Our Loma Salado recipe is a traditional preparation of a very popular Peruvian dish.

We learned about Lomo Saltado within minutes of arriving in Lima, Peru on a stop on our way to hike the Inca Trail. From then on it has been one of our favorite fusion dishes that we recall as fondly as our time on that famous four-day hike. 

When we first arrived in Peru we did what we often do when arriving in a new country.  We asked the cab driver, who was taking us from the airport toward the center of Lima, “What should we eat in Peru?” His English was pretty non-existent, and our Spanish could use (a lot) of improvement. But despite that we were able to understand a lot of what he was saying.

He rattled off a few dishes, and then stopped and paused. He glanced back at us and said, lovingly “Lomo Saltado” and rolled his eyes. “Mi favorito” he said.

We met several other people during those first days. Every one of them suggested that we try the ceviche (raw fish or seafood cooked in lime juice – Lima is known to have the best, anywhere), the Pisco Sour (the country’s national drink), Aji Galina (chicken with a creamy spicy sauce often served with french fries) and most especially, the Lomo Saltado. We made it our mission to seek out each one. It wasn’t difficult. We started with the Lomo Saltado.

We found Lomo Saltado on almost every menu we read. When we finally ordered it, we felt a bit confused. It looked like a Chinese dish, and wait, are those french fries? It turns out that there is actually a large Chinese (specifically, Cantonese) population in Peru.

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After the abolition of slavery in Peru, Chinese immigrants (called Coolies) were hired to performed the hard manual labor in the sugar cane fields and mines. Today, there remains is a vibrant China Town in Lima and a Chinese restaurant (locally referred to as “Chifas”) in every neighborhood. The Loma Saltado dish is a fusion of both cultures, and it is both unique and delicious.

Loma refers to the tenderloin section of meat (beef in this recipe) that is stir fried over high heat with vegetables and mixed with the french fries. As with all dishes, there are as many versions as there are people who make the dish themselves. Here’s ours.

Here are some additional Peruvian recipes you might enjoy!

Peruvian Ceviche with Rocoto Paste

Peruvian Classic Pisco Sour

Peruvian Aji de Gallina

Yield: 4

Peruvian Lomo Saltado

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Receta de Lomo Saltado - Un plato favorito de la fusión peruana hecho con carne de res y papas en un salteado con sabores asiáticos y el clásico Pisco Brandy Peruano.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 libra (.5 kg) de lomo de ternera
• 1 cebolla blanca dulce mediana, cortada en tiras longitudinales
• 2 patatas, como por ejemplo las russet
• 1/2 pimiento rojo, cortado en tiras a lo largo
• 1/2 pimiento ají, o pimientos serranos, cortados en tiras
• 1 tomate mediano, cortado en dados
• 4 dientes de ajo, picados
• 1 cucharada (2,5 cm) de jengibre fresco, picado
• 1 cucharada (15 ml) de salsa de soja
• 1 cucharada (15 ml) de vinagre de vino tinto
• 1 cucharada (16 g) de pasta de tomate
• 1/2 cucharadita (1 g) de comino molido, opcional
• 2 Cucharadas (30 ml) de aguardiente de pisco peruano*.
• 4 tazas de arroz blanco cocido (opcional)
• Limón y cilantro fresco como guarnición.

Instructions

1. Cortar el solomillo de ternera en dados de 2,5 cm. Mézclelo con la marinada y déjelo reposar cubierto en el frigorífico durante 1 ó 2 horas.
   Cortar las patatas en rodajas en forma de patatas fritas. Cubrirlas con aceite de oliva, salpimentarlas y asarlas en una bandeja de horno a 350 grados hasta que estén ligeramente doradas. Reservar.
   Calentar una sartén antiadherente (o un wok si se tiene) a fuego alto, sacar la carne del líquido y saltearla durante 2 o 3 minutos, dorando ligeramente el exterior. No se quiere que la carne se cocine demasiado y se ponga dura. Retirar de la sartén y reservar.
   Calentar el aceite de oliva en la sartén y añadir la cebolla y el tomate cuando haya alcanzado una temperatura alta (añadir aceite adicional si es necesario para evitar que se pegue). Cocinar durante 2 minutos, luego añadir el ajo picado y el jengibre picado. Remover durante 30 segundos.
   Añadir el pimiento rojo y el pimiento de Ají y saltear 1 minuto. A continuación, añada la salsa de soja, el vinagre y la pasta de tomate. Revuelva y luego regrese la carne a la sartén y cocine por un minuto.
   Añade un chorrito de Pisco (que puedes flamear para darle más dramatismo) y luego agrega las papas. Deje que los sabores se combinen durante 1 o 2 minutos.
   Sirve con arroz blanco al lado y adorna con cilantro y un trozo de lima.

Notes

*White tequila can be substituted for Peruvian Pisco

Nutrition Information

Yield

1

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 361Total Fat 10.7gSaturated Fat 4gSodium 307mgCarbohydrates 24.7gFiber 4.1gSugar 4.6gProtein 36g

Here are some articles about travel in Peru that you might enjoy!

Downtown Lima from Balconies to Bones

A Foodie’s Night Out in Cusco Peru

Machu Picchu Hike – The Inca Trail

How to Party Like A Local In Lima Peru