Traditional Peruvian Dishes
Traditional Peruvian Huancaína Potatoes
A creamy and colorful Peruvian appetizer: tender potatoes covered with yellow pepper sauce, fresh cheese, evaporated milk, and soda crackers, accompanied by boiled egg, black olives, and lettuce.
Huancaína potatoes are a traditional Peruvian recipe, associated with Huancayo and the Junín region. Their combination of potatoes, creamy yellow pepper sauce, and cheese offers a balanced contrast of flavors, textures, and colors.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓1 kg of yellow potatoes or firm potatoes
- ✓4 fresh yellow peppers
- ✓2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- ✓1/4 of white onion
- ✓1 clove of garlic
- ✓200 g of fresh cheese
- ✓150 ml of evaporated milk
- ✓6 soda crackers
- ✓4 large lettuce leaves
- ✓2 eggs
- ✓8 black olives
- ✓1 teaspoon of salt
- ✓1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Wash the potatoes and eggs thoroughly
Wash the potatoes and eggs thoroughly. Place the whole potatoes with skin in a large pot, cover them with water, and add a pinch of salt.
- 02
Cook the potatoes over medium heat until they are tender...
Cook the potatoes over medium heat until they are tender when pierced with a knife, but not falling apart. Depending on their size, they will take between 20 and 30 minutes.
- 03
In another pot, place the eggs, cover them with water, and cook them for...
In another pot, place the eggs, cover them with water, and cook them for 10 minutes from when the water starts boiling. Transfer them to a container with cold water, let them cool, and set them aside.
- 04
Cut the yellow peppers in half and remove the seeds and veins
Cut the yellow peppers in half and remove the seeds and veins. Blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes, drain them, and repeat the process a second time if you want to reduce the spiciness.
- 05
Heat a skillet over medium heat with vegetable oil
Heat a skillet over medium heat with vegetable oil. Add the chopped white onion and the clove of garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, until the onion is translucent and the garlic releases its aroma, without burning them.
- 06
Place the yellow peppers, onion, and garlic in a blender
Place the yellow peppers, onion, and garlic in a blender, along with the crumbled fresh cheese, evaporated milk, soda crackers, salt, and black pepper.
- 07
Blend until you get a smooth, thick, and intensely yellow cream
Blend until you get a smooth, thick, and intensely yellow cream. If it's too dense, add evaporated milk gradually. If it's too liquid, incorporate half a soda cracker gradually.
- 08
Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if necessary
Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if necessary. The ideal consistency should cover the back of a spoon and fall slowly, like a cream.
- 09
When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and let them rest for a few minutes
When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and let them rest for a few minutes. Peel them carefully and cut them into thick slices.
- 10
Peel the boiled eggs and cut them in half or into quarters
Peel the boiled eggs and cut them in half or into quarters.
- 11
To serve, place the lettuce leaves on a platter
To serve, place the lettuce leaves on a platter. Distribute the potato slices on top and generously cover them with the huancaína sauce.
- 12
Arrange the boiled eggs and black olives around or on top of the potatoes
Arrange the boiled eggs and black olives around or on top of the potatoes, making sure each serving has a bit of all the ingredients.
- Remove the seeds and veins from the yellow pepper to control the level of spiciness. You can leave a small amount of veins for a more intense sauce.
- You can use frozen or paste yellow pepper. If using paste, start with a moderate amount, as some brands are spicier and saltier.
- Don't cut the potatoes before cooking them: whole potatoes absorb less water and retain their flavor better.
- Let the potatoes cool before peeling and cutting them to handle them more easily.
- Add the milk gradually to adjust the sauce's texture.
- Taste the sauce before adding more salt, as the fresh cheese can add enough seasoning.
- If preparing the dish in advance, store the potatoes and sauce separately in the refrigerator. Stir the sauce before serving.
- Huancaína potatoes can be served cold or at room temperature, but avoid leaving them out of the refrigerator for too long due to the presence of dairy and eggs.