Peruvian Arroz Tapado with Ground Bison
This elevated Peruvian Arroz Tapado is a modern twist on a traditional, rustic, everyday classic Peruvian dish. It features fragrant basmati rice layered with savory ground bison, olives, raisins, chopped peanuts. Finished with a drizzle of creamy huancaína sauce, it’s a comforting yet elegant twist on a beloved classic that is easy enough for weeknights and impressive enough for a dinner party!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – What is Arroz Tapado?
Arroz tapado is a classic Peruvian comfort food made by layering seasoned rice with a savory ground meat filling, then inverting the mold onto a plate (similar to this causa). The name literally means “covered rice” or “hidden rice,” referring to the meat filling concealed between two layers of rice.
The filling is traditionally made with ground beef sautéed with onions, garlic, ají panca, and spices, then studded with hard-boiled eggs, olives, and raisins. The rice is usually plain white rice, allowing the flavorful filling to take center stage. Once assembled in a bowl or mold, the dish is turned out so it holds its shape, revealing the layered cross-section when cut.
This traditional dish reflects the influence of Spanish cuisine on Peru. Its filling resembles the picadillo found throughout Latin America and Spain, but the distinctive molded presentation and Peruvian seasonings – especially the ají panca – give it its own identity. Today, it’s a popular home-cooked meal served throughout Peru, often accompanied by salsa criolla or a simple salad.
My spin on arroz tapado swaps out ground beef with rich, grass-fed ground bison, and replaces standard white rice with simple Peruvian rice using fluffy, fragrant basmati rice. The filling is very similar to the filling in my rocoto relleno recipe which includes chopped peanuts, raisins, and crumbled cotija. I elevate the dish with a generous drizzle of salsa de huancaína. Lastly, the garnish of a sliver of hard-cooked egg, sliced olive, and chopped cilantro provides a hint of the most rustic and traditional arroz tapado we’ve had in Peru!
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
NOTE: I LOVE Aleppo pepper for brightening up the avocado in the photos!
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🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
NOTE: Prior to layering the arroz tapado, you want to have the Peruvian rice, ground bison mixture, and garnishes like the salsa criolla and huancaína sauce prepared. This dish is served warm rather than hot. If you’re serving with sliced avocado, save that for last!
- Make the huancaína sauce – If you’re including the optional salsa de hauncaína sauce, make it first. NOTE: The sauce can be quite thick. I thin it out with a little milk or olive oil to make it a little looser. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until smooth, and taste/adjust salt and pepper. Set aside if using soon, or refrigerate. Bring to room temperature if possible before drizzling the arroz tapado.
- Start the rice – Sauté the rice, fresh garlic, ground cumin, and salt in the olive oil over medium-high heat until the garlic and rice begin show some golden brown, and the mixture is very fragrant. DO NOT BURN IT!
- When the rice and garlic are nicely toasted, add the broth or water, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low; simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, but keep it covered. Allow the rice to rest 5 – 10 minutes for any remaining liquid to absorb.
- Start the ground meat mixture – If you’re using lean ground bison as recommended, you’ll want a drizzle of oil or cooking spray in the saucepan. Brown the ground bison in a skillet with a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ground cumin, and oregano. Sauté until onion is transparent, and mixture is fragrant. NOTE: I love this meat chopper to break up the meat.
- Finish the ground meat mixture – Stir in the ají panca and ají amarillo paste. Sauté until toasty and fragrant – 1 to 2 minutes. De-glaze with the broth, wine, or dry sherry. Add the raisins. Simmer until little or no liquid remains. NOTE: Simmering the raisins with the liquid softens them up without making them mushy.
- Add the cooked rice for the first layer – Divide the cooked rice evenly among the four servings. Working with one mold at a time, spoon about one-half of the total cooked rice for that serving into the bottom of the mold, reserving an equal amount to cover the filling. Press firmly.NOTE: My ring mold set does 1 at a time. I don’t measure, but I make each layer of my 3.5 inch ring mold about 1/2 inch thick.
