Peruvian · Main course · Testada 9 vezes

Lomo saltado — carne salteada peruana

Peru's beloved chifa stir-fry: marinated beef strips seared hard in a screaming wok with red onion and tomato, deglazed with soy and vinegar, finished with cilantro — and served with both French fries AND rice. Criollo meets Cantonese.

Por Carlos Mendoza · Latin America editor · Publicada 2026-03-09 · Atualizada 2026-05-17
Ir para a receita →
Preparo
20 min
Cozimento
15 min
Total
35 min
Rende
4 servings
Dificuldade
Medium
#peruvian#stir-fry#weeknight#beef
Resposta rápida · Resposta em 30 segundos

Marinate beef strips in soy, vinegar, and cumin. Sear in a ripping-hot wok in batches so they brown, not steam. Stir-fry red onion and tomato wedges briefly to keep them crisp, deglaze with soy sauce, vinegar, and a splash of stock, toss the beef back in with cilantro and ají amarillo. Serve over fries with rice on the side.

  • The wok must be screaming hot and the beef seared in batches — crowding steams it grey instead of browning it.
  • Onion and tomato go in for barely a minute — they should stay crisp and bright, not collapse.
  • Yes, fries AND rice. That double-starch is the dish — the fries soak up the sauce. Don't 'fix' it.

Equipment

  • Carbon-steel wok or large heavy skillet
  • Separate pan / fryer for the chips

Ingredientes

Beef & marinade

  • 500 g beef sirloin or tenderloin, in thick strips
  • 30 ml soy sauce
  • 15 ml red wine vinegar
  • 3 g ground cumin
  • Black pepper

Stir-fry

  • 30 ml neutral oil, in batches
  • 1 large red onion, in thick wedges
  • 2 tomatoes, in thick wedges
  • 1 ají amarillo, sliced (or 1 tbsp ají amarillo paste)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 30 ml soy sauce
  • 15 ml red wine vinegar
  • 60 ml beef stock, optional, for sauce
  • Large handful cilantro, roughly chopped

To serve

  • French fries (fresh or good frozen), hot and crisp
  • Steamed white rice

Modo de preparo

  1. ETAPA
    01

    Toss the beef strips with soy sauce, vinegar, cumin, and pepper. Leave 15 minutes while you prep everything else and get the fries going.

  2. ETAPA
    02

    Fry or bake the French fries until hot and crisp and keep them warm — lomo saltado comes together fast and you want the fries done first.

  3. ETAPA
    03

    Heat the wok until smoking. Add a tablespoon of oil and half the beef in a single layer. Sear undisturbed 60 seconds, toss until browned but still pink inside, and remove. Repeat with the rest. Don't crowd.

  4. ETAPA
    04

    Add a little more oil. Throw in the red onion wedges, ají amarillo, and garlic; stir-fry 60 seconds. Add the tomato wedges and stir-fry just 30–45 seconds — they should stay bright and crisp.

  5. ETAPA
    05

    Pour in the soy sauce, vinegar, and stock. Let it bubble and scrape up the browned bits — it reduces to a glossy sauce in under a minute.

  6. ETAPA
    06

    Return the beef and any juices. Add the cilantro and toss once or twice — just to combine and warm through. Off the heat immediately so the beef stays tender.

  7. ETAPA
    07

    Pile onto plates with the hot French fries (toss some right into the saltado to soak up sauce, criollo-style) and steamed rice alongside.

Make ahead

Cut and marinate the beef and prep the vegetables a few hours ahead. The cook itself is under 10 minutes, so do it à la minute.

Storage

Best immediately — the vegetables lose their crunch and the fries go soft. If you must, keep the saltado (no fries) 2 days and re-sear hot. Add fresh fries.

Variations

Pollo saltado

Use chicken strips instead of beef — same method, sear until just cooked through.

Tallarín saltado

Toss cooked noodles into the wok at the end instead of (or with) the fries — the chifa noodle version.

Vegetariano (saltado de verduras)

Swap beef for thick-cut mushrooms and firm tofu, seared hard. The soy-vinegar sauce carries it.

Serve with

French fries and white rice (both — it's the law)Ají amarillo or rocoto sauceA cold Pilsen or CusqueñaInca Kola for the full experience

Nutrition per serving

560 kcal 26 g fat 45 g carbs 36 g protein 5 g sugar 4 g fiber 920 mg sodium
Allergens: Soy
Diet: Dairy-free

Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.

Perguntas frequentes

Why both fries and rice?

It's quintessential Peruvian comfort food and a hallmark of chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) cooking. The fries soak up the savory sauce while the rice rounds out the plate. Serving both isn't excess — it IS lomo saltado.

What is ají amarillo?

A fruity, moderately hot yellow Peruvian chili, central to the cuisine. Sold fresh, frozen, or as a paste (ají amarillo paste) in Latin markets. If you truly can't find it, a mix of yellow bell pepper with a little habanero approximates the color and heat.

Can I add the fries into the wok?

Yes — the criollo way is to toss some fries into the saltado at the very end so they drink up the sauce, then serve more crisp ones on the side. Don't add them too early or they'll go soggy throughout.

Why is my beef tough or grey?

Overcrowding the pan. The beef must sear in a single layer in a screaming-hot wok, in batches. Too much at once drops the temperature, the meat releases water, and it steams grey and chewy instead of browning.

What cut of beef is best?

Sirloin (lomo) is traditional and the namesake; tenderloin is more tender still. Both should be cut into thick strips and cooked fast and hot so they stay juicy.

Cooked this? Rate it.

Real ratings from real cooks. We only show a score once enough of you have weighed in — no fabricated stars.