Pastel de Choclo: Chilean Beef and Corn Casserole

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Total: 85 mins

Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Pastel de choclo is a beef and corn casserole, a very traditional and popular dish in Chile. Lots of different flavors, like beef and onions, raisins, olives, and roasted chicken, go into the body of the casserole, and the whole thing is topped off with a thick layer of creamed choclo corn. The corn «pudding» layer caramelizes in the oven, resulting in a delicious salty-sweet combination that’s reminiscent of shepherd’s pie.

Choclo is an Andean variety of corn with large starchy kernels that are slightly less sweet than most North American corn varieties, though any corn works well for this recipe. You can often find frozen choclo in Latin American grocery stores. 

This dish is traditionally baked in a shallow, round clay pot. A cast-iron skillet works well as a substitute (with the benefit of being able to cook the onions and beef first), but any casserole dish will do.

While this dish is filling on its own, sliced tomatoes or a tossed salad is a nice addition to the meal.

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 medium onions, chopped

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

• 3 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen

• 1 cup whole milk, divided

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon sugar, plus more for topping casserole

• 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/3 cup chopped black olives

• 3 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped

• 1 cup shredded roasted chicken

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Sauté the onions in the vegetable oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

   

3. Add the ground beef, cumin, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the beef is crumbled and browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

   

4. Place the corn kernels in a food processor or blender with 1/4 cup of the milk. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, until the corn is blended and appears creamy.

   

5. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a large saucepan. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, and the blended corn mixture.

   

6. Add the remaining 3/4 cup milk and simmer, constantly stirring, until the mixture thickens—about 5 to 10 minutes.

   

7. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh basil. Preheat oven to 375 F.

   

8. Drain the liquid from the browned beef mixture.

   

9. Place the ground beef mixture in the bottom of a 3- to 4-quart casserole dish.

   

10. Sprinkle the raisins, olives, and hard-boiled eggs over the beef, then layer the chicken on top.

    

11. Spread the corn mixture over the top of the casserole so that it covers the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle some sugar on top.

    

12. Bake the casserole in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling hot and the corn mixture is golden brown.

    

13. Serve warm.

    

How to Store

Pastel de choclo can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or put leftovers in an airtight container.