35 min
Sizzling Ribeye Fajitas with Charred Peppers
Smoky spice-rubbed ribeye, blistered peppers, and limey onions wrapped in warm tortillas with all the good toppings.
Photo: WikiHes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Beef
Peruvian Lomo Saltado with Crispy Fries & Rice
Juicy seared sirloin, red onion and tomatoes meet a savory soy-vinegar pan sauce, with crisp fries and fluffy rice completing this Peruvian favorite.
Directions
Roast the fries
Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat to 450°F. Toss the potatoes with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a heavy sheet pan. Spread in one layer and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until deeply golden with crisp edges.
Cook the rice
While the fries roast, combine the rinsed rice, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Season the beef and mix the sauce
Pat the steak very dry. Toss it with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, garlic, cumin and black pepper; rest for 10 minutes. In a separate cup, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, beef broth, aji amarillo paste and cornstarch until smooth.
Sear in two batches
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or wok over high until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add 2 teaspoons of the remaining oil and half the beef in one layer. Sear for 60 to 90 seconds per side, until browned and the thickest strip reaches 145°F. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining beef. Rest the cooked beef for at least 3 minutes.
Char the vegetables
Add the remaining oil to the hot skillet. Cook the onion wedges for 2 minutes, tossing twice, until charred at the edges but still crisp. Add the tomato wedges and cook for 60 to 90 seconds; they should blister without collapsing.
Sauce and serve
Whisk the sauce again and pour it into the skillet. Boil for 30 to 45 seconds until glossy. Return the beef and any juices, add the cilantro and toss for no more than 30 seconds. Divide rice, fries and lomo saltado among four plates, keeping the fries mostly separate so they remain crisp.
Why this works
Why it worksRoasting the potatoes at high heat frees the cook to make rice and stir-fry while still producing crisp, deeply browned fries.
Why it worksA brief soy-vinegar marinade seasons the sirloin, and a separate cornstarch-thickened sauce turns glossy without forcing the beef to overcook.
Why it worksRed onion and seeded tomato cook for only minutes, preserving the crisp, charred vegetables that distinguish lomo saltado from a slow braise.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon12-inch cast-iron skilletA wide, thoroughly heated skillet sears the sirloin in uncrowded batches and chars the onion and tomato without steaming them.See current options →
Compare on AmazonFamily-size rice cookerA rice cooker handles the fluffy white rice while the fries roast and the fast beef stir-fry comes together.See current options →
Compare on AmazonLong stainless-steel tongsA secure reach makes it easy to turn the steak strips quickly and toss the vegetables through the glossy sauce.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use flank or skirt steak in place of sirloin. Slice it very thinly across the grain and shorten the sear to prevent toughness.
- Frozen straight-cut fries may replace fresh potatoes; bake them according to the package while you prepare the rice and stir-fry.
- For a lighter plate, replace half the fries with roasted green beans. Keep the rice and soy-vinegar sauce so the dish retains its defining balance.
Cook notes
- Dry beef, a very hot pan and two uncrowded batches create browning instead of gray, watery meat.
- Seed the tomatoes so their wedges can char without flooding the skillet. Roma tomatoes are firm enough to hold their shape.
- The licensed photograph clearly shows browned beef strips with red onion and tomato, presented beside golden fries and white rice; the recipe matches every major visible component.
Storage
Cool the beef mixture, rice and fries in separate shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat beef and sauce in a skillet until 165°F, adding a spoonful of water if needed. Reheat rice covered with 1 tablespoon water per cup until 165°F, and crisp fries on a 425°F sheet pan for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not reheat leftovers more than once.
Questions
What cut of beef is best for lomo saltado?
Top sirloin offers a good balance of tenderness, beef flavor and price. Tenderloin is more luxurious, while flank or skirt steak also works if sliced thinly across the grain and cooked in small batches.
Should the fries be mixed into lomo saltado?
Keep them beside the stir-fry, as shown here, and let each diner combine them at the table. If you prefer the classic saucy style, fold half the fries into the skillet for only 20 seconds and serve the rest crisp on the side.
What can replace aji amarillo paste?
Aji amarillo has a fruity, medium chile flavor. Substitute 2 teaspoons mild yellow chile paste plus 1 teaspoon lime juice, or use 1 teaspoon hot sauce and an extra teaspoon of vinegar. The flavor changes, but the sweet-hot acidity remains balanced.
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Peruvian Lomo Saltado with Crispy Fries & Rice
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1. Roast the friesPlace racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat to 450°F. Toss the potatoes with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a heavy sheet pan. Spread in one layer and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until deeply golden with crisp edges.
2. Cook the riceWhile the fries roast, combine the rinsed rice, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
3. Season the beef and mix the saucePat the steak very dry. Toss it with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, garlic, cumin and black pepper; rest for 10 minutes. In a separate cup, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, beef broth, aji amarillo paste and cornstarch until smooth.
4. Sear in two batchesHeat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or wok over high until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add 2 teaspoons of the remaining oil and half the beef in one layer. Sear for 60 to 90 seconds per side, until browned and the thickest strip reaches 145°F. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining beef. Rest the cooked beef for at least 3 minutes.
5. Char the vegetablesAdd the remaining oil to the hot skillet. Cook the onion wedges for 2 minutes, tossing twice, until charred at the edges but still crisp. Add the tomato wedges and cook for 60 to 90 seconds; they should blister without collapsing.
6. Sauce and serveWhisk the sauce again and pour it into the skillet. Boil for 30 to 45 seconds until glossy. Return the beef and any juices, add the cilantro and toss for no more than 30 seconds. Divide rice, fries and lomo saltado among four plates, keeping the fries mostly separate so they remain crisp.