Inspired by the classic Mexican dish, this Easy Poblano Chile Relleno Casserole bakes poblano peppers, cheese, and sausage into an eggy filling. It's a comforting dish for everything from brunch to dinner.
Poblanos are one of my favorite peppers to grow in the garden. They offer more flavor than bell peppers yet are nearly as mild. Poblanos are rich and earthy with a touch of smokiness. And they're the traditional pepper used to make chile rellenos, which inspired this casserole recipe.
This is not the traditional dish. Chile rellenos (stuffed chiles) are made by roasting or charring poblanos, bringing out the peppers' flavor and making them easy to peel. After peeling, the softened peppers are stuffed with cheese, coated in a batter, and deep-fried until the outside is golden and the inside is nice and melty. Here's an interesting overview of the recipe's history, and while I haven't tried it, this recipe looks worth making if you want to experience an authentic dish.
✨Why you'll love this recipe
- This chile relleno casserole is baked, not fried, like the traditional dish, which means there's less hassle and mess than deep frying. I wanted to make the dish easier and more practical for everyday home cooking.
- With eggs, cheese, peppers, and sausage, this casserole makes a good meal for any occasion - brunch, lunch, or dinner. It would be a good item to take on a picnic, too.
- Have a bunch of poblanos to use? This recipe requires eight peppers, which is helpful for gardeners looking to cook through their harvest.
Looking for more pepper recipes? You can use them in my Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes, Roasted Salsa Verde, and add them to this Chili Sin Carne.
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🫑Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this chile relleno casserole.
Key Ingredients
- Poblano peppers are good for stuffing and roasting because they're thick-skinned like bell peppers. They have an earthy and slightly smoky flavor and can come in shades of purple, black, green, and brown, as they grow and ripen. Poblanos originated from the state of Puebla, the fourth largest city in Mexico. There, they're used both fresh and dried and are one of the country’s most popular peppers. (Note: If you're wondering why the ones in my photo look different, it's because they're frozen and have some ice coating them.)
- Ground sausage will stuff the peppers, along with cheese. Use whatever variety of sausage you enjoy best.
- Cheddar cheese is in the stuffed peppers and on top of the casserole. Cheddar melts nicely, though it's not the only cheese that would work well here. Opt for a block of cheddar and grate it yourself.
- Cream cheese will keep the filling creamy and gooey.
- Eggs, along with milk, are used to make the batter in which the peppers rest. The result is similar in texture to a frittata.
- Cornmeal and flour will add substance and texture to the egg batter that makes up the casserole.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
🔥Substitutions & Variations
- Have time? Roast your poblanos. Turn the broiler to high and place whole poblano peppers on a baking sheet as closely under the broiler as you can. Allow the skins to char for 2-3 minutes per side. Rotate and repeat so that all of the skin is blackened. Place the peppers in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam. Peel as much skin off of the steamed peppers as you can. Proceed with the recipe as written.
- Make it vegetarian. Leave out the sausage. You could include more cheese or use browned and crumbled tempeh.
- Try other cheeses. Such as Queso Fresco, Monterey Jack, and Cojita. Or use a combination of cheeses.
🔪Instructions
Here's how to make this poblano chile casserole.
- Step 1: Combine the sausage, cream cheese, and half of the cheddar in a bowl. Stir to mix well.
- Step 2: In another bowl, make the batter. Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder.
- Step 3: Whisk in the milk.
- Step 4: Whisk in the eggs one at a time until the batter is smooth.
- Step 5: Cut the poblanos in half, and remove the stems and seeds. Line the bottom of a greased baking dish with half the pepper pieces.
- Step 6: Top the peppers with the sausage and cheese filling.
- Step 7: Cover with the remaining pepper halves.
- Step 8: Pour the batter over the top of the peppers. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to settle the batter around the peppers.
- Step 9: Sprinkle over the remaining cheddar.
- Step 10: Bake on a rack in the top third of the oven at 375 F for 40-45 minutes. The batter should be firm to the touch. Pop under the broiler briefly to brown the top, if desired.
🌡️Top Tip
Avoid overbaking the casserole, which will cause it to dry out. Check for doneness starting at 40 minutes in the oven. The center should be just set. If it's not browned to your liking, put it under the broiler for a minute or two rather than continuing to bake.
🥡Storage
Leftover chile relleno casserole can be stored, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to four days. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave for about 2 minutes or in the oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes.
Alternatively, free leftovers in individual portions for 2-3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat as described above.
💭FAQ
If you're roasting poblanos, peeling off the skin is a good idea. However, in this recipe, since they will be baked in a casserole with liquid, it is not necessary.
Reheat the casserole in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until hot. But if you're in a hurry, you can microwave individual portions for about 2 minutes.
On the Scoville scale that measures peppers' heat, poblanos range from 1,000 to 1,500, compared to jalapenos, which range from 2,500 to 8,000. To give some more context, bell peppers are a 0 on that scale, while the hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper, is between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000. In other words, poblanos hardly register for their level of heat.
🍅Pairing
Here are a few other recipes that would go well with this casserole:
📖 Recipe
Poblano Chile Relleno Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Earthy poblano peppers are filled with cheese and sausage then baked into an eggy casserole for a comfort dinner spin on fried chile rellenos.
Ingredients
- 8 poblano peppers
- ½ pound ground sausage
- ½ cup cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 chopped scallions, for serving
- salsa, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Make the filling. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the ground sausage with the cream cheese and half of the cheddar.
- Prep the batter. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a second bowl. Stream in the milk as you keep whisking, then whisk in the four eggs one at a time.
- Fill the peppers. Slice each poblano pepper in half. Remove the stems and seeds. Coat a baking dish with the olive oil and lay eight halves across the bottom. Spread the sausage and cheese filling over the peppers, then top with the remaining pepper halves.
- Finish the dish and bake. Pour the batter over the top of the peppers. Gently tap the baking dish on the counter a few times to help distribute the batter around the peppers. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over top and place the dish in the oven to bake for about 40 minutes or until cooked through and just set in the middle. If you'd like it to be more brown, place it under the broiler for a minute or two.
- Serve. Let cool slightly, then top with the chopped scallions and cut the casserole into slices (you can get 4-6 servings out of it). Serve warm or at room temperature with salsa.
Notes
Check the casserole at 40 minutes and remove it as soon as it's set to prevent drying out.
Skip the sausage to make it vegetarian. Crumbled tempeh would make a good protein alternative.'
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
🍠Related Recipes
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Linda says
What temperature oven?
Steve says
HI Linda. After using the broiler to char the poblanos, you want to set your oven to 375 degrees F.