Lomo Saltado (Tomato Beef Stir-Fry)
Updated July 23, 2024

- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1¼pounds skirt or flank steak or beef tenderloin, cut against grain into ½-by-2-inch slices
- Salt and pepper
- 1pound frozen French fries
- 4tablespoons avocado, grapeseed or canola oil
- ½medium red onion, cut into ½-inch wedges (about 1 cup)
- 1red, yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into ½-inch slices
- 2Roma tomatoes, cut into ½-inch wedges
- 3large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¼cup soy sauce
- ¼cup fresh lime juice
- 2tablespoons aji amarillo chile paste (see Tip) or 1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
- Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving
- Warm jasmine rice, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Season steak with salt and pepper. (If you have time, spread steak out on a plate, uncovered, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.) Cook fries per package directions, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
- Step 2
Heat a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) or wok over high, add 2 tablespoons oil and when it starts to smoke, sear the beef in three batches, until deeply caramelized, about 1 minute per side. Transfer seared steak to a large rimmed plate or sheet pan.
- Step 3
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the hot skillet; add onion and cook, undisturbed, until golden around the edges, about 1 minute, then stir and sauté until just cooked through but still a bit crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plate with steak. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cook the bell pepper the same way; transfer to the plate.
- Step 4
Turn heat down to low and add tomatoes, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and chile paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened, about 2 minutes. Return the steak, onion and pepper to the skillet, toss gently to combine and turn off heat.
- Step 5
To serve, transfer the fries to a rimmed serving platter or individual plates. Top with the stir-fried beef and vegetables and spoon the sauce over. Top with cilantro and more black pepper, if desired. Serve with rice.
- To make lomo saltado your own, bump up flavor to taste with grated ginger, cumin, pisco, worcestershire sauce or cumin seed.
- Aji amarillo paste can be found in Latino markets or online; try using the remaining paste to marinate steak or chicken parts like in Peruvian Roasted Chicken, stir into a coconut curry for a kick of fruity heat, whisk with lemon juice and olive oil for a quick dressing or even stir a little into mayonnaise to make a tangy dip for fries.
Private Notes
Comments
Been making for years since discovering lomo saltado in San Francisco's Mission District. Frozen French fries are OK if you deep-fry them like real fries. But I don't deep fry. Picking up a small or large fries (depending on how many servings I will cook) from McDonald's is my way. Fries are the only Mickey D's item I consider fit for humans.
Great to see this dish listed. I grew up in Perú. For authentic Lomo Saltado, please exclude the bell peppers and replace the lemon juice with red vinegar. Thanks!
I have made this many times and it's excellent. The aji amarillo is worth getting from Amazon. It's great mixed with mayo as a dip.
Very nice. Nothing exceptional. Served with french fries on the side, not on top.
Several native Peruvian chefs recommended replacing lemon juice with red vinegar, 1-for-1. I did so, (1/4 cup) and it turned out so vinegary that it was UNEDIBLE. I later googled similar recipes that only called for 1 or 2 TBSP of red wine vinegar. If you prefer "Americanized" Lomo Saltado as I do, ignore those sugestions.
Used a serrano pepper and homemade fries. Added some Worcestershire sauce and cumin, otherwise followed the recipe to a “T”. Sublime.
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