These mouthwatering homemade vegetarian Easy Baked Chile Relleno Enchiladas are made entirely from scratch, from the delicious sauce to the roasted peppers and generous cheese filling. With a surprisingly simple process, they are bound to become a loved staple in your household.
Jump to:
- Why I Love These Baked Chile Relleno Enchiladas
- Is it "Chile" or "Chili"?
- What Kind of Chile Pepper to Use
- How to Roast the Peppers In the Oven
- What if I Don't Want a Spicy Sauce?
- What Cheese Works Best with This Recipe?
- How to Serve Chile Relleno Enchiladas?
- How to Make Chile Powder From Dried Chiles
- More of My Mexican-inspired recipes:
- Baked Chile Relleno Enchiladas
Why I Love These Baked Chile Relleno Enchiladas
I love all enchiladas and this Baked Chile Relleno Enchilada recipe is one of my absolute favorites because it's easy to make, full of cheesy goodness, and can be made with any filling you like or have on hand. If this recipe sounds good you should also check out my Easy Chilaquiles Rojas and my Baked Chile Rellenos.
These mouthwatering homemade vegetarian Easy Chile Relleno Enchiladas are made entirely from scratch, like my Red Chile Pork Tamales. From the delectable sauce to the roasted peppers and generous cheese filling, they are bound to become a beloved staple in your household.
Is it "Chile" or "Chili"?
I grew up in Arizona so I am more familiar with "chile" It's more commonly used in the Southwest and comes from Mexico. "Chili" is usually used to describe the soup with beans. They are interchangeable from what I can tell (I may have even interchanged them in this post).
What Kind of Chile Pepper to Use
There is nothing better than a fresh, roasted pepper in this dish! I use poblano peppers but you could also use Anaheim chile peppers or hatch chile peppers.
If you can't find peppers or don't feel like roasting your own, you could always use the canned roasted chiles and still have a delicious meal.
How to Roast the Peppers In the Oven
It may seem intimidating, but roasting your own peppers is very easy. Take your clean peppers and place them on a baking sheet lined with foil.
Place them in the oven on the highest rack and turn your broiler on high. Roast for 5 minutes, flip, and then roast for another 5 minutes, flip one more time on the side that needs the most charring for 5 more minutes.
After roasting you will place the peppers in a plastic bag for 10 minutes to steam them. After 10 minutes, the skins will come right off (be careful, they are hot!) using tongs or your fingers.
What if I Don't Want a Spicy Sauce?
You can use less ground chile powder or use regular chili powder from the spice aisle in the grocery store. It's much less spicy but still adds flavor.
You can also omit the spice altogether. There are a lot of enchilada sauce recipes out there that don't add any spice or chile flavor.
What Cheese Works Best with This Recipe?
For the best enchiladas, you want to use a cheese that is nice and melty. I used a blend of cheddar, Monterey, and queso fresco.
I like the sharpness of the cheddar, the melty texture of the Monterey, and the saltiness of the queso fresco. You can use what you have or what you like, just make sure it melts well.
How to Serve Chile Relleno Enchiladas?
These enchiladas really can be a meal just by themselves. But, if you want to add a side dish, Mexican rice or beans would be an authentic touch.
For garnishes, I recommend chopped green onions, sour cream, and sliced avocado. The sour cream and avocado add a nice creaminess and can help tame the heat from the sauce or the peppers. Chopped green onion adds a nice crunch and freshness. You could also add diced red onion or cilantro.
How to Make Chile Powder From Dried Chiles
For a truly authentic flavor, I highly recommend making your own chili powder using dried chiles instead of relying on generic store-bought options. It's a straightforward process that involves grinding the dried chiles in a mini coffee/spice grinder for just a couple of minutes.
You can find dried chiles in the Mexican section of your local grocery store, and by using a combination of different varieties, you can create an interesting and unique blend of flavors. If you prefer milder heat, make sure to remove the seeds before grinding.
More of My Mexican-inspired recipes:
If you get a chance to make these Chile Rellano Enchiladas, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
Baked Chile Relleno Enchiladas
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce
- 2 medium tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 1 small onion, cut into quarters
- 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons chile powder (see notes on how to make your own)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups vegetable broth (you can also use chicken or beef if not making vegetarian)
- 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste (to taste and desired thickness)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce (use soy sauce for vegetarian)
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
Roasted Chili Filling
- 2 large poblano peppers (can sub Anaheim or hatch chile peppers)
- 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar, Monterey, and queso fresco)
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- 3 green onions, chopped
- sour cream for serving
- sliced avocado for serving
Instructions
- Turn the oven broiler on high and place the oven rack at its highest setting. Put the peppers on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Broil on one side for 5 minutes. Flip the peppers over and broil for another 5 minutes. Flip a third time and broil for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place the peppers in a sealable plastic bag for 10 minutes to continue to steam (during the 10 minutes, you can get your sauce going and shred your cheese if needed).
