Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir-Fry)
By David YuPublished on March 17, 2026
Time
35 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We developed this recipe in a 14-inch wok, but you can use a 12-inch carbon-steel skillet instead. Fresh ají amarillo chiles can be challenging to find; look for frozen chiles in some Peruvian, Hispanic, or possibly Asian grocery stores. In addition to red Fresnos, red jalapeños or orange mini bell peppers are good substitutes. Besides tenderloin, sirloin or skirt steak are also good options for this dish. Be sure to have the french fries cooked and warm before you begin cooking; frozen french fries work well here. Serve with our Garlic Rice or white rice.
Instructions
- Whisk 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, and 5 teaspoons white wine vinegar together in small bowl and set aside. Cut 1 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed, into 2-inch-long, ½-inch-wide strips.
- Heat empty 14-inch flat-bottom wok over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Drizzle 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil around perimeter of wok and heat until smoking. Add half of beef and use tongs to break up any meat that clumps. Cook, without stirring, until beef is browned on bottom, about 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges, about 1 minute longer. Transfer beef to medium bowl. Wipe wok clean and repeat with 1½ teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
- Wipe wok clean, then add remaining 1 teaspoon oil; heat over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add 1 small red onion, halved and sliced through root end into ¾-inch‑thick pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with beef.
- Return wok to high heat, add soy sauce mixture, and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce is thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add beef mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat ingredients but still pools slightly at bottom of wok, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, add 2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch-thick wedges, and 2 ají amarillo chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced lengthwise, and toss to combine. Gently fold in 8 ounces cooked french fries. Transfer to platter, garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and serve.
Time
35 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Lomo saltado is a beloved emblem of chifa, the fusion cuisine that emerged when Chinese immigrants settled in Peru in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The quick stir-fry consists of strips of tender beef, red onion, vibrant slices of ají amarillo, tomatoes, and french fries, all lacquered in an oyster sauce– and soy sauce–based glaze. We use tenderloin for this stir-fry for its tenderness, and searing it in batches in a wok ensures that each piece develops even, flavorful browning. We quickly cook the red onion and garlic to tame their harsh bite, but we fold in the ají amarillo and tomatoes off the heat to preserve their freshness. French fries are a must in lomo saltado—some recipes call for them served on the side, but we fold them directly into the stir-fry at the end of cooking to infuse them with all the beefy intensity of the dish.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
We developed this recipe in a 14-inch wok, but you can use a 12-inch carbon-steel skillet instead. Fresh ají amarillo chiles can be challenging to find; look for frozen chiles in some Peruvian, Hispanic, or possibly Asian grocery stores. In addition to red Fresnos, red jalapeños or orange mini bell peppers are good substitutes. Besides tenderloin, sirloin or skirt steak are also good options for this dish. Be sure to have the french fries cooked and warm before you begin cooking; frozen french fries work well here. Serve with our Garlic Rice or white rice.
Instructions
- Whisk 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, and 5 teaspoons white wine vinegar together in small bowl and set aside. Cut 1 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed, into 2-inch-long, ½-inch-wide strips.
- Heat empty 14-inch flat-bottom wok over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Drizzle 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil around perimeter of wok and heat until smoking. Add half of beef and use tongs to break up any meat that clumps. Cook, without stirring, until beef is browned on bottom, about 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges, about 1 minute longer. Transfer beef to medium bowl. Wipe wok clean and repeat with 1½ teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
- Wipe wok clean, then add remaining 1 teaspoon oil; heat over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add 1 small red onion, halved and sliced through root end into ¾-inch‑thick pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with beef.
- Return wok to high heat, add soy sauce mixture, and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce is thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add beef mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat ingredients but still pools slightly at bottom of wok, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, add 2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch-thick wedges, and 2 ají amarillo chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced lengthwise, and toss to combine. Gently fold in 8 ounces cooked french fries. Transfer to platter, garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and serve.
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