Peru recipes are an important part of a trip to Peru. Complete your travels in Peru with these cooking classes or culinary workshop in Cusco. We also offer tastings of traditional Peru dishes and drinks! In the cooking workshops in Cusco, you will not only learn about the preparation of typical Peru dishes and drinks, but also about the history of the famous Peruvian cuisine.
Experience the great diversity of Peru through its tastes: discover the extraordinary ingredients of the different Peruvian regions, from the sunny coast, the Andean mountains and the exotic Amazon.
Experience the flavors of Peru recipes in these culinary tours: a 100% gastronomic immersion. Fun and dynamic classes in which everyone can participate, regardless of previous cooking knowledge or experiences. Prepare your palate for a true culinary exploration of Peru!
1. First Stage (approx. 1 hour):
Go with a specialist to the nearby San Pedro market to buy the ingredients you need for cooking.
2. Second Stage (approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes):
Take the ingredients you got at the market back to the kitchen and cook them into an authentic Peruvian meal.
3. Third Stage (On your own time):
Enjoy the product of you work in a restaurant-like setting!
Choose one menu from the Regular, Extra, and Vegetarian options:
- The class takes about 3 and a half hours.
- The class is in English or Spanish
- Includes chef guidance, a tour of the market, and everything you need for the meals.
- Beverage options (Choose one): the Peruvian national cocktail, pisco sour, or the non-alcoholic national drink, chicha morrada.
- Wine and beer are also available for purchase.
Note All participant make same menu in a lesson, class.
Cooking Class Menu
Appetizers
Tiradito de trucha. Trout in sashimi cuts served in 3 ways: Nikkei sauce (Japanese-Peruvian style), Classic Mochica (the ancestral form in tumbo juice), Mashua mash with sautéed mushrooms.
Mashua purée with chinese-peruvian style sauté mushrooms. Mashuas native to the central Andes of Peru and Bolivia, with a mild sweet flavor and tender texture, served with sautéed mushrooms (Lomo Saltado style)
Potatoes and moraya baked cake in tarwi and yellow chili sauce. Baked potato pie and moraya (dehydrated potato) served over a sauce of yellow pepper and tarwi.
Main Plate
Quinoa tamales. Tamales made with a mixture of 3 types of quinoa, Peruvian yellow pepper, aji panka, cooked in corn leaves.
Mushroom Quinotto. A variation of the classic Peruvian-style risotto, using local mushrooms
Dessert
Local fruits dessert. Small desserts where we can taste some of the most representative local fruits such as; Granadilla, lucuma, aguaymanto and cherimoya.
Get to know ‘comida Peruana’, Peruvian cuisine
When contemplating Peru, one’s thoughts may immediately turn to its towering mountains, ancient ruins, and the renowned Inca trail. However, the gastronomic offerings of Peru are equally exceptional and warrant attention as a tourist attraction. Peru boasts a unique array of flavors and dishes that cannot be found elsewhere in the world. The local cuisine is influenced by Spanish and Chinese cooking, among other culinary traditions. Given Peru’s diverse topography, which includes mountains, jungle, and coast, the range of ingredients utilized in Peruvian cuisine is extensive. Furthermore, each meal is regionally specific, making it impossible to sample all of Peru’s culinary offerings in one location. Embark on a sensory journey through Peru by savoring the aromas and flavors of its cuisine.
What do People Eat in Peru?
The traditional Peruvian cuisine is centered around potatoes, corn, quinoa, and legumes, with the addition of spicy yellow ají and rocoto peppers to enhance the flavor and color of many dishes. Peru boasts over 4000 varieties of potatoes, including vibrant purple and red potatoes, as well as an extensive range of other potato types.
For lunch, many restaurants offer a daily ‘menu del día,’ which is a cost-effective three-course meal comprising a soup, main course, and a dessert or juice. Prices can vary from 7 soles to 25 or 30 soles in more touristy areas such as Cusco, but the menu is an excellent way to experience local cuisine at affordable prices.
