Causa limeña
A cold yellow potato terrine with lime and chilli, layered with chicken or tuna — Lima's starter that is not mashed potatoes.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Rest
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Causa is mashed yellow potato seasoned with lime and ají, pressed into a cold layered cake with a chicken, tuna or avocado middle. It should slice. If the potato is glue, you overworked it or used the wrong potato.
What you'll need
8 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Potato, yellow or floury, boiled900 g
- Lime3
- Ají amarillo30 ml
- Neutral oil44 ml
- Chicken, cooked, shredded, or use canned tuna250 g
- Mayonnaise44 ml
- Avocado (optional)1
- Salt4.9 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Mash hot potato with lime, ají, oil and salt. Cool. Mix chicken with mayo.
20 min
Step 2
Press half the potato into a lined dish, filling, avocado if using, remaining potato. Chill 1 hour. Slice.
15 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 333 kcal
- Protein
- 16.7 g
- Carbs
- 30.5 g
- Fat
- 16.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.4 g
- Fibre
- 5.7 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 410 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Eggs
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Chicken → Tuna in oil, drained
Causa de atún. Very common.
Tips
- A ring mould makes cafe slices. A loaf tin makes family slices.
- Olive and egg on top are the Lima garnish.
History & culture
A starter, a lunch, a buffet plate. The yellow potato (papa amarilla) is the point; ordinary potato is the stand-in.
The name may come from Inca 'kausay' (sustenance) or from a war-effort causa. Historians argue. The plate is still served.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Causa limeña take?
1 hr 55 min all in — 30 min prep, 25 min cook, 1 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 slices. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan, Mixing bowl.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Chicken → Tuna in oil, drained. Causa de atún. Very common.
Any tips from this recipe?
A ring mould makes cafe slices. A loaf tin makes family slices. Olive and egg on top are the Lima garnish.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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