How to Survive as a Vegetarian in Argentina

Argentina. Land of tango, fútbol and of course, steak. The meat capital of the world is famously proud of its steak, but believe it or not, it is possible to live in Buenos Aires as a vegetarian!  All you have to do is follow a few simple guidelines…

Eat before you get to the asado
When you inevitably get invited to the time honored Argentine weekend tradition that is an asado or barbecue, the typical items on the menu will be steak, glands, kidney, intestines, blood sausage, etc. For vegetarians, this can present somewhat of a problem. While there may indeed be a lettuce-tomato salad there somewhere, an entire onion or potato thrown on the grill for you, or even some deliciously greasy melted provoleta cheese, it’s probably better not to rely on these items for your entire meal. So the best plan is probably to eat a bit before you get there, that way you won’t be starving the entire afternoon, and you’ll have more time to focus on hanging out with your friends.

Learn to read Ingredients
If you’re the type of vegetarian that not only won’t eat steak but also doesn’t like the idea of hidden animal products hidden in your food, you’re going to have to learn to read labels before you go grocery shopping in Argentina. Things like gelatin (gelatina) are found in all over the place (especially in yogurts, cream cheeses, etc.) and it can be hard to find cookies or bakery good that don’t have a heaping helping of bovine fat or grasa vacuna. Let’s not even get started on the popular steak and chicken flavored potato chips! Our advice? Leave plenty of time at the grocery store to really read labels of the products you want to try out. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to spot these sneaky non-vegetarian items from a mile away.

Know what to look out for
Lots of things that seem quite meat friendly have vegetarian/vegan alternatives – you just have to know what you’re looking for. Delicious sweet croissants (medialunas) are perfect for breakfast and “tea time”, but make sure to order the ones with butter rather than lard. Soy milanesas are a subsitute for all other meaty milanesas. Even the famously rich and creamy Argentine ice cream has a vegan version that you can order made with water rather than milk!  As for a meat free choripan?  Look in Chinatown or at a farmer’s market, you never know what you might find!

Learn to cook
So this one is definitely a no brainer but the more you cook the better you’ll fare as a vegetarian in Argentina. First off, it’s the best way to really know what’s in your food. And bonus, if you love cooking, you can invite friends over for dinner, and that way you’re in charge of the menu.

Fall in love with Barrio Chino
Chinatown, in Belgrano, is the hub for all food products that you can’t seem to consistently find anywhere else in Buenos Aires. There are tons of products: spices, tofu, refried beans, etc. that can take a vegetarian’s options from side salad to the next level. Learn to take advantage of the grocery stores here rather than just the restaurants and you’ll have a whole world of delicious imported food within reach.

And of course, there are more and more veggie friendly restaurants popping up all the time, so follow a couple of good Buenos Aires food blogs and you’ll be good to go!

Have you had to drastically adjust your eating habits aboard?  Tell us about it below!