Rocoto Relleno Stuffed Peruvian Chili
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.
Fiery rocoto peppers stuffed with spiced ground beef and melted cheese baked until golden and bubbling in the oven.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
Main
Filling
Topping
Instructions
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.
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.
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.
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.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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