How to Make the Perfect Rocoto Relleno Stuffed Peruvian Chili
Peruvian · Hard · 75 min · 4 servings
Rocoto Relleno is a dramatic Arequipan specialty featuring fiery rocoto peppers stuffed with a savory ground beef filling, topped with cheese, and baked until bubbling. It is a dish that embodies the bold and complex flavors of Peruvian highland cuisine and cannot be made with any other pepper without losing its essential character.
Why this recipe works
This Rocoto Relleno Stuffed Peruvian Chili recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 75 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 420 calories with 28g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 6 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 4 whole rocoto peppers tops removed and seeded
- 400 g ground beef
- 1 whole white onion finely diced
- 2 whole hard boiled eggs chopped
- 150 g fresh white cheese or mozzarella sliced for topping
- 2 tbsp raisins
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Blanch the Rocotos
Bring a large pot of water with sugar and salt to a boil and blanch the rocoto peppers for 5 minutes, drain, and repeat this process two to three times with fresh water. This essential step reduces the extreme heat to a manageable level without removing all the pepper character.
Step 2: Prepare the Filling
Brown the ground beef with the diced onion in oil over medium high heat until cooked through and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add raisins, chopped hard boiled eggs, salt, cumin, and black pepper and stir to combine.
Step 3: Stuff and Top the Peppers
Carefully fill each blanched rocoto pepper generously with the beef filling, pressing it in firmly. Place the stuffed peppers in a greased baking dish and lay slices of cheese over the top of each pepper.
Step 4: Bake Until Golden
Bake the stuffed rocotos in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden. Serve hot with white rice and sliced boiled potatoes alongside.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- rocoto peppers → large red bell peppers mixed with a small amount of minced habanero for a much milder but similarly shaped alternative
- raisins → dried cranberries for a similar sweet contrast within the savory beef filling
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Blanching the rocotos only once which is not enough to reduce the intense heat and makes the dish nearly inedible for most people
- Overfilling the peppers and then not placing them securely in the baking dish which causes them to tip and spill during baking
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 420 calories, 28g protein, 18g carbs, 26g fat, 4g fiber.
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