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    Home » Recipes

    Baked Chile Rellenos

    Published: Jun 26, 2020 · Modified: Jun 18, 2022 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

    These Easy Baked Chile Rellenos will quickly become a favorite dinner or appetizer recipe. If you love Chile Rellenos, you have to try the baked version. Fresh poblano peppers, A LOT of cheese, and a homemade tomato salsa sauce make this dish irresistible.

    baked-chile-rellenos-in-a-pan-with-avocado-sour-cream-chips-and-cilantro
    Jump to Recipe

    Most of you know by now I LOVE Mexican food. And Cheese. I also really enjoy Chile Rellenos but I don't love frying things at home. It's messy and smelly and honestly, I'm not that great at it. This baked version is so good and just a little bit better for you since there is no frying involved. Oh, and this version can be all vegetarian. I'll take it!

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    What are Chile Rellenos?

    Chile Rellenos translates to "stuffed peppers" from Spanish and originated in the city of Puebla, Mexico. Traditionally, they are roasted peppers stuffed with cheese and/or meat, dipped in an egg batter, and fried. They are usually served with red or green salsa or sauce. Traditional Chile Rellenos are REALLY delicious, but they also pack a lot of calories, especially the fried version.

    What's different in the baked version of chile rellenos?

    Well, to state the obvious, they are baked and not fried! This makes the dish a little bit healthier and less messy to make. Since they are baked, there is no egg batter or crispy outside like the traditional dish. This recipe also only uses cheese as the stuffing, so it's vegetarian friendly, but you could add shredded beef or chorizo or more veggies if you wanted to.

    What kind of peppers should you use?

    I use poblano peppers which is the most common pepper to use. But you could also use Anaheim chile peppers or hatch chile peppers. Either of those options has a little more heat, so be prepared for that. Poblano peppers are easy to find, are pretty sturdy even after roasting, and tend to grow pretty large. This makes stuffing them easier as well and you can put more goodies inside...yum!

    How to roast and peel the poblano peppers

    Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with tin foil. Wash and rinse your peppers and place them on the foil. Don't worry if they are still damp, it will help steam them. Place the baking sheet on the highest rack in your oven under the broiler on HIGH. Roast them for 5 minutes and then flip them over. Repeat this two more times for a total roasting time of 15 minutes. Remove the roasted peppers from the oven and place them in a sealable plastic bag to steam for 10 minutes. Be careful, they are hot! After 10 minutes, remove the skin with your fingers. The skin is bitter, burnt, and has a weird texture so get as much as you can. If there is a tiny bit left, don't worry about it.

    roasted poblano pepper skins
    Roasted Poblano Pepper Skins

    How to make the homemade tomato salsa or sauce

    This vegetable salsa is so easy and so versatile. Place all of the salsa ingredients into a saucepan on the stove over med-high heat. Cook until the mixture comes to a boil and then turn off the heat. Add the mixture to a food processor or blender (again, be careful because it's hot!) and pulse a few times to smooth out the salsa. Don't overdo it or you won't have any chunks of veggies to enjoy (unless that's what you like). Any leftover salsa at the end of the dish you can scoop up with a tortilla chip or two.

    roasted-poblano-peppers-stuffed-with-cheese-in-a-pan-covered-with-cheese-and-salsa

    What type of cheese to use

    Make sure you pick cheese or cheeses that melt nicely. I used a mixture of queso fresco (found in the Mexican cheese section at your grocery store), sharp cheddar cheese, and mozzarella. All of these cheeses melt perfectly and the combination is quite delicious. Of course, you can use whatever cheese you like or have on hand. Pepper jack cheese would also be delicious and add even more pepper flavor!

    Can you make these with meat or other stuffing?

    Of course, you can! Although this version is vegetarian, the next time I make these I am going to add my Mexican Shredded Beef to them. You could also add chorizo, chicken, tofu, or more roasted veggies to keep it vegetarian. If you try something different, tell me all about it!

    What equipment do you need to make Baked Chile Rellenos?

    For these Baked Chile Rellenos, you are going to need a baking sheet, a food processor or blender, a medium saucepan, and an oven-safe pan or dish. I used my cast iron pan and it worked perfectly. I also serve this dish right out of the cast-iron pan when it's just the two of us. You will also need some basics like a cheese grater and a knife for cutting up veggies.

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    More Mexican inspired recipes to try!

    • Mexican Pizza Recipe
    • Easy Chile Relleno Enchiladas
    • Air Fryer Taquitos
    • Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef
    • Frozen Strawberry Coconut Margaritas
    baked chile rellenos in a cast iron pan with chips, sour cream and avocado

    Baked Chile Rellenos

    This Baked Chile Relleno recipe is so easy and deliciuos you won't miss the frying!
    5 from 47 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 3 servings
    Calories: 390kcal
    Author: EmilyFabulous

    Equipment

    • baking sheet
    • aluminum foil
    • sealable plastic bag
    • food processor or blender
    • cast-iron pan or oven-safe dish/pan

    Ingredients

    • 3-4 large poblano peppers
    • 3 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of queso fresco, cheddar, and mozzarella)

