Poblano peppers remind of Mexico in all its glory. They are used in so many authentic dishes including rajas con queso (poblano strips and cheese) and chile rellenos. One of my favorite ways to enjoy these peppers is to take a minimalist approach and simply stuff them with cheese. One bit and I am transported to the hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant where I was introduced to these bad boys. Truth be told, poblanos were off my radar for a while, but recently, as I placed an assortment of bell peppers in my shopping cart, the poblanos caught my eye and I immediately fell back in love. Now they’ve become a weekly staple in our casa.
Easy and cheesy
The beauty of this recipe is that once you’ve mastered stuffing and roasting poblano peppers, you can get all sorts of creative and fill them with black beans, chicken, rice, ground beef or whatever you’re craving. I’ve stuffed poblanos with so many different things it’s hard to remember all the ways I’ve served them over the years. The version I’m sharing today is my absolute favorite for two reasons: 1. I love cheese; 2. It is so easy. I usually have the peppers washed, stuffed and on the baking sheet before my oven is even preheated! Who doesn’t love a true under five-minute prep recipe on a Wednesday evening? Plus, for some reason they seem fancier than they actually are making you feel like a super star chef! Score!
What is a poblano pepper?
Poblano peppers are large, dark green and heart shaped and are used in many authentic Mexican dishes. They are a mild pepper, although I do find that some of them can be a bit spicy, but nothing like a jalapeño. Poblanos can be dried, coated and fried, used in mole sauces, roasted and peeled, canned…you get the idea. That chili relleno you always order at your favorite Mexican joint—that’s a stuffed, battered and fried poblano pepper! Who knew? They sell poblanos in my local supermarket right alongside the bell peppers and jalapeños. Hopefully you will have no problem finding them!
Do I need to remove the skins?
Many recipes call for roasting poblanos and then removing the skins. As poblano peppers roast their skin will char and peel off easily. While I tend to remove the skins when making rajas or chile rellenos, for this recipe it is unnecessary. I’m aiming for super-duper easy, so keep the skins on and dig in!
Get stuffing!
I hope you find these stuffed poblano peppers as tasty and easy as I do. They are one of my go-to side dishes when company is coming over and want something quick yet impressive. I’m always surprised by how many people have never had stuffed poblanos. If you’re looking for some other simple veggie ideas, try Broiled Asparagus, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe or these Blistered Sweet Mini Peppers. As always, let me know how your Stuffed Poblano Peppers come out by leaving a comment below. Buen provecho! Enjoy!
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- cooking spray of choice
- 4 poblano peppers
- 1½-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (depending on size of poblanos)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp chili powder
- pinch of cayenne pepper (optional if you want them a little spicy)
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Cut the tops off the poblanos. Remove seeds and ribs (I pull out the seed core out by hand and then wash away any remaining seeds). Make sure to keep the pepper and its top together.
- In a bowl, combine and mix cheese with spices. Stuff peppers with cheese mixture leaving about ½ inch from the top free (if you over stuff much of the cheese will spill out as it cooks). Use an oven safe toothpick to loosely secure the top of the pepper. Arrange the poblanos on the prepared baking sheet. Roast peppers for 22-25 minutes, until the skin starts to char and bubble in places. It’s normal for some of the cheese to ooze out as it cooks. Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes and serve.
Notes
- You can use another type of shredded cheese, but I prefer sharp cheddar.
- You could also roast these on a hot grill (still keep the foil under them), but the timing will vary depending on how hot your grill is and how often you open it to check on them.
- Once you’ve mastered stuffing and roasting poblano peppers, you can get creative and adapt this recipe to your liking.
