Pan Amasado & Pebre – How to Make Chilean Bread and Salsa

Why Pan Amasado Matters

Chileans are among the world’s biggest bread lovers. A 2019 USDA report noted Chile ranks second globally in bread consumption—about 96 kilos (roughly 210 pounds) per person each year. This love for bread lives in pan amasado, a rustic, hand-kneaded loaf served warm and golden. At many Chilean restaurants, it’s paired with pebre—a vibrant mix of tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chili, and vinegar that perfectly complements the bread’s softness.

Pan amasado is one chapter of a much bigger story: our complete guide to Chilean food in the USA covers the rest, from marraqueta to manjar.

Ingredients

For Pan Amasado

• 1 kg all-purpose or bread flour
• 10 g active yeast
• 600 ml warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 50 g butter or lard

For Pebre

• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• Handful of cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ají chileno or fresh chili pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the dough: Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix flour, salt, and butter; slowly add the yeast mixture until a soft dough forms. Knead for 10 minutes.
2. Let it rise: Cover and let the dough double in size (about 1 hour). Shape into discs and place on a floured baking sheet.
3. Bake: Bake at 375 °F (190 °C) for 25–30 minutes until golden brown.
4. Make the pebre: Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and chili in a bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Adjust the heat with more chili if desired.

Serving Tips

Serve the warm pan amasado with generous spoonfuls of pebre. For a smoky twist, add a pinch of merkén — a Mapuche smoked chili that brings depth and warmth to the salsa.

Keep the harina tostada for a different Chilean classic: stir a few spoonfuls into cold milk with a little sugar and you have ulpo, the toasted-flour drink many Chileans grew up on. It is toasted flour, so it will not rise — keep it out of the dough.

Bring Chilean Flavors to Your Table

All the Chilean pantry ingredients for this recipe — including harina tostada, merkén, and ají chileno — are available at ChinChile Products. Bake your own bread, make your own salsa, and reconnect with the flavors of Chile wherever you are.

Have Questions?

Looking for more Chilean recipes or need help finding an ingredient? We’d love to hear from you — reach out to our team and tell us what you’d like to see next!