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This copycat recipe of the famous Mario's in Los Angeles features lomo saltado with aji sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to prepare this dish!
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What makes this dish special
If you live in Los Angeles, you've probably heard of a Peruvian restaurant called Mario's and their famous dish, lomo saltado. I recently went and still loved it as much as when I first had it almost 10 years ago. It's a simple stir-fry dish with beef, tomatoes, red onions, and yes, french fries.
To top it all off, they have a spicy green sauce, also known as aji sauce, to round out the dish. After watching how this dish is prepared, I had to make it myself. I was pleasantly surprised to see how delicious and easy lomo saltado is to make!
For more beef stir-fries, check out this sesame ginger beef with tomatoes and pickled onions, Japanese gyudon, or kabocha squash and beef stir-fry!
Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce: Used in the aji sauce to provide a fresh, mild base. It adds volume and a subtle vegetal flavor.
- Jalapeno: Adds heat and flavor to the aji sauce. You can also use serrano peppers or any other green chili pepper. For less heat, use green bell peppers.
- Beef: The main protein in the dish. Use tender cuts such as sirloin, skirt steak, tenderloin, or flank.
- Soy sauce: Provides umami flavor and saltiness to the dish.
- White distilled vinegar: Adds acidity and brightness to the beef marinade.
- Cumin: Adds warmth and depth to the beef marinade.
- French fries: Provide texture and are a unique element of this Peruvian-Chinese fusion dish.
- Aji amarillo paste: The Peruvian yellow chili pepper can be hard to find, so I used aji amarillo paste instead. The chili pepper paste tastes fresh and fruity with a mild heat level.
- Red wine vinegar: Balances the soy sauce, adding acidity.
Substitutions and variations
- Protein: You could experiment with chicken, shrimp, or even tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Non-spicy: Omit the seeds from the jalapeno or omit the pepper completely.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
Recipe
Lomo Saltado with Aji Sauce
Ingredients
Aji sauce
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ bunch cilantro leaves
- 5 green onions chopped
- 1 roughly chopped jalapeno
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Beef marinade
- 1 pound tender beef such as sirloin, skirt steak, or flank steak sliced into strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Remaining ingredients
- oil for frying
- 10 ounces frozen French fries
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small red onion sliced
- 2 small tomatoes sliced into wedges
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the aji sauce. Combine romaine, olive oil, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth and set aside.
- Marinate the beef. Combine olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over beef, turning to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Preheat frying oil to 350 degrees. Fry french fries until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Alternatively, cook fries in an air fryer according to the directions on the package.
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add beef and saute until browned on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add the onions in the same pan and saute until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and aji amarillo paste. Cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce and red wine vinegar and simmer for 1 minute.
- Return the beef to the pan along with the french fries. Toss to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with aji sauce and rice.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make aji sauce
Before we begin cooking the stir-fry, let's make the accompanying aji sauce. You may be tempted to skip the sauce, but let me tell you, it's just as important as the main dish.
Yes, the lomo saltado is great by itself, but the sauce completes it, taking it to the next level.
Luckily, it's very easy to make. Combine all the ingredients in a blender, including romaine lettuce, cilantro, green onions, olive oil, jalapeno, garlic, salt, and pepper. I included the seeds of the jalapeno for a little heat, but you can omit them.
Puree the ingredients until smooth and set the sauce aside. Feel free to prepare the aji sauce up to 2 days in advance.
Step 2: Marinate beef
Now let's move on to the main dish. Start by trimming the beef, removing any excess fat if needed. I used flank steak for this stir-fry, but you can use skirt steak, hanger, or sirloin.
Slice the beef into strips, about ½-inch thick. You can also cube the steak if desired.
Combine the ingredients for the marinade, including soy sauce, white distilled vinegar, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Pour the marinade over the sliced beef, tossing to coat, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
You can let it marinate longer, up to 1 hour, if you prefer.
Step 3: Cook vegetables
Lomo saltado comes together quickly, so while the beef is marinating, go ahead and slice the red onion and tomatoes.
When you are ready to saute, heat oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook until your desired degree of doneness.
We're going to add the beef back to the stir fry, but it will only cook for about 1 more minute, so you can cook it all the way through.
Remove the meat but leave the juices, that's where the flavor is! Add the onions and saute until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes, garlic, and aji amarillo paste, and saute for about 2 minutes. You want the tomatoes to soften a bit but not completely.
Add the seasonings, including the soy sauce and red wine vinegar, and bring it to a simmer. You can also use white distilled vinegar, sherry vinegar, or white wine vinegar.
Step 4: Finish the dish
Now that the vegetables are well seasoned, we can add the meat and the french fries. I wanted the french fries to soak up some of the juices, so I mixed them in while still cooking; however, if you like your french fries more crispy, feel free to serve them on the side.
Remove the lomo saltado from the heat and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. You can also top it with chopped parsley or green onions.
Transfer the dish to a serving platter and enjoy with a side of rice and the aji sauce.
I served this dish to the company I cater lunches to, and luckily, it was well received! Many were unfamiliar with lomo saltado and were surprised to find french fries in the dish, but they all came around, and many came back for seconds.
When I asked a fellow Peruvian cook, she said the flavor was spot on. I think I would call this a great success!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: The aji sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. You can also marinate the beef for 1 hour.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use fresh-cut potatoes. However, frozen fries are often used for convenience.
The spice level can be adjusted by altering the amount of aji amarillo paste and jalapeno in the aji sauce. As written, it's moderately spicy.
Aji amarillo is a Peruvian yellow chili pepper. The paste can be found in Latin American grocery stores or online. If unavailable, you could substitute serrano chilies for a slightly different flavor.
More beef stir-fry recipes
Looking for more beef stir-fries? Try these:
Eunice says
so... i already drooled looking at this picture. do a poor starving girl a favor and bring some home, PLEASE!
annabel park says
dude! your pics are looking really good!!!! 🙂
Anonymous says
Nooooo.... do NOT cut the fat out! that's what makes the flavor of the whole dish.. promise!
Gina says
Is this really the exact recipe from Mario’s? I ask because I looked up many lomo saltado recipes and they vary quite a bit. I grew up in LA and want to have the same Mario experience here on the east coast.
Cherry on My Sundae says
Hi Gina, no this is not the exact recipe from Mario's. This is just my version!