Pepián de cuy is a traditional stew from the Peruvian Andes, especially popular in Cusco and Arequipa, in which guinea pig is browned and then simmered in a thick sauce of ají mirasol and ground toasted peanuts.
The name “pepián” refers to this family of stews thickened with peanuts or ground seeds, a pre-Hispanic technique found in various Andean and Mesoamerican cuisines.
Print
Peruvian Pepián de Cuy
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Description
Peruvian preparation featuring cuy y maíz molido, adapted for a home kitchen with clear measurements.
Ingredients
- 1 guinea pig (about 1 kg / 2.2 lb), cleaned and cut into 4 pieces
- 100 g roasted peanuts, ground
- 60 g ají mirasol paste
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 500 ml broth (2 cups)
- 2 bay leaves
- Vegetable oil, as needed
- Salt to taste
- 600 g potatoes, boiled, for serving
Preparation
- Brown the guinea pig, clean and cut the guinea pig into 4 pieces. Fry in hot oil until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Build the seasoning base, in the same pot, cook the onion, garlic, and ground ají mirasol until you get a concentrated base.
- Cook the guinea pig, add the browned guinea pig to the base along with the broth and bay leaves. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Thicken with peanuts and serve, stir in the ground toasted peanuts, cook for 10 more minutes until the sauce thickens, adjust the salt, and serve with boiled potatoes.
Chef’s Tips
- Browning the guinea pig well before simmering it adds more depth of flavor to the stew.
- Toast the peanuts yourself before grinding them for a more intense flavor.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Traditional Variations
Some Cusco families use ají panca instead of ají mirasol, giving the dish a darker color and a slightly different flavor.
There are also versions that replace part of the peanuts with ground walnuts or pecans, changing the final texture of the sauce.
How to Serve
Serve hot, as a main course, with boiled potatoes and white rice on the side. It’s a traditional dish from the Andean regions of Cusco, Arequipa, and Puno.
Recommended Pairings
- Boiled potatoes
- Plain white rice
- Homemade ground chile sauce
Did You Know?
Pepián is a family of stews thickened with peanuts or ground seeds found in both Andean and Mesoamerican cooking, though each region adapted it with its own local ingredients and meats, such as guinea pig in the Peruvian version.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a Peruvian guinea pig stew cooked in a thick sauce made from peanuts or ground corn, seasoned with chile, typical of the southern highlands.
Pepián stands out for its sauce thickened with peanuts or ground corn, which gives it a distinctive texture and flavor, different from picante de cuy, which uses a more liquid chile-based sauce.
Yes, some versions use ground corn or pumpkin seeds instead of peanuts, keeping the technique of thickening the sauce with a ground ingredient.
