Free Walking Tour Cusco: Peruvian Cusine

At the Fourth International Summit of Gastronomy Madrid Fusión 2006, regarded as the world's most important gastronomic forum, held in Spain, Lima was declared the "Gastronomic Capital of the Americas".

Mentioning the most popular dishes on this page will give you an idea of the many possibilities of food offered in Peru. Hopefully this information will help you choose what you would like to try.

All the new restaurants now offer a variation and fusion of these dishes with more nouveau or novoandina cuisine. Be sure you try at least a few of these exquisite dishes:

Exquisite Dishes

The best known dish is the Ceviche (this is the correct and registered spelling as per Instituto Nacional de Cultura, Resolución Directoral Nacional Nº 241/INC dated 23rd March, 2004). Diced marinated fish in lime juice served with sliced red onions and aji limo or rocoto (chili), accompanied with sweet potato, corn and seaweed. This dish is made in many ways and the recipe is not unique. It is done with all kinds of fish, seafood and even vegetables or chicken. A new variation on this dish is called Tiradito. The fish is cut like carpaccio instead of being diced, and it is not served with onions but with a variation of different sauces.

Anticucho (Quechua for Kebab) are a popular, inexpensive dish consisting of small pieces of grilled skewered meat. Anticuchos are readily found on streetcars and street food stalls, as well as in many restaurants. The meat is marinated in vinegar and spices and while anticuchos can be made of any type of meat, the most popular type are made of cattle heart ( anticuchos de corazon) and served with a boiled potato or corn and a chili sauce.

Lomo Saltado (stir-fried beef)Lomo Saltado is a very typical Peruvian dish originated by the influence of the Cantonese-Chinese around the middle of the 19th century. It contains the seasoning and the mixture of the Peruvian creole cooking and the oriental one. It is beef sauteed with onion, tomato, soy sauce, vinegar, chili (aji) and served or mixed with French fried potatoes and accompanied with rice. You will find this dish at almost every restaurant in Peru.

Papa Rellena (stuffed potato) contains mashed yellow potatoes (papa amarilla) stuffed with minced meat, eggs, olives and various spices and then deep fried.

Sancochado (parboil) contains beefs, sausage and varied vegetable parboiled. It is offered at restaurants during winter time. You are served a clear soup and separately the different meats and vegetables.

Papa a la Huancaína (Huancayo-style potatoes), a dish consisting of sliced boiled potatoes, served on a bed of lettuce with a sauce made out of Aji Amarillo, milk and farmers cheese, served with olives and a slice of boiled egg. It is actually from Chosica, in Lima, made by a "Huancaina" (a person from Huancayo).

Arroz con Pollo, or rice with chicken, is enjoyed for its rich-flavored rice made with cilantro, green peas, bell peppers and cooked with beer, combined with chicken pieces.

Butifarras is a sandwich in a hamburger-type bread roll (french bread) and consisting of Peruvian ham with an onion spicy sauce.(salsa criolla).

Causa is a mashed yellow potato dumpling mixed with lemon, onion, chili and oil, stuffed with avocado, tomato and boiled eggs. Varieties include stuffing with chicken, tuna, shellfish or many others added to the mixture. Served cold with black olives.

Carapulcra is a stew of dried potatoes, combined with pork or chicken, red chilies, peanuts and cumin.

Empanadas Peruanas (Peruvian pastries) can be filled either with chicken, beef, cheese or be strictly vegetarian. They have a unique taste due to the addition of olives and hard boiled eggs and raisins. These are not fried but baked.

Ají de gallina (chili chicken) are thin strips of chicken stewed with a creamy and spicy sauce, made with ají Amarillo, cheese, milk, bread, and walnuts, served over slices of boiled potatoes and accompanied with white rice. Traditionally made from farm black hens, but today from chickens.

Cau cau consist of tripe and diced potatoes and turmeric stew served with rice. The seasoning of this dish is now also used with other meats or seafood rather than tripe.

Chicharrones is deep-fried (in its own fat) and heavily salted pork served with fried sweet potatoes (camote). Its also eaten as a sandwich.

Chupe de camarones (shrimp cioppino) is a very popular dish of the Peruvian coastal cuisine. It is made from a thick freshwater shrimp (crayfish) stock soup, potatoes, milk, egg and chili pepper.

Tamales consist of boiled corn with pork or chicken meat and wrapped in a banana leaf. Similar are the Humitas which are made from corn mixed with spices, sugar, onions, filled with pork and olives and finally wrapped in the leaves of corn husks. Tamales are a common breakfast food, often served with a spicy onion sauce (Salsa Criolla).

Seco de Cabrito (goat stew) is a pot stew after marinating with chicha de jora or beer and other spices including lots of fresh cilantro and garlic. This has become a very popular type of stew and now you an find "Seco" made with beef or chicken.

Pachamanca, which is cooked all over the Andean region of Peru, is made from a variety of meats (fish, chicken, lamb, pork and beef), herbs and a variety of vegetables, mainly many types of potatoes, that are slowly cooked underground on a bed of heated stones. Normally done at specialized restaurants on the outskirts of Lima or at big gatherings.

Cuy chactado (guinea pig) is a highland delicacy which is easy to find in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. In Lima you can find it at Panchita or upscale restaurants like Astrid & Gaston and I K. At the fancier places, the presentation will be more appetizing and less 'shocking'. Expect this dish to be rather expensive.

Olluquito is a yellowish tuber. A stew of finely diced ollucos with charqui pieces (traditionally alpaca, or less frequently llama meat or ground beef or cheese) served with white rice.

Rocoto relleno (stuffed Rocoto peppers) are one of the very hot (spicy) chillies of Peru. In this dish they are stuffed with spiced beef, onions, olives, egg white and then cooked in the oven with potatoes covered with cheese and milk.

Tacu Tacu are made from beans mixed with rice and refried. Served with pan-fried steak, fried egg and fried bananas. A classic very filling dish. Variations are now served in many restaurants, try Tacu Tacu de Mariscos (seafood).