World Flavors Cookbook

Peru Recipes

Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the world's finest, blending Indigenous Andean traditions with Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and African influences. Lima has more than 650 restaurants and was voted the world's best culinary destination multiple times.

Recipes from Peru

• Ceviche

  Peru's national treasure — fresh white fish "cooked" in the acidity of aromatic lime juice, spiced with aji amarillo and served with sweet potato and Andean corn.

• Lomo Saltado

  A masterpiece of "Chifa" (Chinese-Peruvian) fusion, this stir-fry combines tender beef, onions, and tomatoes with a savory soy-vinegar sauce, served with both rice and fries.

• Anticuchos de Corazón

  Traditional grilled skewers of marinated beef heart, a beloved Andean street food with deep historical roots and smoky charcoal flavor.

• Ají de Gallina

  A creamy, velvety chicken stew made with aji amarillo and thickened with walnuts and soaked bread, representing the height of Peruvian comfort food.

• Butifarra

  A classic Limeño sandwich featuring jamón del país (savory country ham), fresh lettuce, and sharp salsa criolla on a crusty French roll.

• Sánguche de Chicharrón

  A legendary breakfast or street sandwich consisting of crispy fried pork belly, fried sweet potato slices, and zesty salsa criolla.

• Causa Rellena

  A layered chilled potato dish seasoned with aji amarillo and lime, traditionally filled with tuna or chicken salad, representing a blend of pre-Columbian and colonial flavors.

• Papa a la Huancaína

  Slices of boiled potatoes smothered in a creamy, spicy cheese sauce made with aji amarillo, a quintessential dish from the central highlands of Peru.

• Pollo a la Brasa

  Peru's incredibly popular rotisserie chicken, marinated in a secret blend of spices including soy sauce, garlic, and cumin, known for its crispy skin and juicy meat.

• Picarones

  Delicious pumpkin and sweet potato doughnuts, fried until golden and served with a rich chancaca (unrefined cane sugar) syrup flavored with cinnamon and cloves.

• Chupe de Camarones

  A robust and creamy shrimp chowder from Arequipa, featuring giant river shrimp, potatoes, corn, and a unique blend of Andean herbs and spices.

• Rocoto Relleno

  A fiery Arequipeño specialty consisting of a stuffed rocoto chili pepper filled with seasoned ground beef, raisins, olives, and topped with melted cheese.

• Tiradito en Crema de Ají

  A refined cousin of ceviche, tiradito features thinly sliced raw fish (sashimi-style) served in a spicy citrus sauce, typically without onions.

• Arroz con Pato

  A flavorful northern Peruvian dish of rice cooked with cilantro, beer, and tender duck, resulting in a vibrant green, aromatic rice dish.

• Tacu Tacu

  A creative Afro-Peruvian dish made from a mixture of leftover beans and rice, fried together into a large, crispy 'omelette' and often topped with steak or seafood.

• Seco de Cabrito

  A northern Peruvian classic of tender goat meat braised in a cilantro and Chicha de Jora (fermented corn beer) sauce.

• Pachamanca

  An ancient Andean feast cooked in an earthen oven using hot stones. It includes various meats, tubers, and corn, all marinated in Andean herbs.

• Juane

  The quintessential dish of the Peruvian Amazon: seasoned rice, chicken, and egg wrapped in a bijao leaf and boiled, resembling a large bundle.

• Carapulcra

  One of the oldest recorded dishes in Peru, this hearty stew is made from sun-dried potatoes (papa seca), pork, and peanuts, flavored with aji panca.

• Sopa Seca

  A flavorful pasta dish from Chincha, where spaghetti is cooked directly in a broth of achiote, basil, and parsley until all the liquid is absorbed.

• Suspiro a la Limeña

  An incredibly sweet and silky dessert from Lima, consisting of a manjar blanco base (similar to dulce de leche) topped with a port wine meringue.

• Mazamorra Morada

  A comforting, purple corn pudding thickened with sweet potato flour and filled with dried fruits like prunes and apricots.

• Turrón de Doña Pepa

  A traditional layered anise-flavored shortbread cookie block, drenched in fruit syrup and topped with colorful sprinkles and candies.

• Adobo Arequipeño

  A spicy pork stew from Arequipa, marinated in Chicha de Jora and traditionally eaten for Sunday breakfast.

