Lomo Saltado Recipe
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Sep. 17, 2026
If you’ve never had Lomo Saltado, you are in for such a treat. This Peruvian beef stir-fry will impress your entire family; juicy sliced steak, crisp onions, and ripe tomatoes all tossed in a savory sauce. both. It comes together in just 30 minutes in one pan.
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Amy’s Notes
While living in Southern California, Hubby and I fell in love with our local Peruvian spots. One dish we ordered every single time was lomo saltado. Once your eaters taste the savory, tangy sauce coating tender steak, they’ll go back for seconds. Here’s why this dish is on rotation at our house:
- Tender and Juicy Steak: Slicing New York strip or ribeye thin ensures every bite stays tender, never chewy.
- Super-Fast Cook Time: Once you’re prepped, the whole pan cooks in under 20 minutes.
- Big, Authentic Flavors: Umami-rich soy sauce meets tangy red wine vinegar and smoky Aji Amarillo chili paste.
- Carb Lover’s Dream: You don’t have to choose between rice and fries. This dish gives you both.
Looking for more ways to use beef to cook delicious meals? Try this best carne asada recipe next.
What is Aji Amarillo?
Aji Amarillo is an essential Peruvian yellow chili paste that everyday home cooks may not recognize. Read more about this yellow chili pepper on The Spruce Eats.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Boneless New York or ribeye steak: Some use sirloin, but we love the NY and ribeye cuts for their tenderness.
- Plenty of fresh garlic: Because you can never have enough garlic.
- Red onion: Sliced thin.
- Ripe Roma or plum tomatoes: Some choose to seed the tomatoes, but I like leaving the juices intact, as they meld wonderfully into the sauce.
- Aji Amarillo paste: Depending on the brand, the spice level can vary. I wrote 4-6 TB in the recipe card, so you can decide how much kick you want.
- Soy sauce: Yes, absolutely soy sauce and plenty of it. To keep it gluten-free, use Tamari soy sauce, which is naturally gluten-free and tastes delicious.
- Red wine vinegar: Adds the dish’s tangy flavor.
- Ground cumin: Use plenty, as it adds tremendous flavor.
- Freshly chopped cilantro: Finishes off the dish and gives it the traditional flavor we know and love.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Use tamari or coconut aminos to keep it completely gluten-free without losing depth.
- Optional Green Sauce: The recipe card below lists the steps and ingredients for a homemade green sauce to pair with the dish.
- Beef Cuts: Sirloin works in a pinch, but ribeye or NY strip provides maximum tenderness.
- Heat Control: Dial down the Aji Amarillo paste to 3–4 tablespoons if cooking for little ones or spice-sensitive eaters.
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
- Make the sauce in a bowl and set aside.
- Marinate the steak and then cook on the grill.
- Cook the sliced onions in a skillet on the stove.
- Add the sliced tomatoes and sliced beef and cook. Serve over rice or fries.
→ For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How to Prep Ahead
- Slice & Marinate Ahead: Cut the steak, garlic, and onions up to 24 hours in advance. Keep the beef in the marinade in the fridge.
- Prep the Sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients together and store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- For Leftovers: Store remaining stir-fry in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat quickly in a hot skillet so the tomatoes don’t get mushy.
Watch Us Make This Recipe
Lomo Saltado Recipe
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 4-6 tablespoons aji amarillo paste
- ½ cup tamari sauce, or soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
For the Stir-Fry
- 1.5 pounds New York or Ribeye steak, boneless and trimmed
- 7 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 large ripe roma, or plum tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges
- ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro
- olive oil for cooking
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked rice, Jasmine or long grain
- 4 cups french fries, freshly fried or baked
Optional For Creamy Green Sauce (make-ahead)
- 1 cup freshly chopped cilantro, packed
- 2 medium jalapeños, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra-virgin recommended
- 2 ½ teaspoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup real mayonnaise
Instructions
- Make the Sauce: In a bowl, combine the Sauce ingredients and gently whisk to incorporate well. Divide sauce in half. Set aside.
