South America
Food of Peru
The 7 most iconic national dishes of Peru — real photos, key ingredients and tasty facts behind every plate.
Americas
Ceviche
Peru’s signature dish of fresh raw fish cured in lime juice and typically tossed with red onion, chilli and herbs. It tastes bright, bracing and clean, with a spicy citrus punch.
Did you know?
Peru celebrates National Ceviche Day, and the dish has been recognised as part of the nation’s cultural heritage.
Lomo saltado
A beloved Peruvian stir-fry of beef with onions, tomatoes and chillies, usually served with both fries and rice. Its savoury, smoky flavour shows the strong Chinese influence on Peruvian cooking.
Did you know?
Lomo saltado is a classic example of chifa, the Chinese-Peruvian culinary tradition that developed with Cantonese immigration.
Ají de gallina
This rich shredded chicken dish is coated in a creamy yellow sauce made with ají amarillo, bread and dairy. It is mildly spicy, velvety and deeply comforting.
Did you know?
Despite the name meaning “chilli hen,” the modern version is usually made with shredded chicken rather than hen.
Pachamanca
An Andean feast of meats, potatoes and other vegetables cooked with hot stones in an earth oven. The result is smoky, herbal and celebratory, with flavours tied closely to the land.
Did you know?
Its name comes from Quechua, roughly meaning “earth pot,” reflecting its ancient pre-Hispanic cooking method.
Anticuchos
These are skewers of marinated grilled meat, especially beef heart, sold all over Peru as a popular street food. They are juicy, charred and boldly seasoned with chilli and vinegar.
Did you know?
Anticuchos became especially associated with Afro-Peruvian cooking during the colonial era, when less expensive cuts were transformed into a delicacy.
Causa limeña
A layered cold dish of mashed yellow potatoes seasoned with lime and ají amarillo, often filled with tuna, chicken or avocado. It is creamy, tangy and strikingly colourful on the plate.
Did you know?
One popular story links the name causa to the War of the Pacific, when women supposedly sold the dish “for the cause” to support troops.
Patasca
A hearty highland soup made with hominy and meat, prepared in Peru in regional forms that can include tripe or mutton. It is an old-fashioned Andean staple valued for its sustaining richness.
Did you know?
Patasca is part of a wider family of hominy soups found across the Andes and neighboring regions.