In the evenings, the à la carte menu is more expensive, but it provides a wider range of options.
The cuisine of Peru exhibits significant regional diversity, with notable variations in dishes across the North, coastal, and Andean regions. Regardless of the location, Peru offers a delectable culinary experience. However, I highly recommend indulging in the following Peruvian dishes, desserts, and beverages during your visit. These are absolute must-tries that will undoubtedly tantalize your taste buds.
Traditional Food in Peru
Ceviche
Ceviche, a lime-marinated dish made with sea bass, chili peppers, red onions, and cilantro, is considered the national dish of Peru and therefore merits inclusion on any culinary list. However, it should be noted that its consumption may lead to addiction. The dish is typically served with local white corn and sweet potato, making it a delectable option for a hot summer day. While there are numerous variations of ceviche available worldwide, none can compare to the original Peruvian recipe. For those seeking an authentic experience, it is highly recommended to sample this dish in Lima, the capital city of Peru, and to inquire with locals for the best cevichería. A truly delightful culinary experience awaits.
Cuy (Guinea Pig)
Attention vegetarians, please refrain from reading further. A comprehensive list of must-try Peruvian dishes would be incomplete without the inclusion of the guinea pig, a furry friend to many in Europe and the US. In Peru, however, guinea pigs are considered a sustainable, easily reared, and delectable source of meat that requires less space than other animals. Andean families often keep cuy in their homes to provide warmth during the winter, entertain their children, and even diagnose illnesses, but they also relish consuming them. Typically, the guinea pig is roasted on a spit and served whole, including the head, teeth, and feet. This dish may be too daring for the faint-hearted, although one may request to have it served without the head. The meat has a flavor profile that falls somewhere between chicken and rabbit and is surprisingly delicious when cooked well. Therefore, it is advisable to seek out a reputable restaurant to savor the best guinea pig.
Papa A la Huancaína
Papa a la Huancaína is a culinary delight that caters to the discerning palate of potato enthusiasts. Originating from the Andean city of Huancayo, it is widely regarded as the quintessential dish of Peru, a country renowned for its love affair with potatoes. With over 4,000 varieties of potatoes grown in Peru, this dish is a testament to the country’s obsession with this versatile tuber. The recipe calls for the use of Peruvian yellow potatoes, which are boiled to perfection and then smothered in a delectable cheese sauce. The dish is further enhanced with the addition of olives and a boiled egg, resulting in a simple yet scrumptious culinary masterpiece. For those seeking to indulge in this gastronomic delight, Huancayo is the ideal destination to savor the authentic flavors of Papa a la Huancaína.
Anticuchos
This is an exemplary representation of Peruvian street food, albeit not for the faint-hearted. Anticuchos, the dish in question, consist of marinated slices of beef heart, which are then threaded onto skewers and grilled over an open flame. This iron-rich delicacy is a delectable snack for meat enthusiasts. However, for those who are not fond of beef heart, anticuchos of regular chicken or beef meat are also available, although the former is the more conventional option.
Why is Peruvian Food Famous?
The fame of Peruvian food is widely recognized on a global scale, and for valid reasons. In 2019, Peru was bestowed with the prestigious title of the World’s Best Culinary Destination for the eighth consecutive year, which attests to the exceptional quality of the country’s culinary offerings.
Peruvian cuisine is a product of the amalgamation of diverse culinary traditions brought by immigrants from Europe, Asia, and Africa, who infused their unique cooking styles with traditional Peruvian flavors to create an unparalleled fusion cuisine.
Best Tours in Cusco
Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.
- Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 days
- Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 5 days
- Inca Quarry Trail 4 Days
- 2 Day Inca Trail Tour
- 2 Day Inca Trail with Camping
- 3 Day Inca Trail
- Vilcabamba Hike to Machu Picchu 6 days
- Choquequirao trek to Machu Picchu 9 days
- Ausangate trek 7 days
If you want to visit Machu Picchu, we recommend you to book your Machu Picchu Ticket in advance, so you will enjoy your Vacation in Machu Picchu without any problem.