- Use paper towels to pat dry steaks, removing excess moisture. Marinade the beef in one-half of your prepared sauce. Reserve the other half of sauce.
- Let beef marinade 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temp. When done, remove steaks from marinade, but keep the marinade sauce.
- Heat up outdoor grill or indoor grill pan on medium-high heat, with enough oil to thinly coat grill. Once oil is hot, grill steaks to medium done, 4-5 minutes per side; actual cook time depends on thickness of steaks and temperature of grill.
- Let steaks rest 5 minutes on cutting board; slice thinly and set aside.
- In a large, deep skillet, add 3 TB olive oil. Heat on medium-high until oil is hot. Add onion and garlic, stirring for 2-3 minutes until softened and somewhat browned.
- Add the marinade sauce and the remaining reserved sauce – use all the sauce. Stir to coat well.
- Add tomatoes with juices and stir 2 more minutes until heated through and softened. The mixture should be gently bubbling at this point.
- Add the grilled beef slices to the pan, gently stirring just until beef is warmed through. Sprinkle in the cilantro. Serve over rice and top with fries.
- For optional green sauce: In a blender, purée cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, oil, lime juice, and salt until well incorporated. Add mayonnaise and blend just enough to combine well. Use rubber spatula to transfer to a container with cover. Chill until ready to use.
Notes
- For a milder kick, use 4 tablespoons of aji amarillo paste.
- To keep it gluten-free, use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.
- Serve with fluffy Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or Instant Pot Brown Rice.
- Prep the Sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients together and store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Storage: Store remaining stir-fry in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat quickly in a hot skillet so the tomatoes don’t get mushy.
Nutrition (per serving)
What to Serve With Lomo Saltado
Potatoes
- Crispy fries are the perfect pairing and base for this dish.
- You could also add it to Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes as a fun twist.
Rice
- Even though we typically serve it with white rice, you can pair it with Wild Rice Pilaf or Cilantro Lime Rice as other options.
Vegetable
- A nice Greek salad with a light dressing makes a great side dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ribeye or New York strip are my top choices because they stay exceptionally tender and juicy when cooked quickly over high heat. Flank steak or sirloin will work in a pinch, but make sure to slice them thin against the grain so the meat doesn’t turn out chewy.
Aji Amarillo chili paste gives this dish its distinct Peruvian flavor, so I highly recommend grabbing a jar if you can. If you can’t find it, a dash of habanero or hot pepper paste mixed with a little yellow bell pepper purée will give you a similar fruitiness and heat, but the flavor won’t be quite as authentic.
Yes, absolutely. That carb combination is classic Peruvian comfort food. The french fries soak up that savory, tangy soy-vinegar sauce, while the fluffy rice ensures not a single drop of goodness goes to waste.
Toss the hot crispy fries in right at the very end just before serving, or pile the steak and veggies directly over a bed of fries on each plate. If you mix them in too early while the pan is bubbling, they’ll absorb the liquid fast and lose their crunch.
Traditional recipes use standard soy sauce, which contains wheat. To make this completely gluten-free, simply swap in tamari or coconut aminos. Everything else in the pan is naturally gluten-free!
Reheat leftovers quickly in a hot skillet on the stove for 2 to 3 minutes, just until warmed through. Avoid the microwave if possible, as it can overcook the steak and turn the tomatoes and fries to mush.
More to Cook and Eat
- Korean Beef Bowl Recipe (Gluten-free, Dairy-free) – Delicious and gluten-free.
- Thai Basil Chicken with Peppers – Tender chicken with sweet peppers for a tasty meal.
- P.F. Chang Mongolian Beef Copycat – Copycat recipes are the best when they really do taste like the real deal.
- Fast Healthy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe – Healthy and simple? Count me in.