- Add the meat layer – Divide the bison filling evenly among the four molds, spreading it over the rice. Press firmly.
- Garnish the meat layer with a quarter slice of hard-cooked egg, and an olive sliced in half.
- Top with the remaining rice, and press firmly.
- Finish the arroz tapado – Drizzle with huancaína sauce as desired. NOTE: The sauce can be quite thick. I thin it out with a little milk or olive oil to make it a little looser. Garnish with an additional slice of hard-cooked egg, additional olives (or tiny tomatoes) and chopped cilantro.
garnished with hard-cooked egg, olives, and cilantro. We love it paired with
sliced avocado and salsa criolla! Provecho!
❓FAQ
A ring mold is a stainless steel, bottomless cylinder used to shape foods into neat, uniform rounds. It’s perfect for molding layered dishes like arroz tapado before gently lifting the ring away for an elegant presentation. Mine includes a fitted press, and a transfer plate which really simplifies the process!
Use a small bowl or ramekin instead. Pack in the rice and filling firmly, then invert it onto a serving plate. It won’t be as pretty, but it will taste just as good!
I used a 3 1/2 inch ring mold to create the clean, layered presentation you see in the photos. At home, you can achieve the same delicious results by packing the rice and filling into a small bowl or ramekin and inverting it onto a plate.
I use basmati rice (I love its fragrance and fluffiness). The liquid to rice ratio is 1:2. Adjust the liquid if using a different variety of rice according to the instructions.
If you don’t have (or don’t want to buy) a ring mold, a ramekin of similar size (3.5 to 4 inches diameter) can work. Pack in the rice and filling, then invert it onto a serving plate. Alternatively, you may choose to layer the rice and meat mixture into
1 serving bowl for a more casual presentation.
As shown in the photos, I love colorful food! I love the way Aleppo pepper brightens up the avocado slices!
This ground bison filling – with its Peruvian flavors – is delicious for any stuffed vegetables (bell peppers, poblanos, zucchini, etc.). You might want to consider doubling the meat mixture, and freezing half for a future use!
Arroz Tapado with Bison Recipe
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Equipment
- culinary squeeze bottles for the huancaína sauce drizzle
- 3.5 inch ring mold set with fitted press and transfer plate
Ingredients
Simple Peruvian Rice
- ½ cup uncooked basmati rice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup broth or water* - I like chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon salt and ground pepper
Ground Meat Layer
- a drizzle of oil
- 8 ounces lean ground bison - see Ingredient Notes in post
- 1 small red onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons ají panca paste
- 1 tablespoon ají amarillo paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- ¼ cup broth, wine, or dry sherry - to de-glaze
- 2 ounces golden raisins - regular raisins or currants
- 2 ounces pitted kalamata olives, sliced lengthwise - or Peruvian black olives
- 2 hard-cooked eggs - cut in quarters
- 1 ¼ ounces cotija, crumbled - or parmesan
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
Add Ons
- huancaína sauce - drizzle over completed arroz tapado
- chopped cilantro - simple Peruvian rice and arroz tapado garnish
- hard-cooked eggs - arroz tapado garnish
- olives - arroz tapado garnish
- sliced avocado - arroz tapado garnish
- salsa criolla
Instructions
Simple Peruvian Rice
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice, onion, ground cumin, and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, and onion is translucent.
- Add broth or water, and salt and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, but keep it covered. Allow the rice to rest 5 – 10 minutes for any remaining liquid to absorb. Add cilantro if using.
Ground Meat Mixture
- Brown the ground bison in a skillet with a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ground cumin, and oregano. Sauté until onion is transparent, and mixture is fragrant.
- Stir in the ají panca and ají amarillo paste. Sauté until toasty and fragrant – 1 to 2 minutes. De-glaze with the broth, wine, or dry sherry. Add the raisins. Simmer until little or no liquid remains.
- Stir in olives, chopped peanuts, and cotija.
Arroz Tapado Assembly
- Use approximately ⅛ of the rice for the first layer, and press firmly into the ring mold.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
