Curanto

Name: Curanto
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 90 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 8 large cabbage leaves; 2 lb small potatoes, scrubbed; 2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded; 2 lb clams, scrubbed; 1 lb pork ribs, cut into pieces; 4 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lb); 2 chorizo sausages, sliced; 2 onions, thickly sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup dry white wine; 1 cup water; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp smoked chili flakes (merkén, if you can find it); 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and 4 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving

An island feast from Chiloé — shellfish, pork, chicken, and potatoes steamed together in one monumental pot.

⏱ 40 minPrep time

🔥 1 hr 30 minCook time

🍽 8Servings

🏷 Chilean KitchenCategory

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Curanto was born on the island of Chiloé, where families cooked it in a pit in the earth over red-hot stones, layering seafood, meat, and potatoes under giant nalca leaves. This home-kitchen version, curanto en olla, delivers the same glorious steam-party in a single pot, with cabbage leaves standing in for the nalca.

One pot, a whole island feast

Everything steams together over wine and aromatics, so the mussels and clams release their briny liquor into the potatoes and meat below. The result is a smoky, deeply savory one-pot meal where every bite tastes of the sea and the fields at once.

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Step by stepInstructions

Line the bottom of a very large, heavy pot with the cabbage leaves, completely covering the base to protect it from scorching.
Layer in the potatoes, pork ribs, chicken thighs, chorizo, onions, and garlic, seasoning with the salt as you go.
Pile the mussels and clams on top and sprinkle with the chili flakes.
Pour the wine and water around the edges, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium and steam for 60 to 75 minutes until the potatoes are tender and all the shells have opened.
Discard any shells that stayed shut, and ladle the broth, shellfish, meat, and potatoes into deep bowls.
Garnish with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing — and plenty of crusty bread to mop up the broth.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Cabbage leaves are the faithful stand-in for the nalca leaves used on Chiloé — line the pot generously. Serve straight from the pot at the table, and don't skip the lemon; it brightens everything.

Recipe details

Prep40 min

Cook1 hr 30 min

Servings8

CategoryChilean Kitchen

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Curanto

One pot, a whole island feast

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Curanto

One pot, a whole island feast

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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