Flavors of the North: A gastronomic guide to explore Northern Argentina
Northern Argentina offers one of the richest and most traditional cuisines in the country, with Andean and Creole roots. In the provinces of northern Argentina, emblematic dishes such as empanadas, tamales, humitas, and locro abound, made with local ingredients (corn, Andean potatoes, pumpkin, beef, pork, and llama meats, among others).
From Salta to Jujuy, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, and Catamarca, each place leaves its mark on these ancestral recipes. Jujuy, for example, invites you to try empanadas, tamales, humitas, hearty soups such as locro and calapurca, accompanied by honey from sugarcane, charqui, and other regional products.
In this article, we review the must-try typical dishes of Northern Argentina and where to eat them, whether in provincial capitals or picturesque tourist towns, approximate prices, and details that make each one unique. A tourist experience in northern Argentina can only be enhanced with a gastronomic route of its best dishes at hand.
Salteña Empanadas
Empanadas are perhaps the gastronomic icon of Northern Argentina, and in the province of Salta, they hold a special place. They stand out for their homemade dough and juicy filling made with chopped beef, potatoes, green onions, and spices (such as paprika from the Valles Calchaquíes).
They are so juicy that in Salta, it is said that you must eat them “with your legs apart” to avoid getting their juice on yourself. Traditionally, they are baked in a clay oven and served with a spicy tomato and chili sauce.
Where to try Salteña Empanadas?
- Salta Capital – Mercado Artesanal de Salta - Ex Patio de la Empanada: This is a must-stop on the Salteña empanada route to enjoy authentic empanadas in a popular setting. This area brings together numerous family-owned stands that prepare the classic recipe. It’s an affordable option, with a dozen empanadas priced around ARS 7,500 (approx. USD 6) at traditional stands. In addition to beef, you can find varieties such as goat cheese, chicken, charqui, and others. The market also offers tamales and humitas (a humita in chala is around ARS 3,800, USD 3.5, and the tamale is about ARS 2,500 per portion, USD 2). It opens daily from 10 AM to 8:30 PM, with live folk music shows on weekends.
- Salta Capital – La Casona del Molino: For a more gourmet traditional experience, this historic restaurant-peña in Salta offers some of the best empanadas in the province in a folk-inspired environment. Their Salteña empanadas are small and juicy, baked over wood, and usually cost around ARS 1,000 each (USD 1). La Casona is famous for its peña nights with live guitar performances, perfect for having empanadas, locro, and salteño wine while enjoying local music. (Tip: Arrive early; the place doesn’t always take reservations and tends to fill up).
- Cafayate – La Casa de las Empanadas: In this picturesque town in the Valles Calchaquíes, known for its vineyards, this simple local spot stands out for its focus almost exclusively on empanadas. They offer over 10 varieties (beef, cheese, chicken, charqui, cayote, etc.), accompanied by local patero wine. An empanada here costs between ARS 1,000 and 1,800 depending on the variety (approximately USD 1.5), and they often have promotions (for example, a dozen + a jug of local wine). It’s highly recommended for lunch after visiting the wineries.
Tucumana Empanadas
Tucumana empanadas are a national emblem: so much so that Tucumán celebrates the National Empanada Festival in Famaillá every year, where chefs compete for the title of the best empanada in the country. Unlike the Salteña empanadas, the tucumanas are characterized by having chopped meat, abundant white onions, hard-boiled egg, green onions, and cumin, all wrapped in a thicker, golden crust, usually fried or baked. They are juicy but with a more consistent filling, and are usually served piping hot, accompanied by a spicy chili sauce or a squeeze of lemon.
Where to try tucumana empanadas?
- San Miguel de Tucumán – El Cardón: This traditional restaurant, located in the center of San Miguel de Tucumán, is one of the most recognized for its regional cuisine. Their meat, chicken, or cheese empanadas are baked in a clay oven, with homemade dough and the classic tucumana touch. Each empanada costs around ARS 2,000 (approximately USD 1.5) and they are usually served by the half dozen with a drink included. The atmosphere is typical, with period decor and waiters dressed as gauchos.
