The Bountiful Chilean Breadbasket

There are some studies that suggest Chileans consume more bread than any other country in the world besides Germany. A whopping 220 pounds, per person, per year. 

That’s a lot of bread.

It’s true – Chilean’s love their bread. It’s served at every meal - in multiple shapes and ingredients and accompanied with condiments begging to be slathered on your doughy selection - olive oil, butter, avocado, salsa, pebre, queso, jam, and more.

Here are a few breads you’re certain to come across when dining in Chile:

Sopaipilla is a quick break, sometimes made with pumpkin, giving it an orangish hue. The dough is shaped into flat discs and then lightly fried in oil. When served warm, this delightful bread melts in your mouth. 

Marraqueta is similar to a French baguette. Two balls of dough are pressed together, then split deeply down the middle lengthwise before baking beneath a pan of steaming water. The bread leaves the oven with thick, crunchy crust. It’s perfect for juicy sandwiches filled with meats and cheese.

Hallulla bread comes from the Hebrew word, challah, but it is more like a biscuit than challah bread. That’s because this flat, round, bread is often made with lard or vegetable shortening before it is pocked with holes and baked in the oven.  

If you indulged in just one piece of each of these breads, you’d probably be one pound in toward your 220-pound quota. Enjoy!