Pastel de Choclo: Chile's Beloved Corn & Beef Casserole

 Pastel de Choclo: Chile's Beloved Corn & Beef Casserole 🌽🔥

A comforting, sweet-savoury masterpiece that's like South America's answer to Cottage Pie — with surprise pockets of olives, raisins, and boiled egg!

📖 What Is It?

Pastel de Choclo (pronounced pah-STEL day CHOK-loh) is a traditional Chilean casserole featuring:

A spiced onion-beef filling loaded with cumin & paprika

A thick, golden corn pudding topping (almost as thick as the meat layer!)

Hidden surprises: olives, raisins, soft-boiled egg tucked inside

💡 Every Chilean family has their own spin — some add chicken, some use creamed corn, but the sweet corn + savoury beef combo is the soul of the dish.

🛒 Ingredients (Serves 8)

🥩 Beef Filling

Ingredient Amount

Beef mince (ground beef) 1 kg / 2 lb

Onions (large), diced 3 large (or 4–5 medium)

Garlic cloves, minced 6

Olive oil 2 tbsp

Plain flour 1/4 cup

Beef stock 1 1/2 cups

Cumin powder 1 1/2 tbsp

Paprika (sweet) 1 tbsp

Salt 1 1/2 tsp

Black pepper 1/2 tsp

🌽 Corn Topping

Ingredient Amount

Frozen corn 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb (8 cups!)

Butter 50g / 3 tbsp

Milk 1/2 cup

Fine cornmeal or semolina 2 tbsp

Basil leaves (optional) 12–15

Salt 1/2 tsp

✨ Finishing Touches

Ingredient Amount

Black olives, chopped 1/4 cup

Soft-boiled eggs, quartered 2

Raisins (or sultanas) 2 tbsp

Granulated sugar 1 tbsp

Paprika (for dusting) Pinch

👩‍🍳 How to Make It

Step 1: Beef Filling (20 min)

Brown beef in a large pan on high heat, breaking it up. Remove & set aside.

Cook onions + garlic in the same pan (5 min, until translucent).

Return beef, add spices + flour, stir until no flour visible.

Add stock → thickens into gravy. Simmer 5 min until thick enough to hold a path.

Spread in a 23×33 cm (9×13") casserole dish. Let cool.

Step 2: Corn Topping (15 min)

Melt butter, add frozen corn, cook 5 min.

Add milk, salt, basil → blitz with stick blender (~30 sec, leave some texture).

Stir in cornmeal, cook 5 min on medium-low until thick enough to mound on a spoon.

Step 3: Assemble & Bake (45 min)

Press eggs into beef, scatter olives + raisins.

Dollop corn mixture over the top, smooth out.

Sprinkle sugar + paprika.

Bake at 200°C / 390°F for 40–45 min until golden.

Cool 15 min → cut like lasagna! 🔪

🌟 Pro Tips

Tip Detail

🧅 Don't skimp on onions 3 big ones = the backbone of flavour

🌶️ Double the spices 1 tbsp paprika + 1.5 tbsp cumin (not the usual 1 tsp!)

🌽 Frozen corn works perfectly Fresh summer corn would be even better!

⚠️ Don't use polenta It's too coarse — use fine cornmeal, semolina, or plain flour instead

🧊 Make-ahead friendly Assemble → refrigerate → bake next day (+10 min)

🫒 Hate olives? Try pickled jalapeños for that briny pop

🥗 Serve With

A fresh light salad to balance the richness:

Cucumber Salad with Herb Garlic Vinaigrette

Garden Salad

Cherry Tomato Salad (when in season)

📊 Nutrition (Per Serving, 8 servings)

Amount

Calories 537

Protein 35g

Carbs 48g

Fat 25g

Fibre 6g

💬 What People Are Saying

"Surprisingly delicious — the sweet corn vs savoury beef battle is addictive!" — Stewart