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Anticuchos Bolivianos

Street-corner skewers of marinated beef heart, grilled over charcoal and dragged through a fiery peanut-aji sauce — the taste of a La Paz night out.

⏱ 30 minPrep time
🔥 15 minCook time
🍽 4Servings
🏷 AppetizerCategory
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Anticuchos are Bolivia’s ultimate street food, threaded onto skewers and grilled over smoky charcoal braziers on every corner of La Paz. Traditionally made with beef heart, they are marinated in vinegar, aji, and cumin, then served with boiled potatoes and the essential peanut-aji sauce.

Skewers from the Corner Bazaar

Properly marinated, beef heart turns surprisingly tender and intensely beefy, with a pleasant chew that stands up to the char. The golden peanut sauce — creamy, spicy, and tangy — is what makes them unforgettable, mopped up with boiled potatoes on the side.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Whisk the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of aji paste, half the garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, and salt, and marinate the beef cubes in it for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
  2. Make the sauce: simmer the ground peanuts, broth, remaining garlic and aji paste, and a pinch of salt for 5 to 7 minutes until thick and creamy; keep warm.
  3. Thread the marinated beef onto the soaked skewers, about 5 cubes each.
  4. Grill over medium-high heat — charcoal if you can — turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until charred at the edges and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes total.
  5. Serve hot with the boiled potatoes and the peanut sauce for dipping.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Do not overcook the heart; it should stay slightly pink and juicy. The peanut sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge and is wonderful on grilled chicken, too.

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Recipe details

Prep30 min
Cook15 min
Servings4
CategoryAppetizer
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →