Recipe: Lomo saltado (Peruvian beef stir-fry)

Lomo saltado is one of my favourite Peruvian dishes. It’s a result of the fusion between Cantonese and Peruvian (i.e. Andean and Spanish) cuisines.

This traditional dish consists of strips of beef tenderloin or sirloin (“lomo” in Spanish) stir-fried with onion and tomato wedges, soy sauce and vinegar. It is served with rice and potato chips.

You can use tenderloin or sirloin, but any stir-fry cut works well as long as you don’t overcook the meat. As with any stir-fry it’s very important that you get your wok or pan super hot before adding the meat. If you don’t eat beef, there are versions of this dish that use chicken or fish instead.

Regarding the sauce, the basic ingredients are soy sauce and red wine vinegar. I learned to add oyster sauce when I was in cooking school. Some people add stock but I don’t think it’s necessary. Use gluten-free soy and oyster sauces if needed.

In this recipe I’ve replaced the chips for a healthier twice-cooked version of potatoes. There is a bit of controversy about whether the potatoes should be mixed with the sauce (and thus, get a little soggy) or separate. This is of course a matter of personal preference, so you do you. As an alternative, you can omit the rice and potatoes and serve it with vegetables for a low-carb version, or with tacu-tacu for a different spin. Lomo saltado is also used as a filling for empanadas and sandwiches.

Lomo saltado

Lomo saltado is one of my favourite Peruvian dishes. It’s a result of the fusion between Cantonese and Peruvian (i.e. Andean and Spanish) cuisines.

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Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Peruvian

Servings 4

Equipment

• oven

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or ghee
• 600 g beef stir-fry strips
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 red onion in thick slices
• 2 tomatoes in thick wedges
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• pepper to taste
• chilli optional

Potatoes

• 400 g potatoes

Rice

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil or ghee
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• salt to taste

To serve

• coriander leaves or green onion finely chopped
• salad

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
• Peel and cut potatoes in thick wedges. Boil or steam them until just tender but not fully cooked.
• Place potatoes on a tray, toss with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt. Roast until golden, about 20 minutes.
• While the potatoes cook, heat 2 tsp oil in a small pot at low-medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, stirring often. Add rice and stir. Add water and a good pinch of salt, lower heat to minimum and cook covered until all the water has been absorbed.
• Heat a wok or pan as hot as your stove allows. Add oil, let heat up and add beef.
• Brown beef on all sides, add garlic and onion, cook stirring (or flipping the wok or pan) for a minute or two.
• Add tomatoes, sauce and chillies if using, season with pepper, mix well and turn off heat.
• Serve lomo saltado with potatoes, rice and a side salad. Garnish with chopped coriander or green onion.

Keyword beef, fusion, gluten free, Peruvian cuisine, Peruvian food, rice, stir fry, sweet potato

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