Vibrant, intense, and full of flavor, these sauces add a Peruvian flair to many dishes, not just the famous ceviche.
Check out our list of 11 best Peruvian sauces, from creamy rocoto to homemade aji panca paste!
Peruvian cuisine is the definition of fusion food.
It gets its distinctive taste profile from a mix of influences from almost every continent.
It is a delicious blend of Spanish, Middle Eastern, African, Chinese, and Japanese cuisines.
No wonder this unique cuisine is getting more and more popular among foodies and home cooks!
But what makes Peruvian cuisine truly authentic are its sauces that use locally grown specialty ingredients: chilis!
Chilis of every color of the rainbow are used to make beautiful sauces that range from mild and fruity to intensely hot.
We know your adventurous side is up for the challenge.
Here are 11 different Peruvian sauce recipes for you to try.
If you’re a spicy food lover, you’ll love Creamy Rocoto Sauce.
It uses rocoto peppers for over-the-top heat and flavors!
Try Peruvian Style Mayonnaise if you’re looking for something zesty.
Look out for #7 for a very creamy sauce that goes well with pretty much anything.
1. Spicy Peruvian Green Sauce
You can brighten up any dish with this lush green sauce recipe.
It’s made with all-green ingredients: jalapeño peppers, cilantro, lime, and green bell peppers.
A squeeze of lime juice has just the right amount of acidity to balance the richness of the mayonnaise.
The sauce has a surprisingly low heat level from the mild peppers and fresh herbs, making that much easier to pair with your favorite home-cooked dishes.
It is a great dipping sauce for fries or a dressing for salads.
You can also use it on top of grilled chicken or steaks—its color contrast on top of the meat is picture-perfect!
2. Peruvian Chile Cheese Sauce
If you’re looking for something that’s done in a flash, check out this delicious recipe!
In just 15 minutes, you’ll have a flavorful sauce ready to go for your tasty dishes.
Talk about a chili cheese sauce cheat code!
It uses aji amarillo pepper paste instead of making everything from fresh chilies.
This saves a huge amount of time, but it’s still as tasty as a sauce made from scratch.
Saltine crackers are used to give the sauce a thick consistency.
If you can’t find pepper paste in your grocery store, feel free to use fresh chilis.
Just cook them down to the right thickness and use them in the recipe as you would pepper paste.
3. Creamy Rocoto Sauce
This creamy sauce packs a spicy punch.
Rocoto is a tomato-shaped pepper that has thick flesh and a fiery kick.
The sauce has a silky smooth texture from the olive oil, which gets blended into mayonnaise with the egg yolks.
Roasting the garlic is an optional step, but the deep caramelized flavor that they give is so worth it.
Feel free to swap out the rocoto peppers for cayenne.
4. Aji De Huacatay (Peruvian Huacatay Salsa)
This sauce is full of special ingredients and flavors!
It’s made with Huacatay, a herb that tastes and smells like a mix of mint and basil.
It has a refreshing peppermint touch, but it’s sweeter compared to your usual mint.
This pairs well with the spicy and fruity kick from the yellow chili peppers.
Aji De Huacatas is best used as a condiment for rotisserie chicken.
You can also use this minty fresh sauce to complement robust lamb dishes.
Huacatay leaves are available in Latin markets, but feel free to use whatever mint you have or mint alternatives.
5. Crema De Aji Amarillo
This is a sauce you’ll want to make over and over again!
Tangy, creamy, and thick, this Crema De Aji Amarillo is an excellent sauce for dips and dressings.
The sauce is a tangy combination of crumbled feta cheese, greek yogurt, and lime juice.
While aji amarillo gives the sauce its beautiful golden color, feta adds a briny and rich taste, which works well with the brightness of the greek yogurt and lime juice.
A touch of ketchup for a bit of sweetness tones down the spice level of the yellow peppers.
Enjoy this sauce as a fantastic dip for baked or air-fried sweet potato fries.
6. Aji Mirasol Sauce
If you’re looking to liven up your yummy dishes, check out this recipe!
This silky smooth sauce has a strong yellow color from the aji mirasol pepper paste.
