Pastel de Choclo (Beef and Corn Casserole)

By Ham El-Waylly

Updated April 28, 2023

Pastel de Choclo (Beef and Corn Casserole)
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(450)
Comments
Read comments

Pastel de choclo is found in many different forms throughout South America — cake made with corn, baked corn pudding or a layered casserole. This recipe is inspired by the Chilean version, a beef-and-corn casserole, which consists of pino, a flavorful beef mixture often studded with black olives, raisins and hard-boiled eggs, topped with corn pudding. It’s reminiscent of shepherd’s pie, but with rich corn pudding in place of mashed potatoes. In this interpretation, the pudding is slightly sweet and cheesy, the way my mom Silvia used to make it. It also swaps out black olives for meatier Castelvetrano olives, and frozen corn can be used when fresh is out of season. The pudding is mixed entirely in the blender and can be baked on its own as a rich, cheesy side dish in a well-greased cast-iron pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings 

    For the Corn Pudding

    • 1pound fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels 
    • ½cup sweetened condensed milk 
    • ½cup evaporated milk 
    • ¼cup neutral oil 
    • 1large egg
    • 1teaspoon baking powder
    • 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • 1teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼teaspoon ground cayenne
    • 2¼cups/8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella

    For the Pino

    • 1tablespoon neutral oil 
    • 1pound lean ground beef (preferably 10 percent fat)
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
    • 1medium yellow onion, finely chopped 
    • 6garlic cloves, finely chopped 
    • 2teaspoons hot paprika 
    • 2teaspoons ground cumin
    • ½cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped 
    • ¼cup raisins 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

665 calories; 42 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 23 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 692 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the corn pudding: In a blender, combine the corn, condensed milk, evaporated milk, oil, egg, baking powder, salt, pepper and cayenne; blend until most of the kernels are liquified. (Do not blend until the mixture is completely smooth; you are looking for some texture.) Stir in the mozzarella with a spatula.

  3. Step 3

    Prepare the pino: Heat a medium, oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and ground beef, season with a large pinch of salt, and cook, occasionally stirring, until ground beef is deeply brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a sturdy wooden spoon or whisk to break up the meat as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat and return to heat.

  4. Step 4

    Add the onion and cook, occasionally stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with another pinch of salt. Add the garlic, paprika and cumin, and cook, constantly stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the olives and raisins; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add ½ cup of water and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a simmer and taste again. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

  5. Step 5

    Spread the beef mixture into an even layer and spread the corn mixture on top, spreading it out to cover the beef mixture evenly. Bake until the top is golden brown and feels firm to the touch, 45 to 55 minutes. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving in shallow bowls.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
450 user ratings
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Comments

Cecilia Hayes

At last Chilean cuisine has made it to the NYT! This version has two ingredients that I don't use in my recipe, and I'm from Chile. Cheese and sweet condensed milk. The golden raisins and sprinkle sugar on top before baking add a hint of sweet. The recipe also works with chicken. Thank you for the treat!

claudia

This popular Chilean dish does not include sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk. Maybe a little milk if the corn mixture is too thick. You may want to sprinkle some sugar on the top before baking. Olives are black, never green. Some people will also add a piece of chicken on top of the meat mixture (pino).

Mary Smith

What do the Chileans do with the rest of the canned milks? Recipes that create left over ingredients are a problem for me.

stu

Does anyone know of a restaurant in Manhattan that actually serves this?

Telma Koch

Chilean reporting here: thank you for including a staple in Chilean cuisine culture. I don’t know a single Chilean who doesn’t love this dish. Just wanted to add that there’s no cheese or special milks in this dish other than a little bit added to the “mazamorra” or corn purée if needed. You can sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top when it goes in the oven. Raisins, olives and hard boiled eggs in quarters are an absolute must with the pino mix. Enjoy!

Dana

I remembered from visits to Chile years ago, but had never cooked it before finding this recipe. We didn't have canned milk, so I added a small amount of whole milk to the corn mixture and used canned black olives instead of green. We loved it!

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