Salchipapas is local Peruvian street food. But you can easily make it at home with homemade French fries and beef sausages. This fast food is perfect for parties, game days, or other special occasions when you crave a tasty and comfort appetizer or meal.
For those who travel to Peru, having a plate full of messy and delicious Salchipapas is a great way to mingle with locals and find out more about the dish and traditions behind it.
Well, now there’s no need to travel to Peru to have this exotic and delicious meal. This Salchipapas recipe produces that perfectly crispy and flavorful result you can enjoy at home!
What is Salchipapas?
A fast food originally from Lima, Peru, a Salchipapa or Salchipapas has become street food throughout Latin America. You can even find it on the kid’s menu at restaurants all over Peru and Colombia.
The name of the dish is from the Spanish words “Salchicha” (sausage) and “Papa” (potatoes). Salchipapas is loaded with pan-fried beef sausage slices and deep-fried French fries, drizzled with ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise.
What you’ll need to make Salchipapas
- Russet Potatoes – Russets work the best. Don’t substitute other types of potato, as russets have less moisture and produce crispier fries.
- Vegetable Oil – For frying the French fries. You can sub canola oil. Vegetable oil has a high smoke point so don’t substitute with olive oil.
- Salt and (optional) Pepper – You’ll need to season the French fries with salt and pepper. You can skip the pepper, but salt is important to bring out the flavor. Standard table salt, sea salt, or kosher salt will work great for this recipe.
- Beef Sausages – Authentic Salchipapas recipe uses beef sausages, but it’s ok to use pork, chicken sausages, or hot dogs as well.
- Condiments of your choice – You can serve this dish with ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise
How to make Salchipapas at home
For the homemade French fries:
1. Rinse and peel the potatoes, and slice them 1/2 inch thick. (A French Fry Cutter is helpful to achieve the even thickness.)
2. Soak the sliced potatoes in cold water for at least an hour or overnight. Remember: Longer = Crispier Fries!
3. Rinse them twice with cold water and pat dry completely with paper towels.
4. Heat oil in a deep fryer or a large heavy pan to 325 degrees. Carefully add the potato slices in small batches to avoid overcrowding and fry for about 3 minutes until pale and softened. Use a slotted spoon to place them on a plate lined with paper towels.
5. Increase the temperature to 400 degrees. Carefully add the fries again and fry in batches until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
6. Use the slotted spoon to place them on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
For beef sausages:
1. Cut your sausages into bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat up the skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add the sausages into the skillet with no water, butter, or oil. Cook the sausages, turning them occasionally. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until they cook evenly on all sides.
Make Salchipapas
1. Remove the skillet from the heat, and add in cooked French fries. Mix with the cooked sausages.
2. Drizzle with condiments of your choice such as ketchup and mustard. Serve immediately.
Tips for making the perfect Salchipapas
- Best potatoes to use: Russet potatoes are ideal for this recipe if you like crispy texture of your French fries, since they’re dense and don’t contain as much water. Waxy potatoes are the worst.
- Soak the potato slices for at least one hour: Ideally, you want to soak them overnight, as the longer time helps to make the fries crispier. Store them in the fridge while they soak.
- Control the oil temperature while frying: The lower temperature will result in soggy fries and a higher temperature will cause the fries to burn. So it’s best to use a deep-frying thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- For a healthier option: You can bake your French fries instead of deep-frying, but it won’t be as crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you soak potatoes for French fries?
Soaking potatoes in cold water is to remove as much starch as possible. This will help to produce fries that are sturdy and crisp.
Why do you double fry the potato fries?
It’s the best way to achieve the crispiest result. After you fry them the first time, you cannot remove all the moisture, which will make the fries soggy. Frying them again helps to remove the moisture and make your fries super crispy.
Why is the right temperature of the oil so important?
Because if the temperature is too hot, the French fries will burn before it’s done, and if it’s not hot enough you’ll end up with soggy and greasy fries.
How to serve Salchipapas?
Drizzle with your favorite condiments like ketchup and mustard. You can serve it as a meal or snack at a party. It’s sometimes served as breakfast and you can serve it with eggs.
How to store salchipapa
While salchipapa is best served fresh, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the sauce separately to minimize sogginess. Reheat in a skillet or in the oven to restore some of the crispiness in the french fries.
Can I make it ahead of time
Salchipapa is at its best when fresh but you can try making it ahead of time in a pinch. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, but do not freeze.
Equipment you’ll need
To make salchipapas, you’ll want to have the following:
- Nonstick skillet for frying
- Candy or deep fry thermometer to monitor oil temp
- Slotted spoon or skimmer to remove the french fries easily from the oil
If you’ve tried this Salchipapas then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know. I love hearing from you!
Salchipapas (Beef Sausages and French Fries)
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes
- vegetable oil for frying
- salt and pepper to taste (you can skip pepper)
- 6 beef sausages you can also use chicken, pork sausages or hot dogs
For serving (optional)
- ketchup
- mustard
- mayonnaise
- Garlic Aoili
Instructions
Make Homemade French Fries
- Rinse and peel the potatoes, and slice them into 1/2-inch thick strips.
- Soak the sliced potatoes in cold water for at least an hour (or overnight).
- Rinse them twice with cold water and pat dry completely with paper towels.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or a large heavy pan to 325 degrees. Carefully add the potato slices in small batches and fry for about 3 minutes until pale and softened. (Make sure not to overcrowd the pan)
- Use a slotted spoon to place them on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Increase the temperature to 400 degrees. Carefully add the fries again and fry in batches until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
- Use the slotted spoon to remove them from oil and place on paper towels.
- Sprinkle with salt.
Cook Beef Sausages:
- Cut your sausages into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat up the skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add the sausage into the skillet with no water, butter, or oil.
- Turn them occasionally. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until they cook evenly on all sides. Remove from heat.
Make Salchipapas:
- Add cooked French fries into the skillet, and mix with the cooked sausages
- Drizzle with condiments of your choice such as ketchup and mustard. Serve immediately.
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