Last Updated on November 14, 2019 by bennrobin
Salsa Huancaina
This instant version for Peruvian Chile Cheese Sauce comes together very quickly and is perfect to serve at your next party with chips or savory appetizers.
Peruvian cuisine is one of my favorite South American cuisines, due to their penchant for spice. Pepper pastes from a variety of chile peppers like panca, arbol and aji amarillo are used to flavor their dishes. This spicy cheese sauce is most often served with roasted, sliced potatoes and makes the dish Papas a la Huancaina. The potatoes are generally served cold. This is basically Peru’s version of potato salad.
However, this is a very versatile sauce and can be used for a twist on Mac & Cheese, as a dip for chips or French Fries or as a dipping sauce for any variety of fried foods like empanadas or other savory pastries.
This is an instant version of the sauce using the store bought pepper paste, instead of making it from the peppers themselves.
Peruvian food has grown in popularity and now there are several brands available in markets where you can find the pepper pastes. The most popular brands are Inca’s Food, Dona Isabel and Peru Foods. If neither of these are available in your area, you can also purchase from online sources like Amazon or Amigo Foods.
Don’t forget to check out some of the other Peruvian foods I have whipped up, which are just as delicious!
Peruvian Recipes
- Chicha Morada – Purple Corn Drink
- Mazamorra Morada – Purple Corn Pudding
- Lucuma Ice Cream
- Carapulcra – Dried Potato Stew
This Salsa Huancaina – Peruvian Chile Cheese Sauce goes so good with french fries!
Salsa Huancaina – Peruvian Chile Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 2 cups crumbled queso fresco fresh cheese
- 4 crumbled crackers saltine crackers are traditional
- 1 cup evaporated milk or more as desired (see notes below)
- 1/2 cup aji amarillo pepper paste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a skillet, heat oil.
- Add onion and garlic and saute until softened.
- Transfer to a food processor.
- Add queso fresco, crackers, milk, aji amarillo and salt.
Notes
Nutrition
I would love to see what you paired your Salsa Huancaina with – Tag me with your pictures #theschizochef @chefmireille
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Sauce looks creamy & very tempting with potatoes.
The potatoes topped with the sauce looks so delicious.A must try condiment recipe.
Drooling Mir! First I love the colorful pics, They are very very attractive, the sauce and the potato dish..my my they tempt you to the core, looks real good and feel like digging in 🙂
Sounds like something I will love…looks so sinful Mir!
Love the flavor of this sauce.. nice choice
Very creamy and tempting. Must be very flavorful.
Creamy and tempting cheese sauce. Love queso fresco. superb
I would love to try this, maybe with half the spice because I’m a sissy! lol Thanks for sharing this cheesy goodness!! 😀
A cheesy and spicy sauce… yum.
Completely a new sauce for me, thanks for making and sharing with us.
This one was on my to-make list, but it didn’t make the cut. You are tempting me to make it some time soon.
Wow, crackers went into that dip? That cheese sauce must be one loaded with flavor.
Yes. crackers are an unusual ingredient right? But it thickens the sauce!
This sauce is so good! The recipe made a lot for just me and my husband. After having it on top of vegetables for a couple days, tonight I mixed it with cooked macaroni, olives, shredded cheese and topped with panko bread crumbs and more cheese. Baked for half an hour — it turned out so delicious!! I think I will always make Mac and cheese this way from now on.
That is such a great idea – What a great mac and cheese sauce!
The sauce is very good over potatoes or fried cassava (yuca). I used half of the Aji Amarillo because the kids can’t take the heat. When I order Peruvian Food I usually add Aji Verde with the yellow sauce to kick it up a notch and mix it with Peruvian Pork Chaufa. Delicious! Thank You for this recipe. I’ll be subscribing!
Thank you – I am so happy that you love this recipe as much as I do 🙂