The creamy spicy sauce is poured over cold slices of potato, a bed of lettuce and garnished with black Peruvian olives and boiled egg.
Welcome to my favorite childhood meal. As a kid, I remember my mother making this sauce and me sneaking cubes of queso fresco. It was served so regularly in our house, alongside Lomo Saltado, Tallarines Verdes, Ají de Gallina and my favorite all-time beverage, Chicha Morada.
Where is Papa a la Huancaina from?
This Peruvian cold appetizer originated from Huancayo, Peru; the place where my great grandmother and grandmother were born. My homemade ají verde sauce is another Peruvian favorite.
What does Papa a la Huancaina consist of?
Boiled and then chilled potatoes. Peru is a very rich in its varieties of different potatoes. Typically you’ll see the potatoes fanned out onto a bed of iceberg lettuce. It’s a spicy, creamy sauce that has aji amarillo in it, queso blanco fresco, oil, saltine crackers yes, that’s right! This briny garnish adds a nice bite acid to an otherwise creamy dish. I like to use Peruvian black olives which tend to be larger than a kalamata olive but I say use what you can find! This is also a garnish and is SO delicious dipped in the sauce.
How to Make Papa a la Huancaina
Saute the ají amarillo in some olive oil and add to a blender. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt to the same pan and saute until softened. To the blender, add the queso blanco or queso fresco, evaporated milk, a pinch of kosher salt, and turmeric if using. As it blends, pour in the remaining olive oil. Give it a taste and add more if needed. Pour the sauce on top and garnish with quarters of boiled egg and black Peruvian olives.
Tips and Tricks What should I use if I can’t find aji amarillos? You can use scotch bonnet or another red yellow colored pepper.
You can use scotch bonnet or another red yellow colored pepper. You can often times find aji amarillos in any Latin market. I like to buy them in the frozen department. I like to buy them in the frozen department. You can also buy the paste on Amazon. What if I can’t find queso fresco? In a pinch you can always use feta cheese. It will have more of a tart flavor to it so I would only use this as a last option. It’s a really good sauce to freeze. I would freeze it for up to 3 months.
If you tried this Papa a la Huancaina Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ? star rating and let me know how it went in the ?
