Vibrant Peruvian Rocoto Relleno

Name: Vibrant Peruvian Rocoto Relleno
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: 4 large rocoto peppers; 2 tablespoons olive oil; Salt to taste; 1 cup quinoa; 2 cups vegetable broth; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 cup corn kernels; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 cup queso fresco; 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 tablespoon yellow chili paste; 1/4 cup heavy cream

Stuffed Spicy Peppers with Quinoa and Cheese

A vibrant and spicy dish, Rocoto Relleno combines the fiery rocoto peppers with a hearty filling of quinoa and cheese, perfect for lovers of bold flavors.

1 h 30 min
4
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Peppers

4 large rocoto peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt to taste

For the Quinoa Filling

1 cup quinoa

rinsed

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion

diced

2 cloves garlic

minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup corn kernels

fresh or frozen

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Cheese Mixture

1 cup queso fresco

crumbled

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

shredded

For the Sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

1 tablespoon yellow chili paste

1/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Marinating the Peppers

Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Prepare the Peppers

Carefully slice the tops off the rocoto peppers and remove the seeds.

Be cautious when handling rocoto peppers—they can be very spicy. For a milder dish, consider blanching the peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes before using.

Season the Peppers

Rub the peppers with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.

Preparing the Quinoa Filling

Cook the Quinoa

In a medium pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until cooked—about 15 minutes.

Sauté Aromatics

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent.

Combine Ingredients

Add the cooked quinoa, cumin, and corn to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Cooking Process

Stuff the Peppers

Fill each rocoto pepper with the quinoa mixture until half full, then add a layer of the cheese mixture, followed by more quinoa.

Bake

Place the stuffed peppers in a baking dish, cover with the tomato sauce mixture, and bake for 40 minutes.

Reduce the Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, yellow chili paste, and cream. Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened.

Plating & Serving