About
“The flavor of our land becomes poetry in every bite…”Isabel Allende could have been describing tomaticán — a dish so deeply Chilean it tastes like the soil, the sun, and the stubborn endurance of the people who’ve lived off this land for centuries.
Tomaticán isn’t flashy. It doesn’t need to be. It’s a stew built from tomatoes — diced, crushed, or simmered until they collapse into themselves — mixed with onions, garlic, corn, peppers, sometimes potatoes, sometimes beef or pork if the day allows. It’s the kind of dish that feels like it came straight out of a grandmother’s pot in a rural kitchen, windows open, wood smoke drifting in from the patio.
Its roots run straight to the Mapuche, Chile’s Indigenous backbone. Long before the Spanish arrived, the Mapuche were growing tomatoes, corn, peppers — the very ingredients that still define Chile’s countryside. The name itself, tomaticán, comes from tomati in Mapudungun — “sauce.” That’s exactly what this dish is at its core: a slow-simmered sauce turned into sustenance.
Over time, the Spanish added their own touches — beef, pork, cumin, paprika — creating the version Chileans know today. But the spirit stayed Indigenous: humble ingredients, treated with respect, cooked until they surrender their best qualities into one pot.
Tomaticán is agricultural Chile on a plate. Corn sweet from late summer. Tomatoes still warm from the sun. Peppers with that gentle, earthy bite. It’s the kind of meal families gather around after a long day in the fields, or during celebrations when nobody is counting portions, because there’s always enough to share.
And like so much of Chile’s cuisine, it’s making a comeback. As younger generations look backward to move forward, tomaticán has slipped back into restaurant menus and home kitchens — not as nostalgia, but as a reminder of who they are and what the land has always offered.
Warm, simple, generous, and unpretentious — tomaticán is Chile’s soul in stew form. A dish that doesn’t just feed you, but brings you home, no matter how far you’ve wandered.
Samp is meant to be simple and nourishing. Its texture can be adjusted easily: add more water for a looser porridge or simmer longer for a thicker, almost pudding-like consistency. It is one of the closest dishes you can make today to the foods shared at the earliest recorded harvest gatherings in New England.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. Let's explore international cuisine together!
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INGREDIENTS
1 lb (450 g) beef or pork, diced or sliced (optional)
4 large tomatoes, diced
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers, diced (you can use different colors for visual appeal) - I prefer red
2 ears of corn, kernels removed - or 300-400 grams of frozen corn
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water or broth
Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
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Instructions
A summery corn, beef and tomato stew for any occasion.
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If using meat, heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced meat and cook until browned. Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside.
In the same pot, add a bit more oil if needed, and sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes and bell peppers to the pot. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes start to break down and release their juices.
Stir in the ground cumin and paprika, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lastly, add corn kernels to the pot. Mix everything together to combine the flavors.
If you're using meat, return the cooked meat to the pot at this point.
Pour in the water or broth, ensuring that the ingredients are mostly covered. You can adjust the amount of liquid based on your preference for a thicker or thinner stew.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 30-40 minutes, or until the flavors get to know eachother.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Once the stew is ready, remove it from the heat. Serve the Tomatican hot, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.
