Tucumanas

Empanadas came with the Spanish conquerors to many South American countries.

Each country then developed their own way of making these hand pies. Some sweet (like pumpkin empanadas), some savory (like these Chilean beef empanadas) and others a mix of both (like these Argentinian quince and cheese empanadas).

Bolivian Tucumanas have similar fillings to Salteñas but a much thinner, deep-fried pastry and no internal sauce. To make up for this, a variety of multicolored sauces are offered by the vendor including chimichuri, peanut and spicy llajawa (a tomato based chilly sauce popular in Bolivia). These are applied generously after each bite so the diner can enjoy a different flavor with every mouthful. Tucumanas are a particular favorite of students due to their affordability. A series of street stalls known as Tucumanas del Prado undoubtedly make the city’s best.