Recipes

Vegan Aguadito

Serves 4-6

| Prep Time: 15 mins

| Cook Time: 30 mins

| Total Time: 45 mins

You may need: Aji Amarillo

Discover The Recipe

When the weather is chilly outside, we crave a hearty stew that sticks to our ribs, fills us up and is rich with greens and veggies to boost your immune system. This Peruvain-style Vegan Aguadito Stew is perfect for that and has a nice subtle heat from the Aji Amarillo that really warms you up.  This dish is traditionally the Peruvian version of chicken and rice soup. In fact, aguadito is often eaten to help ease hangover symptoms!

Hearty mushrooms, potato, corn and poblano peppers gives this soup a rich creamy texture along with brown rice. The cilantro that’s puréed in at the end along with lime juice lend a bright and herby flavor. The Aji Amarillo is the real secret! It’s a unique and spicy pepper that’s native to Peru, and is found in all kinds of dishes! While we don’t consider this dish to be spicy, it does have a slow heat from the Aji Amarillo, so if you are sensitive to spice, add it a little at a time. You can also blend 1 Tbsp Aji Amarillo with 1/4 mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp water to make a classic sauce that is traditionally used on Peruvian Grilled Chicken.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil 

  • 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

  • 1 white onion, diced

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp Piquant Post Aji Amarillo 

  • 1 bunch cilantro

  • 6 cups vegetable stock

  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced

  • 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

  • 2 medium potato, cubed

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 cup cooked brown rice

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • 1/2 cup frozen corn

  • Lime juice to taste

  • Garnish: cilantro

Notes

Normally this dish is made with shredded chicken, but we like the way the mushrooms have a meaty texture with the rice. For our meat-eaters, try making the classic chicken aguadito recipe.

Aji Amarillo is considered one of the most important spices in Peruvian cuisine. Read more about its history, uses and cultural importance here.

The pretty green color comes from puréeing the cilantro in at the end. If you cook it with the cilantro purée it will have more of an olive tone! 

Aguadito is thought to date all the way back to the Inca! Here’s a great article about the history of this delicious soup

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the poblano pepper, white onion and garlic. Sauté until the onions and peppers are browned and soft. Add the Aji Amarillo to the pan and sauté for 1 more minute. Transfer the onion and pepper mixture to a blender, and add the cilantro and 1 cup of the vegetable stock. Purée until smooth. Set aside.

Add the remaining 5 cups of vegetable stock to a pot, along with the carrots, mushrooms, potato and cumin. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potato is tender, or about 20 minutes. 

When the potatoes are tender, add the cooked rice, frozen peas, frozen corn and the cilantro purée. Cook for another 5 minutes on low to heat the rice and frozen peas and corn.  Add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. At this point add more Aji Amarillo if you would like it spicier!

Divide it into bowls and garnish with fresh lime wedges and chopped cilantro. 

Alternatives & Substitutions

  • If you’re a meat eater you can make this dish with shredded chicken. Simply add the chicken to the dish instead of the mushrooms for a more traditional version. Here’s a recipe with chicken to try! 

  • Other proteins that can be used in this soup are turkey, hen, mussels and fish.

  • Why not try it with Peruvian quinoa instead of rice for a different spin? Quinoa is super healthy and rich in protein, as well as having a wonderful texture and flavor. 

  • Be sure to leave comments and feedback on your meals and experiments in the comments for others to read.

  • Try using Aji Amarillo to make another Peruvian classic: Tallarin Saltado (Peruvian Stir Fried Noodles), Aji de Gallina (Creamy Peruvian Chicken), or our recipe for Vegan Avocado Causa.

  • Post pictures of your masterpiece meal on social media and tag us. We repost!

Vegan Aguadito

Serves

4-6

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Piquant Post spice you'll need: Aji Amarillo

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil 

  • 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

  • 1 white onion, diced

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp Piquant Post Aji Amarillo 

  • 1 bunch cilantro

  • 6 cups vegetable stock

  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced

  • 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

  • 2 medium potato, cubed

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 cup cooked brown rice

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • 1/2 cup frozen corn

  • Lime juice to taste

  • Garnish: cilantro

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the poblano pepper, white onion and garlic. Sauté until the onions and peppers are browned and soft. Add the Aji Amarillo to the pan and sauté for 1 more minute. Transfer the onion and pepper mixture to a blender, and add the cilantro and 1 cup of the vegetable stock. Purée until smooth. Set aside.

  2. Add the remaining 5 cups of vegetable stock to a pot, along with the carrots, mushrooms, potato and cumin. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potato is tender, or about 20 minutes. 

  3. When the potatoes are tender, add the cooked rice, frozen peas, frozen corn and the cilantro purée. Cook for another 5 minutes on low to heat the rice and frozen peas and corn.  Add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. At this point add more Aji Amarillo if you would like it spicier!

  4. Divide it into bowls and garnish with fresh lime wedges and chopped cilantro. 

Notes

  • Normally this dish is made with shredded chicken, but we like the way the mushrooms have a meaty texture with the rice. For our meat-eaters, try making the classic chicken aguadito recipe.

  • Aji Amarillo is considered one of the most important spices in Peruvian cuisine. Read more about its history, uses and cultural importance here.

  • The pretty green color comes from puréeing the cilantro in at the end. If you cook it with the cilantro purée it will have more of an olive tone! 

  • Aguadito is thought to date all the way back to the Inca! Here’s a great article about the history of this delicious soup

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