One of our favorite things to do when traveling is to try the traditional and typical food of that country and region. So, of course, when we went to Peru, we needed to try lots of the traditional and typical Peruvian food! But when you’re traveling, how do you decide what to eat? That’s where we come in! Below, I’ll detail the different traditional foods of Peru and what’s in the dish. This will help you find the right dishes on menus!
Typical Main Dishes in Peru
Lomo Saltado
It is probably the most well-known dish of Peru. Given Peru’s extensive Chinese and Japanese historical immigration, those foods are integrated into Peruvian cuisine. This dish is a prime example of that. It is a stir-fry of sirloin, onions, tomatoes, and french fries cooked in a wok with a delicious sauce. Normally, you’ll get rice with your lomo saltado. Lomo saltado is by far the most well-known typical food from Peru. You can find this on nearly all menus in Lima.
Cuy
A popular food in the highlands and Cusco area, Cuy is guinea pig. This roasted guinea pig is a specialty in this area. Guinea pigs are not pets in Peru. They have been food since the times of the Inca. It is a very nutritious and filling dish. The best, most traditional way to try cuy in Peru is fried or roasted. While it can be boiled, that is reminiscent of boiled chicken. The taste is a cross between rabbit and chicken. Most people would say it’s a fattier chicken. Definitely something worth trying, especially if you’re feeling adventurous.
Tacu Tacu
Tacu Tacu is more of an unknown dish when it comes to Peruvian dishes. It is generally leftovers at home. That doesn’t mean you cannot have delicious Tacu Tacu at restaurants. It is a mixture of rice and beans made into a salty cake-like patty. The rice and beans are also cooked with a variety of spices. Generally, Tacu Tacu is served under chicken.
Aji de Gallina
This is my new favorite Peruvian dish! Move over Lomo Saltado (don’t worry, I still love you), but aji de gallina was my new typical food to go to in Peru. It is a delicious curry type of dish that I cannot wait to learn to make at home. It is a base of sauteed onion, garlic, and yellow bell pepper with shredded chicken and stock. To make the stew, mix bread soaked in milk, cheese, and ground nuts. This gives it a creamy, nutty texture and flavor. Usuall,y it also has some sliced boiled potatoes. Finally, aji de gallina tops rice and includes a hard-boiled egg. By far, it’s my new favorite Peruvian dish.
Ceviche
Ceviche is actually the most typical and well-known dish in Peru. It is a fish dish, so if you love fish, then this one is for you! They take locally caught white fish and cook it with citrus, generally lemon. On the menu, you can find it either with fish or shrimp. My preference is fish.
The ceviche also includes onion. It does not include many other things like tomatoes, cucumbers, or avocado. It can be spicy or mild depending on your preference. One of the most delicious things that comes out of ceviche is Leche De Tigre. This is the leftover lemon sauce that is used to make the ceviche. You drink it like a shot.
Sopas
Finally, one thing we noticed is that Peruvians love their soups. So much so that there is a popular local chain calledย Siete Sopasย that primarily serves soups. The most popular soup is the Caldo de Gallina, which is similar to chicken noodle soup. So, if you’re visiting in winter, be sure to try the soups.
Taste all these amazing foods in your 48 hours in Lima.
Typical Dessert Food in Peru
Lucuma Ice Cream
Lucuma is a local fruit in Peru. Peru has many wonderful, fresh fruits, and this is one of them. Lucuma is a very sweet fruit. Given its sweetness, it works well in ice cream. The creaminess of the ice cream downplays some of the sweetness. Definitely pop into an ice cream shop to try Lucuma, and then, if you really like it, try the fruit.
You’ll find lucuma in supermarkets and outdoor markets. To us, it tastes like a sweet brown sugar milk tea with tapioca (without the chewiness). Our tour guide said that 80% of people like Lucuma as ice cream, but that number drops when it is the fruit alone. Lucuma is used in many different desserts. We had lucuma mousse with a chocolate tart.
Chirimoya
Another delicious local fruit is chirimoya. Chirimoya is a popular fruit from the Andes region. It is sweet and pulpy, almost like a peach. In taste, it has a much more delicate taste than the lucuma. It is almost like a cross between a peach, pineapple, and banana. Atย Mangos Restaurantย in Lima, we had the chirimoya with brownies. It was one of my favorite desserts (behind the chocolate). The fruit itself looks like a cactus crossed with an apple. It’s definitely a must-try!
Chocolate
Moving from fruit to arguably the best sweet ever, Chocolate! Peru grows cacao beans in many different regions. One thing we learned at El Cacaotal is that the different beans make the chocolate taste wildly different.
In Peru you’ll find chocolate used in many different ways as well as many delicious bars of chocolate to take home. We had hot chocolate that rivaled our favorites in Dublin. They also have cacao shots and drinking chocolates. The coolest thing about many places is they’ll ask where you want your chocolate to come from to get different flavors. This is especially noticeable in hot chocolate.
Typical Snack Food in Peru
Tequeรฑos
Not to be confused with Colombian tequeรฑos, Peruvian tequeรฑos are essentially wantons. Inside, you’ll find any number of fillings. My favorite is the cheese tequeรฑos, but we tried the lomo saltado tequeรฑos, and they were amazing!! Definitely get some as an appetizer at least once. Generally, they’ll come with some great dipping sauces. Be careful; some might be spicy.
Papas a la Huancaina
You’ll find an incredible variety of potatoes (and some of the best sweet potatoes ever) in Peru. Papas a la Huancaina is the best potato dish. The boiled potatoes are sliced and then smothered in a yellow huancaina sauce. Finally, boiled eggs top the dish. You can eat this as a whole meal or an appetizer. One of my favorites we had in Lima was at Tanta Restaurante.
Cancha Chulpi
This is my new favorite snack! You’ll get it a lot as an appetizer in restaurants. These corn kernels are fried and tossed in salt. This makes the corn kernels crispy. Unlike popcorn kernels the crunchy cancha chulpi is not too hard to chew. You can buy bags (or boxes) of it in the grocery stores.
Typical Drinks in Peru
Chicha Morada
Chicha morada is a purple corn drink. Yes corn, purple corn at that. Now you cannot tell that it is corn when you drink it. To make chicha morada you boil purple corn, pineapple peels, cinnamon, and cloves. Then it simmers for a while to develop a deep flavor. It has a delicious sweet and warming flavor. Since the water is boiled it is safe to drink.
Check out all the other information that you need to know to stay safe in Peru here.
Pisco Sour
Other than chicha morada, pisco sour is the most well-known drink from Peru. Pisco is a fermented grape liquor. Mixed with lemon (sour) and sugar syrup, you get this delicious drink. Finally, to get the famous foam, the bartender adds beaten egg whites. It’s definitely worth the try.
Pisco Maracuya
Pisco is a liquor from Peru that is very popular there. While pisco sour is the most well-known version, the maracuya version is a must-try. Maracuya is passion fruit. It is a sweet and tart drink. Personally, I love maracuya ice cream, so this drink was right up my alley.
Peruvian Coffee
Peru grows amazing coffee. So when in Peru you must try the local coffee. First, confirm that the coffee is grown in Peru before ordering. We had many incredible coffees. It is a strong flavor profile. Without all the shipping and transportation the coffee retains much of its original strength.
Final Thoughts about the Typical Food of Peru
Hopefully you’re now excited to enjoy the typical food of Peru! Hopefully you’ll find a new favorite dish like I did with aji de gallina. Maybe you’ll even enjoy new drinks like we did with Chicha Morada. If anything, make sure to try the coffee and locally grown chocolate to see just how different the different beans can be. Peru is truly a foodie’s paradise.
