Name: Papa a la Huancaína
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients: 900 g Yukon Gold potato (scrubbed); 2 pieces Egg (hard-boiled, cooled, and peeled); 120 g red onion (roughly chopped); 2 cloves Garlic (peeled); 3 pieces Aji amarillo pepper (seeded and roughly chopped); 60 ml vegetable oil (divided); 180 ml Evaporated milk (chilled); 180 g queso fresco (crumbled); 6 pieces Soda cracker (broken into pieces); 12 pieces black olive (pitted and halved); 8 leaves romaine lettuce (washed and dried); 6 g Salt (plus more for the cooking water)

How to prepare

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 18 to 25 minutes, until a knife slides into the centers with slight resistance. Drain and cool until easy to handle.

Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and aji amarillo and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened and fragrant but not browned. Cool for 5 minutes.

Transfer the sautéed mixture to a blender. Add the remaining oil, evaporated milk, queso fresco, and crackers. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping once, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.

Smooth golden aji amarillo and cheese sauce in a blender

AI-generated image

Taste the sauce and season with salt. If it is too thick to pour, blend in 1 tablespoon of water at a time until fluid but still creamy.

Peel the cooled potatoes and cut them into 1 cm thick rounds. Arrange the lettuce leaves on four plates and place the potato slices over them.

Pour the huancaína sauce generously over the potatoes. Garnish each plate with halved black olives and two egg halves, then serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

Papa a la Huancaína with creamy golden sauce, black olives, and eggs

AI-generated image

Why this recipe works

Simmering the potatoes gently keeps their centers creamy while the salty cheese, evaporated milk, and bright aji amarillo create a balanced sauce with enough body to coat every slice.

Storage and reheating

How to store it

Refrigerate the sauce and potatoes separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Keep the eggs and garnishes refrigerated as well.

How to reheat it

Serve chilled or bring to room temperature. If warming the potatoes, heat them gently in a covered pan with a splash of water; do not boil the sauce, or it may split.