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Peruvian

Causa limeña

Non-vegetarian

Chilled layers of lime- and ají amarillo-seasoned mashed yellow potato sandwiching a creamy tuna and avocado filling — a colourful Peruvian starter.

Causa limeña is a Peruvian starter, ready in about 1 hour 50 minutes and made with potato and ají amarillo paste. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Vibrant Peruvian Causa Rellena with artistic presentation on a blue plate.
Photo: Nano Erdozain / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
25 min
Cook
25 min
Rest
1 h
Total
1 h 50 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
416

Ingredients

6 servings

For the filling

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Boil the potatoes (opens in a new tab) until very tender, peel while warm and press through a ricer or mash until completely smooth.

    Potatoes boiling in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Lionel Ntasano on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Knead in the ají amarillo, lime juice (opens in a new tab), oil and salt until you have a smooth, soft, bright-yellow dough. Taste — it should be well seasoned and tangy. Cool.

    • 8 min
    Hands kneading dough on a floured surface
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Mix the tuna with the mayonnaise (opens in a new tab) and onion.

    • 3 min

  4. Step 4

    Line a 20 cm dish or ring mould with cling film. Press in half the potato (opens in a new tab), cover with the tuna, then the avocado (opens in a new tab) slices, and finish with the remaining potato, smoothing the top. Chill at least 1 hour.

    • 10 min

  5. Step 5

    Turn out, slice and garnish with egg (opens in a new tab), olives (opens in a new tab) and parsley (opens in a new tab).

    • 3 min
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Lima, Peru · Well documentedMore food from Peru
Dish
Lunch · Appetizers & starters · Salads
Cooking method
Boiled, No-cook
Taste
tangy, creamy, spicy (chilli heat), fresh
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Carb-conscious
With the listed swaps: Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), Eggetarian, Ovo-vegetarianWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Potato · Ají amarillo paste · Lime juice · Canned tuna · Mayonnaise · Red onion
Techniques
Boiling · Kneading · Plating

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom mayonnaise, egg
  • Contains, can be adapted: Fishfrom canned tuna
  • May contain: Mustardfrom mayonnaise

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

416 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 302 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 12%
  • Carbohydrate 33%
  • Fat 55%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy416 kcal137 kcal
Protein12.5 g4.1 g
Carbohydrate35.4 g11.7 g
Net carbohydrate28.3 g9.4 g
Sugars2.6 g0.9 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre7 g2.3 g
Fat26.4 g8.7 g
Saturated fat3.3 g1.1 g
Trans fat0.1 g0 g
Cholesterol20 mg6 mg
Sodium775 mg256 mg
Salt equivalent1.9 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1068 mg
Calcium
38 mg
Iron
2.4 mg
Magnesium
65 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
16 µg
Vitamin C
52 mg
Vitamin D
0.5 µg
Vitamin B12
1 µg
Folate (DFE)
71 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: egg, black olives, parsley.
  • Ají amarillo paste: Raw hot chilli peppers (FDC 170106) used as a stand-in for puréed Peruvian yellow chilli; jarred pastes may add a little oil and salt.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Mash the potatoes while warm; cold potatoes turn gluey when worked.

Common mistakes

  • Under-seasoning the potato layer — it should taste bright with lime and chilli.

Food safety

  • Keep chilled; mayonnaise-based fillings should not sit out for more than 2 hours.

Storage

  • Refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 5

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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