🎄 Win a month in Italy for two — €10,000 · The Secret Italy Prize GO →
The Curanto — Punta Arenas
← Back
Typical Dishes 📍 Punta Arenas, Chile 225 views

The Curanto

Curanto is a typical dish in the cuisine of southern Chile and Argentina, particularly in the Magellan region and Chilean Antarctica. Curanto is traditionally prepared in a large underground oven called a "curanto," which is dug into the ground and heated with boiling stones.Cura...

Photo · Nicoletta D.

The Curanto — Punta Arenas, Chile.

Location
Punta Arenas
Type
Typical Dishes
Opening hours
Weather now
↗ Directions

About The Curanto

The Curanto - Punta Arenas | Secret World Trip Planner

Curanto is a typical dish in the cuisine of southern Chile and Argentina, particularly in the Magellan region and Chilean Antarctica. Curanto is traditionally prepared in a large underground oven called a "curanto," which is dug into the ground and heated with boiling stones.Curanto is a very versatile dish and is prepared with a wide variety of ingredients, including seafood, meat, potatoes, vegetables, and bread. The ingredients are arranged in an even layer on the bottom of the oven and covered with nalca leaves, a typical plant of the region.The curanto is then simmered for several hours until all the ingredients are perfectly cooked and their flavors have blended. Once cooked, curanto is served on large tables along with sauces, fresh bread and wine.Curanto is a true culinary feast, representing the gastronomic culture and tradition of the Mapuche people of the Magellan region and Chilean Antarctica.

The Curanto - Punta Arenas | Secret World Trip Planner
The Curanto - Punta Arenas | Secret World Trip Planner
The Curanto - Punta Arenas | Secret World Trip Planner

Frequently Asked Questions

Curanto is a traditional dish from southern Chile and Argentina, particularly in the Magellan region and Chilean Antarctica, that is cooked in a large underground oven heated with boiling stones. This culinary method represents the gastronomic culture and tradition of the Mapuche people who have prepared this feast for generations.
Curanto is prepared with a versatile mix of seafood, meat, potatoes, vegetables, and bread, all arranged in layers on the bottom of the underground oven and covered with nalca leaves, a typical plant native to the Magellan region. The ingredients are simmered for several hours until perfectly cooked and their flavors have fully blended together.
Curanto is traditionally cooked in a large pit dug into the ground and heated with boiling stones, creating an efficient underground oven. The layered ingredients covered with nalca leaves are simmered for several hours, allowing all the flavors to blend and the food to cook perfectly from the heat of the stones.
Once cooked, curanto is served on large communal tables along with sauces, fresh bread, and wine, creating a true culinary feast. This presentation style reflects the Mapuche tradition of sharing meals as a cultural and social experience in the Magellan region.
Curanto is unique because it combines the indigenous Mapuche cooking traditions with local ingredients specific to the Magellan region, including nalca leaves and abundant seafood from the southern Chilean and Argentinian coastlines. This dish represents an authentic gastronomic heritage that can only be experienced authentically in its native region of southern Chile and Argentine Patagonia.

Experiences nearby · Punta Arenas

Powered by Viator

See more on Viator.com

Secret World Hidden places, real stories — plan your trip
Get the app