Although I see many Peruvian restaurants out there, many people just don’t seem too familiar with Peruvian cuisine. After trying Peruvian food for the first time at a local tapas restaurant a few years back, I’ve really come to love the diversity and flavor of their food.
Because Peruvian cuisine has been influenced by so many different cultures including Incan, Asian, European and West African, Peruvian food matches well with the palettes of many different types of people. I personally think it is one of the most underrated cuisines and is worthy of international mainstream attention. Without further ado, here are 5 popular dishes that I think everybody should try in Peruvian cuisine.
5. Lomo Saltado
What it is:
Lomo Saltado is a stir fried dish which often includes marinated sirloin, red onions, tomatoes, and French fries in a vinegar, soy sauce based sauce. When done correctly, the sirloin beef is nice and tender and there is a slight natural sweetness that comes through from the red onions and tomatoes.
This dish originated with some Chinese influence and is probably the most well-known dish in Peruvian cuisine. If you’re completely new to Peruvian food, this is probably where you should start.
4. Jalea
What it is:
Jalea is a mix of fried seafood topped with lime-marinated red onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. Your typical Jalea will have seafood like Squid, Mussels, and Shrimp, but often also includes fried yucca which is a root vegetable with a texture and taste similar to a potato.
Although fried seafood exists in many different cultures (i.e. fritto misto of Italy, tempura of Japan), Jalea is actually one of my favorite variations of this dish. The batter is crispy and flavorful, but not very oily at all. The onions and tomatoes also add a fresh and bright aspect to the dish which make this a perfect appetizer that is both unique but familiar to most people.
3. Empanadas
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What it is:
Empanadas are baked or fried pastries often stuffed with meats, cheeses, or other ingredients. My personal favorite are baked beef empanadas which have a saucy, ground beef filling seasoned with cumin, paprika, peppers, and onions.
Although empanadas aren’t native to only Peru, they are a pretty big part of their cuisine and you surely won’t be disappointed with their version of this meat pie.
2. Arroz Con Mariscos
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What it is:
Arroz con mariscos is a seafood paella dish where the rice is cooked in seafood broth and then sautéed with seafood, like shrimp, clams, squid, and mussels, along with onions, peppers, and various spices.
I’ve been disappointed with some other types of paella in the past that has had mushy rice from too much broth mixed in with the rice, but I’ve loved almost every Arroz con Mariscos dish I’ve tried at Peruvian Restaurants so far. Because the rice is often sautéed afterwards, the paella has that crispy texture that I love in a good fried rice while also having that glamour of the seafood flavor. If you’re able to find a restaurant that does this well, I guarantee you’ll be impressed by this dish.
1. Ceviche
What it is:
Peruvian ceviche is comprised of raw white fish, red onions, cilantro, and chili peppers marinated in freshly squeezed lime juice and topped off with cooked sweet potato and corn nuts. Other seafood, like squid and shrimp, are often added in the ‘Mixto’ version of this dish.
Peruvian ceviche is a lot more sour than other ceviches in other cultures but is still really flavorful with a bit of a spicy kick in the marinade. I appreciate that they often leave the white fish in its nearly completely raw state as it retains that sushi or poke like texture of the fish that I personally like. This ceviche is one of the most famous dishes of Peru so if you’re a fan of raw fish, you absolutely need to try this!
Best Peruvian Drink - Chicha Morada
What it is:
Chicha morada is a Peruvian beverage made by boiling purple corn, pineapples, cinnamon, and cloves together and is often served with chopped pineapples and apples.
Although most of the color of this drink comes from the purple corn, the flavor of this beverage is mostly contributed by the pineapple, cinnamon, and cloves. This drink has the perfect balance of sweetness from the pineapple and the touch of cinnamon and kind of reminds me of a sangria without the alcohol. I truly believe this is one drink that almost nobody really knows about, but everybody really needs to try. It’s one of my all-time favorites and definitely deserves more mainstream attention than it is currently receiving.
Conclusion:
There’s a lot to love about Peruvian food, and I really think it is one of most underrated cuisines out there. The diversity of influences and flavors help keep the food relatable and there isn’t anything too intimidating about Peruvian Cuisine (except maybe the guinea pig dishes in Peru). They even have pasta dishes like tallarin verde con bistec (Pesto Pasta with Breaded Steak) that I haven’t mentioned in my list but are also great. If you haven’t tried Peruvian food yet, I highly recommend you give it a chance and I promise you won't be disappointed!
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