Hearty, hefty, and tasty as hell, this Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe has quickly risen through the ranks of dinnertime superstars in my house. You get this saucy beef, tomato, and onion stir fry that – in a totally perfect twist – also comes with potatoes AND rice! No kidding. It’s absolutely wonderful and also very simple to make. As a true fusion recipe, merging both Asian and Peruvian culinary influences together, this Peruvian Lomo Saltado recipe is the best of several worlds. Read on for a little more about my Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe, or just jump ahead to the main event.
Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe FAQ’s
What is Lomo Saltado?
Lomo Saltado is a Peruvian dish that marries both Asian and South American/Peruvian culinary influences together. Featuring slices of seasoned beef or steak, tomatoes, and onions in a soy and vinegar-laced sauce, Lomo Saltado is typically served with french fries or other types of cooked potatoes. White rice and chopped cilantro or scallions make ideal toppings for this hearty, flavorful Peruvian dish.
What kind of beef is used in Lomo Saltado?
Lomo Saltado is a beef stir fry, essentially, so the type of meat chosen needs to be the right fit for this cooking method. We’re looking for something that is inherently tender, and doesn’t require a long, slow cook in order to become so. Think: tri-tip, ribeye, sirloin, top loin, tenderloin, ranch steak, flat iron, and shoulder petite cuts here. Personally, I like to use strips of sirloin steak for my Peruvian Lomo Saltado recipe, as it’s appropriate for high-heat stir frying and also more affordable than some other cuts.
Why is there soy sauce in Lomo Saltado?
Lomo Saltado is a recipe that reflects the Asian culinary influence that is present in much of Peruvian cooking. In fact, as much as 5% of the Peruvian population has Asian roots. This dish is like Peru’s spin on a classic Chinese-style beef stir fry. As such, it boasts familiar stir fry ingredients such as soy sauce, garlic, scallions, rice vinegar, sugar, and onion.
What is a good substitute for aji amarillo in Lomo Saltado?
Aji amarillo is a yellow-hued chile pepper used in many traditional Peruvian dishes. It is readily available online and in Latin America markets, but in a pinch, there are some other peppers that make fine stand-ins for the tasty aji amarillo. Habanero and Scotch Bonnets work well, as they bring the heat and fruity undertones to whatever dishes they brush up against. If that’s a little too much heat for your taste, I like to suggest jalapenos or even banana peppers. These are widely available and work as good subs for the aji amarillo. If you don’t want any heat at all, go with the yellow bell pepper, and call it good.
History of Peruvian Lomo Saltado
According to famous culinary researcher Gloria Hinostroza, Lomo Saltado was created during the early 19th century. Lomo Saltado was specifically created when the Chinese chefs on Lima’s streets in Peru’s Chinco began to sauté the beef using a traditional Chinese cooking instrument, the wok.
Brasa Peruvian Kitchen
Interested in learning more about traditional Peruvian cooking? Here are a few good resources for you to explore:
Read: “Peru,” the cookbook.
Shop: Peruvian food and drink.
Watch: Street Food Tour in Lima!
What You’ll Need to Make this Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe
The ingredient list for my Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe is pretty straightforward. It follows suit with the other classic versions you’ll find out there to be sure. But I do like to serve mine on either my crispy potato wedges or baked french fries (these are insane), as both ways are great. Same goes for my favorite lemony smashed potatoes. Also? I feel like Lomo Saltado served atop tater tots could be a whole mood worth exploring. Point being? You should po-tay-toh or po-tah-toh however you see fit.
Lomo Saltado Ingredients
Potato wedges or french fries: You should go with whatever manner of potato strikes your fancy here. Worth noting, however, is that some Lomo Saltado recipes call for the fries/potatoes to be stir fried right in the sauce. But for me, and in the spirit of preserving texture and crunch, I like to serve the saucy stir fry on top of the potatoes. Up to you, though, It’s not like you can go wrong either way. Also, frozen french fries or roasted potatoes work really well here. That move will keep this squarely under 30 minutes.