- Famaillá: In the city considered the National Empanada Capital, you can taste homemade empanadas every day in various themed parks and regional fairs. The stands are open early and offer empanadas filled with meat, tripe, chicken, and even charqui. During the National Festival in September, there are folk performances and empanada contests.
- Tafí del Valle – La Casa de Tafí: Their empanadas are known for the use of fresh valley ingredients and their wood-fired oven cooking. They offer traditional versions with chopped meat, as well as goat cheese and humita empanadas.
Northern Tamales
The tamal is another classic dish from the North, shared by Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán, and Catamarca. It consists of a corn dough (corn flour or crushed corn and squash) filled with a spiced meat stew (beef, charqui, or pork, sometimes with raisins, egg, and chili). The little package is neatly wrapped in corn husks (chala) and steamed. The result is a comforting, ancestral bite, traditionally served in the same husk tied with strings. Each province has its own secrets—for example, in Santiago del Estero, they are usually spicy—but the essence remains the same. Tucumán stands out particularly: Simoca, a town in Tucumán, was declared the National Tamale Capital and celebrates this dish in local fairs and festivals.
Where to try northern tamales?
- Salta Capital – Mercado Artesanal de Salta: Just like the empanadas, here you can also find excellent homemade tamales at various stands. They are usually served fresh from the pot, piping hot. The typical price is around ARS 2,500 per tamal (about USD 2) for an individual portion. The ideal way is to combine one or two tamales with an empanada and a humita to taste a bit of everything. Many places offer combo deals at convenient prices. A tip: add a few drops of spicy chili sauce (salsa llajwa) to enhance the flavor.
- San Miguel de Tucumán – El Alto de la Lechuza: In San Miguel de Tucumán, an excellent option for trying traditional tamales is El Alto de la Lechuza, a peña with regional dishes, live music, and folk décor. Also, in Famaillá, a city known as the national empanada capital, there are stands and restaurants that often offer tamales and humitas with family recipes. Another good option is the rural fairs in Simoca, where every weekend you can try homemade versions prepared by local cooks, at very good prices.
- Purmamarca (Jujuy) – Street Stalls: In touristy towns in Jujuy like Purmamarca or Tilcara, it's common to find homemade tamales at the town squares and markets. In Tilcara, for example, Doña Florencia Gallardo sells tamales and humitas that she prepares every morning at the entrance of the market (from 9 AM to 1 PM, every day). Her tamales, with a soft and flavorful dough, have earned fame among both travelers and locals. In Purmamarca, it’s best to look in the local artisan market or ask the cooks in the square for tamales. The price at these street stalls is affordable: a homemade tamal may cost around ARS 1,000 on the street, just under a dollar.
Creole Locro
Locro is a thick and hearty stew made from white corn (or yellow in some variations), squash, beans, and a mix of meats that can include beef flank, pork (bacon, pork rind, trotters), and sausages. It is slow-cooked until it reaches a creamy texture and is served piping hot, traditionally topped with a spoonful of "quiquirimichi" or "grasita colorada" — a spicy sauce of oil, crushed chili, onion, and paprika that enhances its flavor.
This communal dish is a must during national holidays (such as May 25 or July 9) all over Argentina, but in the North, it has a special character, featuring local variations like the huaschalocro from Jujuy or the pulsudo locro from Santiago del Estero.
Where to try Creole locro?
- Tilcara (Jujuy) – Sabores del Alma: This peña-restaurant in Tilcara is famous for its regional dishes and live music in the evenings. Its Andean locro is described as “exquisite” by diners: served in a clay bowl, loaded with corn, squash, and tender meat, perfectly seasoned. They also serve mini empanadas as starters and homemade bread. The average price of a generous plate of locro here is around USD 7. Bonus: nearby, at the entrance of the Tilcara Market, you can also find homemade locro at street stalls at midday — ideal for a quick and authentic local lunch.
- Santiago del Estero – Amasijo Restaurante: The capital of Santiago has seen a gourmet revival, and Amasijo is one of the restaurants that elevates traditional cuisine with a modern twist. Their traditional locro is presented with refined technique but retains its essence: chefs use cracked white corn, high-quality beef and pork, and serve the dish with its spicy sauce on the side to adjust the heat to taste. The price is mid-range: a gourmet locro dish is around ARS 15,000 (approximately USD 13).
