Peruvian · appetizer

Papa a la Huancaina

Name: Papa a la Huancaina
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients: 6 yellow potatoes boiled and sliced; 3 tbsp aji amarillo paste; 8 oz queso fresco; 1/2 cup evaporated milk; 4 soda crackers; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 cloves garlic; 1/4 tsp turmeric; salt to taste; 3 hard-boiled eggs; 12 black olives; 4 lettuce leaves

Papa a la Huancaina reads salinity 5.6, richness 4.9 and umami 4.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Peruvian appetizer, about 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 6.3 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 1.7 / 10
Sour & Bright — 1.4 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.0 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.1 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 3.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Salinity 5.6 · Richness 4.9 · Umami 4.1 · Allium 3.5 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Earthy 2.5 · Bitterness 2.1 · Sweetness 1.5 · Sourness 1.4 · Heat 1.3 · Smoke 1.3 · Warm Spice 0.8 · Fruity 0.7 · Herbaceous 0.7 · Nutty 0.6

What's in it (12)

6 yellow potatoes boiled and sliced
3 tbsp aji amarillo paste
8 oz queso fresco
1/2 cup evaporated milk
4 soda crackers
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
3 hard-boiled eggs
12 black olives
4 lettuce leaves

Time & effort: about 15 min · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 166.1 kcal, 4.9 g protein, 10.6 g fat, 14.1 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Blend aji amarillo paste with queso fresco, evaporated milk, a cracker, garlic, oil, and turmeric into a smooth golden sauce; season with salt.
Arrange sliced boiled potatoes on a bed of lettuce and pour the sauce generously over them.
Garnish with hard-boiled egg halves and black olives.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Espinacas con Garbanzos — Spanish · Andalusia
Caldo Gallego — Spanish
Loaded Baked Potato Soup with Crispy Bacon — American
Kokotxas de Merluza al Pil-Pil — Basque · Hegoalde (Spain)
Erbazzone Reggiano — Italian · Emilia-Romagna

Keep reading: what salinity, richness, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.