This Lomo Saltado Peruano recipe combines a nutritious mix of lean beef, vegetables, and whole grains and is a perfect representation of my culture.
Lomo Saltado Peruano (Peruvian) reminds me of growing up in Peru. It brings together the flavors that I love so much. I’ve put my own nutritious spin with an extra addition of nutritious and balanced ingredients.
I’ve partnered with Beef It’s What’s for Dinner, a Contractor of the Beef Checkoff to share this recipe with you for Heart Health Month. You’ll learn key beef nutrition tips along the way to make the best choices for your heart health.
What is Lomo Saltado Peruano?
Lomo Saltado is a balanced combination of lean beef, vegetables, whole grains, and spices. Peruano means Peruvian in Spanish. Plus, “lomo” is Spanich for “loin.” Sirloin, in addition to Flank Steak, are other lean cuts that would work great with this dish. I love this recipe because it is packed with nutrients such as monounsaturated fats, fiber, and phytonutrients that can support your heart health.
The History Behind Lomo Saltado
Peruvian food is a fusion of cuisines. And this dish in particular is a fusion of Chinese and Peruvian flavors. Chinese people came to Peru and influenced the cooking, which is when Lomo Saltado was created. It is Chinese cooking with Peruvian flavors such as cilantro and aji sauce. Peruvian cuisine was originally formed by the workers who cooked, and little by little this became culture.
The Research about Beef and Heart Health
It’s a common misconception that beef is not a heart-healthy food. However, I’m here to debunk that myth. If you’re worried about eating too much beef, there is actually a large body of research that shows that eating lean beef as part of an overall heart healthy dietary pattern can help maintain normal cholesterol levels.
In fact, there have been more than 20 research studies that support including lean beef in a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle.(1,3,4,6,7,8,9,10)
What Type of Healthy Fat is in Beef?
This may surprise you, but approximately half of beef’s fat content is monounsaturated fat, the same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil.(2) The key is just to select the lean cuts that will be heart-healthy, such as Strip Steak, Flank Steak, and Top Round Steak.
Other Benefits of Consuming Lean Beef
Lifestyle modification, like consumption of an overall healthy, higher-in-protein diet that includes lean beef may even help to improve weight loss potential and body composition. Both of these can help improve health outcomes for those with risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.(10)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 pound strip steak thinly sliced into stick-shaped pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of cumin to taste
- 2 red onions cut into “sticks”
- 1 medium bell pepper cut into “sticks”
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon aji sauce*
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tomatoes cut into “sticks”
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 ½ cups ~6 oz. frozen sweet potato fries cooked in the Air Fryer (or substitute with brown rice)
Instructions
- Heat the oil and sauté the meat in a pan. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cumin. Remove the meat from the pan.
- Add the onions, peppers, garlic, aji, and vinegar to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and mix well. Return the beef to the pan, add the soy sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro.
- Stir and serve immediately with sweet potato fries or brown rice as a whole grain substitute.
Notes
Next time you’re deciding what to put on the weekly menu, keep an eye out for lean cuts at the grocery store. Now it’s your turn to try this Lomo Saltado Peruano!
For more beef recipe ideas and facts about beef, visit Beef It’s What’s for Dinner.
References
- Maki, K.C., Van Elswyk, M.E., Alexander, D.D., Rains, T.M., Sohn, E.L., McNeill, S. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compare the lipid effects of beef versus poultry and/or fish consumption. J Clin Lipidol 2012; 6(4): 352-361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacl.2012.01.001.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. 2019. FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov (Beef composite, cooked – NDB Number: 13364).
- O’Connor, L.E., Campbell, W.W. Red Meat and Health: Getting to the Heart of the Matter. Nutr Today 2017a; 52(4): 167-173.
- O’Connor, L.E., Kim, J.E., Campbell, W.W. Total red meat intake of ≥0.5 servings/d does not negatively influence cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systemically searched meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2017b; 105(1): 57-69. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.116.142521.
- 9 CFR § 317.362, Nutrient content claims for fat, fatty acids, and cholesterol content.
- Fleming, J.A., Kris-Etherton, P.M., Petersen, K.S., Baer, D.J. Effect of varying quantities of lean beef as part of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern on lipids and lipoproteins: a randomized crossover controlled feeding trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2021; 113(5): 1126-1136. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa375.
- Maki, K.C., Wilcox, M.L., Dicklin, M.R., Buggia, M., Palacios, O.M., Maki, C.E., Kramer, M. Substituting Lean Beef for Carbohydrate in a Healthy Dietary Pattern Does Not Adversely Affect the Cardiometabolic Risk Factor Profile in Men and Women at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes. J Nutr 2020; 150(7): 1824-1833. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxaa116.
- O’Connor, L.E., Paddon-Jones, D., Wright, A.J., Campbell, W.W. A Mediterranean-style eating pattern with lean, unprocessed red meat has cardiometabolic benefits for adults who are overweight or obese in a randomized, crossover, controlled feeding trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2018; 108(1): 33-40. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy075.
- Roussell, M.A., Hill, A.M., Gaugler, T.L., West, S.G., Heuvel, J.P., Alaupovic, P., Gillies, P.J., Kris-Etherton, P.M. Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study: effects on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. Am J Clin Nutr 2012; 95(1): 9-16. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.111.016261.
- Sayer, R.D., Speaker, K.J., Pan, Z., Peters, J.C., Wyatt, H.R., Hill, J.O. Equivalent reductions in body weight during the Beef WISE Study: beef’s role in weight improvement, satisfaction and energy. Obes Sci Pract 2017; 3(3): 298-310. https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.118.
