Peruvian beef seco with canary beans is a classic criollo-style meal: tender beef braised in a cilantro-based green sauce, served with creamy canary beans and fluffy white rice. It is a hearty home-style dish often enjoyed for family lunch.
The seco delivers rich flavor from slow-cooked beef, cilantro, ají amarillo, and chicha de jora, while the beans add a smooth and comforting texture. Fresh salsa criolla and Peruvian chili sauce are traditionally served alongside it.
Ingredients
For the beans
- 400 g dried canary beans (2 cups)
- 2 liters water (8 cups)
- 150 g chopped red onion (1 large onion)
- 15 g garlic paste (3 garlic cloves)
- 30 ml vegetable oil (2 tablespoons)
- 5 g ground cumin (1 teaspoon)
- 8 g salt (1½ teaspoons)
- 1 bay leaf
For the beef seco
- 1 kg beef for stewing, cut into large cubes (about 2.2 lb)
- 100 g fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems (2½ cups)
- 150 g chopped red onion (1 large onion)
- 20 g garlic paste (4 garlic cloves)
- 45 g ají amarillo paste (3 tablespoons)
- 250 ml chicha de jora (1 cup)
- 750 ml hot beef stock (3 cups)
- 30 ml vegetable oil (2 tablespoons)
- 100 g carrot, sliced (1 medium carrot)
- 120 g fresh or frozen peas (1 cup)
- 5 g ground cumin (1 teaspoon)
- 8 g salt (1½ teaspoons)
- 3 g ground black pepper (½ teaspoon)
For serving
- 450 g cooked white rice (4½ cups)
- 200 g red onion, thinly sliced (2 medium onions)
- 20 g fresh ají amarillo, cut into strips (1 medium pepper)
- 30 ml lime juice (2 tablespoons)
- 10 g chopped fresh cilantro (¼ cup)
- 3 g salt (½ teaspoon)
Preparation
- Soak and cook the beans, rinse the canary beans and soak them for 8 hours. Drain them, place them in a pot with the 2 liters of water and bay leaf, and cook over medium heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until tender.
- Make the bean seasoning base, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet and cook the onion, garlic, and cumin for 6 minutes. Add this mixture to the beans, season with salt, and cook for 15 more minutes, until the beans are creamy and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Blend the cilantro, blend the cilantro with 120 ml of beef stock (½ cup) until smooth. Set the green sauce aside for the stew.
- Brown the beef, season the beef with the cumin, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide pot and brown the beef in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, until well colored on all sides.
- Braise the seco, remove the beef and cook the onion in the same pot for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ají amarillo paste, cook for 3 minutes, then return the beef. Add the cilantro sauce, chicha de jora, and beef stock; cover partly and simmer over low heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Finish and serve, add the carrot and peas to the seco and cook for 20 more minutes, until the beef is very tender and the sauce has reduced. Mix the sliced onion with ají amarillo, lime juice, cilantro, and salt to make salsa criolla. Serve the beef seco with hot beans, white rice, and salsa criolla.
Chef’s tips
- Use chuck, brisket, blade roast, or beef shank because these cuts become tender during slow cooking.
- Soak the beans overnight to shorten their cooking time.
- Blend the cilantro with only a small amount of stock for a more concentrated green sauce.
- Add salt to the beans once they are tender so they cook evenly.
- Let the seco rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles.
Traditional variations
Some home cooks replace part of the chicha de jora with dark beer. Seco can also be made with goat, chicken, or lamb, although beef seco with canary beans is a very popular combination in Peruvian criollo cooking.
How to serve
Serve a portion of fluffy white rice, a generous serving of canary beans, and beef seco with plenty of green sauce. Add salsa criolla on the side and offer ground ají amarillo for extra heat.
Serve with chilled chicha morada or Peruvian-style lemonade.
Recommended accompaniments
- Fluffy white rice
- Salsa criolla
- Ground ají amarillo
- Chicha morada
- Peruvian-style lemonade
Food tradition
In Peruvian cooking, beans with seco represent a traditional way to combine slow-cooked meat stews with legumes. Cilantro gives the seco its characteristic green color, while canary beans absorb sauces beautifully and contribute a creamy texture to the meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Canary beans are one of the most common choices because they have a creamy texture, mild flavor, and pale color that pair especially well with seco. You can also use Peruvian beans or pinto beans, although the consistency and final flavor will vary slightly.
Yes. Replace the chicha de jora with dark beer or the same amount of beef stock. Chicha de jora gives the dish a lightly fermented, traditional flavor, but the seco will still be delicious when you keep the cilantro, ají amarillo, and slow cooking method.
Cook them over medium heat until tender and let some beans break down slightly as they simmer. You can press a few beans against the side of the pot with a spoon. Avoid adding too much water at the end so the finished beans remain thick and creamy.
Yes. Both the seco and beans often taste even better the next day because the flavors have more time to blend. Store them separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, then reheat gently with a splash of stock or hot water.
