Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
Chile Rellenos are one of my favorite meals at Mexican restaurants, so I decided to put my spin on it and make it into a delicious and healthy casserole! In this variation, I’ve bulked up the nutrition in the filling with quinoa and black beans – adding hearty vegetarian protein and fiber! The sauce is a little spicy, a little smokey, and incredibly easy to make. And this recipe can easily be made gluten-free!
This Chili Relleno Casserole is full of flavor, perfect for busy weeknights, and one of my favorite vegetarian dinner recipes!
You’ll Also Love: Chipotle Chicken Bowls (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients and Substitutions
Poblano Peppers – 6 large peppers or you can use canned whole green chiles if you can find them in your local grocery store to save on time.
Stuffing for the Peppers – Quinoa, black beans, and Mexican-style shredded cheese. I prefer black beans but pinto beans would also work. You can also substitute your favorite grain in place of the quinoa!
Red Sauce – Avocado oil (or another neutral oil), chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried parsley or oregano, all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour), chicken or veggie broth, and tomato paste. Adjust the spices to your taste!
Toppings – Breadcrumbs, garlic powder, olive oil, and salt. You can easily swap these out for gluten-free breadcrumbs! I also love to add fresh avocado and a little cilantro or salsa to the top after it bakes.
How to Make Chile Relleno Casserole
Roasting the peppers takes some time, but while they’re roasting you can make the sauce and prep the quinoa and beans. Once the casserole is assembled it only needs about 20 minutes in the oven!
1. Roast the Peppers
Roast the peppers for 50 minutes on a sheet pan that has been covered with aluminum foil or parchment. Not only does it make for an easier cleanup, but the peppers can get a little sticky as they roast. Gently coax them up with a spatula when removing them from the pan. After they are roasted, place them in a covered bowl for 15 minutes – this helps the skins come off easily.
2. Make the Sauce
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the spices, and stir them constantly until they start to get very fragrant. Add the flour, stirring for an additional minute before slowly whisking in the broth and then tomato paste. Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
3. Clean the Peppers
Remove the rested peppers from the bowl and gently remove the roasted skins. Open the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. It isn’t necessary to remove every single seed. Discard all the skins, seeds, and stems.
4. Stuff the Peppers
Mix the quinoa and black beans in a medium bowl. Scoop about 1/2 cup of filling into a pepper. Top with a Tablespoon of cheese and fold the top and bottom of the pepper towards the middle to encase the filling. See below for extra tips on stuffing the peppers!
5. Bake
Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with the red sauce and nestle the stuffed peppers in the sauce. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. Top the casserole with the breadcrumb mixture and continue baking for 5 minutes.
Tips for Stuffing the Peppers
- Lay the roasted poblano down flat with the stem area at the top.
- Scoop the quinoa and black beans onto the pepper and form a horizontal log of filling across the middle of the pepper.
- The moisture of the roasted pepper will help it adhere to the filling.
- Fold the stem part of the pepper down over the filling, and then fold the bottom of the pepper up over the filling encasing it all in the pepper.
- Use two hands or a spatula to gently transfer the stuffed peppers to the casserole dish.
Make Ahead Chili Relleno Casserole
To make this recipe ahead of time, roast the peppers and prep the sauce the night before. You can also prep the filling ingredients and even stuff the peppers! Refrigerate the components separately. When ready, assemble the casserole and bake!
Storing Chile Relleno Casserole
The flavors in this casserole only get better with time, so leftovers are a treat! Once the casserole has completely cooled, place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
More Healthy Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
- Farro with Blistered Tomatoes & Pesto
- Eggplant Ground Turkey Moussaka
- Cauliflower Pizza Casserole
- Vegan Pasta Bake
- Chipotle Chicken Bowls (Copycat Recipe)
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Chile Relleno Casserole (Vegetarian Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
Casserole
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 15-ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 6 Tablespoons shredded mexican cheese
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (or cauliflower crunch)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Red Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley or oregano
- 2 Tablespoons flour (all-purpose or gluten-free)
- 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the poblano peppers on a large baking sheet that has been covered with foil.
- Roast the peppers for 50 minutes, flipping them after the first 25 minutes.
- While the peppers are roasting, make the sauce.
- In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the spices and stir continuously for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and continue stirring for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the broth and then add the tomato paste. Whisk until smooth, and continue simmering over very low heat for 10 minutes.
- When the sauce is done, pour 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
- When the poblano peppers have finished roasting, place them in a bowl and cover them. Let rest for about 15 minutes.
- After resting, peel the skin off of the peppers and clean the insides of seeds. Discard stems, seeds, and skins and set the peppers to the side.
- Mix the cooked quinoa and the black beans well.
- Lay out a pepper, fill with 1/2 cup of the quinoa and black beans, and then top with 1 Tablespoon of cheese.
- Roll up the pepper, folding down the top of the pepper (where the stem used to be) towards the middle and the bottom up towards the middle as well. Press the pepper together to encase all of the filling.
- Place the stuffed pepper into the dish nestled in sauce.
- Continue with the remaining peppers.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- Mix the breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the tops of peppers with the breadcrumbs and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. You can broil the top for 1 minute to get the breadcrumbs brown and crunchy.
- Serve the peppers with extra sauce red sauce and fresh avocado.
Video
Notes
Tips for Stuffing the Peppers
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- Lay the roasted poblano down flat with the stem area at the top.
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- Scoop the quinoa and black beans onto the pepper and form a horizontal log of filling across the middle of the pepper.
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- The moisture of the roasted pepper will help it adhere to the filling.
-
- Fold the stem part of the pepper down over the filling, and then fold the bottom of the pepper up over the filling encasing it all in the pepper.
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- Use two hands or a spatula to gently transfer the stuffed peppers to the casserole dish.
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