Arroz Tapado (Rice-On-Top)
Arroz Tapado (Rice-On-Top) layers fluffy white rice with a savory Peruvian filling of seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, onions, and spices, punctuated by peas, carrots, and crispy fried potatoes. The mixture offers gentle heat from aji chile, a touch of richness from peanut butter, and pops of freshness from herbs. Serve it unmolded for a striking, comforting meal perfect for family dinners or casual gatherings.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook55 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
- 1
Bring the rice and 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
- 2
Place the egg in a saucepan and cover it with water by 1 inch. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove from the heat and let the egg sit in the hot water for 15 minutes.
- 3
Pour off the hot water, cool the egg under cold running water in the sink, peel once cold, chop the egg, and set it aside in a small bowl.
- 4
Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Deep-fry the potato cubes until golden brown, about 5 minutes; drain on paper towels and set aside.
- 5
Place the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water in a blender and blend until the tomatoes are liquefied (peel and seed first, if desired).
- 6
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring, the onion, garlic, aji chile powder, cumin, black pepper, and oregano until the onion begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes; pour in the pureed tomatoes and simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring often.
- 7
Mix in the ground beef and carrots, and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes, breaking the meat into small chunks as it cooks.
- 8
Stir in the chopped hard-cooked egg, peas, and peanut butter until fully combined, then gently fold in the cubes of fried potato.
- 9
To assemble, oil a flexible plastic bowl (at least 1-cup size) and press cooked rice into the bottom to fill 1/3 of the bowl. Add about a 3/4-inch layer of the meat mixture over the rice, then top with more cooked rice to fill the bowl. With an oiled hand, gently press the rice to compact the mixture; place a serving plate on top of the bowl, flip, and unmold the rice-and-meat form. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, and garnish each serving with sprinkles of cilantro, chopped tomato, and small dollops of ketchup.
- Calories 806.83 kcal High
- Protein 25.2 g Good Source
- Carbs 78.8 g Moderate
- Total Fat 44.49 g High
- Saturated Fat 7.87 g High
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source
- Cholesterol 82.88 mg High
- Sodium 479.81 mg High
- Fiber 7.04 g Good Source
- Sugar 12.25 g High
- Added Sugar 6.8 g Moderate
- Calcium 83.41 mg Low Source
- Iron 5.26 mg Good Source
- Potassium 471.24 mg Moderate
- Vitamin A 155.34 mcg_rae Moderate
- Vitamin C 18.46 mg Good Source
- Vitamin D 0.3 mcg Low Source
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Peanuts 🥜
- Eggs 🥚
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Arroz Tapado (Rice On Top) is a Peruvian dinner recipe made with 19 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins, serves 6, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Diced Carrots, Diced Tomatoes, and Diced Yellow Onion. Each serving provides about 806.83 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Arroz Tapado (Rice-On-Top)?
- It is a Peruvian recipe made with 19 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Arroz Tapado (Rice-On-Top) made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Diced Carrots, Diced Tomatoes, Diced Yellow Onion, Dried Chile Peppers. The full list of 19 is above.
- What goes well with Arroz Tapado (Rice-On-Top)?
- Explore these Peruvian side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Arroz Tapado (Rice-On-Top)?
- About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 55 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 806.83 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Arroz Tapado (Rice-On-Top) easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 19 ingredients and 9 steps.
How easyChef Pro Scores This Recipe
easyChef Pro gives every recipe a health score from 0 to 100, built from more than 30 nutritional parameters including nutrient density, energy density and glycemic impact. It calculates rather than estimates, so the same recipe returns the same score every time.
The number is traceable. You can see exactly which nutrient moved it, so a dish scoring 78 might show fiber pushing it up while sodium pulls it down, alongside the NOVA processing level of each ingredient.
Your health goal changes the calculation itself, not just a filter. easyChef Pro applies clinically derived weighting across six health dimensions, which is why the same dish can score well for one goal and poorly for another.
Swap an ingredient or change the serving size and that math changes with it. Scoring your own version is the only way to see what your kitchen actually produces.
Modified this recipe?
Changing ingredients or serving sizes changes the nutrition profile. Score your own version with easyChef Pro to see how it compares.