10 Peruvian Pantry Essentials You Need at Home

You don't need to live in Lima to cook Peruvian food at home. With these 10 pantry staples, you'll be equipped to make most of the recipes on this site — and improvise your own Peruvian-inspired dishes.

1. Aji Amarillo Paste

The single most important ingredient in Peruvian cooking. This bright orange paste made from aji amarillo peppers adds fruity heat and golden color to countless dishes. Available jarred in Latin American grocery stores and online. Once opened, it keeps for weeks in the fridge.

2. Aji Panca Paste

The smoky, mild counterpart to aji amarillo. Deep burgundy in color, it adds rich depth to marinades, stews, and sauces without significant heat. Essential for anticuchos and many adobo recipes.

3. Limes (Key Limes)

Peruvian limes (limón) are smaller and more aromatic than standard limes. Key limes are the closest substitute. You'll go through a lot of them — ceviche alone requires generous amounts of fresh juice.

4. Red Onion

Red onion is a constant in Peruvian cuisine, from ceviche to sarsa criolla (the onion relish served with almost everything). The slight sweetness and crunch are essential.

5. Cumin (Ground)

Used more generously than in most cuisines, cumin is the warm, earthy backbone of Peruvian seasoning. It appears in lomo saltado, seco de carne, and countless stews.

6. Soy Sauce

A legacy of Chinese-Peruvian (chifa) cooking. Soy sauce appears in surprisingly many Peruvian dishes, including lomo saltado and arroz chaufa. Any standard soy sauce works.

7. Evaporated Milk

A Peruvian kitchen essential that might surprise you. It's used in aji de gallina, suspiro limeño, arroz con leche, and many sauces. It adds creaminess with a slightly caramelized flavor.

8. Dried Purple Corn (Maiz Morado)

The base for chicha morada, Peru's iconic purple corn drink. Also used in mazamorra morada (purple corn pudding). Available dried in Latin American stores.

9. Huacatay (Black Mint)

This distinctly Peruvian herb tastes like a cross between mint, basil, and tarragon. It's essential in ocopa sauce and many Andean dishes. Hard to find fresh outside Peru, but available as a paste in jars.

10. Cancha (Toasted Corn)

Crunchy toasted corn kernels served alongside ceviche and many other dishes. You can buy pre-made cancha or toast dried chulpe corn in oil at home. Once you start snacking on it, you won't stop.

Where to Shop

Most of these ingredients can be found at Latin American grocery stores. For online shopping, look for specialty Peruvian food retailers that ship aji pastes, dried corn, and huacatay paste. Many regular supermarkets now carry aji amarillo paste in their international foods aisle.

Ready to Cook?

Start with Classic Ceviche — just limes, red onion, and aji. Or try Lomo Saltado to put your soy sauce and cumin to work, or Chicha Morada to make Peru's iconic purple corn drink.