Peruvian · sauce

Peruvian Salsa Criolla (Red Onion and Ají Relish)

Peruvian Salsa Criolla (Red Onion and Ají Relish) — from Green Healthy Cooking's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 3:09

Video by Green Healthy Cooking on YouTube · Open on YouTube

15 min · plus 1 hour (or overnight) soakingMakes 8 × ½ cup (65 g)54 kcal a portion
  • Low carb (4.6 g net carbs) but not keto: 58% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Nut-free

Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Raw red onion, ají pepper, coriander and lime with just a little oil: a ½ cup portion has about 53 kcal and 1 g of fibre, and the raw onion, chilli and lime make it a source of vitamin C. Vegan, no added sugar.

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Ingredients 6

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Peel the onions, halve them and slice them as thinly as you can (a mandoline helps). 1:09
  2. Put the onions in a colander set in a bowl, cover completely with cold water and soak for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge, to take away the bitterness. 1:17
  3. Drain the onions very well (a salad spinner works) so leftover water doesn't dilute the salsa. 1:43
  4. Peel off the skin of the ají amarillo peppers, remove the seeds and veins and slice into thin strips (or use the paste). 1:52
  5. In a bowl, mix the onions, ají, coriander, lime juice, oil and salt with your hands. Spoon over rice and beans, eggs, grilled meat or fish. 2:14

Tip. If you can't find ají amarillo, the jarred paste works; a seeded fresh chilli is a stand-in. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One portion, ½ cup (65 g), gives you 1 of 8

Energy54 kcal220 kJ
Protein0.6 g1% of a day
Fibre1.1 g4% of a day
Carbohydrate5.7 g4.6 g net · 2.5 g sugars2% of a day
Fat3.5 g0.4 g saturated4% of a day
Sodium150 mg6% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 35%
  • Protein 5%
  • Fat 60%

For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin C Source15%

13 mg a serve, mostly from ají amarillo peppers (55%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Show the other 14
Vitamin E5%

0.7 mg a serve, mostly from flavourless oil (62%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Vitamin B65%

0.1 mg a serve, mostly from red onions (67%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Folate3%

12 µg a serve, mostly from red onions (78%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Potassium2%

100 mg a serve, mostly from red onions (73%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Magnesium2%

6.7 mg a serve, mostly from red onions (75%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin K2%

3 µg a serve, mostly from fresh coriander (53%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Omega-32%

0 g a serve, mostly from flavourless oil (88%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Calcium1%

14 mg a serve, mostly from red onions (84%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Iron1%

0.1 mg a serve, mostly from red onions (73%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Zinc1%

0.1 mg a serve, mostly from red onions (86%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin A1%

5.2 µg a serve, mostly from ají amarillo peppers (65%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Selenium1%

0.3 µg a serve, mostly from red onions (87%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Vitamin B120%

0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Green Healthy Cooking; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.