• Solterito Arequipeño

  A fresh and colorful chopped salad from Arequipa made with broad beans, corn, cheese, and olives.

• Cuy Chactado

  A traditional Andean specialty consisting of a whole guinea pig, pressed flat with a heavy stone and deep-fried until incredibly crispy.

• Tamales Peruanos

  Savory corn dough (mote) filled with pork or chicken, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed to perfection.

• Humitas

  Fresh corn cakes wrapped in their own husks and steamed. They can be made savory with cheese or sweet with raisins and cinnamon.

• Aguadito de Pollo

  A thick, vibrant green chicken and rice soup flavored with a massive amount of fresh cilantro and various vegetables.

• Arroz con Mariscos

  A colorful and savory seafood rice dish, similar to a paella but with distinct Peruvian flavors like aji amarillo and aji panca.

• Carapulca con Sopa Seca

  A festive Afro-Peruvian duo: Carapulca, a spicy dried potato and pork stew, served with Sopa Seca, a seasoned noodle dish.

• Seco de Res a la Norteña

  A fragrant cilantro-based beef stew, slow-cooked with chicha de jora (fermented corn beer) and served with canary beans and rice.

• Ocopa Arequipeña

  Similar to Papa a la Huancaína but with a distinct Arequipeño flavor, featuring a sauce made from huacatay (black mint), peanuts, and crackers.

• Pachamanca (Home Version)

  A traditional Andean 'earth oven' feast, adapted for the modern kitchen, featuring a variety of marinated meats, potatoes, corn, and lima beans.

• Arroz con Leche (Peruvian Style)

  A creamy rice pudding made with whole and evaporated milk, flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel.

• Crema Volteada

  The Peruvian version of flan or crème caramel, known for its light texture and heavy use of evaporated milk.

• Tamales Peruanos

  Hearty corn dough cakes filled with pork or chicken, olives, and aji panca, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

• Caldo de Gallina

  A restorative, hearty hen soup served with thick noodles, a hard-boiled egg, and a piece of boiled potato.

• Parihuela

  A spicy and robust Peruvian seafood bouillabaisse, featuring a wide array of Pacific fish and shellfish in a thick chili-wine broth.

• Cau Cau

  A flavorful Afro-Peruvian tripe stew cooked with yellow potatoes, aji amarillo, and fresh peppermint.

• Adobo Arequipeño

  A festive pork stew from Arequipa, marinated in chicha de jora, vinegar, and aji panca, traditionally eaten for Sunday breakfast.

• Jalea Mixta

  A mountain of crispy deep-fried seafood topped with salsa criolla and fried yuca, the ultimate coastal indulgence.

• Leche de Tigre

  The leftover marinade from Peruvian ceviche — the intensely sour, spicy, umami liquid drunk as a shot for energy and hangover relief.

• Arroz Graneado

  Peruvian everyday rice — each grain separate and lightly golden, cooked with garlic and oil. The foundation of every Peruvian plate.

• Pollo Estofado

  Peruvian chicken stew with olives, capers, peppers, and tomatoes in a wine-tomato sauce — the homey Sunday dish from Lima.

• Chicha Morada

  Peruvian purple corn drink — deep violet, slightly sweet, spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and citrus. A 5,000-year-old Andean beverage.

• Pan con Chicharrón

  Peruvian pork sandwich — crispy fried pork (chicharrón) with sweet potato and salsa criolla in a crusty bread roll. Lima's legendary breakfast sandwich.

• Aderezo de Aji Panca (Red Chili Base)

  The Peruvian red cooking base — aji panca paste fried with onion and garlic until the oil turns brick-red. The foundation of adobo and red stews.

• Caldo de Cabeza

  Peruvian lamb head broth with potatoes, corn, and fresh herbs — a rich, restorative market soup eaten before sunrise in Lima.

• Papa Seca Guisada

  Andean freeze-dried potato cooked in aji panca and beef broth — an ancient Inca preservation technique transformed into a stew.

• Mazamorra Morada

  Peruvian purple corn pudding — a thick, fragrant jelly-pudding made with purple corn, dried fruits, and sweet potato starch.

• Sanguche de Butifarra

  Lima's most traditional sandwich — slices of Peruvian ham (jamón del país) with salsa criolla in crusty bread.

• Chupe Verde

  Arequipan green potato chowder with fresh herbs, huacatay, and shrimp — an intensely green, aromatic soup from Peru's second city.