Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
I Finally Found How to Cook Quinoa and Alpaca Like Cusco Restaurants
35
items You came back from Peru craving that perfectly nutty quinoa and tender alpaca steak, but your kitchen attempts taste nothing like that little restaurant on the plaza. If you're a home cook trying to recreate Cusco-style dinners without a flight back ...
Sections
5
Quinoa Varieties That Actually Taste Like Cusco
Alpaca Meat and Protein Alternatives
Peruvian Spices and Sauces for Authentic Flavor
Cookware That Handles Lean Meats Without Ruining Them
Sides and Drinks to Complete the Cusco Dinner
Quinoa Varieties That Actually Taste Like Cusco
I kept buying the same bland white quinoa from the bulk bin and wondering why it tasted like wet cardboard. Once I tracked down the right varieties and treated them like rice deserves respect, everything changed.
Grab this one first. Red quinoa holds its shape way better than white when you're building a composed plate. I used to end up with mushy grain soup until I switched, and now it comes out with that satisfying pop you remember from the mercado.
Alter Eco Organic Royal Red Quinoa
Use this when you want that colorful Cusco market look on your plate without buying three separate bags. Perfect if you're the type who eats with your eyes first. My dinner guests literally stopped scrolling their phones when I served this.
Lundberg Family Farms Organic Quinoa
Try this if you want the mildest base that lets your alpaca seasoning do the talking. Grown at altitude in Bolivia, which makes a real difference in flavor. Wish someone had told me sooner that origin matters as much with quinoa as it does with coffe...
Andean Dream Organic Gluten Free Vegan Quinoa
Keep a bag of this around for nights when you forgot to rinse. Sprouting removes most of the bitter saponins so you can skip that annoying extra step. Saved me on a Tuesday when I had company arriving in 40 minutes.
Organic Sprouted Quinoa Blend
Switch to this from whatever generic brand you've been using. The grains are noticeably larger and cook up fluffier. For anyone who's been disappointed by flat, dense quinoa, this is the fix. Stock up because it sells out fast.
Nutritional distinction of Bolivian Quinoa Real compared
Snag this from a Latin grocery or online if you want the closest thing to what vendors cook in Cusco's San Pedro Market. The toasty flavor when you dry-toast it before boiling is unreal. My Peruvian neighbor tasted it and gave me an actual nod of app...
Indeed
Toss this in your cart as a reliable backup. Not the fanciest option but it's everywhere and consistent. Great for anyone just starting their Cusco dinner experiments who doesn't want to order specialty grains online yet.
Organic White Quinoa | Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods
Alpaca Meat and Protein Alternatives
Finding alpaca in the US or Europe felt impossible until I stopped looking at regular grocery stores. Here's where the actual meat comes from, plus what to sub when you can't source it.
Grab these online and they ship frozen to your door. The flavor is somewhere between venison and lean beef, exactly like what I had at a Cusco picantera. Thaw slowly in the fridge overnight for the best texture. Worth every penny of the shipping cost...
Fossil Farms
Try this cut if you want the most tender result without much fuss. Sear it hot and fast, three minutes per side max. I overcooked my first one and it went from amazing to shoe leather. Set a timer, seriously.
Exotic Meat Market in New York New York
Use this as your swap when alpaca is sold out or over budget. Similar lean profile and it takes Peruvian marinades beautifully. For anyone who wants the dinner party wow factor without the alpaca price tag, this delivers.
Meat - Our Products
Keep these in your freezer as plan B. The iron-rich, slightly sweet flavor gets close to alpaca when you hit it with aji panca paste. My friend who lived in Arequipa for two years said she couldn't tell the difference after the marinade.
Venison Medallions, 100% Free-Range
Snag this if steaks feel intimidating and you want to start with alpaca burgers or stuffed peppers instead. Lower commitment, same incredible flavor. I made alpaca quinoa bowls with this and my kids actually asked for seconds.
Marx Foods Wholesale Online: Fine Foods in Bulk
Pair these with Peruvian spices when you want a weeknight version that doesn't require specialty ordering. Lamb's gaminess plays in the same ballpark as alpaca. Marinate in chicha-style beer and garlic for at least two hours.
Shepherd Song Farm
Toss this into your rotation for busy nights. It's a bison-beef-liver blend that mimics the mineral richness of alpaca without any exotic sourcing. For the person who wants nutrition and flavor but not the hassle of tracking down rare proteins.
Buy Grass-fed, Grass-finished Ground Beef Ancestral Blend
Peruvian Spices and Sauces for Authentic Flavor
My first attempts tasted like generic stir fry because I was using Italian herbs on Andean food. The second I got the right aji peppers and huacatay in my pantry, the whole dish clicked into place.
Use this as your base marinade for alpaca. It's smoky and fruity without much heat, which is exactly the flavor profile of most Cusco meat dishes. I smear it on thick, let it sit for four hours, and the result is restaurant-quality every single time.
Zocalo Organic Aji Panca Chili Paste, 8 OZ
Grab a jar and put it on everything while you figure out Peruvian cooking. It's the yellow pepper backbone of like 80% of Peruvian sauces. Squeeze some into mayo for a dipping sauce that'll make your fries feel like they came from a Cusco polleria.
Inca's Food, Aji Amarillo, 10.5 oz, Yellow Hot Pepper Paste
Toss your old cumin and get a fresh jar. Stale cumin is probably why your Peruvian seasoning tastes flat. Toast it in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding it and the smell alone will transport you back to that plaza restaurant.
