Home / Bolivian Kitchen / Charque Boliviano

Charque Boliviano

Name: Charque Boliviano
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 lb charque (dried salted beef); 2 medium tomatoes, chopped; 1 medium onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp aji amarillo paste; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving; 4 eggs; 4 medium potatoes, boiled and sliced, for serving; 2 tbsp vegetable oil

The Andean pantry hero: rehydrated sun-dried beef, sautéed with onion, tomato, and ají, then piled over rice with fried eggs and potatoes.

⏱ 20 minPrep time

🔥 30 minCook time

🍽 4Servings

🏷 Bolivian KitchenCategory

☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet

Charque — beef dried in the high, thin Andean air — has fed travelers and miners for centuries. This home-style preparation brings it back to life: soaked, shredded, and sautéed into a savory, gently spicy hash that is traditionally served for breakfast with rice, potatoes, and a fried egg.

Resurrecting Dried Beef

Once rehydrated, charque turns chewy and intensely beefy, absorbing the sweet acidity of tomato and the warmth of ají and cumin. The result is a salty, savory scramble-like dish that begs for a fried egg and a mound of rice.

Bolivian recipes →

Step by stepInstructions

Soak the charque in warm water for 30 to 45 minutes, changing the water once, to remove excess salt; drain and shred into small pieces.
Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the onion and garlic until soft, then add the aji paste, cumin, and oregano and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until saucy.
Stir in the shredded charque and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring, until it absorbs the sauce and crisps slightly at the edges.
Fry the eggs sunny side up and serve the charque over rice with boiled potatoes and a fried egg on top.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Do not skip the soak — well-soaked charque is savory, not salty. Leftovers keep 3 days refrigerated and are even better reheated in a skillet.

Recipe details

Prep20 min

Cook30 min

Servings4

CategoryBolivian 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 →

Charque Boliviano

Resurrecting Dried Beef

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Log In

Get free recipes every week

Charque Boliviano

Resurrecting Dried Beef

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Join the conversation

Keep browsingYou might also like

Sonso de Yuca

Timpu

Pacumutu

Log In