Cornstarch: This is the sleeper ingredient. Cornstarch is just the greatest when it comes to establishing crunchy exteriors on our stir fried or pan-fried dishes. My most popular recipe ever is my Firecracker Chicken, and I basically have cornstarch to thank for that. It’s gluten free (sorry AO flour). So, there’s that. But it provides a superior crunch factor to just flour, so it’s fantastic for any frying scenario you can dream up.
Cumin: We’ll use cumin for its steady earthy flavor. It’s not smoky nor is it spicy, bit its presence is always known in whatever dish in which it is used. Warm, nutty, and soft, cumin is a total power play in Peruvian cuisine and beyond.
Garlic powder: I love using both garlic powder and fresh garlic in my recipes. They carry totally different flavors, and they react with heat differently. Garlic powder is used here in the dry mix that coats the beef. It imparts that garlic flavor into the crispy crust that each strip of beef gets. Fresh garlic would burn in this application, so we’ll save it for the sauce portion of today’s program.
Salt and pepper: Obviously, always, and of course. Be sure to season every component of this dish as you go. The cornstarch mix should get some, the potatoes, and the beef stir fry. Even though we’re using soy sauce, the final dish shouldn’t be too salty if you take care not to over-season the whole way through.
Steak: I like to use sirloin steaks, that I slice into chunky pieces. But to save time, I suggest snagging a couple packages of pre-sliced stir fry beef. It’s such a great time saver in so many things. I love to use it in my Korean Style Beef with Kimchi.
Cooking oil: You can use whatever oil you like here. Just be sure to grab one that is neutral in flavor (so, no sesame oil, no unrefined coconut oil, etc.). Also, make sure the oil has a high smoke point (some do not). So, think vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil.
Roma tomatoes: I like to slice up a few Roma tomatoes for this recipe, but a half-pint of cherry or grape tomatoes works, too. Also, a huge beefsteak tomato dice would be fine as well.
Red onion: You can’t beat the gorgeous color that these red onions add to the stir fry. So, that’s my first choice. But really any onion you want to use is just fine.
Garlic cloves: Ah yes, the second half of our garlic story stars the fresh, cloves version. I swear the longer I cook, the more I realize that most recipe don’t call for nearly enough garlic. This is a stir fry for crying out loud! Let’s turn that garlic volume all the way up, okay? Go big or go home guys.
Soy sauce: The quintessential stir fry sauce ingredient, the soy sauce really does provide the backbone for this dish’s flavor profile. If you want to keep this a gluten free recipe, just use tamari instead.
Chili Crisp: Addictive. That’s the word for this stuff. It’s a spicy, crunchy, garlicky, fatty condiment with Chinese origins. And it’s GREAT.
Rice wine vinegar: A classic addition to Lomo Saltado, vinegar brings a necessary acid into the flavor equation. It works in tandem with the heat from the chili crisp, the salt from the soy sauce, and the sweetness from the sugar. Actually, this sauce always reminds me of that in a Filipino Chicken Adobo, because of the distinct vinegar tang.
Pickled jalapeños: Not too spicy and wonderfully acidic, what with their pickling liquid, these are perfect here.
Sugar: Sugar is present in so many Asian stir fry recipes – from Korea, to China, to Southeast Asia, and beyond. It brings an important balancing act into the recipes, tempering the spice from the chili crisp
Cooked white rice: I love a Jasmine rice with this, but Basmati is so tasty that it would be a nice pick, too. Or, you could level up a smidge and go coconut rice. That actually sounds amazing.
Topping suggestions: Chopped scallions and cilantro
How to make this amazing Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe
Toss the beef in a spiced cornstarch mixture and stir fry until browned and crispy all around. Then, stir fry the onion and tomato quickly before building the sauce. Serve over your choice of either potato wedges of french fries and a pile of rice. Finish with a shower of fresh green herbs – cilantro and scallions are always a great choice …
Step-by-Step Directions for this Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, cumin, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sliced beef and toss to full coat.