- After 10 minutes, carefully take the peppers out of the bag (they are still hot!) and place them on a cutting board. Remove the skins with tongs or your fingers if they are cool enough. Remove the seeds and stems and dice the peppers. Add the diced peppers and 1 cup of cheese in a bowl and combine. Set the bowl aside.
- In your food processor or blender, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic and blend until smooth and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over med-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the flour and whisk together for about a minute to make a roux. Slowly pour in the broth, whisking the entire time.
- Add the chili powder, salt, and cumin and continue to whisk to combine. Now add the blended tomato mixture, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and cinnamon. Stir everything to ensure it is fully combined. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower the heat to simmer. Stir the sauce occasionally as you prepare the other ingredients. After the sauce has simmered for a while, add the salt and pepper to taste. TIP: If you want a smooth sauce, you can give it another round in the food processor or blender.
- Move the oven rack to the middle setting and preheat the oven to 400ºF. Wrap your tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 60 seconds to warm them up and make them easier to roll. Keep them wrapped in paper towels until you are ready to assemble.
- Pour about a cup of the enchilada sauce at the bottom of an oven-safe pan or dish (I used my cast iron pan, but a casserole dish would work just fine too). Take each tortilla and add some of the pepper and cheese mixture to the middle, roll up and place the seam side down in your dish. Repeat until all of your enchiladas are rolled.
- Spoon more of the enchilada sauce all over the top of the tortillas to ensure all of them have been coated completely. You will probably have some leftover enchilada sauce you can save or freeze for another meal. Don't feel like you have to use it all.
- Cover the top with the rest of the cheese and place in the oven for 15 minutes. For the last 2 minutes, I put my broiler on so the cheese was nice and melted and a little browned on top.
- Remove the pan from the oven and garnish with the green onions. Serve with sour cream and avocado. Enjoy!
Notes
How to make your own dried chile Powder
- You can use the generic chili powder you get at the grocery store but I highly recommend making your own from dried chiles. It's easy and has a more authentic flavor. I make mine using my mini coffee/spice grinder. I just buy the dried chiles in the Mexican area at the grocery store and grind them up. It takes about 2 minutes and we use the chile powder on most of the Mexican dishes we make. I use a couple of different varieties of chile to make an interesting mix, or you could just choose one. Be careful, it does add heat, so you can remove the seeds before grinding if you don't want too much heat.
- You will most likely end up with extra enchilada sauce so don't feel like you have to use it all. You can always freeze for later.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Gina Abernathy says
OH! MY! Goodness! I always order chile relleno when I eat at a Mexican Restaurant. My favorite food! Thanks for the recipe.
Emily says
I do the same thing! LOL
Leah says
This Chile Relleno Enchiladas recipe sounds AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it out!
Emily says
Thank you, Leah, you are going to love it!
Alyssa Hixenbaugh says
I’m a big fan of enchiladas, especially with homemade sauce. So much better than eating out! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Emily says
Enchiladas are one of my favorites and homemade sauce makes them even better!
Sue Mae says
I am a big fan of enchiladas and these were the best I've ever had. The family is already asking to have them again!
Emily says
That makes me so happy to hear, thanks for trying my recipe!
kat says
Very very good! We used store-bought chili powder, but it was still delicious! We also added a little bit of cayenne for more kick and a little extra cinnamon because I absolutely love cinnamon in savory food. Because my boyfriend is vegetarian, we used soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce. I'm also allergic to wheat, so I used gf flour for the enchilada sauce. I don't think these changes impacted the flavor much. Since we used a 15 oz can of whole tomatoes, I added a little sugar to the enchilada sauce to balance, but I probably didn't really need to do that.
We absolutely destroyed these enchiladas and there's only two left for my lunch today. I even made some spanish rice and white queso as sides.
Emily says
Kat, I'm so glad you and your boyfriend loved these enchiladas! It sounds like you made some great swaps and subs to make them perfect for you guys. And I totally forgot Worcestershire sauce has fish sauce in it! I'll make sure to note that in the recipe :).
Enjoy your lunch today!
Fran says
I definitely have to try this for Cinco De Mayo this year! Found this recipe right on time!
Andréa Janssen says
I just love enchiladas and this recipe looks so delicious. I've never made my own Chile powder before, but I'm going to give it a try.
Emily says
Making your own chile powder is a game changer! I hope you give it a try.
Chef Dennis says
Hmmm yum! I've always loved Mexican dishes. This Chile Relleno Enchiladas looks really scrumptious! I can't wait to have this.
Patrice says
I'm an enchilada fan too. Love the spiciness of these!
Jess says
I love I can have a delicious tasting meal in less than an hour!
Amy Chung says
Love a good enchilada recipe. Glad you shared your secret relationship!
Michele Peterson says
Really delicious and so much easier than stuffing poblano peppers for chile rellenos. Thanks for the tip on making chile powder from scratch.
Sue says
These look amazing, and easier than I would have thought. Just in time for Cinco de Mayo!