Peruvian food is considered one of the best in the world. And I know I may be biased when I say that because I am Peruvian, but the truth is that the respected World Travel Awards has chosen Peru as the "World's Leading Culinary Destination" every year since 2012. If you've tried Peruvian food, you're probably not surprised. If you haven't… what are you waiting for?
More from MamásLatinas: 40 Rice recipes that take humble arroz to the next level
I've put together a list of my favorite dishes, which was really hard to do. That's because Peruvian food is extremely varied since the South American country encompasses three diverse regions: the Pacific Coast, the Andes and the Amazon jungle. This means each region has its own traditional dishes made with products native to the area.
Here's another interesting tidbit you may not know about Peru and the products used in its cuisine. Potatoes, a staple in many Peruvian dishes, hail from Peru and there are over 4,000 known varieties found in the Andes mountains of South America. How crazy is that?
Ceviche clásico (or classic ceviche) is the one dish that defines Peru and its people.
Ceviche clásico is a staple in Peru. The classic version of this traditional dish consists of only five basic ingredients: white fish, red onions, cilantro, lime juice and salt.
Find the recipe at TravelwithG.
Causa, a refreshing appetizer you won't be able to resist.
It's basically layers of Peruvian yellow potatoes, chicken, tuna or seafood salad, avocado, tomatoes and a hard boil egg making for a perfect bite time and again!
Find the recipe at Peru Delights.
Papa a la Huancaína, another traditional dish with Peruvian yellow potatoes.
This is my mom's favorite appetizer, with its cheesy, spicy yet refreshing sauce.
Find the recipe at Pisco Trail.
Ensalada de quinua or quinoa salad, as it's called in English.
Quinoa is all the rage since a few years ago, which is super funny to me because I grew up eating and nobody made a big deal about it. Super nutritious and versatile, this is the perfect healthy choice.
Find the recipe at BBC Good Food.
Empanadas are the perfect snack or appetizer.
You can never eat just one empanada. Oven-baked with a scrumptious ground beef filling, the Peruvian version of this typical Latin American turnovers are to die for!
Find the recipe at Pisco Trail.
Tiradito is a must-try dish for any fish lover.
Tiradito is an appetizer made with finely sliced pieces of raw fish (kind of like sashimi, for all sushi lovers out there) topped with different sauces like salsa de rocoto and salsa de ají amarillo, both Peruvian hot peppers.
Find the recipe at TravelwithG.
Ocopa sauce with Peruvian yellow potatoes.
Like the Huancaína sauce, Ocopa is a sauce that also goes over Peruvian yellow potatoes. The main ingredients used to make this sauce are huacatay (or black mint) and peanuts. Ocopa comes from the southern part of Peru.
Find the recipe at Peru Delights.
Papa rellena or stuffed potatoes are a filling appetizer.
While other countries in Latin America also have this dish, I have to say that the Peruvian version, usually served as an appetizer, is definitely my favorite. I think it's mostly because potatoes just taste different in Peru.
Find the recipe at Epicurious.
Anticuchos are like beef Kabobs, but not really.
I say that because they may look like Kabobs, but they're actually very different since traditional anticuchos are made with marinated cow's heart. It may not sound appetizing, but I promise they have a taste you'll love.
Find the recipe at Genius Kitchen.
Pastel de acelgas or chard tart is great for vegetarians.
One of the best things about Peruvian cuisine is that many of its dishes are perfect for vegetarians. This savory chard tart or pie is a prime example.
Find the recipe at Peru Delights.
Ceviche mixto is like the classic version, but with seafood.
It usually includes shrimp, octopus and scallops, but any kind of seafood will do.
Find the recipe at The Latin Kitchen.
Tamal, the Peruvian version of this favorite Latin American food is worth trying.
Peruvian tamales have black olives (known as aceitunas de botija in Peru) and hard boiled eggs, among their ingredients. If you want to try something different, I suggest asking for a tamalito verde or green tamale, which is made with corn and cilantro.
Find the recipe at Peruvian Food.
Arroz chaufa or Chinese rice Peruvian-style.
There's a strong Chinese influence in Peruvian cuisine and this is just one example. In fact, we even have a name for Chinese food cooked Peruvian style: chifa.
Find recipe at Arousing Appetites.
Lomo saltado, a stir fry like none you've tried before.
What makes this dish different from any other stir fry you've had is the combination of soy sauce and vinegar. Not to mention the crunchy french fries made with Peruvian yellow potatoes!
Find the recipe at Qué Rica Vida.
Arroz con pato or duck with rice is a dish from the northern part of the country.
This delicious meal combines herbs, spices and peppers that burst into a unique flavor and give it its amazing color.
Find the recipe at Peruvian Food.
Choros a la chalaca or mouthwatering mussels served as an appetizer.
These mussels are named after Callao, the major port in Lima and despite being pretty basic, in terms of preparation, their taste is so yummy you'll be coming back for more.
Find the recipe at Qué Rica Vida.
Ají de gallina, a must-try dish that's not too difficult to make.
Made with chicken, it's both spicy and creamy and a definite favorite of many people new to Peruvian cuisine.
Find the recipe at Allrecipes.
Escabeche de pescado, a dish served cold.