    Tomato Salsa Sauce

    • 1 14.5 ounce can tomatoes (crushed or diced)
    • ½ medium onion, diced
    • 1 4 ounce can diced green chilies
    • ¼ cup vegetable broth (or chicken if not making vegetarian)
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced

    Garnishes

    • 3-4 sprigs green onions, chopped
    • avocado
    • sour cream

    Instructions

    • Put the poblano peppers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place the baking sheet on the highest rack in the oven and broil on high for 15 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.
      poblano pepper on a baking sheet with tin foil for roasting
    • Once the peppers have roasted, remove them from the oven and place them in a sealable plastic bag for 10 minutes to steam.
      roasted poblano peppers on a baking sheet with tin foil
    • Turn on the oven to 375°F to continue warming.
    • While the peppers are roasting, add all of the sauce ingredients to a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil.
      salsa for baked chile rellenos before cooking and pureeing
    • Add the sauce to a food processor and pulse about 10 times to smooth out the sauce but still leave a few chunks of vegetables.
      salsa for baked chile rellenos in food processor
    • Place about ⅔ of the sauce at the bottom of a cast-iron skillet or oven-safe pan/dish.
    • Remove the peppers from the plastic bag, cut a slit in the side, and remove the seeds and top stem. Flip the pepper over and peel off as much charred skin as you can. Be careful, the peppers are still hot!
      roasted poblano pepper cut open to show seeds
    • Flip the pepper back over and fill it with a generous amount of cheese. I used a mix of queso fresco, sharp cheddar, and mozzarella.
      roasted poblano pepper cut open and stuffed with cheese
    • Roll up the sides of the pepper and place it open side down in the pan with the sauce. Don’t worry if it breaks a little, it will be covered with more sauce and cheese.
      roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese in a pan with salsa
    • Cover the cheese-stuffed peppers in the pan with the rest of the sauce and cheese.
      roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese in a pan with salsa (1)
    • Bake the rellenos in the oven at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and serve with chopped green onion, avocado, and sour cream. Enjoy!
      baked chile rellenos in a cast iron pan topped with green onion and avocado

    Notes

    • nutrition facts without optional toppings

    Nutrition

    Serving: 3servings | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.9g | Protein: 35.6g | Fat: 24.4g | Saturated Fat: 14.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 619mg | Fiber: 6.4g | Sugar: 5.3g | Calcium: 1042mg | Iron: 1mg

    Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

    baked chile rellenos in a cast iron pan with avocado, sour cream and lime
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    Did you make these Baked Chile Relllenos? Show me!

    Thank you for checking out my recipe! If you get a chance to make these Baked Chile Rellenos, tag me on Instagram or Facebook. You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my mailing list to get even more fun and delicious recipes right in your inbox.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judy Heikkinen says

      January 08, 2021 at 9:10 pm

      5 stars
      I'm planning my dinner menu for the week and this is definitely going to be on it. Lucky me. Thanks for the great recipe.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        January 09, 2021 at 12:53 am

        Good, you are going to love it!! We make it all the time.

        Reply
    2. Jen Talley says

      June 28, 2020 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      I can't wait to try this recipe! Looks delicious!

      Reply
    3. Debra says

      June 28, 2020 at 2:44 am

      5 stars
      MExican is our favorite cuisine. These look amazing and will be a great addition to our collection.

      Reply
    4. Mama Maggie's Kitchen says

      June 28, 2020 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      This Baked Chile Rellenos looks SO deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right now!

      Reply
    5. Leslie says

      June 27, 2020 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      I'm ALWAYS in the mood for a good Mexican dish. Your Baked Chile Rellenos looks like perfection!

      Reply
    6. Chef Dennis says

      June 27, 2020 at 11:10 am

      5 stars
      I have to make this for dinner tonight! Looks really yummy!

      Reply
    7. Marina says

      June 27, 2020 at 10:17 am

      5 stars
      Love baked chilli, looks so delicious I will definitely try it out. Perfect for sharing with friends

      Reply
    8. Amy says

      June 27, 2020 at 5:08 am

      5 stars
      I have never tried this before and it was so delicious! My family want to have this for dinner again next week!

      Reply
    9. Christie Gagnon says

      June 26, 2020 at 10:42 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my,, this looks scrumptious!

      Reply
    10. Michele Peterson says

      June 26, 2020 at 10:16 pm

      5 stars
      Sooo much easier to bake these chile rellenos rather than fry them as I usually do! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        June 27, 2020 at 1:01 am

        IT's way easier but still so tasty!

        Reply
    11. Yaniris says

      June 26, 2020 at 5:24 pm

      Oh I gotta try this!

      Reply
    12. Andrea says

      June 26, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      Oh my goodness! This look delicious!!!

      Reply
    13. Erin says

      June 26, 2020 at 4:27 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe looks amazing! My family absolutely loves Chile Rellenos! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    14. Sue says

      June 26, 2020 at 3:41 pm

      5 stars
      Stuffed peppers are delicious, I love that you can make them vegetarian or meat-filled. This Mexican version is delicious!!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Emily! I'm excited to share my passions, experiments, and fun with you. I love to cook, bake, create recipes, mix cocktails and try new things!

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