Pastel de Choclo (Beef and Corn Casserole)

By Ham El-Waylly

Updated April 27, 2023

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
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Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(466)
Comments
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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

  • 1 pound fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels 

  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk 

  • ½ cup evaporated milk 

  • ¼ cup neutral oil 

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne

  • 2 ¼ cups/8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella

FOR THE PINO

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil 

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (preferably 10 percent fat)

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 

  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

  • 2 teaspoons hot paprika 

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • ½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped 

  • ¼ cup raisins 

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

46 grams carbs; 129 milligrams cholesterol; 665 calories; 19 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 42 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 3 grams fiber; 692 milligrams sodium; 30 grams protein; 23 grams sugar

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
466 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.

Dusty

I used fresh corn and the topping turned out waaay to liquidy. I think it would have been perfect without the evaporated and sweetened condensed milk. Maybe a touch of sugar to replace the sweetness.

macaronbaker

Very tasty, and my pre-schooler finished her plate! I had not tried many Chilean inspired dishes before and am interested in trying more now.

stu

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

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