Poblano peppers are the perfect ingredient for those who like a hint of spice in their cooking, but not too much. These peppers are mild and can be cooked in many different ways, from roasting to grilling.
If you’ve been looking for a middle ground between the mellow banana pepper and the fiery jalapeño, you should start cooking with poblano peppers today!
To get you started, here are 15 of the best poblano pepper recipes. We’ve chosen recipes for vegetarians and vegans, as well as keto-friendly and meaty menu items.
We’ve also included some recipes for dips and sauces to accompany the main meals, so get ready to tuck in!
1. Grilled Chorizo-Stuffed Poblano Peppers
If you want to use poblano peppers as the central component of your meal, try this recipe for grilled chorizo-stuffed poblano peppers!
This dish is spicy, meaty and creamy. You’ll be stuffing your poblano peppers with white rice and Mexican chorizo, as well as onion, garlic, Mexican crema, Cotija cheese, pepper jack cheese, and Roma tomatoes.
Grilling the stuffed peppers helps to add a hint of smokiness to the overall flavor, which works really well with the strong flavors of the chorizo and pepper.
2. Vegan Stuffed Poblano Peppers
You can make stuffed poblano peppers without using any meat or dairy products if you’re vegan. These vegan stuffed poblano peppers are just as tasty.
For this recipe, you will be stuffing the poblano peppers with rice and beans. After that, the recipe recommends topping your stuffed peppers with your favorite sauces and dressings.
For example, you could use avocado cilantro dressing or even hot sauce if you want to turn up the spice. Garnishing with sliced avocado will contribute more healthy fats, and it tastes amazing, too.
3. Keto Cheese And Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Are you trying to reduce your daily carb intake and increase the amount of fat in your diet? In that case, these keto-friendly cheese and chicken stuffed poblano peppers will be a dream come true!
You can make this stuffed pepper dish in under half an hour, and you only need a few ingredients.
In addition to the peppers, you’ll need unsalted butter, shredded chicken, tomatoes, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, taco seasoning, and some garlic for extra flavor. Garnishing with cilantro is optional.
4. Chili
When you’re in the mood for something spicy, chili is the obvious choice, but there are so many chili recipes to choose from. However, if you’re going to make one chili recipe, we recommend this one.
This recipe takes just under 1.5 hours to make, but in our opinion, it’s worth it.
The flavors are mind-blowing thanks to the steak seasoning, beef stock, beer, fire roasted tomatoes, masa harina and, of course, the poblano pepper. You can also add cheese or onions to garnish, or even some jalapeños for extra spice.
5. Pico de Gallo Salsa
If you’re a fan of Mexican cuisine, you need to know how to make your own Pico de Gallo salsa. We always use this recipe because it’s so much better than store-bought versions and can be prepared in just 15 minutes.
You don’t need many ingredients for Pico de Gallo: just Roma tomatoes, poblano pepper, jalapeño pepper, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper, and a chopped onion.
This salsa tastes best if you put it in the refrigerator for around an hour before serving, but it smells so good that you’ll be tempted to dig straight in!
6. Layered Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole
Feeding a lot of people without spending hours in the kitchen or a fortune on ingredients can sometimes be tricky, but not when you know this layered chicken Chile relleno casserole recipe!
This casserole only takes an hour to make and produces 6 generous servings. The main ingredients are chicken thighs and Sargento 4-cheese Mexican blend.
For added flavor, you’ll also need a poblano pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, an onion, green onions, and ground cumin.
The topping is crunchy and delicious thanks to the use of corn tortillas, and the sour cream holds the dish together perfectly.
7. Green Chili Quiche
Quiche can easily turn out too bland if you don’t add enough flavor, but this green chili quiche recipe makes sure every bite is filled with spicy deliciousness.
We love that this recipe simplifies the quiche-making process by recommending pre-made pie crust.
Apart from that, all you need are some poblano peppers, hatch chilies, whole milk, eggs, and heavy cream. You’ll also need some Monterey Jack cheese and sharp cheddar to enhance the rich, creamy flavor.
