Explore Guides
Local food map
Cusco (Peru)
Hotels in area
Main course
Meat
Food Flavour DNA
Nutritional Values
500kcal
30gProtein
20gCarbs
35gFat
5gFibre
300 gServing
* Per serving · 300 g. May vary.
Allergens
🥛 Dairy
Cheese Stuffed Hot Peppers
How to order / say it
Say it
Rocoto Relleno — [roh-KOH-toh reh-YEH-no]
Order
I'd like the cheese stuffed hot peppers, please.
Locally
Quisiera el rocoto relleno, por favor.
Say locally
Spicy hot peppers stuffed with a hearty cheese and meat filling.
Why try it?
Rocoto relleno is a vivid representation of Peruvian fusion culinary techniques that use New World ingredients in Old World recipes. This dish showcases Cusco's ingenuity in combining a variety of textures and flavors.
How it tastes
The filling is creamy and savory, contrasting delightfully with the spicy and slightly crisp rocoto's flesh. It's often baked with a cheesy golden top, mixing rich, spicy, and tangy flavors in each bite.
Origin & History — first documented: 1700
Rocoto relleno's roots trace back to the colonial era, initially emerging from influences of Spanish immigrants who introduced stuffed dishes. Indigenous rocoto peppers gave it a distinctly Peruvian twist, beloved for its balance of spice and heat.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 🥕 4 large rocoto peppers
- 🥛 200 g cheese
- 🥩 150 g ground beef
- 🧄 1 large onion
- 🧄 3 cloves garlic
- 🥛 100 ml milk
- 🫒 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
- 1 Hollow out peppers and parboil them.
- 2 Sauté onions, garlic, and ground beef in oil.
- 3 Mix cooked beef with cheese and stuff into peppers.
- 4 Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes.
More from Cusco
Main course
Meat
Pork and Corn Stew
Chicharrón con Mote
chee-chah-rohn kohn moh-teh
Crispy fried pork served with boiled large corn kernels.
© Wikimedia Commons
Main course
Meat
Beef and Grain Stew
Olluquito con Charqui
oy-yoo-KEE-toe kon CHAR-kee
Traditional stew made with olluco tubers and dried llama meat.
© Wikimedia Commons
Soup
Meat
Quechua Potato Soup
Chairo
CHAI-roh
A hearty soup made with potatoes, corn, and dried llama meat.
Soup
Vegetarian
Quinoa Soup
Sopa de Quinua
soh-pah de kee-noo-ah
A warming soup featuring quinoa and various Andean vegetables.
© Wikimedia Commons
Main course
Meat
Spicy Potato Stew
Carapulcra
Kah-rah-POOL-krah
A spicy and hearty potato stew flavored with Andean spices
© Wikimedia Commons
Main course
Fish & Seafood
Fried Trout
Trucha Frita
TROO-cha free-tah
Fried trout served with golden potatoes and salad.
© Wikimedia Commons
Starter
Vegetarian
Papa a la Huancaína
PAH-pah ah lah whahn-kah-EE-nah
Boiled potatoes with a spicy, creamy cheese sauce
🌿
Soup
Vegetarian
Corn Soup
Chupe de Maíz
CHOO-pay day MA-eess
Creamy corn soup enriched with Andean spices and cheese.
© Wikimedia Commons
Drink
Vegetarian
Peruvian Corn Beer
Chicha de Jora
CHEE-chah deh HO-rah
A fermented beverage made from jora corn, deeply rooted in Andean culture.
© Wikimedia Commons
Main course
Meat
Peruvian Pot Roast
Adobo
ah-DO-boh
Peruvian pork stew marinated with vinegar and spices.