Ready for a culinary adventure? I’m sharing 13 Peruvian sauces that are guaranteed to blow your mind.
From fiery flavors to creamy dreamy textures, get ready to explore the exciting world of Peruvian cuisine!
1. Peruvian Salsa Tartara
Not every Peruvian sauce has to bring the heat. Salsa tartara is a perfect example of a no-chili-peppers-allowed zone.
It’s a mayo-based sauce packed with onions, boiled eggs, parsley, and mustard. It’s perfect for dipping anything you’d normally enjoy with tartar sauce.
Think fried shrimp, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, and fries. That list could just keep growing!
2. Salsa Ocopa
Salsa ocopa stands apart from a lot of other Peruvian pepper sauces. You still get the chili peppers, garlic, and onions that are common in many recipes.
But then there’s queso fresco, nuts, milk, and huacatay joining the party. Huacatay is Peruvian black mint, which gives the sauce its truly distinct flavor.
The most common way to enjoy it is on potatoes. So go ahead and douse those carbolicious spuds.
3. Aji Panca Chile Paste
Here’s one last Peruvian must that will knock your socks off. The aji panca chile pasta has a compelling combination of flavors.
It ranges from nutty to smoky to spicey. Meld it with pumpkin seeds, garlic, onion, oil, and lime.
Then pick out an authentic Peruvian recipe to experience the flavors of Peru.
4. Lemon Drop Hot Sauce (Aji Limon Hot Sauce)
Any hot sauce lovers in the house? Boy, do I have a treat for you! This is, without a doubt, one of the best homemade hot sauces you’ll ever try.
The flavor profile dances between sweet to tangy to irresistibly spicy. To make it, you’ll need lemon drop chili peppers.
Obvious, right? Round things out with honey, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and spices.
It doesn’t take long either, just 15 minutes! From egg scrambles to fat juicy burritos, you’ll want to drizzle this bright sauce all over everything.
5. Peruvian Green Sauce (Ají Verde)
If you’re cooking authentic Peruvian cuisine, you need a sauce to match. Enter aji verde. This Peruvian green chili sauce is a spicy sensation.
It’s not all fire, though. It’s fresh and creamy thanks to mayo, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic.
If you can get your hands on Peruvian chilies, all the better. Otherwise, serrano and jalapenos are great substitutions.
You can pair it with all sorts of wonderful things. Yet Peruvian chicken and grilled fish are both a must.
6. “Sweet” Peruvian Rocoto Pepper Sauce
Peruvian rocoto pepper sauce will have your tastebuds dancing in the streets! Rocoto peppers look similar to ordinary bell peppers. But don’t let those ordinary looks fool you, these peppers are hot!
The spiciness dances from 30,000 to 100,000 SHU on the Scoville scale. The sauce keeps the heat in check with a combination of evaporated milk and white cheese.
Just like all the others, it’s highly versatile. You can use it on burgers and veggies, just to name a few.
7. Yellow Chili Chicken Sauce (Aji de Polleria)
Say farewell forever to bland, uninspired chicken dinners. Aji de polleria is about to transform your entire plate.
This sauce is renowned for how it elevates rotisserie chicken. The sauce is truly all over Peru, too. It’s a creamy and spicy blend that puts Peruvian yellow peppers and Peruvian black mint on full display.
One taste and you’ll start dreaming about all the other wonderful ways to use it. It adds a punchy kick to roasted veggies, burritos, burgers, sandwiches, fries, and proteins.
8. Peruvian Yellow Sauce (Ají Amarillo)
Anyone who truly appreciates flavor can fully appreciate this sauce. It’s creamy, cheesy, zesty, robust, and perfectly hot all at the same time!
Aji amarillo is a yellow chili pepper that’s a very popular ingredient in Peruvian cuisine. It’s also the undisputed star of this classic sauce.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better Peruvian condiment to try than this. For an authentic experience, pair it with Peruvian appetizers like tequenos or tamales.
9. Salsa Criolla
If you need something fresh and undeniably fierce, salsa criolla has you totally covered. Functioning as a cross between relish and mojo sauce, salsa criolla has an intensity all its own.
Like many salsas, all the ingredients are completely raw. Inside this sauce are red onions, sweet peppers, padron peppers, lime juice, coriander, and vinegar.
That right there is a spicy, pungent flavor sensation! Fire up that grill, because this salsa is a picture-perfect match for grilled proteins.
10. Tamarind Sauce – Peruvian Style
This tamarind sauce functions as a Peruvian homage to incredible Chinese food. You get flavors that are sweet, sour, and tomato-infused.
It calls for fresh tamarinds, which can usually be found at an ethnic market. Tamarind paste works perfectly if they’re all out.
The rest of the ingredients are likely sitting in your kitchen right now. I say let’s bust everything out and make some unforgettable Peruvian sauce!
11. Aji Mirasol Sauce
If you’re not entirely crazy about the idea of handling raw chili peppers, try aji mirasol sauce. It’s really beginner-friendly and boasts a delightfully creamy texture.
It comes together with a simple collection of just four ingredients. Mirasol paste, evaporated milk, oil, and salt are all you need.
Combine everything in a pan and heat until bubbling, then it’s ready to serve and enjoy!
12. Peruvian Chile Cheese Sauce (Salsa Huancaina)
Who doesn’t love a good chili cheese sauce? It must be a universal language. That said, Peru also makes one irresistibly luscious version.
To build that flavor base, you’ll need queso fresco and evaporated milk. Toss in sautéed alliums and aji peppers for flavoring, and then add crackers for thickening.
At that point, get ready to start dipping with reckless abandon! The obvious starting point is, of course, a pile of fries. But let your imagination run wild from there.
13. Peruvian Aji Chilli Sauce
By now, you’re probably starting to notice a spicy theme. It’s true that Peruvian sauces are absolutely all about bold, beautiful chilies.
This wonderful, versatile sauce is absolutely no exception to that golden rule. Inside are aji chilis with vegan mayo, lime, sautéed red onions, and garlic.
You can even choose from a variety of different aji chilis. If you want a more gentle heat, red ones are the best possible choice.