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Lima-style Beans and Beef — traditional dish from Lima, Peru
Main course Meat

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥800kcal
💪45gProtein
🌾80gCarbs
🥑35gFat
🌿10gFibre
⚖️500 gServing

* Per serving · 500 g. May vary.

Lima-style Beans and Beef

How to order / say it
Say it Tacu Tacu — [TAH-koo TAH-koo]
Order I'd like the tacu tacu, please.
Locally Quisiera el tacu tacu, por favor.
Say locally

Fried rice and bean patty often served with beef or pork.

Why try it?

Tacu Tacu is a staple of criollo cuisine in Lima, representing the resourcefulness and creativity of blending leftover ingredients to create a savory and satisfying dish often topped with steak or a fried egg.

How it tastes

The dish is hearty with a pronounced bean and rice flavor, made crispy outside and tender inside through frying. Savory and rich, often complemented by juicy slices of flavorful beef or pork.

Origin & History — first documented: 1850

Dating back to the 19th century, Tacu Tacu is thought to have originated from Afro-Peruvian communities aiming to repurpose leftover rice and beans, creating a comforting yet economical dish now beloved across Lima.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🌾 200 g cooked rice
  • 🫘 150 g cooked beans
  • 🥩 200 g beef steak
  • 🧄 50 g onion
  • 🧄 10 g garlic
  • 🫒 30 ml vegetable oil

Method

  1. 1 Mash beans and mix with rice and onions.
  2. 2 Form mixture into patties.
  3. 3 Fry the patties until golden brown.
  4. 4 Serve with a beef steak on top.

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All South America recipes — Peru — Lima — Lima-style Beans and Beef
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