Lomo saltado is the dish that tells the story of Peruvian cuisine in a single plate. It is a stir-fry, born from Chinese immigrant influence on Peruvian cooking. It brings together seared beef, red onion, tomatoes, soy sauce, and aji amarillo in a combination that does not exist anywhere else in the world. Served with both french fries and rice on the same plate, it is hearty, savory, and a little tangy from a dash of vinegar. Just right. If you have never tried it, you are in for something special. High heat is essential here. The beef should sear hard and fast in a smoking-hot pan, picking up a deep brown crust without overcooking the interior.
Work in small batches so the pan stays hot. The onions and tomatoes cook quickly too, just enough to soften slightly while keeping some bite. The fries get tossed in at the very end, so they absorb the sauce without turning soggy. You can use frozen fries to save time, just make sure they are crispy before they go in. Aji amarillo paste is the ingredient that gives this dish its distinctive Peruvian character. It adds fruity heat without overwhelming the other flavors. Look for it jarred or in paste form at Latin American grocery stores. Serve everything together on a big plate with white rice alongside.
How to Make Peruvian Lomo Saltado
Sear the Beef Strips Over Maximum Heat
Season the sirloin strips with cumin, salt, and pepper. 
Get your wok or skillet over the highest heat your stove can produce.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil and sear the beef in a single layer, working in batches, for about 1 minute per side until well browned but still pink inside. High heat is very very important here. A cool pan will steam the beef gray instead of giving you the hard sear that defines this dish.
Char the Onions, Tomatoes, and Aji Amarillo
Add the remaining oil and toss the red onion wedges for 2 minutes until charred but still crunchy.
Add the aji amarillo and garlic for 30 seconds, then the tomato wedges for just 1 minute. You want the tomatoes warmed through but still holding their shape, not collapsed into mush.
Return the beef to the wok, add soy sauce and red wine vinegar, and toss everything together over high heat for 30 seconds.
Toss in the Fries and Serve with Rice
Add the crispy fries and chopped cilantro, give it one final toss, and serve immediately alongside steamed white rice.
The fries go in at the very end: just a quick toss to coat them in the sauce while they stay crispy. Lomo saltado is meant to be served fast and eaten hot, so get it from the wok to the plate without delay.
Peruvian Lomo Saltado
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Lomo saltado is Peru’s most famous stir-fry — a collision of Chinese wok technique and South American ingredients that came from the Chinese immigrant communities of Lima. Strips of beef sirloin seared screaming-hot with red onion, tomato, and aji amarillo, then deglazed with soy sauce and vinegar and tossed with crispy french fries. Served over rice. Yes, starch on starch. It works spectacularly.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs beef sirloin, cut into thick strips
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large red onion, cut into thick wedges
- 3 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 aji amarillo pepper, seeded and sliced (or 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lb frozen french fries, baked or fried according to package directions
- Steamed white rice for serving
Instructions
- Cook the french fries according to package directions until crispy. Keep warm.
- Season the beef strips with cumin, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over the highest heat possible. Sear the beef in a single layer for 1 minute per side until well browned but still pink inside. Work in batches. Remove and set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add red onion wedges and cook 2 minutes, tossing, until charred but still crunchy.
- Add aji amarillo and garlic. Cook 30 seconds. Add tomato wedges and cook 1 minute — you want them warmed through but still holding their shape.
- Return the beef to the wok. Add soy sauce and red wine vinegar. Toss everything together over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Toss in the crispy fries and cilantro. Give it one final toss.
- Serve immediately alongside steamed white rice.
Notes
- The highest possible heat is essential. Lomo saltado is a stir-fry, and a cool pan will steam the beef into gray sadness instead of searing it.
- Aji amarillo gives the dish its distinctive Peruvian character — it is fruity and moderately hot. If you cannot find it, a small amount of habanero mixed with yellow bell pepper approximates the flavor.
- The fries go in at the very end — just a quick toss to coat them in the sauce. They should stay crispy, not get soggy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 810
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 36
- Cholesterol: 90
