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Chile Rellenos (Stuffed Poblano Peppers) with Rojo Sauce

Chile Rellenos (Stuffed Poblano Peppers) with Rojo Sauce

A delicious recipe for Chile Rellenos, featuring stuffed poblano peppers and a homemade rojo sauce.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Course main dish
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 peppers
Calories 400 kcal

Equipment

  • Deep fat fryer
  • Blender
  • saute pan
  • Sheet pan

Ingredients
  

FOR THE STUFFED PEPPERS

  • 6 large fresh poblano peppers
  • 12 oz Queso Oaxaca cheese, cut into 2-oz fingers
  • 6 fresh epazote leaves optional, plus a few more to mince for garnish OR substitute cilantro
  • Grapeseed or vegetable oil to fill deep-fat fryer according to operator instructions
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt

FOR THE CHILE DE ARBOL ROJO SAUCE

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium white onion, peeled, cored and chopped to make 1 cup
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 lbs fresh tomatoes, cut into quarters
  • 2 to 3 whole chile de arbol peppers more if you like it really spicy!
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh-ground cumin seed OR powdered cumin

FOR THE FINISHED DISH

  • 1 pot cooked long-grain white rice
  • Minced epazote leaves OR substitute cilantro

Instructions
 

MAKE SAUCE

  • In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of oil for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low add ½ cup water and cover. Simmer until onions are very soft. Snip ends off the dried chile de arbol peppers and discard seeds. Crumble the chile de arbol. Uncover pan; add minced garlic, crumbled chile de arbol, cumin and another ½ cup water. Cover and continue cooking until garlic and chile de arbol are soft. Remove cover. Add chopped tomatoes cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove cover again and using a potato masher, mash tomatoes. Cover and continue cooking about 20 minutes until mixture is very soft. Place mixture in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour sauce back into pan. Season with salt. Cook for five more minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and set sauce aside, keeping warm.

MAKE STUFFED PEPPERS

  • While the sauce is cooking, make the peppers. Preheat oven to broil setting. Place whole poblanos on sheet pan in oven. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs, until the skin of the peppers is charred all over and peppers are roasted. Remove peppers from oven to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin. Carefully cut a slit in the side of each pepper and scoop out and discard seeds. Slip a 2-ounce finger of cheese into each pepper along with an epazote leaf (if using.) If you like, you can stitch the opening closed with a toothpick, to discard after cooking. Set peppers aside.
  • Preheat deep fat fryer to 350. Whip egg whites until they are fluffy and hold peaks. Whisk egg yolks separately in a small bowl. Carefully fold egg yolks into whipped egg whites in a wide shallow bowl. Pour ¼ cup flour into another wide shallow bowl. Carefully dip and dust 2 peppers in flour; shake off excess. One at a time, dip the two floured peppers in the whipped eggs, generously coating. Place the two stuffed and coated peppers in the fryer basket of deep fat fryer; lower into fat and fry about 2 minutes on each side until puffed and golden brown. Place fried peppers on a sheet pan layered with paper toweling to drain off and blot oil well. Remove toothpicks if you used them to stitch the peppers closed. Repeat for the remaining peppers.

SERVE

  • To serve, mound cooked rice in center of plate, top with a stuffed pepper, ladle chile de arbol rojo sauce over. Garnish with fine snipped epazote (or cilantro) leaves. Serve piping hot, with extra sauce for people to add at table. Add a nice green salad on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pepperCalories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 15gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 400mgPotassium: 500mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2500IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 300mgIron: 2.5mg
Keyword Chile Rellenos, Rojo Sauce, spicy, Stuffed Peppers, Vegetarian
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