Making Lomo Saltado With Chef José Garzón
By Leila Bunker - Market Volunteer
October 20, 2026
Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 20 mins Servings 3-4
Steak. Potatoes. Onion. Garlic. Cilantro. What more could you want in a dish? José Garzón, owner of Bad Chancla, a sandwicheria in Capitol Hill with Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Miami-inspired flavors, made the Columbia City Farmers Market extra especial by cooking up lomo saltado. The dish comes together in about only 35 minutes.
Lomo saltado is a Peruvian stir-fry and a classic example of chifa, the Chinese-Peruvian cuisine that grew out of Chinese immigration to Peru in the 1800s. Those immigrants cooked with local ingredients like tomatoes and potatoes, but also brought techniques and flavors of their own, like stir-frying and soy sauce.
According to José, the secret to making lomo saltado great is to first pick out a good cut of beef. Something with more fat, like a ribeye or a skirt steak. The fat is the flavor. Second, make sure your potatoes are crispy, either hand-cut like French fries or just using French fries. Third of all, keep the heat high and all the ingredients moving.
Ingredients:
1½ lbs ribeye or skirt steak
2 large potatoes
1 large red onion
4 garlic cloves
2 firm tomatoes, such as beefsteak
½ cup chopped cilantro, divided
Neutral oil, for frying
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp taco seasoning (or a mix of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, and chili powder)
Salt and pepper
Cooked rice, for serving
Most of the time spent preparing this dish is in doing the actual prep versus the cooking. You’ll want to chop and slice all of your vegetables and beef beforehand, a process also referred to as mise en place. Make sure “everything is in its place” before the stirring and frying combine all the flavors of this dish.
Prep:
Julienne-cut potatoes. The thinner they are, the faster they will cook, but it’s up to you depending on how thick or thin of a potato cut you like.
Julienne-cut onions, crush garlic, and slice tomatoes into thick ½ inch rounds. (Note: Tomatoes like beefsteak are better for stir-fries because they won’t lose their water in the heat.)
Slice beef into ½ inch pieces.
Chop cilantro for garnish.
Cook:
Heat about 2 inches of neutral oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Once the oil is heated up, put the potatoes into saucepan and let them cook until they turn a golden brown. Remove from pot and set aside.
In a separate large skillet, heat neutral oil to a medium/high temperature and add the beef. The beef will cook very quickly, so once it begins cooking, add salt, pepper, and your taco seasoning.
Add garlic and onions, cooking until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, followed by soy sauce and red wine vinegar.
As the red wine vinegar and soy sauce reduce in the pan, add cooked potatoes and cilantro, continuously tossing until everything is well-coated.
When the sauce is reduced and everything is well-coated in sauce, serve over a bed of rice.