Escabeche refers to something that has been marinated or pickled and this is exactly what is done with the fish on this dish. It's a great summer meal!
Find recipe at Peru Delights.
Aguadito de pollo is a sort of chicken soup with a kick.
The perfect pick-me-up after a night out partying. This is a dish that will restore you back to your usual self.
Find the recipe at Hispanic Kitchen.
Conchitas a la parmesana will convert even non-seafood lovers.
These delicious scallops with melted cheese are to die for.
Find the recipe at Peru Delights.
Chupe de camarones is a hearty dish from the south of Peru.
This national dish is a crawfish or shrimp chowder of sorts. Among its ingredients are milk and eggs. Like ocopa sauce, this succulent soup hails from the southern part of the country.
Find the recipe at Whats4Eats.
Espesado, another traditional dish from the northern part of Peru.
The star ingredients in this typical dish from Chiclayo in northern Peru are corn and cilantro. My dad, who happened to be from the area where this delicious dish originated, used to make one that was finger-licking good.
Find the recipe at Epicurious.
Pollo a la brasa con papas fritas is not your typical rotisserie chicken.
The flavor of Peruvian rotisserie chicken is unique and can be found at pollerías all over Lima.
Find the recipe at Peru Delights.
Seco de carne is one of those comfort foods one can never forget.
This aromatic beef stew is made with tons of cilantro. It's usually served with white rice, Canary bean, Peruvian yellow potatoes and salsa criolla. Heavenly!
Find the recipe at Food Network.
Pescado a la chorrillana is a light dish made with fresh fish.
Named after a fishermen's neighborhood in Lima, this juicy dish is a light option compared to many of the other recipes I've shared.
Find the recipe at Peruavian Food.
Pescado a lo macho is also a fish dish, but rich instead of light.
Blessed with the bountiful waters of the Pacific Ocean, many of the dishes from the coast of Peru are fish or seafood based. This is just one such example which will delight any seafood lover.
Find the recipe at L'Atelier de Chefs.
Jalea de mariscos or seafood crisped to perfection.
Served as an appetizer, think of it as having fried calamari, but with several other seafood choices topped with salsa criolla.
Find the recipe at Peru Delights.
Arroz con mariscos or rice with seafood.
Not to be confused with paella, this scrumptious rice is chock-full of seafood and gets its color from ají amarillo or Peruvian yellow hot pepper.
Find the recipe at Pisco Trail.
Tacu Tacu is a favorite meal among bean lovers.
Another perfect option for vegetarians, this comfort food is pretty much fried rice and beans.
Find the recipe at James Oliver.
Tallarines verdes, a simple dish with a lot of flavor.
Among the many culinary influences found in Peruvian food, the Italian one is a pretty important one. Spaghetti with pesto sauce sounds pretty plain until you try it and you're hooked.
Find the recipe at The Latin Kitchen.
Cau Cau is a dish for the more adventurous foodies.
Let me not sugarcoat it, this dish is basically a stew made with beef tripe. My dad used to make it all the time and my mom would complain of the smell while the tripe got made in the pressure cooker. Even so, this is a flavorful dish not to be missed.
Find the recipe at Pisco Trail.
Estofado de pollo or chicken stew Peruvian-style.
This is one of those dishes that takes me back to my childhood. Served with white rice and Peruvian yellow potatoes, it's definitely considered comfort food.
Find the recipe at Peru Delights.
Arroz tapado is a creative way to serve white rice.
Rice, particularly white, is a definite staple of Peruvian cuisine. Arroz tapado is just a fancy way to serve it by putting a filling made of ground beef, hard boiled eggs, raisins and black olives between two layers of white rice.
Find the recipe at PeruvianFood.
Triple, that's the name of this typical sandwich and for good reason.
I ate so many of these tasty ans super easy to make sandwiches growing up that I lost count. All you need is bread, a hard boil egg, avocado slices, tomatoes and mayo.
Find the recipe at LimaEasy.
Butifarra
This traditional Peruvian sandwich is made with a ham called jamón del país and it is yummy!
Find the recipe at The Spruce Eats.
Pan con chicharrón is something eaten for Sunday breakfast or brunch.
The salsa criolla or onion, tomato and cilantro salsa that tops it and the sweet potato slices are what make this sandwich so special.
Find the recipe at Pisco Trail.
Mazamorra morada is a dessert like no other.
Made with the purple corn used in chicha morada, Peru's signature non-alcoholic beverage, this is a must-try dessert if only because it's not every day that you get to savor something made with purple corn.
Find the recipe at Food Network.
Picarones are buñuelos made with sweet potatoes.
Picarones are street food eaten right after finishing some delectable anticuchos. If you ever have the opportunity to try these crispy, but soft in the inside fritters, I highly suggest you do so. The syrup served with them is out of this world too.
Find the recipe at LimaEasy.
Suspiro limeño is probably the most well-known of all Peruvian desserts.
And it's so popular for a good and simple reason: decadent manjar blanco or dulce de leche, as it's known in most other Latin American countries.
Find this recipe at Eat Peru.
Alfajores is another heavenly dessert for dulce de leche lovers.
Any one who loves dulce de leche will fall for these cookies. A good friend of mine swears they're super easy to make. I think I haven't tried only because I'd be eating them every day!
Find the recipe at PBS.
