Servings
Font
Back
0 from 0 votes

Pastel de Choclo

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.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 383 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chilean

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
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large pan on the stove, heat the vegetable oil and then add the onions.
  2. Saute the onions until they turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Remove the meat from heat and set aside.
Corn Topping Instructions
  1. 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.
  2. Transfer the blended corn mixture to a medium-sized pot on the stove. Stir in the salt and paprika.
  3. 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
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
  2. Spread the meat mixture across the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Then layer the cooked chicken, halved hard boiled eggs, olives, and raisins over the top of the meat.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before enjoying.

Notes

  • Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
  • Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
  • 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
  • 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

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 383kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 35g (70%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 6g Trans Fat 0.4g Cholesterol 154mg (51%) Sodium 1103mg (46%) Potassium 744mg (21%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 287IU (6%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 53mg (5%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 383

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 383kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 35g 70%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 0.4g 20%
Cholesterol 154mg 51%
Sodium 1103mg 46%
Potassium 744mg 16%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 287IU 6%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 53mg 5%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.