt
- Ground beef: Make sure to buy the lean variety. Too much fat will make your casserole too greasy. I used 97% lean.
- Beef broth: You can also substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth if necessary.
- Corn: The traditional choice in Chile is humero corn, which can be difficult to find in the US. I simply used frozen corn kernels. You could also use fresh corn for this, but I do not recommend canned corn as it contains too much moisture. More information in the “What Kind of Corn Should I Use” section.
- Fresh Basil: Some recipes do not use basil, while other chileans claim that it is not Pastel de Choclo without it!
- Milk: You could also use cream
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Cooked chicken: I like to use rotisserie chicken for an easy option, but feel free to use any cooked chicken you have on hand. You could use grilled or even canned chicken.
- Raisins: I used purple raisins but you can also use golden raisins.
- Black olives
- Granulated sugar: Optional. Again, some Chileans hate adding sugar and some think it is a necessity for an authentic dish!
What Kind of Corn Should I Use?
Chilean corn is not the same as what is found in the United States. It is less sweet and more creamy when blended. The corn found in the United States has neat rows of kernels but Chilean corn, humero corn, is shorter and more irregular.
While it would be ideal to find humero or choclo corn, frozen corn works perfectly fine for this recipe. I do not recommend using canned corn.
Tools
- Food processor or immersion blender: You need to get the corn mixture as smooth as possible
- 9×13 Baking dish: Traditionally this recipe is made in a shallow clay pot but any baking dish will do
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Beef Mixture. Saute the onions, spices and beef until the beef is browned. Add beef broth to the mixture and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Step Two: Blend the Corn Topping. Add the corn, basil and ¼ cup milk to a large bowl and blend until smooth.
Step Three: Cook Corn Topping. Transfer the blended corn mixture to a medium-sized pot on the stove. Stir in the salt and paprika. Stir the corn mixture constantly until it reaches a thick consistency, remove it from the heat.
Step Four: Assemble the Casserole. Spread the meat mixture across the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Layer the chicken, halved hard boiled eggs, olives, and raisins over the top of the meat, then pour the cooked corn mixture over the layers and spread
Step Five: Bake. Place your Pastel de Choclo in the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or until the corn mixture starts to stiffen and brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Sugar or No Sugar?
When Chileans make pastel de choclo, they sometimes will stir sugar into the corn topping to make it sweeter or even just sprinkle it on top. You can choose to add the sugar or omit. I personally elected to keep my casserole sugar-less, as corn found in the US is typically much sweeter than traditional Chilean corn.
I’m sure sugar would be an interesting addition. Maybe I’ll try it next time! If you add sugar to your corn topping, make sure to leave a comment telling me what you thought.
Recipe FAQs
I would not recommend using canned corn for this recipe. It has a slightly different texture because of the way it is packed that may not work out well.
This recipe can be enjoyed all by itself, but I’ve seen several people recommend serving it with a simple salad or pico de gallo. It would also be delicious with this kachumbari.
Did you enjoy this recipe for Pastel de Choclo? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
If you tried this Pastel de Choclo Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Pastel de Choclo
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Oven Mitt
Ingredients
Beef Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion, finely diced
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- 2 lb lean ground beef
- ¾ cup beef broth
Corn Topping Ingredients
- 36 oz corn kernels, about 7 cups, I use frozen corn kernels that I thaw before beginning
- 3 Tbsp densely packed fresh basil
- ¼ cup milk
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp paprika
Assembly Ingredients
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half
- 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped (boneless, skinless)
- 4 Tbsp Raisins
- ½ cup black olives
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, optional
Instructions
Beef Mixture Instructions
- In a large pan on the stove, heat the vegetable oil and then add the onions.
- Saute the onions until they turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the spices into the onions and continue to saute for about 15 more minutes, until they soften significantly, adding more vegetable oil as necessary.
- Add the ground beef into the pan and cook until the meat is browned. Add the beef broth into the pan and allow the liquid in the pan to reach a light simmer. Allow it to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes total or until some of the liquid has evaporated. Do not boil the liquid or the meat will dry out.
- Remove the meat from heat and set aside.
Corn Topping Instructions
- Add the corn, basil and ¼ cup milk to a large bowl. Use an immersion blender to blend until the corn is smooth and forms a cream. Alternatively, you can use a blender or food processor.
- Transfer the blended corn mixture to a medium-sized pot on the stove. Stir in the salt and paprika.
- Stir the corn mixture constantly for about 20 minutes so that it doesn’t burn. Once it reaches a thick consistency, remove it from the heat.
Assembly Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
- Spread the meat mixture across the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Then layer the cooked chicken, halved hard boiled eggs, olives, and raisins over the top of the meat.
- Pour the cooked corn mixture over the layers and spread until the corn mixture covers the contents of the casserole dish. Sprinkle the corn mixture with sugar, if desired.
- Place your Pastel de Choclo in the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or until the corn mixture starts to stiffen and brown.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- Vegetable Oil: This is the traditional choice as opposed to olive oil.
- Ground beef:Make sure to buy the lean variety. Too much fat will make your casserole too greasy. I used 97% lean.
- Beef broth: You can also substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth if necessary.
- Corn: You could also use fresh corn for this, but I do not recommend canned corn as it contains too much moisture.
- Milk:You could also use cream
- Cooked chicken: You could use grilled or even canned chicken.
- Some people sprinkle sugar on top, but others argue that it is only real Pastel de Choclo without the sugar.
- Some Chileans enjoy the taste of basil in the topping, while others argue that is not a necessary ingredient
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