The story of this Bolivian empanada known as “Salteña”, is as rich in history as it is in flavor.
Its origins trace back to colonial Potosí, a legendary mining city in southwestern Bolivia, most likely in the 16th century. At that time, Potosí was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world — surpassed only by Paris and Istanbul in population — thanks to the booming silver mines that fueled the Spanish Empire’s power. Historians suggest that today’s Salteña is the result of the culinary evolution of rustic Spanish pastries in the Americas, enriched with local ingredients such as chili, potatoes, and a delicate broth. The broth was essential: it kept the empanada warm in Potosí’s frigid climate, more than 4,000 meters above sea level. Both the potato, native to the Bolivian Altiplano, and the chili, from the Andean valleys, gave this dish its unmistakable Bolivian identity.
The empanada gained the name “Salteña” only in the 19th century, when families from Salta, Argentina, migrated to Bolivia, fleeing the dictatorship of Juan Manuel de Rosas. Many of these families arrived in Potosí and later settled in Sucre, the young capital of the Republic of Bolivia. Facing economic hardship, the women of Salta began preparing empanadas using Bolivian recipes and ingredients, creating a unique fusion that soon captivated locals. Over time, people would say they were going “to buy from the salteñas” — referring to these women from Salta — and the nickname became the permanent name of Bolivia’s most iconic empanada. Today, the Salteña is more than a dish: it is heritage, tradition, and pride, recognized as a National Cultural Treasure of Bolivia and, since 2023, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Now in Berlin, BOLIVIANA – Die Seele Boliviens invites you to discover and savor this historic delicacy — a bite of Bolivian history that continues to conquer the world. 🥟✨
