Can’t find aji amarillo at your market? No problem. This quick aji amarillo substitute captures the sunny color, fruity aroma, and medium heat you want. It’s brilliant in aji amarillo paste-based recipes like lomo saltado, huancaína, dips, and marinades.
If you’re like me, I don’t always have aji amarillo paste handy in my pantry, or even know where to get aji amarillo peppers (ha!). Hence, I have the perfect aji amarillo paste substitute for those beloved Peruvian dishes!
What Is Aji Amarillo?
What’s aji amarillo? Aji or ají amarillo means “yellow chili pepper” in Spanish. It’s used in various Peruvian dishes, including our very own Beef Lomo Saltado recipe.
Did you know? The aji amarillo, despite its name, has a orange-gold tint, not bright yellow.
If you can’t find ají amarillo, or don’t want to buy the aji amarillo paste, it’s not a big deal. There are a few aji amarillo paste substitutes, and my favorite is using yellow bell peppers and serrano peppers.
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Yellow Bell Peppers: The yellow bell peppers add the fruitiness and sweetness we need in an aji amarillo paste substitute.
- Serrano Peppers: Serranos bring clean heat to our paste.
- Olive Oil : The olive oil binds everything together, creating the right consistency for an aji amarillo paste substitute.
Why This Works
Real aji amarillo is fruity, lightly floral, and medium-hot. Roasting the yellow bell concentrates sweetness and color, while serrano adds clean heat without smokiness. Olive oil makes the purée glossy and scoopable – just like jarred aji amarillo paste.
The Ingredients for Aji Amarillo Paste Substitute
- 1 Yellow bell pepper
- 2 Serrano peppers, stemmed (seed for milder)
- 1-2 teaspoons of Olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
The Equipment Needed
- Small blender
- Oven (broiler)
How to Make Aji Amarillo Paste Substitute
First, cut your yellow bell pepper into 1-2 inch slices. I like to cut mine so it lays flatter on the baking sheet. Be sure to stem and seed them too.
Set your oven to broil (high) with the rack 6 inches from the element. Place the yellow bell pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until skin is mostly blistered (about 10 mins).
Once the skin has blistered, transfer the bell pepper pieces into a bowl and cover it for 10-15 minutes to let it steam.
Once the bell peppers have had time to rest in its steam, peel the outer layer. The skin should come right off.
Next, take the bell pepper flesh and coarsely chopped serrano peppers, along with the olive oil and blend it all together.
Pro Tip: Be sure to destem and seed the serrano peppers for a milder heat!
Add salt and pepper to taste. You should be left with a golden paste of fruity goodness!
Pro Tip: I like to skip salt and pepper altogether so that the paste is more versatile in other dishes or sauces.
Where to Use Aji Amarillo Paste Substitute
- Lomo saltado: 1 heaping tablespoon per 2-3 servings
- Huancaína sauce: Swap 1:1 for aji amarillo paste
- Aioli or mayo dip: 1-2 teaspoons whisked into 1/4 cup mayo plus lime
- Marinades: 1 Tablespoon with soy, garlic, and lime for steak or chicken
Other Aji Amarillo Paste Substitutes
There are a few other ways that you can re-create an aji amarillo paste substitute. Here are some other options for you to try:
- Yellow bell pepper + serrano pepper (this is our recipe – best all-around)
- Yellow bell pepper + tiny habanero (for a fruity kick)
- Jalapeño + orange/yellow bell pepper (mild-medium)
Enjoy!
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Equipment
- Oven (broiler)
Ingredients
- 1 Yellow bell pepper
- 2 Serrano peppers, stemmed (seed for milder)
- 1-2 tsp Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, (to taste)
Instructions
- How to Make Aji Amarillo Paste Substitute
- First, cut your yellow bell pepper into 1-2 inch slices. I like to cut mine so it lays flatter on the baking sheet. Be sure to stem and seed them too.
- Set your oven to broil (high) with the rack 6 inches from the element. Place the yellow bell pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until skin is mostly blistered (about 10 mins).
- Once the skin has blistered, transfer the bell pepper pieces into a bowl and cover it for 10-15 minutes to let it steam.
- Once the bell peppers have had time to rest in its steam, peel the outer layer. The skin should come right off.
- Next, take the bell pepper flesh and coarsely chopped serrano peppers, along with the olive oil and blend it all together.
- Pro Tip: Be sure to destem and seed the serrano peppers for a milder heat!
- Add salt and pepper to taste. You should be left with a golden paste of fruity goodness!
- Pro Tip: I like to skip salt and pepper altogether so that the paste is more versatile in other dishes or sauces.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is just an estimate derived by an online calculation tool.
FAQ
What is aji amarillo?
Aji or ají amarillo means “yellow chili pepper” in Spanish. It’s used in various Peruvian dishes, including our very own Beef Lomo Saltado recipe.
What can I substitute for aji amarillo paste?
You can substitute aji amarillo with a mixture of roasted yellow bell peppers (for the color) and serrano peppers (for the kick!).
Is this the same as real aji amarillo?
It’s a smart stand-in – fruity, bright, golden, and moderately spicy – great for recipes that call for aji amarillo, aji amarillo paste, or an aji amarillo substitute.
Can I roast the serrano?
That’s optional. A very light blister mellows the bite but also reduces heat. Most folks prefer it fresh for a cleaner profile.
Jenny
Oo this is such a great idea. Definitely making this to store.
Umamiologist
Yay! I still have some stored up from the last batch I made too 😉