Peruvian Cooking: Ingredients, Guides & Where to Start

A vibrant spread of traditional Peruvian dishes, including rice, stews, meats, and sides, representing the multicultural influences that define Peruvian cuisine.

Sabores que nos unen ♡

🇵🇪 Traditional Peruvian Food: 47 Dishes You Need to Try

Your complete guide to Peruvian cuisine. Discover must-try dishes, staple ingredients, cooking techniques, and everything you need to know about the food of Peru.

Read the Complete Guide → Browse All Peruvian Recipes →

✦ October’s Featured Dish

Ají de Gallina

Shredded chicken in a creamy ají amarillo sauce over potato and rice, finished with olives and egg. Warming food for Lima's grey, damp stretch of the year.

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Explore Peruvian Food

Appetizers

Small bites to start any Peruvian meal.

Breakfast Foods

Butifarra, humitas and tamales to start the day.

Desserts

Picarones, alfajores, and Peru's favorite sweets.

Drinks

Pisco sour, chicha morada, and Peruvian beverages.

Holiday Dishes

Festive dishes for Peruvian celebrations year-round.

Ingredients

Ají amarillo, corn, and the essentials of Peruvian cooking.

Main Dishes

Lomo saltado, arroz chaufa and pollo a la brasa.

Sauces & Condiments

Huancaína, ají amarillo and ocopa.

Seafood Dishes

Ceviche and other coastal favorites from Peru's shores.

Side Dishes

The perfect plate, completed.

Soups & Stews

Comforting, slow-cooked Peruvian classics.

Street Foods

Snacks and bites from Peru's streets.

The Complete Peruvian Food Guide

47 traditional dishes, ingredients, and cooking guides in one place.

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Lomo Saltado, Peruvian-Chinese Stir-Fry

A Peruvian-Chinese stir-fry of beef, onions, tomatoes, and fries.

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Causa Limeña, Layered Potato Dish

A chilled, layered dish of seasoned mashed potato and filling.

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Pisco Sour, Peru's National Cocktail

Peru's national cocktail, made with pisco, lime, and egg white foam.

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Ají de Gallina, Creamy Shredded Chicken

Shredded chicken in a creamy, spiced yellow chili sauce.

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Latest Peruvian Recipes

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Shambar Recipe: Peru’s Hearty Monday Soup from Trujillo

Empanada Dough: Easy Homemade Recipe for Baking or Frying

Seco de Carne (Seco de Res): Peruvian Cilantro Beef Stew

Arroz con Pollo Peruano: Peruvian Chicken and Green Rice (Recipe)

Salchipapa: How to Make Peru’s Hot Dogs and Fries

Yuca Fries (Yuca Frita): Crispy Fried, Baked & Air Fryer Recipe

Panetón: Peru’s Christmas Bread (Homemade Recipe)

Sopa de Olluco: Peruvian Olluco Soup and What Olluco Is

Locro de Zapallo: Peruvian Squash Stew (Locro Peruano)

Inchicapi: Peruvian Amazon Chicken and Peanut Soup

A little Peruvian curiosity

Fun Facts About Peruvian Foods

Big flavors. Little surprises. There’s a story in every bite.

A whole roasted cuy, Peruvian guinea pig, on a plateCusco Cathedral

Jesus eats guinea pig at the Last Supper.

In Cusco Cathedral, a Last Supper painted by Marcos Zapata in 1753 puts a roasted cuy in the middle of the table, the Andean feast dish in place of lamb.

Bottles and a glass of Inca Kola, Peru’s bright yellow sodaPeru’s golden soda

Their favorite soda is yellow and tastes like bubblegum.

Inca Kola, created in Lima in 1935, is one of the very few sodas that held its own against Coca-Cola at home. Coca-Cola ended up buying into the brand in 1999.

Peruvian Food FAQs

A little curious? Open a question.
Is Peruvian food spicy?

Some of it. Nearly everything starts with ají, but the most-used chile, ají amarillo, is more fruity than fiery. The real heat comes from rocoto and from the spicy sauces set out on the table.

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What’s the national dish of Peru?

Ceviche: raw fish cured in lime with red onion, chile and salt. Peru celebrates it every June 28, and in 2023 UNESCO added it to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

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What are anticuchos?

Skewers of beef heart marinated in ají panca, vinegar, garlic and cumin, then grilled over charcoal. They’re Lima’s favorite street food, sold from carts every evening.

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What is pachamanca?

An Andean feast cooked underground. Meat, potatoes, corn and fava beans are layered with hot stones and herbs in a pit, covered with earth and left to steam for hours.

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Why Peruvian Food Is Considered One of the World’s Best

Peru is widely recognized as one of the world’s greatest culinary destinations, where Indigenous, Spanish, African, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian influences have blended to create one of the most diverse and celebrated cuisines on the planet. From fresh seafood and hearty Andean dishes to Amazonian specialties, vibrant street foods, and unforgettable desserts, Peruvian food is known for its bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and iconic ingredients like ají amarillo, as well as its remarkable regional diversity. Whether you’re exploring the coast, the Andes, or the Amazon, every region offers its own unique culinary traditions.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Peru, searching for authentic Peruvian recipes, or discovering the country’s most famous dishes, you’ll find everything you need here. Explore iconic favorites like ceviche, lomo saltado, ají de gallina, leche de tigre, pollo a la brasa, and anticuchos, along with regional specialties from Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, and the Peruvian Amazon. You’ll also discover traditional Peruvian desserts, refreshing drinks, cooking guides, and the culinary traditions that have made Peru one of the world’s premier food destinations.

If you’re new to Peruvian cuisine, start with our comprehensive guide to Peruvian Food: 47 Traditional Dishes to Try, then continue exploring our authentic recipes, traditional desserts, refreshing drinks, and regional food guides. Whether you’re cooking at home or experiencing Peru’s incredible flavors for the first time, AmigoFoods is your trusted resource for authentic Peruvian food.