Papa a la Huancaina Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Papa a la Huancaina Recipe

Papa a la Huancaina is a Peruvian appetizer from the region of Huancayo. The creamy spicy sauce is poured over cold slices of potato, a bed of lettuce and garnished with black Peruvian olives and boiled egg.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Peruvian

Servings:

Author: Adrianna Adarme

Cost: $12

Equipment

1 blender

Ingredients

Huancaina Sauce:

2 whole ají amarillo chiles or 1 tablespoon ají amarillo paste
Olive oil
1/4 yellow or white onion roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
Kosher salt
12 ounces queso fresco cut into cubes
1 (5-ounce can) evaporated milk
Pinch ground turmeric (optional)
4 to 5 saltine crackers

For Serving:

4 to 5 leaves iceberg lettuce or butter lettuce for plating
5 boiled and peeled russet or yellow potatoes cooled and peeled
1 large boiled egg quartered
3 to 4 pitted Peruvian black olives or kalamata olives

Instructions

To Make the Huancaina Sauce:

If using whole ají amarillo chiles, thaw them if necessary. And begin by slicing them in half. Remove the stem and seeds.
In a small sauté pan, set over medium heat, add a teaspoon of oil, reserving the rest of the olive oil. Cook the ají amarillo chiles until softened. Transfer to a blender. If you're using paste, you can simply add the paste to a blender and proceed as instructed below.
To the same small sauté pan, add the onion, garlic, and pinch of salt. Cook until mostly softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the blender, along with the cubed queso blanco, evaporated milk, and ground turmeric (if using); blend until mostly smooth. With the blender running, slowly add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add about 3 to 4 crushed saltine crackers and blend again until it reaches a thick rich consistency. Add another cracker if the consistency seems too thin. Salt to taste.

For Serving:

Slice the peeled potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. To plate the dish, arrange the leaves of lettuce on a large plate. Fan the sliced potatoes atop the lettuce, and pour the sauce over the potatoes. Garnish with eggs and olives.

Notes

Tips and Tricks:

What should I use if I can't find aji amarillos? You can use scotch bonnet or another red/yellow colored pepper.

Where can I find aji amarillos? You can often times find aji amarillos in any Latin market. I like to buy them in the frozen department. This way I can thaw what I need. You can also buy the paste on Amazon.

What if I can't find queso fresco? In a pinch you can always use feta cheese. It will have more of a tart flavor to it so I would only use this as a last option.

Can this sauce be frozen? Yes! It's a really good sauce to freeze. I would freeze it for up to 3 months.

To Make Ahead:

All of these components can be made up to 3 days before and kept in the fridge. You can assemble everything when you're ready to serve.

Nutrition