8. Chicken Empanadas
Chicken empanadas are famously tasty and satisfying. While this recipe is something of a time commitment, taking over 3 hours in total to make, the result is 8 delicious empanadas that you can enjoy for lunch or dinner.
The reason this recipe has such a long total time is because it requires you to make the dough yourself from all-purpose flour, sugar, kosher salt, unsalted butter, water, and eggs.
However, if you’re pressed for time, you could always use ready-made pastry.
The filling is spicy and packed with flavor, with ingredients including poblano, chipotle and cayenne peppers.
9. Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos
Vegetarians rejoice! This recipe for vegetarian black bean tacos is high-protein, creamy, and packed with nutrients.
You only need half an hour to make these tacos, and since you’ll be using pre-made flour tortillas, getting all the ingredients you need shouldn’t be difficult.
The instructions recommend adding both chopped poblano pepper and chipotle chili powder to the filling, and you can adjust the powder quantity depending on your spice tolerance.
The queso fresco and sour cream should also help to balance out the heat.
10. Grilled Poblano Queso Dip
This grilled poblano queso dip will make the perfect addition to your favorite Mexican dishes.
It’s easy to make in just over half an hour, and it has a complex flavor profile that gives you a hint of poblano spice without overwhelming the other ingredients.
You will be adding red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper to the dip along with the poblano peppers.
Smoked paprika and Monterey Jack cheese contribute other complementary flavors, while the cream cheese cools everything down slightly for a balanced taste experience.
11. Roasted Poblano Quesadillas
All quesadillas are good quesadillas, but this is one of our favorite quesadilla recipes.
You can use ready-made tortillas to shorten the process, so it will only take you 30 minutes in total to prepare the quesadillas.
The ingredients for the filling include poblano peppers, refried beans, Monterey jack cheese, onion, pepper, salt, and cilantro. You’ll also make an avocado salsa verde to accompany the beans and cheese.
12. Chile Relleno White Mac And Cheese
Why not spice up your favorite comfort food with this recipe for Chile relleno white mac and cheese?
This stovetop mac and cheese recipe is easy to prepare in just over an hour.
The combination of heavy cream, whole milk, butter, queso fresco and Supremo Chihuahua cheese makes for a rich and creamy dish, while the red pepper flakes, and poblano peppers contribute just the right amount of heat.
13. Mexican Pozole Verde
Pozole verde is a traditional Mexican recipe. It’s a type of stew based around corn and a variety of proteins.
For this recipe, you’ll be using poached chicken breast as protein, and tomatillos, jalapeños, and poblano peppers for the spicy verde sauce.
You can prepare 8 servings of this stew in an hour, with an equal split between cooking time and prep time.
14. Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
This slow cooker chicken enchilada soup is one of our favorite light but satisfying meals to enjoy during the cold months.
Because this soup is made in a slow cooker, it takes 6 hours in total, but preparation only takes 25 minutes, and you won’t need to be present for most of the cooking time.
You will need boneless chicken breasts and chicken broth as well as enchilada sauce, poblano pepper, diced tomatoes, chili powder, and chipotle hot pepper sauce.
Topping with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and avocado takes this soup to the next level.
15. Cheesy Pork Taco Rice
When you’re in the mood for an easy meal but don’t want to sacrifice flavor or nutrients, make this cheesy pork taco rice! You can make 6 servings of this rice in just over an hour.
This rice dish is loaded with flavor from the poblano peppers, taco seasoning, lime zest, garlic, and Monterey Jack cheese. Plus, the ground pork ensures that this meal is high in protein.
We recommend topping with sour cream to add to the richness of the cheese and counteract the heat from the peppers.
Final Thoughts
Poblano peppers are a staple of Mexican cuisine. Even if you’re not a big fan of spice, their relatively mild flavor means you can still use them to add some subtle heat to your cooking without overwhelming your taste buds.
You can usually adjust the quantity of poblano pepper recommended by any recipe for more or less spice, so don’t be afraid to experiment!
