Delicious Vegan Causa A Taste of Peru

Last Updated on December 2, 2023

Causa is one of my favorite Peruvian dishes. Many versions exist, but I share a delicious vegan Causa Recipe with cauliflower rice-ceviche, avocado, and vegan mayonnaise. Causa is one of those dishes that look incredibly beautiful when you present it at your table, and whenever I prepare it, my guests are delighted with the flavor and its presentation. Here, I tell you a little more about this typical Peruvian dish.

Why do they call it Causa?

Causa’s origin traces back to a story that tells that on 29th July 1821, there was a meaningful ceremony in Lima, Peru, when the country celebrated its independence from the Spanish. The guest of honor was General San Martin, who led the fight for autonomy. The woman in charge of cooking the meal needed to improvise, as she had only a few ingredients. That’s when she created this delicious dish. They named it Causa, which means cause, in honor of the great cause they had to celebrate.

What is the Causa?

Causa consists of layers of mashed yellow potatoes seasoned with lemon, Peruvian yellow chili pepper, salt, and pepper. These layers contain chicken or tuna, avocados, and boiled eggs.

What ingredients have I supplanted and changed to the original recipe?

• Yellow Potato: Peruvian Yellow potato is a delicious creamy variety that grows in Perú. Peruvians use potatoes in many dishes. The first cultivation of potatoes was in 8000 A.C. by natives who inhabited the Peruvian Andes and later brought by the Spanish to Europe. In Peru, there are more than 4000 varieties! If you are living abroad and don’t have Yellow Potato, the best potato alternative to preparing Causa is a type of potato with thin and pinkish skin; this type of potato is generally drier and remains more solid when preparing the Causa. Also, the New Potatoes variety is perfect for this dish as they contain less starch, are an excellent alternative, and do not fall apart.
• Ají Amarillo Alternative: For a spicy but not overwhelming flavor, I add a tablespoon of Shichimi tōgarashi, a typical Japanese spice mixture, to the mashed potatoes instead of Ají amarillo (Peruvian yellow chili). 
• Alternative to animal protein: People usually fill it with shredded chicken or canned tuna combined with mayonnaise. After trying several ingredients, I concluded that one of the ingredients that lent itself a lot to making the filling was the Cauliflower rice; when mixed with vegan mayonnaise, it obtains a texture that does not fall apart, and its flavor is delicious and goes very well with the avocado.
• Alternative to egg mayonnaise: I use a homemade plant-based mayonnaise of soy milk and oil in this recipe. You can use any vegetable mayonnaise that you find in the supermarket.

How to serve Causa?

I serve it with a few arugula leaves since I like its bitter and crunchy flavor. Causa is an appetizer that only needs a little garnish, and it is good to appreciate its authentic taste separately without mixing it with other dishes.

Tips to make the Causa:

• One of the essential things is to let the Causa rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving it; this way, when it comes to cutting portions, it will be solid and will not crumble.
• When preparing the onions, rinse them with cold water and salt to remove the pungent taste.
• I prefer to steam the potatoes instead of boiling them; in this way, they are not too watery; we need dry potatoes! If you can not steam them, another option is to cook them in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for one hour.

Here, I share the step-by-step delicious vegan causa recipe.

Peruvian vegan Causa

Angela Fontana

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Resting time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Entrada fría.

Cuisine Peruana, Vegana

Servings 8 portions

Ingredients

  

For the potato layer:

• 800 grams Of potatoes (new potatoes or potatoes with thin pink skin).
• 1 teaspoon Of Shichimi togarashi.
• 1/2 Lime
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt (add more if necessary).
• A pinch of ground fresh pepper.

For the cauliflower ceviche:

• 200 grams Of cauliflower rice.
• 1/2 Red onion.
• 1/2 Lime.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 1 Tablespoons To rinse the onions.
• 2 Tablespoons Of vegan mayonnaise.

For the avocados:

• 2 Medium avocados.
• 1/2 Lime.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Utensils:

• 1 Potato press (I am using one from Ikea).
• 1 Pound cake mold, I am using one of 23 cm.
• 1 Piece of parchment paper to put at the bottom of the mold.
• 1 Pretty plate or platter to present the Causa.
• Plastic wrap.

Instructions

 

PREPARE THE POTATOES:

• Steam the potatoes for 15 minutes or until they are soft.
• Remove the skin of the potatoes and pass the potatoes through the potatoe press.
• Add salt, pepper, half lime juice and Togarashi and incorporate well, knead the potatoes well with your hands.
• Reserve the mashed potatoes in the fridge.

PREPARE THE CAULIFLOWER CEVICHE:

• Steam or boil the cauliflower rice until it is well cooked, not "al dente"
• Reserve the cauliflower rice in the refrigerator.
• Chop the onion into very all squares.
• With the help of a strainer, rinse the onions with 1 spoon of salt, this is to remove the pungent taste.
• After you remove all the water from the onions, put the onions in a small bowl and add lime juice, salt, and pepper.
• Mix the cauliflower rice with the onion mix.
• Add the vegan mayonaise and mix well.
• Reserve in the refrigerator.

PREPARE THE AVOCADOS:

• Slice the avocados and add salt and lime juice.

ASSEMBLE THE CAUSA:

• Put the parchment paper in the bottom of the mold.
• Divide the potatoes into two halves and place one half of potatoes over the parchment paper.
• Put one layer of cauliflower rice over the potatoes.
• Put one layer of avocados over the cauliflower rice.
• Finally put one layer of potatoes over the cauliflower rice.
• Put plastic wrap over the Causa and store it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving it.
• Decorate the Causa with some twisted slices of lemon.
• You can keep the Causa in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Keyword Aji amarillo, chili paste, Ceviche, coliflor, Papas, Patatas