Sanguche de Corazon
This paleo Sanguche de Corazon delivers smoky, juicy strips of quickly grilled beef heart with a bright, spicy herb sauce and sharp lime-dressed red onion. Wrapped in cool lettuce with creamy avocado, it is bold, fresh, and deeply savory without needing bread.
Ingredients
Beef heart and seasoning
- 400 gbeef heart, cleaned and trimmed
- 2 clovesgarlic, finely grated
- 20 gaji amarillo paste
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 20 mllime juice
- 15 mlolive oil
- 1 tspfine sea salt
- 1/2 tspfreshly ground black pepper
Herb sauce
- 20 gfresh parsley, finely chopped
- 10 gfresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 clovegarlic, finely minced
- 15 mlred wine vinegar
- 15 mllime juice
- 45 mlolive oil
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
- 1/4 tspfreshly ground black pepper
- 10 gaji amarillo paste
Onion salad
- 120 gred onion, thinly sliced
- 15 mllime juice
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
For serving
- 4large lettuce leaves
- 1 medium (150 g flesh)avocado, sliced
Instructions
- 1
Pat the beef heart very dry, then slice it into thin steaks about 1 cm thick, trimming away any tough valves or silvery membrane. In a bowl, combine the beef heart with the grated garlic, aji amarillo paste, cumin, oregano, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss well and let it stand for 10 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the accompaniments; this short marinade seasons the meat quickly without making the surface wet.
- 2
Make the herb sauce by stirring together the parsley, coriander, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and aji amarillo paste until spoonable. Taste and adjust for sharpness; it should be bright and punchy because it will cut through the richness of the heart.
- 3
Toss the sliced red onion with the lime juice and salt. Massage it lightly with your fingers and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes to soften and lightly pickle; the onion should keep some crunch.
- 4
Heat a heavy grill pan or skillet over high heat until very hot. Lay in the marinated beef heart in a single layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, then 1 to 2 minutes on the second side, depending on thickness. Cook in batches if needed so the meat sears rather than steams. The heart should be browned at the edges and just cooked through but still juicy; overcooking will make it firm and dry.
- 5
Transfer the cooked heart to a board and rest for 3 minutes so the juices settle, then slice it thinly across the grain for the most tender bite.
- 6
Line each lettuce leaf set with sliced avocado, pile on the warm beef heart, top with the onion salad, and spoon over the herb sauce. Fold into handheld wraps or stack open-faced and serve immediately.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Traditional sanguche is served in bread, but for a paleo version, crisp lettuce leaves make a practical wrap that keeps the bold Peruvian flavors intact.
- •If your butcher can slice the heart for you, prep becomes faster and more even.
- •Beef heart is very lean; a very hot pan and short cooking time are the key to tenderness.
- •Serve with roasted sweet potato or cassava only if you are not following strict paleo rules.
Background
Sanguche de corazon is inspired by the flavors of anticuchos, Peru's beloved skewered and grilled beef heart, a dish with roots in Afro-Peruvian cooking dating back to the colonial era. Turning those same bold seasonings into a sandwich-style street food is a natural extension of Lima's rich sanguche culture. This version keeps the classic heart, onion, lime, and chile profile while adapting the format for a paleo plate.
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