Badia Ground Cumin
Try this if you want that one flavor you couldn't identify in Cusco. It's a Peruvian black mint that doesn't exist anywhere else and it's the secret behind most green sauces. One teaspoon in your ocopa sauce and suddenly you're back in the Sacred Val...
Dona Isabel Huacatay Black Mint Paste, 7.5 oz
Switch from pre-ground to whole seeds and toast them yourself. The difference is like instant coffee versus a fresh pour-over. For anyone who's been underwhelmed by their homemade Peruvian food, this single change might be the fix.
Frontier Co-op Cumin Seed, Whole, Organic 1 lb.
Keep this in the fridge for when you want actual Peruvian heat. It's fruity and punchy, not just painful. Stir a spoonful into your quinoa cooking water for a subtle warmth that builds. Fair warning, a little goes a long way.
Rocoto Pepper Paste Peruvian | Inca's Food Hot Chili Paste
Snag a few packets of this. It's the seasoning mix that actual Peruvian home cooks use when they don't feel like pulling out six individual spices. Perfect for a Wednesday night when you want Cusco flavor but only have 20 minutes to cook.
Sibarita Sazonador Aji Panca Pepper
Cookware That Handles Lean Meats Without Ruining Them
Alpaca is so lean it punishes you for using the wrong pan. I destroyed three steaks on a nonstick before I figured out what actually works for high-heat searing without sticking or drying out.
Get this before you even order the meat. Cast iron holds heat so evenly that your alpaca sear comes out with a perfect crust instead of gray patches. I preheated mine for a full five minutes and the difference from my old pan was embarrassing.
Lodge 12 Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet, Spacious Skies
Use this religiously. Alpaca goes from perfect to overcooked in about 90 seconds, and guessing will cost you a $30 steak. Pull it at 130°F and let it rest. Bought mine after ruining two tenderloins and immediately wished I'd gotten it first.
Thermapen® ONE
Grab a pair with a good grip because you need to flip lean steaks confidently and quickly. Forks puncture the meat and let all the juice escape. These lock closed for storage too, which sounds minor until your drawer is full of splayed tongs.
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Locking Tongs
Try this when you want those char lines without firing up the outdoor grill. The ridges lift the meat off the fat so you get a drier sear, which is exactly what lean alpaca needs. Worth the arm workout of lifting it onto the stove.
Staub Cast Iron 10-inch Square Grill Pan
Keep this dedicated to your quinoa. The heavy bottom prevents scorching and the size is right for two to four servings. My old thin saucepan burned the bottom layer every single time. This one fixed it immediately.
MultiClad Pro Triple Ply Stainless Cookware 3.5 Quart
Swap out whatever dull knife you've been using. Slicing rested alpaca steak against the grain requires a sharp blade or you'll shred the meat into sad strings. This knife costs less than one alpaca steak and lasts years.
Victorinox Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife, 8 Inch
Pair this with your aji panca paste for marinating. The stoneware doesn't react with acidic marinades like metal does, and it looks good enough to bring straight to the table. Doubles as your serving platter so that's one less dish to wash.
Le Creuset Heritage Rectangular Dish, Stoneware
Sides and Drinks to Complete the Cusco Dinner
A plate of quinoa and alpaca alone felt incomplete until I added the sides I kept forgetting about from Cusco. The corn, the potatoes, the chicha. That's when dinner finally felt like a real meal instead of a protein experiment.
Grab a can and warm the kernels in butter with a pinch of salt. These giant Peruvian corn kernels are starchy and chewy in a way that regular sweet corn can't replicate. Pile them next to your quinoa and suddenly the plate looks like it belongs in a ...
Frozen Corn Kernels 48oz 3Lb Inca's Food Choclo En
Use this to make chicha morada, the Peruvian purple corn drink that pairs with alpaca better than wine does. Boil it with cinnamon, cloves, and pineapple peel, then chill it. My guests always ask what it is before they even taste the food.
Zocalo Peru Purple Corn Flour-Organic - 16 Oz
Try rehydrating these and frying them into carapulcra-style potatoes as a side. The texture is dense and nutty, completely different from regular potatoes. For anyone who thought potatoes were boring, Peru will change your mind through this bag.
Papa seca - Dried potatoes
Keep a bag in the freezer for when you want crispy yuca fries alongside your steak. Boil first, then fry until golden. Dipped in your aji amarillo mayo, these disappear faster than the main course. I've learned to make double batches.
Goya Foods
Pair this with your dinner as a pisco sour before the meal. Shake it with lime, simple syrup, egg white, and bitters. One round of these and your dinner party officially feels like you hired a caterer. Smooth enough that even non-spirit drinkers enjo...
Pisco PORTÓN Mosto Verde Mollar Botella 750ml
Snag a six-pack to serve alongside dinner if cocktails aren't your thing. It's the beer you drank in Cusco and having it on the table ties the whole experience together. Light enough that it doesn't compete with the aji flavors.
Cusqueña Dorada (Golden Lager)
Toss a tablespoon into vanilla ice cream base for a Peruvian-style dessert that closes the meal perfectly. Lucuma tastes like maple and sweet potato had a baby. Scoop it into a bowl after the alpaca course and watch people lose their minds.
100% Organic Lucuma Powder, Straight from Farm in Peru