Tacu Tacu

Name: Tacu Tacu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Peru
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked white rice; 2 cups cooked canary beans (or pinto beans), mashed; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 aji amarillo pepper, minced; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 fried egg per serving; Fried plantains, for serving; Salt and pepper, to taste

4 servings15 min prep20 min cookEasy Peru

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Tacu Tacu

Story updated September 17, 2026

Tacu tacu grew out of frugal home cooking meant to use up leftover rice and beans from the day before, particularly within Peru's Afro-Peruvian coastal communities. Pan-fried into a crisp cake and often crowned with a fried egg or steak, it later moved from humble kitchens into Lima's fine-dining restaurants.

Ingredients

Scale:· 4 servings

2 cups cooked white rice
2 cups cooked canary beans (or pinto beans), mashed
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 aji amarillo pepper, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 fried egg per serving
Fried plantains, for serving
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1Sauté onion, garlic, and aji amarillo in oil until soft and fragrant.
2Add the mashed beans and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes.
3Fold in the cooked rice and mix thoroughly, mashing slightly with the back of a spoon.
4Press the mixture into an oval shape in the skillet and cook until a golden crust forms on the bottom, about 5-6 minutes.
5Carefully flip and crisp the other side.
6Top each tacu tacu with a fried egg and serve with fried plantains.

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