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South American cuisine has many influences, due to the ethnic fusion of South America. The most characteristic are Native American, African, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, andIndian-South Asian. However, there is a mix ofEuropean,North American, and indigenous cuisines.[1] The customs and food products greatly vary[2] according to the physically distinct regions.
TheAmazon basin ofSouth America provides a plethora of fresh fish andtropical fruits.[3] ThePacific Ocean provides a large amount ofseafood, such asking crab (typically caught at the southern end of the continent),lobster (found in great quantities from theJuan Fernández Islands), andAntarctic krill, which was recently discovered.Tuna and tropical fish are caught all around the continent but are notably found in abundance nearEaster Island.
The many plains on this continent make it rich for growing foods likecereals,potatoes andquinoa. In thePatagonia region in the south ofArgentina, many people raisesheep andcattle. InBrazil, a traditional dish isfeijoada, astew consisting ofbeans withbeef andpork.[citation needed]Rice and beans is also very common in Brazil.[4]
Peruvian cuisine is largely influenced by traditionalIncan culture (seeIncan cuisine). The consumption ofcarne asada is widespread throughout much of the continent.[citation needed][a] It is popular to grill in the open air as inasado orchurrasco.
Shredded beef is common throughout South America and Latin America and is served with a variety of foods.[5]
The food of the Andes is highly influenced by theindigenous peoples. The principal foods continue to be corn, potatoes[6] and othertubers. The meats most characteristic of this zone are thellama (Peru) and theguinea pig (Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and the Argentine northwest). In areas where there is fresh water, trout is consumed.
Chupe andino refers to variousstews[7] andsoups that are prepared in the Andes mountains region. One of the most important drinks ischicha.[8] Important dishes includehumitas,locro,chanfaina,arepas,quimbolitos (dessert tamales), and peppers. A famous dish from the Peruvian Andes ispachamanca.[9] From the mixture of German, native cuisine, and theChiloé Archipelago in the southern Andes comesvaldiviano andcuranto.
The wetter areas of Peru produce sugar cane, lemon, bananas, and oranges.Chancaca is popular as well ascarbonara,sancocho,huevos quimbos, potato pie, andch'arki.
Thepampas have the most Italian and Spanish influences. In Argentina, they are the center of the three typical Argentine dishesdulce de leche,asado (churrasco in Brazil), andmilanesa.
Argentine pizza is different from Italian pizza, being closer tocalzones. Pasta and polenta are common in Argentina and on the Pampas generally.Empanadas andchoripán are very popular fast food in Argentina and Uruguay.Churros,ensaïmada,alfajor, Spanish tortillas with potato, meatballs,sopa de mondongo, andpuchero are Spanish-derived Pampas cuisine.Mate is popular on the Pampas.[10]
The tropical region of the continent is divided into two distinct areas, the coastal areas of the Atlantic and the Pacific and the Amazon area, each with its distinct cuisines. Much of the fruits that are considered to be exotic are common in the tropical forests and fields, such as guava, pineapple, papaya, mango, banana, and elderberry.
The climate and geography also favour a great variety of crops: potatoes, sweet potatoes,cassava, complemented with meat and fish; grains, principally rice, corn, and wheat and beans.
In the coastal areaceviche,tostones orpatacón,arepa,chipa,sancocho,pabellón criollo,bandeja paisa,guatita, andsopa paraguaya are common dishes.
In Brazil, foods such asfeijoada,[11]arroz carreteiro (cart riders rice),coxinha,[12] andfarofa are common throughout the country. TheBrazilian state ofBahia has its own cuisine which has heavy African influences.[citation needed]
The Amazon area is known for its utilization of native meats such as thecapybara, turtles,peccary, andpaca. Common dishes arejuane,tacacho,tacacá. There are a wide variety of fruits native to the Amazon with which a great variety of drinks are prepared.
As early as the 1950s, Latin American cuisine have been transported to the Southeast coast, whereSydney is.[13][better source needed] Now there is a slight selection of Latin American restaurants that has spread across the country.[citation needed]
Early South American restaurants in the United States included Caso do Brazil inReseda, California, which opened in 1955,[14] and the Machu Picchu nightclub inMiami, Florida, which opened in 1963, serving Peruvian dishes such asceviche andanticuchos.[15] South American foods are increasingly imported into the United States, especially Brazilian foods such asguarana,guava paste, andcachaça (an ingredient in thecaipirinha cocktail).[16]
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