Salchipapas are a plate of crisp French fries topped with sliced fried hot dog sausages, served with mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard or any sauces you like. They take 15 minutes of preparation plus 20 minutes of frying and serve 4 people.
They are a very popular snack in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, a street food staple eaten freshly made and dressed with all kinds of sauces.
How to Make Salchipapas?
As the name says, salchipapas combine papas, fries, and salchichas, sausages cut into rounds and fried. They are usually topped with mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard, but green chili paste, merken and garlic sauce, or guasaca sauce also work well.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of salchipapas contains approximately 450 kcal, 12 g of protein, 30 g of total fat (8 g of saturated fat), 35 mg of cholesterol, 45 g of carbohydrates, 2 g of sugars, and 600 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Salchipapas Recipe
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) of potatoes
- 6 hot dog sausages (vienesas)
- 500 ml (17 fl oz) of sunflower oil, for frying
- Olive oil
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Fine salt
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into sticks about 1 cm thick, rinse them in cold water, and dry them well with a cloth or paper towels. In a large pot or deep fryer, heat enough sunflower oil to 180 C (356 F).
- Carefully lower the potatoes into the oil and fry until golden, lift them out with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt to taste.
- Rinse the sausages under running water, pat them dry, and slice them into rounds at a slight diagonal. Fry them in a wide pan with a splash of olive oil until lightly browned.
- Drain the sausages on paper towels. Spread the fries over a wide, shallow plate, top them with the freshly fried sausages, and add the sauces of your choice. Serve immediately.
Additional Tips
Dry the potatoes well
Rinsing removes surface starch and drying prevents spatter. Both make the fries crisper.
Add cheese
A very popular variation is to top the salchipapas with grated melting cheese such as queso mantecoso, which adds a soft, creamy layer.
Try regional versions
Colombian salchipapas add salsa golf, sweet and sour or pineapple sauce, grated cheese, and caramelized onion, sometimes with a fried egg, and the costena version adds fried green plantain.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep frying | Air fryer | Same time, a little oil | Lighter, less crisp |
| Hot dog sausages | Chorizo or longaniza | 1:1 | Spicier, meatier |
| Mayonnaise | Garlic and merken sauce | To taste | Smoky, spicy |
| White potatoes | Sweet potato | 1:1 | Sweeter |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the best potato for crisp fries?
Use floury potatoes with high starch and low moisture, such as Russet, Kennebec, or floury Chilean varieties, for the crispest fries.
2. How can I make them healthier?
Cook both the potatoes and the sausages in an air fryer or the oven. Toss the potatoes with just a little oil first, and bake or grill the sausages until browned.
3. Can I use a vegetarian sausage?
Yes. Vegan sausages made from tofu, seitan, or soy protein work well, as do smoked tofu or roasted sweet potato rounds.
4. Which sauces go best with salchipapas?
The classics are mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard, but green chili paste, merken and garlic sauce, and guasaca also pair very well.
What Are Salchipapas?
Salchipapas are a Latin American street food born in Peru that spread across the Andean countries and Chile. They are sold at food stalls, school kiosks, and fast food counters, and are a popular snack to share at home.
Salchipapas in Chile
In Chile salchipapas are usually made with vienesas, the local hot dog sausages, and served as an appetizer or casual dinner, often with Chilean touches such as merken sauce or green chili paste.
Did You Know?
The origin of sausages goes back to ancient Mesopotamia around 3000 BC, where the Sumerians are believed to have developed the technique of stuffing animal casings with chopped meat and spices.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
Recommended
- Chilean French Fries in Lard Recipe
- Chilean Papas Supremas Recipe
- Chilean Shoestring Fries Recipe
- Chilean Gorda Completa Recipe
