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    Home / Bolivian Kitchen / Silpancho

    Silpancho

    A Cochabamba classic — a paper-thin, breaded beef cutlet stretched wide as a plate, crowned with rice, potatoes, a fried egg, and a zippy tomato-onion salsa.

    ⏱ 25 minPrep time
    🔥 25 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 Bolivian KitchenCategory
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    Silpancho - Bolivian Breaded Beef Cutlet

    Silpancho is the pride of Cochabamba, a working-plate of a dish built for big appetites. The star is a flattened, breaded beef cutlet so thin it is called pancho — and it arrives over a mountain of rice and potatoes with a fried egg on top.

    A Cutlet Wide as a Plate

    Beaten paper-thin, the beef turns impossibly tender beneath a crisp golden crust. Pile it over rice and fried potatoes, add a sunny fried egg, and finish with the fresh tomato-onion salsa — every forkful hits crunchy, juicy, and bright.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Pound each slice of beef between two sheets of plastic wrap until it is 1/8-inch thin and wide as a plate.
    2. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in breadcrumbs, dip in beaten egg, and press into breadcrumbs again so they are thoroughly coated.
    3. Fry the cutlets in hot oil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp; drain on paper towels.
    4. While the beef rests, cook the rice, fry the potato slices until golden and crisp, and fry the eggs sunny side up.
    5. Toss the tomatoes, onion, parsley, and locoto with a pinch of salt to make the salsa.
    6. Plate each serving with rice, fried potatoes, a cutlet, and a fried egg on top, with the salsa spooned over.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Flattening the beef to an even 1/8 inch is the whole trick — it cooks in minutes without drying out. Silpancho is best served immediately; leftover components keep 1 day in the fridge.

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    Recipe details

    Prep25 min
    Cook25 min
    Servings4
    CategoryBolivian Kitchen
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    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 →

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