The pepper paste is made from dried Aji Amarillo chilis, which makes their color and flavor even more intense, especially when turned into a paste.
The drying process develops the sweetness of the pepper and reduces its heat.
The paste is lightly fried with a bit of vegetable oil until it is nice and fragrant.
Evaporated milk is added to the mix for a velvety, creamy texture.
7. Peruvian Style Mayonnaise
Got some extra mayonnaise?
Bring it to the next level with this quick and easy sauce recipe.
Cilantro, onion, garlic, and jalapeño peppers are blended with a food processor to help them mix well with the mayonnaise.
Using a food processor saves a lot of time, but you can definitely finely chop them the old-fashioned way if you want to improve your knife skills.
A little bit of Dijon mustard gives a savory and spicy flavor to the mayonnaise.
The fresh lemon juice has a nice contrast to the rich mayonnaise, making for a well-balanced sauce.
8. Lemon Drop Hot Sauce
This next recipe might be your next favorite flavor boost!
What’s spicy, sweet, and zesty all at once?
This Lemon Drop Hot Sauce!
The sauce has a distinct lemon taste, but you might be surprised that it actually doesn’t have any lemons in it.
The secret ingredient is the lemon drop chili pepper, which has a delightful sweet citrus punch.
It complements the fruity and floral notes of honey and the brightness of apple cider vinegar.
Honey works great in this recipe, but you can use maple syrup or other honey substitutes if you’re in a pinch.
You can use this recipe as a sauce for fried chicken wings or drumsticks.
9. Ocopa Sauce
This sauce is a flavor explosion!
It uses fresh aji Amarillo and dried aji mirasol, giving you the best of both sweet and spicy.
While both are technically the same pepper, the difference in preparation is key.
Fresh peppers have a higher heat level—great if you’re feeling adventurous!
They lose some of the spice as they dry, but they get an intense sweetness that’s good for mild sauces.
Peanuts add a savory taste and a creamy texture to the sauce.
Toasting the nuts first before they are combined with the other ingredients draws out their natural oils.
This helps them blend better, making for a thick and smooth sauce.
Put your own twist on this recipe by using cashews or any of your favorite nuts.
10. Avocado Aji Sauce
Craving guacamole?
Let’s guac and roll with this recipe!
It is a fusion of savory guacamole and the spicy aji verde sauce used in many Peruvian dishes.
Bright green avocado is used instead of mayonnaise to give the sauce richness and a silky mouthfeel.
Aged cotija cheese, which has a milky taste, adds another layer of flavor to the sauce.
Its saltiness perfectly seasons the avocados and goes well with the tart lime juice.
Parmesan cheese is a great alternative to cotija cheese if you don’t have it on hand.
This is a flavorful dipping sauce for nachos, fish sticks, and other finger food.
11. Aji Panca Paste
This sauce is definitely a hit!
Made with aji panca chilies, vegetable oil, and a splash of water, this chili paste has a sweet, smoky taste and a spice level that is easy on the taste buds.
It’s good as a steak sauce, or you can pair it with our favorite breakfast eggs, taco, or burrito.
The bottom line
Whether you’re a bona fide heat-seeker or a casual foodie, there’s a Peruvian sauce out there for you!
From fiery hot to fruity sweet, these 11 Peruvian sauces can fit every appetite and can elevate many different dishes.
Best Peruvian Sauces
Check out our list of 11 best Peruvian sauces, from creamy rocoto to homemade aji panca paste!
Ingredients
- Spicy Peruvian Green Sauce
- Peruvian Chile Cheese Sauce
- Creamy Rocoto Sauce
- Aji De Huacatay (Peruvian Huacatay Salsa)
- Crema De Aji Amarillo
- Aji Mirasol Sauce
- Peruvian Style Mayonnaise
- Lemon Drop Hot Sauce
- Ocopa Sauce
- Avocado Aji Sauce
- Aji Panca Paste
Instructions
- Pick one or more options from our list of Peruvian Sauces here!
- Start creating your new favorite sauce.
- Share and comment! Did you make any changes to make it even better?