MAIN INGREDIENTS
Ceviche is the national dish of Peru consisting of slices of raw fish or shellfish that is spiced with salt, onions, and chili peppers, then marinated in lime juice. Due to the acidity of lime juice, the texture of the fish changes, as does its color – from pink to white.
The acidic marinade, also known as leche de tigre (lit. tiger's milk) "cooks" the meat without any heat involved in the process. For ceviche, fresh fish is an imperative, as fish and shellfish that are not fresh can cause food poisoning. Peruvians are used to fresh ingredients, so the fish will sometimes be prepared for ceviche less than an hour after being caught.
MOST ICONIC Ceviche
View moreMAIN INGREDIENTS
Corvina al horno is a traditional saltwater fish dish in Latin American cuisine, especially popular in Chile and Peru. The dish is made with a combination of corvina sea bass, tomatoes, onions, garlic, white wine, lemon, olive oil, parsley, and salt.
The onions and tomatoes are sliced, placed into a baking dish, seasoned with salt, drizzled with olive oil, and baked in the oven for ten minutes. The sea bass is placed on top of the vegetables, and it’s seasoned with salt and dressed with a mixture of wine, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Anticucho de pescado is a traditional dish originating from Peru, consisting of fish on skewers. The dish is prepared by marinating firm white fish in a combination of garlic, paprika, salt, vinegar, lime juice, oil, cumin, and black pepper. The fish is then cut into cubes, placed on skewers and grilled until fully cooked.
Once done, the fish skewers are served on a platter and the dish is traditionally accompanied by thick sliced of boiled potatoes, lettuce, corn, and aji amarillo sauce on the side for dipping. It's recommended to garnish anticucho de pescado with lemon wedges.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Tiradito is a traditional dish consisting of thinly sliced, well-chilled raw fish, chopped vegetables, and coriander, all drizzled with lime juice right before consumption, so the fish stays raw, unlike ceviche, where the fish is already cooked in citrus juices.
The dish is most often served as an appetizer, and some cooks like to add their own touch – topping it with sliced onions, pickled jalapeños, boiled corn, and even crushed potato chips. It is believed that it takes a lot of skill and effort to make a perfect tiradito, but the most essential components while preparing it are a sharp knife and the freshest possible fish, which is the highlight of every tiradito.
MOST ICONIC Tiradito
View morePatarashca is a traditional fish dish originating from the Peruvian jungle. The dish consists of freshwater fish that's stuffed and grilled. The ingredients include whole fish, onions, hot chili peppers, sacha culantro, oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.
The fish is cleaned, then stuffed with the combination of sacha culantro, onions, garlic, oil, hot peppers, and cumin. Once stuffed, it's wrapped in bijao leaves and placed on the grill to cook until done. Once done, patarashca is traditionally served with roasted plantains or boiled cassava on the side.
Chupe de pescado is a traditional and Ecuadorian fish soup that's especially popular during Lent. Although it doesn't take too long to prepare the soup, it contains many ingredients, such as white fish (usually cod), flour, olive oil, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, squash, peas, lima beans, corn, mint, oregano, hot peppers, fish stock, eggs, queso fresco, bread, butter, and evaporated milk.
The fish is dredged in flour, seasoned, and fried in olive oil until golden and crips. The fresh vegetables are boiled until the potatoes become tender. The evaporated milk, eggs, and fried fish are then added to the soup and cooked over low heat.
Once done, chupe de pescado is usually served with chunks of queso fresco, while buttered bread is served on the side.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Chinguirito is a type of ceviche prepared with pieces of cured and dried guitarfish that is usually soaked in hot water, then seasoned with lemon juice, chili, salt. The dish is typically served with yuca, fried corn, and chopped onions.
Chinguirito is an unusual type of ceviche because it uses dried fish instead of fresh fish, which is the standard for almost all types of ceviche.
MOST ICONIC Chinguirito
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Tortilla de raya is a simple Peruvian dish, a ray omelet that is one of the most popular ray dishes in the country. The dish is prepared by frying strips of cooked ray with eggs, garlic, and aji amarillo. It is traditionally served with the spicy rocoto chile on the side.
Although it may seem quite unsophisticated, this dish makes up for it in portion size, as tortilla de raya is so large that it usually covers the whole plate.
MOST ICONIC Tortilla de raya
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Timbuche is a Peruvian soup originating from the Amazon basin. The name of the soup is a Quechua word meaning boiled. Timbuche has many variations, so it can be a simple broth with just a few fish bones, garlic, and herbs, but it can also contain whole fish, shellfish, and a variety of root vegetables.
One of the most popular versions is made with onions, garlic, chili peppers, olive oil, potatoes, cilantro, parsley, fish, mussels, and shrimp. The soup can be served without any garnishes or with a drizzle of chili oil on top.
Pescado a lo macho is a beloved fish dish in the coastal areas of northern Peru that features a lightly fried fillet of white-fleshed fish, such as sole or sea bass, in a thick sauce. The name translates to "fish macho-style", and rather than suggesting anything about traditional gender roles, it denotes the robustness and hearty nature of the sauce that accompanies the fish.
The robust sauce is made with a variety of seafood like shrimp, squid, mussels, and octopus and is usually seasoned with aji peppers, garlic, onions, tomatoes, and sometimes a splash of white wine or pisco. The combined flavors create a rich, aromatic, and slightly spicy dish.
MOST ICONIC Pescado a lo macho
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 15 Peruvian Fish Dishes” list until March 21, 2025, 1,957 ratings were recorded, of which 723 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.