Speaking of Peruvian cuisine is to speak of it’s typical dishes, recognized for their wide variety and worldwide recognition. Gastronomic tourism in Peru goes hand in hand with the awards obtained internationally; having the most delicious foods in the world and Cusco is not exception in this culinary variety.
Cusco’s gastronomy stands out for the use of traditional autochthonous foods rich in carbohydrates such as potatoes, corn and quinoa. Also, for the different types of chili peppers and various types of meat such as guinea pig, alpaca, greaves, mutton, among others.
Furthermore, we can’t forget that flavoring is in charge of putting the special flavor to each typical Cusco dish.
Here we will teach you to know each of the 10 most traditional dishes of this historic city:
Chiri Uchu:
The typical dish of Cusco.
Chiri Uchu is considered the traditional dish of Cusco and considered the star culinary art of Corpus Christi. Chiri Uchu means cold chili in Quechua. This food has a mixture between the coast, mountains and jungle, having it’s origins in the time of the Incas, in Tahuantinsuyo.
The ingredients used for its preparation are: toasted white corn, cheese, guinea pig, chicken, beef jerky, charqui, seaweed , egg and chilly.
Fried trout:
The traditional fried trout Cusqueña is made from fish, it can be prepared from river trout or sea trout. This typical dish is eaten fried, with rice, yucca, and if you want you can add Creole sauce. It is very easy to find it in all the restaurants of the Imperial city.
Tip! Generally the typical restaurants that are found around the city of Cusco and close to the rivers stand out for the freshness of the trout.
Chairo:
Cold in Cusco? A chairo warm up!!
Chairo is a delicious Andean soup, traditional in Cusco. Chairo is a name of Quechua and Aymara origin that means “type of food.”
This traditional Cusco soup is consistent and was prepared for the farmers, who walked for hours towards their jobs since they need a food that does not spoil.
For this reason, they used ingredients that facilitate its preparation and duration such as chuño, which is the basis for it’s preparation, lamb meat, dehydrated beef, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, beans, peppermint, oregano, parsley, cumin and Salt.
You already know, if you are in Cusco and feel cold, a hot Chairo can help you warm up.
Quinoa soup:
A typical “ligth” dish for height.
In Cusco there is a great variety of soups, many are made from wheat, quinoa and / or pumpkin.
One of the favorites by tourists when visiting the city of Cusco is the Quinoa Soup: very light and delicious, recommended for consumption in cold seasons. In addition, quinoa is a food that has grown worldwide for its great contribution to nutrition.
If you have just arrived in the Inca City and you are in the process of acclimatization to avoid the consequences of Soroche, Quinoa Soup is a great option because it is not a burden on your digestion.
Baked guinea pig:
The traditional Andean dish.
One of the most emblematic of the Peruvian highlands, especially in Cusco is the Cuy or guinea pig.
The guinea pig is a very important food for the realization of this dish. It must first be completely clean before it can be placed in boiling water. Then it is seasoned with all the condiments and at the end it is placed in an oven for its preparation.
This typical meal can be accompanied with rice, potatoes, creole salad and fried yucca. Don’t forget that to drink you can choose chicha de jora or purple corn, typical drinks of Peru.
Mushroom kapchi:
The typical snack of the typical restaurants of Cusco
Mushrooms were foods highly respected by the Incas and to this day it continues to conquer the most exquisite palates in the world. This dish is consumed in winter times to replace the human body in the cold of the mountains. It is a nutritious dish and considered a good option for vegetarians.
It’s ingredients are mushrooms, beans, onion, aji panca, potatoes, olive oil, milk, cheese and huacatay (peruvian plant).
Chicharrón Cusqueño:
The representative dish of Saylla town in Cusco
Es Chicharrón is one of the typical dishes most sought after by tourists when they visit Cusco and much more of the Cusco town of Saylla.
The pork is cooked with its own fat, that is the reason for its peculiar flavor. The dish is served accompanied by mote and creole sauce. It should be noted that pork rinds began to be sold in the years 1927 and 1928.
Corn with cheese:
A traditional snack from the corners of Cusco. If you walk through Cusco and you fancy a short snack, the traditional corn with cheese will always be at your fingertips at every corner.
Although it is one of the easiest dishes to prepare in the city of Cusco, the quality of the corn is decisive for its flavor: The best corn can be found in the Sacred Valley of the Incas located in Urubamba, which has an important historical value. This typical dish is one of the most important in Peruvian gastronomy and is served as a starter. The flavor is a mix between sweet (corn) and salty (cheese).
Baked pig:
The must see of the typical patron saint festivals.
The baked pig is one of the traditional dishes and is offered in all the restaurants in the city.
The preparation consists of seasoning all the suckling pig both inside and out with salt, pepper, cumin, ground garlic, mustard, oregano, chicha de jora, fresh yellow pepper, ground mirasol pepper and ground panca pepper.
Then it is left to rest one day and the next it is placed in the oven.
This typical dish, although heavier for digestion, is an option that will certainly not disappoint.
Zarza de patitas:
The classic accompaniment to the Cusco seasoning.
The zarza de Patitas is an exquisite dish of the navel of the world. They can be found easily at the Picanterías located throughout the city.
The main ingredient for its preparation is pork legs. Onions, garlic, bay leaf, potato canchán, tomato, vegetable oil, parsley, peppermint, pepper and oregano are also needed to taste.
Although the gastronomy of Cusco is very wide and there are many more meals, this was our selection of the 10 typical Dishes of Cusco that you can’t miss. If you liked this note and want to continue learning more about everything you can find in Cusco and your way to Machu Picchu, we invite you to read our note on Aguas Calientes.
When you are in Cusco, don’t miss the opportunity to visit Machu Picchu aboard our tourism agency!
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AV. RICARDO PALMA MZA. B LOTE. 12 APV SIPASPUCYO, Cusco