Discover how to make the ultimate beef lomo saltado recipe – a quick, flavorful Peruvian stir-fry! This lomo saltado blends juicy beef, fries, and lime in one irresistible lomo saltado recipe.
What is lomo saltado? It’s a sizzling fusion of Chinese wok fire and Andean comfort food. This beef lomo saltado recipe is fast, flavorful, and just the right kind of messy: juicy beef, tangy lime, golden fries, and fluffy rice all jostling for attention.
Yes, it’s as good as it sounds.
Restaurant Style Lomo Saltado
I recently had my first lomo saltado dish at a new Peruvian restaurant – La Mar in my travels to the city of Bellevue, WA. It was an unexpected, but perfect blend of two cultures – Peruvian and Chinese.
You could tell that this was a modern twist on the classic Peruvian lomo saltado recipe. But, it still kept true to some traditional elements, like crispy potatoes (their version of French fries), aji amarillo paste, and a side of rice.
With that being said, I would not be the Umamiologist if I did not create a lomo saltado recipe of my own – hence my new recipe of lomo saltado here.
What is Lomo Saltado?
Lomo saltado is one of Peru’s most beloved dishes and is a classic Peruvian stir-fry: seared beef tossed quickly with onions and tomatoes. The technique and seasoning style in lomo saltado is rooted in chifa – the Chinese-Peruvian culinary tradition that brought wok cooking and soy sauce into Peru.
Lomo saltado literally means “jumped beef/tenderloin” in Spanish and it refers to how the beef jumps inside the wok during stir-frying.
It’s traditionally served with rice and French fries (carb overload – yum!). At its core, beef lomo saltado is about contrasts: hot and cold, crispy and juicy, savory and tangy. It’s comfort food with swagger.
Why You’ll Love This Beef Lomo Saltado Recipe
Because it’s dinner theater in a pan! In under 30 minutes, you get tender beef, garlicky sauce, golden fries, and a zesty citrus finish. It’s weeknight-fast, but feels restaurant-fancy.
Once you make this lomo saltado recipe, it’ll slide right into your easy dinner rotation – trust me, it’s on mine now. It’s even picky-eater-approved. Again, trust me, I have one of those 😉
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Aji Amarillo Paste: The aji amarillo paste brings sunny color, fruity aroma, and medium heat (though ours was not spicy) to the lomo saltado recipe.
- Soy Sauce: This is the main marinade for our beef. It adds a level of depth to the dish by seeping into the beef before we sear it.
- Oyster Sauce: This is the umami-maker! There’s a certain level of umami in lomo saltado, and it’s mainly from the oyster sauce.
Aji Amarillo Paste & the Aji Amarillo Substitute
What’s aji amarillo? Aji or ají amarillo means “yellow chili pepper” in Spanish. It’s one of the most important ingredients in our lomo saltado recipe – very Peruvian.
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. I’ve outlined the steps in my Aji Amarillo Paste Substitute recipe, so check that out if you plan to use a substitute for the aji amarillo paste.
The Ingredients for Lomo Saltado
For the Beef Lomo Saltado
- 1 lb beef sirloin or tenderloin (cut into strips)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp aji amarillo paste (or aji amarillo substitute)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 red onion (sliced thick)
- 1 large tomato (cut into wedges)
- 1/2 lime
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Avocado oil (or other oil for high-heat cooking)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 3 cups French fries
For the Peruvian Rice
- 1 packet of jasmine rice (or Peruvian white rice)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
The Equipment Needed
How to Make This Lomo Saltado Recipe
First, cut your beef into bit-sized strips. I personally like mine a bit smaller, just because I generally take smaller bites, but it’s up to your preference here. Now, take time to marinate the beef strips with the soy sauce and pepper. Let the beef soak up the soy sauce for about 10-15 minutes while you prep the veggies.
Prep the veggies at this time – mince the garlic, slice the onion, cut the tomato into wedges. I also like to pop the French fries into the oven to time everything perfectly (I just got myself a store-bought bag of French fries to make things extra easy).
Pro Tip: Make the fries extra golden and crispy since they’ll need to soak up the juices later – glorious!
This is also a good time to prepare the Peruvian garlic rice – simply sauté the jasmine rice (straight from the packet) with olive oil and garlic in a large pan.
Once the meat has had time to soak in the soy sauce, sear the meat – heat oil in a wok or heavy skillet until just smoking. Add the beef strips in small batches and sear fast – about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Pro Tip: Don’t put too much meat into the wok at once – it may lead to stewing of the meat, instead of searing. Be sure to wait until the wok heats up again before cooking the next batch.
