Papa a la Huancaína
Papa a la Huancaína is a visually appealing and flavorful Peruvian appetizer or side dish centered around tender potato rounds and paired with a rich Peruvian yellow sauce based on Peru’s favorite chile pepper – ají amarillo. I’ve kicked it up a notch with roasted rather than boiled potatoes!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Papa a la Huancaína
When I started Beyond Mere Sustenance in 2013, it was a hobby blog, and I had a full-time business drawing custom home plans. I was intent on doing only healthy recipes, and I covered global flavors rather than focusing on Latin flavors. It wasn’t until we moved to McAllen in 2015 and started taking studies abroad trips to Peru that I decided I would “niche” down to Latin-inspired recipes – primarily Mexican and Peruvian.
My Peruvian recipes seem to get a much wider audience than other recipes on the blog. Of course this makes me happy. I really want to bring Peruvian flavors to non-native home cooks. I can’t always reproduce a traditional Peruvian dish due to lack of access to some ingredients, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job getting close. While healthy cooking is always front of mind, I do include healthyish – Peruvian beef stew – and even indulgent recipes – jalea de mariscos – on occasion.
Papa a la Huancaína is a traditional Peruvian dish featuring boiled potatoes topped with a creamy, mildly spicy cheese sauce. The dish originated in the Huancayo region of Peru, hence the name “Huancaína.”
The dish is often served as a starter or appetizer and is popular in many Peruvian households and restaurants. It is typically served at room temperature or cold. We like it both ways.😊 The sauce can also be used for other foods like pasta or vegetables.
If you’ve been reading my blog for a length of time, you may be aware that I am not a fan of boiled vegetables. Roasting them improves both flavor and texture IMHO. So, my version of papa a la huancaína features huancaína sauce and roasted potato rounds atop lettuce with the traditional garnishes of hard-cooked egg and black olives. Of course you can boil the potatoes until tender if you prefer!
📋 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.
Huancaína Sauce
- ají amarillo paste – You can find ají pepper paste in Latino markets, in some grocery stores, and online. You can make ají amarillo paste with fresh, frozen, or dried peppers.
- plain yogurt – Peruvians do not use plain yogurt. I often make mine with only nonfat Greek yogurt, and we really like the results. Feel free to use lowfat or whole fat if you prefer. I do occasionally do half Greek yogurt, and half mayonnaise. The choice is yours!
- mayonnaise – I either do half mayonnaise and half yogurt, or all yogurt. If fat and calories are not a concern, feel free to do all mayonnaise!
- garlic – If I’m not pressed for time, I will roast the garlic first. I love the milder, mellow flavor. I will use more garlic if it’s roasted as well. With fresh, raw garlic cloves, 2 is probably enough. Also, I find pre-minced garlic is very strong, and not ideal in this recipe.
- queso fresco – Queso fresco is a mild, soft cheese, and it works well in this Peruvian yellow sauce. I have not tried other cheeses, but I think cotija would be a good substitute as I use it in my ají verde.
- tomato paste – Ketchup is a decent substitute.
- fresh limes – You’ll want about 1 tablespoon of fresh juice, and that may require 1 or 2 limes.
- olive oil
- shallot – Green onion or red onion are good substitutes
- milk or cream – This huancaína sauce is the same as my other huancaína sauce but has the addition of milk or cream to thin it out slightly. I use Califia Farms plant-based creamer. Peruvians will use evaporated milk. Half and half is good if you don’t mind the calories. Whole milk is another good option.
NOTE: Huancaína sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead!
Papa a la Huancaína
- potatoes – I did want to stick with the traditional potato rounds for this Peruvian potato recipe. I chose to roast mine. I will include a note in the recipe card if you’d rather boil. You could also do my Peruvian roasted potatoes recipe, and treat it the same! I like yukon gold potatoes as I feel they work well for roasting. On occasion, though, I use new potatoes. If they’re small, I roast them whole. Otherwise, I cut them in half.
- huancaína sauce – As I mention above, this recipe expands upon my salsa de huancaína. You have options. You need the combined total of yogurt and mayonnaise, but you can do all of one, all of the other, or a combination to get there! To get the right consistency (similar to pourable pancake batter), I think with milk or cream.
- greens – I am all about pretty plates, especially if presenting for a dinner party. I like artisan lettuce, but it is not a requirement. Choose healthy looking soft leafy greens.
- garnishes – I like olives. Peruvian olives are awesome in Peru, but I don’t think they travel well. The texture of Peruvian olives that I buy in the US is soft. At home, I use kalamata olives as a substitute. Hard-cooked eggs are a requirement as far as I am concerned. Additional garnishes might include lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and avocado.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes – Preheat the oven to 400℉/204℃. Peel potatoes if desired. (I cut off eyes and dark spots, but I like the peels on roasted potatoes.) Cut into 1/2″ thick slices, and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.
- Roast the potatoes – Spread potatoes out on an ovenproof baking dish. Place in the preheated oven. Roast until tender (40-60 minutes), stirring occasionally to facilitate browning. Remove from the oven, and allow them to cool to room temperature.
- Make the huancaína sauce – While the potatoes roast, make the huancaína sauce. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor, season and adjust as desired. NOTE: You want a slightly pourable consistency. This recipe differs from my Peruvian yellow sauce in that it has milk or cream to thin it. You don’t want it runny, rather like pancake batter.
- Prepare the garnishes – I always include high quality, fresh lettuce(s), hard-cooked eggs, and black olives. I highly recommend lime wedges, sliced avocado, and chopped cilantro.
- Assemble the dish – Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter. Top with the cooled, and sliced potatoes. Pour the huancaína sauce over top, and garnish as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
❓FAQ
4 as an appetizer. You will have leftover sauce, though.
You can make it up to 3 days in advance, but I wouldn’t keep it any longer. If you make it the day you serve it, you can refrigerate it for 3 days. Refresh it by giving it a brief spin in the food processor.
💭 Tips
Make the huancaína sauce up to 3 days in advance. It only lasts about 3 days, so keep this in mind.
My husband and I enjoyed the papas a la huancaína as a substantial side dish rather than an appetizer portion. We grilled chicken marinated in garlic and lime juice and sprinkled with Peruvian chile lime seasoning (similar to tajín).
Roast the potatoes and boil the eggs in advance as well. Assemble just before serving.
Papa a la Huancaína Recipe
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Ingredients
Roasted Potatoes
- 4 medium yukon gold potatoes - peeled if desired and sliced ½" thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- several grinds fresh ground pepper
Huancaína Sauce
- 1 bulb roasted garlic - or 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 small shallot - cut in chunks
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 tablespoons ají amarillo paste - to taste
- 2 ounces queso fresco - cut in cubes
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ to ½ cup milk or cream - see Ingredients Notes in post
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper - to taste
Papa a la Huancaína
- lettuce leaves
- cooled, sliced potatoes - roasted or boiled*
- 2 hard-cooked eggs - quartered
- black olives, lime wedges, avocados - as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉/204℃. Peel potatoes if desired. Cut into ½" thick slices, and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.
- Spread potatoes out on an ovenproof baking dish. Place in the preheated oven. Roast until tender (40-60 minutes), stirring occasionally to facilitate browning. Remove from the oven, and allow them to cool to room temperature.
- While the potatoes roast, make the huancaína sauce. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor, season and adjust as desired.
- Make the garnishes – boil eggs (important!), drain olives, and if desired, slice avocado, lime, and cilantro.
- Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter. Top with the cooled and sliced potatoes. Pour the huancaína sauce over top, and garnish as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
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.