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Peruvian Steak Stir-Fry with Onions and Tomatoes (Lomo Saltado)
Peru’s lomo saltado, a quick stir-fry of soy-marinated beef, tomatoes and onions, is part of chifa cuisine—Asian-influenced dishes created by indentured Chinese workers in the late 19th century. For our take, we developed deeper flavor by mixing ground cumin into the soy sauce marinade. Tenderloin is often used here, but we preferred sirloin tips (also called flap meat) for their meatier flavor as well as lower price. And we seared the meat instead of stir-frying. Readily available jalapeño peppers made a good substitute for the traditional yellow ají peppers. If you prefer little to no spiciness, halve and seed the jalapeño before slicing it into half rings. Classic lomo saltado is frequently served over french fries; your favorite, frozen or otherwise, would be a good choice here. Steamed rice is an equally good accompaniment.
4
Servings
Tip
Don't cook the beef without patting it dry. Marinating in soy sauce adds flavor, but also moisture. Drying the beef helps ensure that the slices sear nicely, rather than steam. Also, cook in two batches; crowding the pan inhibits browning.
35 minutes
Ingredients
-
1½
pounds sirloin tips, trimmed, cut into 3-inch pieces and sliced against the grain into ½-inch strips
-
1½
teaspoons ground cumin
Directions
-
01In a medium bowl, combine the beef, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. Pat the meat dry and set aside.
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May 21, 2023
Lima Saltado
Loved this, simple yet extremely flavorful. I basically followed the recipe but marinated the meat for a couple hours in the fridge ( used sirloin which can be tougher than other cuts) and added an extra 1/2 cup of tomatoes based on other reviews . Had a large jalapeño and used a mandolin to make thin slices. Definitely keeping in my recipe rotation.
February 13, 2023
Great surfy
This is an elevated version of lomo salted, better than you will find in most Peruvian restaurants. I do like it with more tomatoes than it calls for. The sweetness of the tomatoes contrasts with the vinegar and chilis.
August 23, 2022
Wonderful flavors.
I made this recipe exactly as printed (which is uncommon for me), and I wouldn't change a thing. In the past, I have served it with roasted potatoes, and it was a great combination. This time, I had some leftover Mexican rice, so I used that instead, and I paired it with the Milk Street Burmese Tomato Salad. It was simply fabulous!
August 8, 2022
Delicious and authentic
I have made this recipe several times now, it is a family favorite. My husband lived in Peru for over a year and visited for long stays many times, he said this dish is the real thing. I even made it with my own garden grown cherry tomatoes, garlic and red onions, really, really good.
December 5, 2023
Outstanding!
The only thing I did differently was added more garlic. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. It was super easy, absolutely delicious, and comforting on a cold night. Adding to my repertoire! CK and the Milk Street team did it again!
Made this last night using flank steak, because that's what is easiest to find. It was delicious; I should left the seeds and ribs in the jalapeno as it was milder than I would have liked, but I added red pepper flakes at the table to compensate. Served with white rice and steamed green beans.
Hi Maureen -
As mentioned in the headnote of the recipe, sirloin tips are sometimes sold as flap meat, however it can also be sometimes be called bavette steak. If you can't find flap meat you can also try this with skirt, flank, or flatiron steak as some have mentioned in previous comments. These cuts are slightly more lean than flap meat, but should still work fine in the recipe.
Best,
The Milk Street Team
Does anybody think this recipe could be adapted for use with lamb? If so would any adjustments to the other ingredients be needed?
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I've made this several times it is so much better than the local restaurant version and is really easy. I recommend this recipe.