In the same pan, add a bit more oil, then garlic, onion, and ají amarillo paste. Stir-fry until onions are slightly softened but still have crunch.
Putting It All Together
Add tomato wedges, return beef to the pan, and pour in oyster sauce and squeeze lime. Toss everything together for about 30 seconds – just enough for the tomato to warm and release some of its juice.
Pro Tip: We’re going for a quick toss so the tomatoes don’t disintegrate!
Optional: For the adventurous cooks out there, this is where you can add a splash of pisco or brandy for a dramatic flame show or, as our French friends call it, a flambé!
Pile the lomo saltado over hot French fries, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve alongside Peruvian rice.
Pro Tip: Don’t pour the lomo saltado over the French fries until right before serving to retain the crispiness of the fries!
And there you have it – delicious lomo saltado del Peru!
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Equipment
- Wok, (or large pan)
- Oven, (or air fryer for French fries)
Ingredients
For the Beef Lomo Saltado
- 1 lb beef sirloin or tenderloin, (cut into strips)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp aji amarillo paste, (or aji amarillo substitute)
- 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 1 red onion, (sliced thick)
- 1 large tomato, (cut into wedges)
- 1/2 lime
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil, (or other oil for high-heat cooking)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, (chopped)
- 2 cups French fries, (store-bought or homemade)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
For the Peruvian Rice
- 1 packet ready-made jasmine rice, (or Peruvian white rice)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
Instructions
How to Prep for This Lomo Saltado Recipe
- First, cut your beef into bit-sized strips.
- Now, take time to marinate the beef strips with the soy sauce and pepper. Let the beef soak up the soy sauce for about 10-15 minutes while you prep the veggies.
- Prep the veggies at this time – mince the garlic, thickly slice the onion, cut the tomato into wedges.
- Pop the store-bought French fries into the oven or air fryer and cook according to package instructions.
- Pro Tip: Make the fries extra golden and crispy since they'll need to soak up the juices later – glorious!
- Prepare the Peruvian garlic rice – simply sauté the jasmine rice (straight from the packet) with olive oil and minced garlic in a large pan.
How to Make This Lomo Saltado Recipe
- Once the meat has had time to soak in the soy sauce, sear the meat – heat oil in a wok or heavy skillet until just smoking. Add the beef strips in small batches and sear fast – about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Pro Tip: Don't put too much meat into the wok at once – it may lead to stewing of the meat, instead of searing. Be sure to wait until the wok heats up again before cooking the next batch.
- In the same pan, add a bit more oil, then garlic, onion, and ají amarillo paste. Stir-fry until onions are slightly softened but still have crunch.
Putting It All Together
- Add tomato wedges, return beef to the pan, then pour in oyster sauce and squeeze lime juice. Toss everything together for about 30 seconds – just enough for the tomato to warm and release some of its juice.
- Pro Tip: We're going for a quick toss so the tomatoes don't disintegrate!
- Optional: For the adventurous cooks out there, this is where you can add a splash of pisco or brandy for a dramatic flame show or, as our French friends call it, a flambé!
- Pile the lomo saltado over hot French fries, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve alongside Peruvian rice.
- Pro Tip: Don't pour the lomo saltado over the French fries until right before serving to retain the crispiness of the fries!
- And there you have it – delicious lomo saltado del Peru!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is just an estimate derived by an online calculation tool.
FAQ
What is lomo saltado?
Lomo saltado is one of Peru’s most beloved dishes and is a classic Peruvian stir-fry: seared beef tossed quickly with onions and tomatoes. The technique and seasoning style in lomo saltado is rooted in chifa – the Chinese-Peruvian culinary tradition that brought wok cooking and soy sauce into Peru.
What can I use as an aji amarillo substitute?
You can substitute aji amarillo with a mixture of yellow bell peppers (for the color) and serrano peppers (for the kick!).
How to cook lomo saltado?
Lomo saltado uses a Chinese stir-fry technique using a wok. The beef is seared first, then tossed quickly with red onions and tomatoes.
Jenny
I love lomo saltado and finally a good recipe to recreate it at home! Thanks!
Umamiologist
Yes, it’s so simple too!
Geegee
I’ve been so obsessed with Peruvian food lately. will try this one. thanks.
Umamiologist
Let us know how it goes! Enjoy!