- Salta – Peñas and markets: In Salta Capital, there are many spots to enjoy a good northern locro. For example, Peña Balderrama (legendary in Salta's folk music scene) serves it on their evening creole menu, as does Doña Salta, a traditional restaurant across from the Cabildo. At both places, the locro is loaded with meats and soft, tender corn. A plate costs around ARS 8,000, about USD 7.5. For a more informal experience, Mercado San Miguel (Salta’s central market) has lunchtime stalls where you can get homemade locro for about USD 3 — an unforgettable cultural immersion.
Humita en Chala
Humita in chala is another northern Argentine delicacy made from corn. Unlike the tamal, in this case, fresh corn (choclo) is ground or grated and cooked with squash, onion, cheese, and spices until it becomes a creamy paste, which is then wrapped in the same corn husks and steamed. The result is a sweet-and-savory corn bundle with a soft texture, eaten straight from the husk. It is a dish closely tied to Andean agricultural communities — so much so that it even has its own festival in San Pedro de Colalao, Tucumán. It can also be eaten on a plate (“humita a la olla”), softer and more like a purée, or wrapped in the chala (husks), which is a bit firmer. In the Argentine Northwest (NOA), it is often slightly sweet thanks to the fresh corn, and it’s common to add a basil leaf to enhance the flavor.
Where to try humita en chala?
- Tilcara (Jujuy) – Municipal Market: Ideal to try local humitas with lots of variety. The sweet ones include sugar and basil, while the savory versions are made with sautéed onion, bell pepper, and paprika mixed into the corn cream. It's a must-experience to enjoy the most authentic humita with the mountains of the Quebrada as a backdrop.
- Tilcara – La Picadita Restaurant: For a more gourmet version, this Tilcara restaurant offers humita a la olla served in a clay bowl, mixed with local cheeses (creamy, mozzarella, and parmesan), then gratinated. The melted corn, squash, and cheese achieve a golden soufflé-like consistency. It's served as a starter or main dish and costs around USD 3.5 per portion. The place is cozy, with colorful patios and is ideal for dinner. Many consider this the "perfect humita" in the area due to its balance of flavors. It's recommended to go early, as it often sells out. Another great spot to discover northern Argentine cuisine is Los Puestos resto-bar, which also prepares Andean dishes like humita and its specialty: llama pie.
- Salta and Tucumán – Fairs and peñas: In cities like Salta, humita can be found in almost every peña and regional eatery. In Tafí del Valle (Tucumán), many cheese-producing farms serve it on a plate, combining summer corn and local cheese. Likewise, in the artisan fairs of Amaicha del Valle or San Pedro de Colalao, homemade humitas are sold for less than USD 3 each. These are excellent opportunities to try a truly authentic humita, possibly made with Andean corn varieties — like white, yellow, or purple corn that grows in these lands.
Quesillo con Miel de Caña
After a hearty savory dish, nothing beats a regional dessert. In Northern Argentina, one of the most iconic is quesillo with miel de caña (sugarcane syrup).
Quesillo is a fresh, white cheese made from cow’s or goat’s milk (sometimes even sheep’s), with a stringy texture and mild flavor — think of it as an ultra-tender mozzarella. It's traditionally handmade in rural areas, and the valleys of Tucumán and Salta are especially renowned for their quesillos. It’s served in slices or thick strands, either on its own or paired with arrope (a grape-based syrup) or, most famously, with miel de caña.
Miel de caña is a thick, dark syrup made from sugarcane juice, boiled down until it reaches a molasses-like consistency. The combination of the salty-acidic cheese with the deep sweetness of the syrup is both simple and exquisite, representing the very soul of Northern Argentine flavors. You’ll find this dessert in almost every regional restaurant menu — or even offered by street vendors along roads and town plazas.
Where to try quesillo with miel de caña?
