Papas a la Huancaína (Vegan Huancaína Sauce over Boiled Potatoes)

Name: Papas a la Huancaína (Vegan Huancaína Sauce over Boiled Potatoes)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients: 800 g waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or small yellow potatoes); 1 tbsp coarse salt; 4 piece large lettuce leaves; 8 piece black olives; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 150 g raw cashews; 2 tbsp ají amarillo paste; 120 ml vegetable broth; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 clove garlic; 4 piece gluten-free crackers; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 tsp sea salt; 30 ml water

A classic Peruvian plate of waxy boiled potatoes dressed in a creamy, spicy huancaína sauce made vegan with soaked cashews and aji amarillo. Serve on lettuce with olives for a bright, shareable starter or light meal.

45 min

start to finish

25 min

hands on

Easy

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

For the potatoes & to serve

800 g waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or small yellow potatoes)scrubbed
1 tbsp coarse saltfor the boiling water
4 piece large lettuce leavesromaine or iceberg, washed
8 piece black olivespitted and halved (botija or Kalamata work well)
2 tbsp fresh cilantrochopped, optional garnish
1 tsp smoked paprikafor dusting

For the sauce

150 g raw cashewsabout 1 cup; see soaking step
2 tbsp ají amarillo pastestore-bought or Peruvian paste
120 ml vegetable broth
2 tbsp neutral oilor light olive oil
1 clove garlicpeeled
4 piece gluten-free crackersor 2 tbsp gluten-free breadcrumbs (thickener)
2 tbsp lime juiceabout 1 lime
1 tsp sea saltadjust to taste
30 ml water2–4 tbsp to thin, as needed

Contains tree-nut. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

420 kcal10g protein55g carbs20g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Put the cashews in a heatproof bowl and pour just-boiled water over them to cover; let soak for 20 minutes (or cover with cool water and soak overnight in the fridge).
Quick soak softens cashews enough for a creamy sauce; overnight gives an even silkier result.
While cashews soak, place potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch, add the 1 tbsp coarse salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Reduce to a simmer and cook the potatoes until a paring knife slides in easily, 15–20 minutes depending on size.
Drain the soaked cashews and transfer them to a blender.
Add aji amarillo paste, vegetable broth, oil, garlic, gluten-free crackers, lime juice, and 1 tsp sea salt to the blender with the cashews.
Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and thick, 2–3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides once or twice if needed.
If the blender struggles, add 1–2 tbsp more broth or water and blend again.
If the sauce is too thick to spoon, thin it with the 2–4 tbsp water (add 1 tbsp at a time) until it reaches a creamy, pourable consistency.
Drain the potatoes and let them cool until easy to handle, then slice each potato in half lengthwise (or into thick rounds for larger potatoes).
Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter, place the warm potato halves on the lettuce, and spoon the huancaína sauce over the potatoes.
Garnish with halved olives, chopped cilantro, and a light dusting of smoked paprika; serve warm or at room temperature.

Worth knowing

Aji amarillo paste varies in heat—start with 1 tablespoon if you prefer milder, then add more to taste.
If you can't find aji amarillo paste, puree 1 small yellow bell pepper with 1/2 tsp turmeric and a pinch of cayenne as a substitute; the flavor won't be identical but will give color and mild heat.
Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep refrigerated; bring to room temperature and stir before serving. Reheat gently if you prefer it warm.
For a nut-free version, substitute 150 g hulled sunflower seeds for the cashews and increase the broth slightly while blending.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

VeganGluten-freevegetarianOne panMeal prep

More Peruvian cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Peruvian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be vegan and gluten-free as listed.