Peru · The dish
Causa limeña

Causa

A defining Peruvian home dish is causa, layered chilled potato with ají amarillo.

Serves
4
Total
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Diet
Plant-based
No. 061
A layered yellow potato causa with avocado on a ceramic plate

Everyone reaches for ceviche when they think of Peru. Causa is the one locals actually make at home.

It's cold layered potato — and Peru has thousands of potato varieties, so this is the dish doing the heavy cultural lifting. Yellow potato whipped with lime and ají amarillo, stacked with a filling.

Classically it's chicken or tuna in the middle, but the potato is the star and it was never the point. Avocado and a smashed-chickpea layer slot straight in — the citrusy, slightly spicy potato carries it.

By The Cardinal Atlas deskEvergreen entry · reviewed for accuracy

The recipe

Prep
30m
Cook
20m
Difficulty
easy
Serves4
  • 800 gYellow/waxy potatoes
  • 2 tbspAjí amarillo paste — Peruvian yellow chilli, jarred is fine
  • 3 tbspLime juice
  • 2Ripe avocado
  • 200 gCooked chickpeas (lightly mashed with vegan mayo)

Method

  1. 1Boil potatoes until soft, rice or mash smooth, cool slightly.
  2. 2Beat in ají amarillo, lime, salt and a little oil until the mash is glossy and citrusy.
  3. 3In a ring mould: potato, then mashed chickpea, then sliced avocado, then potato.
  4. 4Chill at least an hour so it sets, then unmould.

The swaps

OriginalPlant-basedWhy it works
Tuna/chicken fillingSmashed chickpea with vegan mayoSame creamy savoury middle the potato wraps around.

Tips

  • Serve cold — it's a fridge dish.
  • More lime than you think; it should taste bright.
Make it
Layer it up
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Good to know

What is Peru's food?

A defining Peruvian home dish is causa, layered chilled potato with ají amarillo.

Why does it matter?

Classically it's chicken or tuna in the middle, but the potato is the star and it was never the point. Avocado and a smashed-chickpea layer slot straight in — the citrusy, slightly spicy potato carries it.

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