- Tafí del Valle (Tucumán) – Rancho de Félix. This well-known regional restaurant in Tafí is beloved for its traditional dishes like empanadas, tamales, and humitas. Many diners recommend finishing the meal with a serving of locally made quesillo (usually goat or mixed milk) drizzled with Tucumán sugarcane syrup. The dessert is affordable and often comes garnished with walnuts or regional fruits. Rancho de Félix is located near Tafí’s town center — reservations are recommended during high seasons like Easter and winter holidays.
- Ruta del Artesano (Tucumán) Along the artisan route connecting Tafí del Valle with Amaicha del Valle, you’ll find roadside stalls and rural shops selling fresh cheeses, sweets, and syrup. It’s a great place to buy quesillo wrapped in corn husk (the traditional way of storing it) and jars of artisanal miel de caña. Vendors often offer free samples to travelers. You can also find quesillo and syrup in San Miguel de Tucumán, at places like the Mercado del Norte or in regional product stores. Many tourists take these cheeses and syrups home as souvenirs. A typical combo for two — quesillo and a small pot of syrup — costs around ARS 4,000 (less than USD 5 in 2025).
- Salta and Jujuy – Homemade Dessert. Although Tucumán is king when it comes to quesillos, you can also find this dessert in Salta and Jujuy. In Salta Capital, for example, La Casona del Molino often features quesillo with syrup on its dessert menu. In the Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy), it’s commonly served in family-run eateries — sometimes offered as an alternative to the classic goat cheese with dulce de cayote.
Fun Fact: In February, Tafí del Valle hosts the Fiesta del Queso (Cheese Festival), where the region’s best cheeses and quesillos are showcased — and of course, miel de caña is never missing.
Another typical northern combo is the cheese and sweet jam duo, also called “vigilante.” In this regional version, goat or cow cheese is served with dulce de cayote — an Andean fruit similar to squash, cooked into a translucent firm jam. In some areas, it’s swapped out for fig or quince preserves.
This simple, yet deeply traditional dessert is a staple in NOA restaurants and peñas (folk venues), especially in Jujuy and Salta, and is often served as a courtesy dessert in local homes.
Calapurca
Calapurca (or kalapurca) is a lesser-known dish among visitors, but a very traditional one in the Andean Puna region (northern Jujuy, areas bordering Bolivia and Chile). It is a pre-Hispanic soup-stew made with corn, meat, and Andean potatoes, which was originally cooked with hot stones. In fact, its name in Quechua means "hot stone stew." In the original preparation, volcanic stones were heated in the fire and then placed into the pot to maintain a constant boil. Typical calapurca includes ground white corn (toasted corn flour called jirchincha), llama or lamb meat (or charqui), potatoes, aromatic herbs such as chachacoma, and plenty of ají (chili).
The result is a thick soup, with a smoky, intense flavor, ideal for fighting the cold at over 3,500 meters above sea level. In Jujuy, especially in the area of Cieneguillas and the Puna, calapurca is widely consumed and is part of the Pachamama celebrations. It has also been adopted in northern Chile and Bolivia, so there are some variations. It’s a dish that is difficult to find in conventional restaurants due to its complex preparation, but it’s worth seeking out if you have the soul of an adventurous foodie.
Where to try it?
- Puna of Jujuy – Local Festivals: The most authentic way to try calapurca is during community festivals or fairs in the Puna. For example, in Cieneguillas (Jujuy), the Kalapurka Festival is held every November, where local cooks prepare large pots of this ancestral stew for public tasting. It’s also commonly made during the August ceremonies (month of Pachamama) in towns like Abra Pampa, Casabindo, or Susques, and shared after the offerings to Mother Earth.
- Humahuaca (Jujuy) – K’allapurca Resto Bar: In the city of Humahuaca, the gateway to the Puna, there is a restaurant named in homage to this dish. Although the menu depends on availability, they usually offer lamb calapurca as a house specialty.
Recipe for the Best Salteñas Empanadas
For those who want to bring a little piece of Northern Argentina into their home, there’s nothing better than trying to make authentic homemade empanadas salteñas. The traditional recipe includes knife-cut beef, boiled potato, green onion, cumin, paprika, and hard-boiled egg — all wrapped in a thin homemade dough.
The secret lies in the juicy filling and baking them very hot. Here's a recipe so you can follow it step by step: