Skip to content

Meat, Americas

Rocoto relleno with scalloped potatoes

Rocoto relleno is a dish of peppers stuffed with ground beef, olives, raisins, and hard boiled eggs, topped with melted Gruyère and served with scalloped potatoes. For 4 people, it takes 85 minutes and medium skill, at about €3.70 per serving. Success depends on blanching the peppers first and balancing the sweet and savory filling.

Tonight, we're stuffing peppers Arequipa style with a rocoto relleno, served with scalloped potatoes.

Rocoto relleno with scalloped potatoes
Total time
1 h 25
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.70
Calories per person
500 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Rocoto relleno brings together a beef filling seasoned with cumin, sweetened by raisins, and balanced with the saltiness of black olives. Chopped hard boiled eggs add softness in the middle of the meat, while melted Gruyère forms a golden crust on top. It's a hearty dish that makes a nice change from the usual stuffed peppers.

It fits well into an evening when you have a bit more time to cook, or a family Sunday, kids usually love the sweet and savory filling along with the scalloped potatoes served alongside. It's also an easy way to introduce a South American dish without hunting for unusual ingredients, everything comes from a regular grocery store.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red bell peppers 4
  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Potatoes 800 g

Butcher

  • Ground beef 500 g

Pantry

  • Black olivesoften in the pantry 12
  • Raisinsoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Hard boiled eggs 2
  • Shredded Gruyère 120 g
  • Milk 10 cl

Allergens Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut off the tops of the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes, and blanch them in boiling water. 5 min

    Keep the tops, you'll use them as lids over the filling.

  2. Cook the chopped onions and garlic, then add the beef, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. 12 min

    Let the meat brown well before adding the spices, they release more flavor that way.

  3. Off the heat, stir in the olives, raisins, and chopped hard boiled eggs, then fill the peppers.

    The raisins give the dish its signature sweet and savory balance.

  4. Top with Gruyère, place the peppers in a baking dish, and bake at 190°C. 30 min

    Cover with foil for the first ten minutes so the peppers cook through without blackening.

  5. Meanwhile, cook the sliced potatoes, layer them in a dish with the milk and the remaining Gruyère, and bake until golden. 25 min

    Add a pinch of nutmeg to the milk, it makes a real difference.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick peppers that are upright and sturdy, they stand better in the dish and are easier to stuff.
  • Drain the filling well before stuffing the peppers, too much liquid makes them soggy in the oven.
  • Serve the dish right out of the oven, the melted Gruyère on top is best while it's still stretchy.

The variations

  • Swap the ground beef for ground pork, the filling turns milder and still pairs nicely with the raisins.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with cooked lentils and chopped mushrooms sautéed with the same spices.
  • For a quicker version, skip blanching the peppers and stuff them raw, just add ten extra minutes to the oven time.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with lemon
  • Plain white rice
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

Rocoto relleno keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well once cooled, though the scalloped potatoes hold up less well frozen. Reheat in the oven at 160°C until the center is hot through.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the filling ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the filling the day before and keep it in the fridge. Just stuff the peppers and bake them when you're ready to eat.

Which peppers work best for this recipe?

Red bell peppers are the sweetest and mildest, they balance the seasoned filling well. Yellow peppers also work if you prefer a lighter flavor.

Can you swap out the black olives?

You can use pitted green olives instead, they add a sharper taste. Avoid strongly flavored olives that might overpower the filling.

Do kids usually like this dish?

Yes, the sweet and savory mix of raisins and olives tends to soften the taste of the meat for younger palates. The scalloped potatoes on the side are almost always a hit with kids too.

How long does it take to make stuffed peppers in the style of rocoto relleno, served with scalloped potatoes?

Count 1 h 25 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in stuffed peppers in the style of rocoto relleno, served with scalloped potatoes?

About 500 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does stuffed peppers in the style of rocoto relleno, served with scalloped potatoes cost?

About €3.70 per serving, or €14.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

American Cuisines

See all

Beef recipes

See all