Rocoto Relleno (Peruvian Stuffed Spicy Peppers)

About This Recipe

Rocoto relleno comes from Arequipa in southern Peru, using rocoto peppers, a notably fiery variety that requires careful preparation to tame their heat before they're stuffed with a savory ground beef filling. The peppers are parboiled multiple times, sometimes with a bit of sugar in the water, a traditional technique to draw out some of their intense capsaicin heat while preserving their distinct fruity flavor. Filled with ground beef, raisins, olives and hard-boiled egg — a filling similar to that used in many Peruvian empanadas and pastries — the peppers are topped with cheese and baked until bubbling, resulting in a dish that balances real heat with savory-sweet complexity.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 8rocoto peppers(tops cut off and seeded)
• 2 tbspsugar(for parboiling)
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 1onion(diced)
• 400 gground beef
• 2 tbspaji panca paste
• 1/3 cupraisins
• 1/4 cupblack olives(chopped)
• 2hard-boiled eggs(chopped)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1.5 cupsshredded queso fresco or mozzarella

Instructions

1. 1

   Parboil the peppers

   Boil the peppers whole in water with sugar for 5 minutes, drain, repeat with fresh water two more times to reduce their heat, then drain and cool.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Heat oil and cook onion until soft, then add ground beef, browning until cooked through.

3. 3

   Season

   Stir in aji panca paste, cumin and salt, cooking 2 minutes.

   Repeat the parboiling step multiple times with fresh water — this is what tames the rocoto's intense heat while keeping its flavor.

4. 4

   Add mix-ins

   Stir in raisins, olives and chopped hard-boiled egg.

5. 5

   Stuff the peppers

   Fill each parboiled pepper generously with the beef mixture.

6. 6

   Top and bake

   Top each pepper with shredded cheese and bake at 190C/375F for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve hot, ideally with a side of causa or potato.

Variations

• •

  A milder version uses bell peppers instead of rocoto for those sensitive to heat.

• •

  Some versions top the peppers with a bechamel sauce instead of just cheese.

• •

  A vegetarian filling with mushrooms and cheese can replace the ground beef.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat covered in a 180C/350F oven until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions