Recipe

Lomo Saltado: Peruvian Beef with Fries and Rice

Make Peruvian lomo saltado with seared beef, red onion, tomato, ají amarillo, fries and rice. Learn how to cook in batches without steaming the beef.

Lomo Saltado: Peruvian Beef with Fries and Rice
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Ingredients

  • 600 g beef sirloin, cut across the grain into 1.5 cm strips
  • 600 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm fries
  • 1 large red onion (200 g), cut into thick wedges
  • 3 firm plum tomatoes (300 g), cut into wedges
  • 1 fresh ají amarillo, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce (sillao)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red-wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sunflower oil for stir-frying
  • 750 ml sunflower oil for frying; most remains in the pan
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 600 g hot cooked white rice

Instructions

  1. Prepare all ingredients before heating the skillet. Rinse the potato sticks and dry them completely. Keep raw beef and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat ingredients. Have cooked rice ready.
  2. In a deep heavy pan no more than one-third full of oil, heat frying oil to 325°F / 165°C. Fry potatoes in small batches for 5–7 minutes until tender but pale. Drain on a rack.
  3. Raise the frying oil to 375°F / 190°C. Fry the potatoes again in batches for 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain and keep warm. Use a thermometer and never leave the oil unattended.
  4. Pat beef dry and add pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat with half the stir-frying oil. Cook half the beef in a single layer, turning to brown; repeat with the remaining oil and beef. Check thick strips reach at least 145°F / 63°C and rest them on a clean plate for 3 minutes.
  5. In the hot skillet, stir-fry onion and ají amarillo for 1–2 minutes. Add garlic briefly, then tomato, soy sauce and vinegar. Toss for about 1 minute; the tomato should soften at the edges, not collapse.
  6. Return beef and collected juices to the skillet and toss briefly. Add cilantro. Serve immediately with the fries and rice, sharing the pan juices among four plates. Do not attempt restaurant-style flames or flambéing.

Lomo saltado reflects Chinese-Peruvian cooking: beef and vegetables are quickly cooked with soy sauce and vinegar, then served with potatoes and rice. This version keeps the onion slightly crisp and adds the tomatoes late so they retain their shape.

Finding ají amarillo

Look for fresh or frozen ají amarillo at a Peruvian or Latin American grocer. A different pepper is an adaptation, not an identical flavor replacement.

Prevent steaming

Dry beef, a well-heated pan and small batches matter more than constant stirring. Give the meat contact with the pan before turning.

Serving choices

Fries may be folded into the sauce or served alongside for more crunch. Rice and fries are both included in the serving estimate.

Questions before cooking

Can I roast the potatoes?

Yes, but label that as an oven-fries adaptation. Keep the quick stir-fry method unchanged.

Why is my sauce watery?

Crowding the skillet and cooking tomatoes too long release excess liquid. Prepare everything first so the final cooking is brief.

Recipe and nutrition notes

This documented traditional-style preparation has not been kitchen-tested by Carolina Cooking. Nutrition is an approximate editorial estimate per stated serving, not an independently verified nutrient calculation. Ingredient brands, portions and cooking losses change the values.

Includes rice and an estimated 40 g absorbed frying oil across four servings.

Allergens: Soy; Wheat in ordinary soy sauce. Check packaged ingredient labels.

Traditional preparation reference: peru.travel. Instructions and explanatory text are written for Carolina Cooking; the reference is not an endorsement.

Representative stock photograph; presentation can vary. This is not a photograph of a Carolina Cooking test cook.

Per serving

Nutrition facts

Serving size: 1/4 of the stated recipe (estimated)

Calories
700
Total fat
27 g
Saturated fat
6 g
Cholesterol
90 mg
Sodium
900 mg
Total carbohydrate
76 g
Dietary fiber
5 g
Total sugars
6 g
Protein
38 g

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