- Add a couple tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s shimmering hot, and working it batches as needed, cook the beef just until it’s browned on the outside (it will finish cooking later); takes about 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate/tray to rest for now. Reduce the heat to medium, and add a little more oil to the pan if you need to (don’t wipe it out). Add the onion and tomatoes and cook until tender; about 4 – 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
- Add the soy sauce, vinegar, pickled jalapenos + juice, sugar, and 1.5 cups water. Slide the beef and its juices back into the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and let the sauce thicken and reduce for a few minutes.
- To serve this Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe, pile the beef/tomato mixture over the cooked potatoes/fries with white rice alongside. Top with scallions greens and cilantro.Â
Tips for Storing and Reheating Lomo Saltado
If you happen to have any leftovers after making this Peruvian Lomo Saltado recipe, no worries. It reheats really well, and actually (in my opinion) gets better with time. This is also true for so many other simmered-beef-in-sauce recipes, you know? My favorite chili recipe is definitely better after a day or two in the fridge.
This (truly fantastic) West African Peanut Stew really comes into its own after a solid 24 hours of chill time. Furthermore, my takes on both Colombian Chicken Stew and Mexican Black Bean Stew seem to find their strides after they’ve had the chance to sit for a bit. We love this trait here at MKL, incidentally. We’ll sing the praises of any recipe that isn’t so fussy as to require immediate consumption.
If you like the looks of this Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe, you might also enjoy:
Peruvian Broiled Chicken with Aji Verde
Amazing Spice Rubbed Chicken with Loaded Rice
Slow Cooker Japanese Beef with Udon
Creamy Southwestern Chipotle Beef Pasta
Amazing Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe (fast, easy!)
A happy marriage between both Asian and Peruvian culinary cultures, this hearty beef and potatoes dish lives in a tangy, soy sauced-based sauce and is perfect with a heap of cooked white rice on the side. The one-two punch of both jalapeños and chili crisp brings the heat, but either can be omitted, if you like a milder heat level.Â
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked potato wedges or french fries (frozen/store-bought also work great here)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, as needed
- 1.5 pounds sirloin steak, sliced into 1-inch-thick pieces (doesn’t need to be exact)
- Olive oil, as needed
- 3 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 small red onion, cut into petals/wedges
- 4 – 5 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp, or to taste (store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons sliced pickled jalapeños, plus 1 tsp of the juice (or more to taste, see note)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Topping suggestions: Chopped scallions and cilantro
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, cumin, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sliced beef and toss to full coat.
- Add a couple tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s shimmering hot, and working it batches as needed, cook the beef just until it’s browned on the outside (it will finish cooking later); takes about 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate/tray to rest for now. Reduce the heat to medium, and add more oil to the pan if you need to (don’t wipe it out). Add the onion and tomatoes and cook until tender; about 4 – 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.Â
- Add the soy sauce, vinegar, chili crisp, pickled jalapeños + juice, sugar, and 1.5 cups water. Slide the beef and its juices back into the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and let the sauce thicken and reduce for a few minutes.
- Serve the beef over the cooked potatoes/fries with white rice alongside. Top with scallions greens and cilantro.
Notes
Regarding the jalapeños here, I’m using them as a substitute for the traditional Peruvian aji amarillo or aji amarillo paste that you might typically see in this recipe. Aji amarillo is a spicy (but not too spicy) yellow Peruvian pepper that is readily available at Latin markets and online. In a pinch, I find that either a habanero pepper or a banana pepper works as a substitute. In this recipe, because the sauce calls for vinegar, I like to use pickled jalapeños – since they bring that acid already. But feel free to leave out if you don’t care for heat. A sliced yellow bell pepper would work as well here.
Keywords: Peruvian Lomo Saltado Recipe
