I cannot say enough about just how great this lomo saltado tasted. It was absolutely fantastic, and surprisingly took only minutes to prepare. The incredible flavors reminded me so much of my years living in Peru. And although there are a lot of variations on this dish, it comes down to great beef stir-fried with onions and tomatoes, served with fries or potato wedges and occasionally rice. It’s a wonderful example of the Asian influences on Peruvian cuisine.
Pepper Perfection
One of these keys to a great lomo saltado is the Peruvian aji amarillo pepper. It has a distinct flavor that is almost fruity, with just a bit of heat. If you cannot find aji amarillo peppers you can use aji amarillo paste, which is easier to find in specialty stores. And in a pinch, use a habanero pepper instead.
I cooked this wonderful lomo saltado on the Weber Performer grill using the wok insert. It is an amazing way to do stir-fry. Easy clean up, and super high heat. If you don’t have a wok and would prefer to cook in-doors, I recommend using a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
Some choclo al cumino would be great with this dish, too!
Lomo Saltado
Ingredients
- 1 pound tender steak sirloin or better
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- Kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red onion sliced thick
- 2 tomatoes sliced thick
- 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste see note, or 1 aji amarillo pepper, seeded and minced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 cups steak French fries cooked
- 1 cup white rice cooked
Instructions
Note: Aji amarillo paste is a paste of the Peruvian aji pepper. It can be found jarred in most South American specialty stores. If you cannot find it substitute a large, seeded and minced habanero pepper.
- Slice the steak very thin. I find it easier to do this if you first put the steak into the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour before slicing.
- Heat a wok over high heat.
- Toss steak slices with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Add to the wok and stir fry for 10 minutes, getting the meat almost done completely through and nicely golden in color.
- Add garlic, onion and tomato slices, and aji pepper. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Drizzle the soy sauce and vinegar along the size of the wok and stir all ingredients well, stir frying.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot along with fries and rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.