Peruvian lomo saltado is a bold, savory beef stir-fry with tender strips of steak, charred red onion, and ají amarillo tossed in a glossy soy-and-vinegar sauce.
You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!
I learned to make lomo saltado during a cooking class in Peru. The moment our instructor pulled out a massive wok, I was shocked, and that was how I learned about the rich Asian influence in Peruvian cuisine.
I had eaten lomo saltado at many restaurants in the United States before taking the class, but making it in Peru gave me a new appreciation for the dish.
Lomo saltado is served with fries, and I learned that the best way to make them is to slowly fry them in oil on the stove while you prep the ingredients for the stir-fry. At least that's what we did in class. This also goes well with garlic-flavored rice. It's a great quick dish with plenty of flavor.
Happy Cooking,
Tanya
A Quick Look at The Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Please see the recipe card below for the full printable recipe, ingredients, and instructions. Here you will find step-by-step photos of how to make this recipe.
- Beef tenderloin. Tenderloin is a tender cut of beef and the usual cut used in Lomo Saltado. Tenderloin sears fast and still stays tender. It's best to buy a tenderloin steak or filet mignon and slice it yourself. Slice across the grain to keep it tender.
- Ají amarillo. This is the Peruvian yellow chili that gives the dish its flavor, and it is more fruity than fiery. I buy mine at my local Latin grocery store, in the freezer section, which is where you will usually find whole ají amarillo in the States. If you cannot find the fresh or frozen chili, ají amarillo paste works and is often shelf-stable in the same store or online. Use ½ tablespoon of paste in place of the whole chili.
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. Either works. Cut them into even sticks so they cook at the same rate.
- Red onion. Cut it into thick slices, not thin ones. You want the pieces to char on the edges and still have some crunch left.
- Garlic and green onions. Fresh minced garlic adds that classic aromatic punch to the stir-fry, while sliced green onions bring a mild bite and fresh color right at the end.
- Roma tomatoes. Also sliced thick for the stir-fry.
- Red wine vinegar and soy sauce. These two make the sauce.
- Fresh Cilantro. Added at the end to give flavor and give the dish some color.
- Salt and pepper. Used to season the steak and add any additional flavor you may want to the dish.
- Cooked rice. For serving.
How to Make Peruvian Lomo Saltado
Please see the recipe card below for the full printable recipe, ingredients, and instructions. Here you will find step-by-step photos of how to make this recipe.
Step 1: Slow fry the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into ½-inch sticks, rinse in cold water to remove starch, and pat thoroughly dry.
Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it reaches 325°F (165°C). Fry the potatoes for about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and crisp. Drain on a wire rack, then place in a bowl and toss immediately with salt. Keep warm.
Step 2: Season and sear the beef. While your potatoes are cooking, toss sliced beef with salt and pepper.
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and sear half the beef in a single layer for 1 to 2 minutes without moving it to get a char. Flip, cook for 1 minute more, and transfer to a plate. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil and sear the second batch.
Step 3: Stir-fry and sauce. Heat the remaining oil. Add the sliced red onion, ají amarillo, and minced garlic. Stir-fry over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly charred.
Return the beef and juices to the pan along with the tomato wedges and green onions. Pour ¼ cup red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons soy sauce into the pan. Stir-fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the sauce turns glossy and coats everything.
Step 4: Finish and serve. Take the pan off the heat and fold in 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Pile the crispy fries on a platter or individual plates, spoon the beef and vegetables and all that sauce right over the top, or next to it. Serve immediately with warm white rice.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
- Storing. Store the beef and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the fries separately. They will soften in the fridge no matter what, but they hold up better on their own than sitting in sauce overnight.
- Reheating. Reheat the beef and vegetables in a hot skillet for a minute or two, just until warmed through. The microwave works, but it will keep cooking the beef and firm it up. Bring the fries back in a 400°F (204°C) oven or in the air fryer for a few minutes until they crisp again.
Tanya's Top Tips
- Get everything cut before you turn on the wok. The stir-fry portion of this recipe takes about four minutes from start to finish.
- Slice the beef across the grain. You can see the muscle fibers running in one direction. Cut perpendicular to them.
FAQs
It is a Peruvian beef stir-fry that comes out of Peru's chifa tradition, the Chinese Peruvian cooking that developed after Chinese immigrants arrived in Peru in the 1800s. That is why you get soy sauce and wok cooking sitting alongside ají amarillo and Peruvian potatoes on the same plate. "Saltado" refers to the stir-fry technique itself.
Not very. Ají amarillo is fruity and moderately hot, and seeding it as I do here takes out most of the burn. If you are sensitive to heat, use half the chili or leave it out.
You will see it both ways in Peru. I serve mine under the beef so they catch the sauce but keep some crunch. Tossing them into the pan at the end works too if you like them fully coated.
More Peruvian Recipes to Try
- Peruvian Chicken – Juicy, flavorful chicken that is perfect for building a larger Peruvian-inspired meal.
- Peruvian Green Sauce – A creamy, spicy sauce that tastes especially delicious drizzled over lomo saltado fries.
- Garlic-Flavored Rice – An easy, savory side dish to serve with lomo saltado.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! Your feedback is invaluable and helps us grow. Thank you for your support!
Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir Fry)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Rinse the cut potato sticks in cold water to remove excess surface starch, then dry them thoroughly with paper towels.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 325°F (165°C). Fry the potatoes slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden, blistered, and crisp throughout. Drain on a wire rack, then place in a bowl and toss immediately with salt. Keep warm.
- In a bowl, toss the sliced beef tenderloin with the ½ teaspoon kosher salt and the black pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat a large wok or heavy skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add half the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes, until a dark char develops. Flip and cook 1 minute more, then transfer to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and sear the second batch of beef the same way. Set aside on the plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Add the red onion, ají amarillo, and garlic. Stir fry over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are lightly charred at the edges but still crisp.
- Return the beef and any resting juices to the pan. Add the tomato wedges and green onions. Pour the red wine vinegar and soy sauce around the perimeter of the pan. Toss continuously over high heat for 45 to 60 seconds, until the sauce reduces into a glossy glaze that coats the meat and vegetables.
- Remove from the heat and fold in the chopped cilantro. Arrange the crispy fried potatoes on a serving platter or individual plates, spoon the beef and vegetables over the top, and serve immediately with warm white rice.
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