Locro

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare all the ingredients before you start: dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the spring onions, cube the squash, and cut the chorizo and pork belly into bite-size pieces. Keeping the squash pieces evenly sized helps them soften at the same rate, while thick chorizo slices stay juicy during simmering.

   120 g onion, finely diced3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced2 stalks (30 g) spring onion, thinly sliced300 g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes180 g fresh chorizo, cut into thick slices180 g pork belly, cut into 2 cm pieces2 tbsp (10 g) spring onion greens, finely sliced
2. 2

   Heat a heavy pot over medium heat and add the sunflower oil. Add the pork belly and cook for 5-6 minutes until it renders some fat and starts to brown. Add the chorizo and cook for 3-4 minutes more, turning the slices so they color lightly. Browning here builds the deep, meaty base typical of a good locro.

   1 tbsp (15 ml) sunflower oil180 g pork belly, cut into 2 cm pieces180 g fresh chorizo, cut into thick slices
3. 3

   Add the diced onion and the sliced white parts of the spring onion to the pot and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, sweet paprika, cumin, bay leaf, black pepper, and half of the salt, and cook for 30 seconds just until fragrant; do not let the paprika scorch or it can turn bitter.

   120 g onion, finely diced2 stalks (30 g) spring onion, thinly sliced3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced2 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin1 bay leaf1/2 tsp black pepper1 tsp, or to taste fine salt
4. 4

   Add the cooked hominy corn, cooked white beans, squash, and water or stock. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the squash softens, press a few cubes against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the stew naturally without flour.

   180 g cooked hominy corn160 g cooked white beans300 g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes700 ml water or light pork stock
5. 5

   Taste and adjust with the remaining salt if needed, then simmer for 5 more minutes until the pork belly is tender, the chorizo is fully cooked, and the stew is thick, creamy, and spoon-coating. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

   1 tsp, or to taste fine salt1 bay leaf
6. 6

   While the locro finishes, make the salsa picante: warm the sunflower oil in a small pan over low heat for about 1 minute, then stir in the spring onion greens, sweet paprika, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt. Heat very gently for 20-30 seconds to bloom the paprika without frying it hard.

   2 tbsp (30 ml) sunflower oil2 tbsp (10 g) spring onion greens, finely sliced1 tsp (2.5 g) sweet paprika1/2 tsp (1 g) hot chili flakes1 pinch fine salt
7. 7

   Ladle the locro into warm bowls and spoon the salsa picante over the top. Serve immediately while hot; the contrast between the rich stew and the sharp paprika oil is one of the dish's signatures.

   2 tbsp (10 g) spring onion greens, finely sliced2 tbsp (30 ml) sunflower oil1 tsp (2.5 g) sweet paprika1/2 tsp (1 g) hot chili flakes

Origin & History

Locro is one of Argentina's most emblematic stews, especially associated with the northwest and with national celebrations such as 25 de Mayo and 9 de Julio. Its roots reach back to pre-Hispanic Andean cookery, later enriched by Spanish-introduced pork and sausages, creating the deeply comforting bowl known today.