Palta Rellena con Camarones

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This fresh spin on Peruvian Palta Rellena features a halved avocado (palta) “stuffed” with a ceviche-style shrimp mixture of shrimp, tomato, red onion, cilantro, and fresh lime juice mixture. The pièce de ré·sis·tance is a generous drizzle of creamy Peruvian salsa huancaína. It’s a party worthy starter or appetizer, and a favorite dish for brunch or lunch! Provecho!

A shallow turquoise bowl 2 2 palta rellena con camarones halves, and a

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks – About Palta Rellena

Palta rellena literally means “stuffed avocado.” It’s a classic cold starter in Peru and one of the most recognizable dishes in Peruvian home cooking and on restaurant menus. In our Peru travels throughout the Andes and The Sacred Valley, in the humblest village kitchens to the fine dining restaurants in Cuzco and Lima, we have had many versions.

A ripe avocado (palta) is halved, pitted, and filled with a savory mixture that is most often mayonnaise-based. It’s often served chilled on lettuce with sliced tomato and hard-boiled egg. Garnished with lime wedges and cilantro, palta rellena makes a very appealing first course or appetizer!

Not one to go with the “traditional,” I sought to avoid the mayonnaise-laden version (even though it’s quite tasty!). I prefer to reduce calories and fat. I do love Peruvian-style ceviche, and that was my inspiration. I chose to go with my favorite (and very popular) salsa huancaína to add a layer of creamy, spicy richness to this fresh spin on a Peruvian classic.

📋 Ingredients Notes

Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.

Ingredients for palta rellena including shrimp/camarones, avocado, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and salsa huancaína.

For the Palta Rellena con Camarones

huancaína sauce – Huancaína sauce is a ubiquitous Peruvian sauce that features ají amarillo paste. I did not include the recipe below to keep this one clear and simple. It’s a matter of placing the ingredients in a food processor, and blending until smooth and creamy. I recommend making it with half mayonnaise and half plain Greek yogurt because the extra fat makes a creamier consistency that works well with the acidic shrimp and tomato mixture. I make a full batch, and save leftover sauce for pasta a la huancaína… a real treat!
shrimp – If I still lived in McAllen, Texas, and had access to fresh Gulf shrimp, I wouldn’t even cook it. Here in Black Mountain, I am not quite as comfortable with raw shrimp. I recommend searing it in a hot pan with olive oil. DON’T OVERCOOK THE SHRIMP! A little under-cooked is great! On photo day, I used extra large shrimp (26-30 count) because I wanted to avoid over-cooking them. I slightly under-cooked them before coarsely chopping them.
onions – Peruvians love red onions, and that is what I always use. It will still be awesome if you use shallots, scallions, or other onions.
tomatoes – My market has tiny tomatoes in many colors and varieties, and I choose them almost every time. However, use your favorite variety. Chopping the tomatoes small makes your palta rellena easier to eat.
avocados – Choose firm avocados that yield slightly when pressed on the stem end. Over-ripe avocados will fall apart, making them impossible to stuff.
limes – Please use freshly squeezed limes rather than bottled juice!
cilantro

For the Huancaína Sauce

mayonnaise
nonfat Greek yogurt – I often skip the mayonnaise when I make huancaína sauce. However, I like the creaminess the mayonnaise adds for this recipe.
shallot – Red onion is the best substitute.
ají amarillo paste – There really is no substitution for ají amarillo paste. You can find it in many Latino foods markets, and online.
olive oil
fresh lime juice
queso fresco – In Peru, it is likely to be queso Andino. Mexican queso fresco is ideal, but I have used both feta and queso cotija. Fresh mozzarella is another good option.
garlic – I use roasted garlic or granulated garlic because I don’t love garlic raw.
tomato paste
turmeric – Turmeric is optional, but I love the way it intensifies the color!

When a recipe calls for raw onion, I find a salted ice water bath removes the harsh bite of the onion. Slice or chop the onion as per the recipe. Fill a bowl with ice, onion, and a tablespoon of salt. Stir to combine. Let it soak until ready to use. Rinse thoroughly before adding to the recipe!

Chopping the onion, tomatoes, and shrimp very small makes the palta rellena easier to assemble and easier to eat.

🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions

All ingredients for the huancaína sauce blended until smooth.

Make the huancaína sauce – Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until creamy and smooth.

Large shrimp (camarones) are seared in a hot pan for the palta rellena.

Sear the shrimp – If you know you have high quality shrimp, you can skip cooking it. Simply add it to the tomatoes and onion with fresh lime juice. Let it soak in the lime juice for 15-30 minutes before assembling to “cook” the shrimp. Conversely, add a drizzle of olive oil to a hot pan, and sear on both sides. The shrimp don’t need to be cooked through.

Prepare the shrimp ceviche mixture – Add the onion, tomatoes, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and shrimp to a bowl. Stir to combine. NOTE: You don’t need the ingredients “swimming” in lime juice. Allow to “cook” 15-30 minutes (30 minutes if using fresh).
Assemble the palta rellena – After peeling and pitting the avocados, add a scoop of the shrimp mixture, drizzle with salsa huancaína, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Ingredients on a wood cutting board ready to assemble the palta rellena. — **Ingredients are ready for assembly:** The prepared shrimp, onions, and tomatoes are combined
with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. The creamy huancaína sauce is in the turquoise bowl to be spooned over top. The avocados are sliced last to avoid oxidation. Lastly the
palta rellena halves are sprinkled with chopped cilantro. **NOTE:** My avocados were a little over-ripe. I don’t have access to avocados like I did in Texas!

A close up of palta rellena con camarones with a side bowl of salsa huancaína and a copper fork.

❓FAQ

Can palta rellena be made in advance?

I think that’s a “hard no.” Avocados quickly oxidize, and the shrimp will get rubbery. As noted below, the salsa huancaína can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Can the salsa a la huancaína be made in advance?

Definitely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I highly recommend using any leftover sauce to make this pasta a la huancaína!

With winter on its way out, this lovely salad/appetizer looks so appealing. Next time you cook for a dinner party, or a date night, you’ll want to include this colorful and flavorful starter!

A close up of turquoise bowl with a palta rellena with shrimp and tomatoes.

A turquoise ceramic bowl with 2 palta rellena halves, salsa huancaína, and copper fork.

Palta Rellena Recipe

Tamara Andersen

A creamy avocado stuffed with a shrimp, tomato, onion, cilantro mixture then topped with zesty salsa huancaína sauce!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Salsa a la Huancaína 5

Total Time 25

Course Appetizer, Salads, Starter

Cuisine Peruvian

Servings servings

Calories 303 kcal

Ingredients

½ cup +/- huancaína sauce* - see Notes below
2 teaspoons oil
8 ounces shrimp - see Ingredients Notes in Post
½ medium red onion - finely chopped
5 ounces tomatoes - chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro - chopped
3 to 4 limes - juiced
3 avocados - halved, pitted, and peeled

Instructions

Make the huancaína sauce. This requires about 5 minutes.
Add oil to a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp. Sear on both sides just until they start to turn pink and show some caramelizing on the edges. Remove from the hot pan to cool. Coarsely chop the shrimp.
Mix the chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes, and cilantro together in a bowl with the lime juice. Add the prepared shrimp to the mixture, and stir to combine. NOTE: You don't need the ingredients "swimming" in lime juice. Allow to "cook" 15-30 minutes (30 minutes if using fresh).
After salting avocados, fill each avocado half with a generous scoop of shrimp mixture. Drizzle with huancaína sauce as desired, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Notes

* Make the huancaína sauce first. It is best served at room temperature, but cold is fine. If you make it with mayonnaise, don’t leave it out more than 2 hours.

Amount of lime juice varies. The ceviche mixture does not need to be “swimming” in lime juice, but all ingredients should be moistened.

Your macros will vary according to size of avocado, quantity of stuffing, and amount of huancaína sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 26g

NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or star rating! Email us with any questions: tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com