This recipe for stuffed poblano peppers is tender pasilla chiles filled with a mixture of ground beef, rice, black beans and vegetables, then topped with cheese and baked. A hearty Mexican style meal that’s sure to get rave reviews!
We love Mexican food, some of my family’s favorites include tacos al pastor and chicken enchilada casserole. When I’m looking to mix things up a bit, I serve these stuffed poblano peppers for a unique and unexpected dinner.
Stuffed peppers are a classic dish that never goes out of style, but this zesty Mexican version kicks things up a notch. Stuffed poblano peppers are filled with a savory blend of meat, rice, beans and cheese for an easy yet satisfying meal.
How do you make stuffed poblano peppers?
This recipe starts with prepping your peppers. The peppers need to have the tops sliced off and all the seeds and ribs removed. I find it easiest to remove the seeds and ribs with a serrated grapefruit spoon or a small paring knife. The poblano peppers are baked in the oven to soften while the filling is made. The filling is a blend of ground beef, rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes and cheese. The filling is spooned into the peppers, and then the peppers are topped with more cheese. Bake the peppers until the cheese is melted, then add a sprinkling of cilantro and enjoy.
Tips for stuffed poblano peppers
- Look for large, firm peppers without any wrinkled spots that have fresh looking stems.
- You just want to slice the very top off the pepper right where the base of the stem begins, do not cut the peppers in half.
- These stuffed peppers can be assembled up to 8 hours before you plan to bake them. You may need to add another 5-10 minutes in the oven to compensate for starting with cold peppers.
- I recommend using freshly grated cheese rather than the pre-shredded kind that comes in a bag. The pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as nicely because it contains anti caking additives.
How hot is a poblano pepper?
Poblano peppers are quite mild. The heat of peppers is measured in terms of Scoville units. A jalapeno has a Scoville measurement that’s anywhere from 2,500 to 8,000 units. A poblano pepper measures from 1,000 – 1,500 on the Scoville scale.
Can you eat poblano pepper skin?
You can absolutely eat the skin of a poblano pepper. In situations where a poblano has been roasted, you may want to consider removing the skin if it’s been blackened by the heat source. In this particular case, the peppers are baked to soften them, but are not blackened, so it’s perfectly fine to enjoy the skin. I also find that if you remove the skin of a pepper that you’re planning to stuff, the pepper is more likely to fall apart when you add the fillings because the skin helps it to hold its shape.
Stuffed poblano pepper variations
There are so many different ways to customize this recipe to your personal tastes.
- Protein: Try diced chicken, ground turkey or chorizo instead of the ground beef.
- Beans: Pinto beans are a great substitute for black beans.
- Vegetables: You can add other veggies to the mix such as onion, red bell pepper or zucchini.
- Cheese: I typically use Monterey Jack cheese for this recipe, but cheddar is also a great choice.
- Grains: Instead of white rice you can use quinoa or brown rice.
These peppers have it all, they’re the perfect blend of meat, cheese, beans and rice. It’s almost like a burrito without the tortilla! Stuffed poblano peppers are sure to become a family favorite.
MORE GREAT MEXICAN RECIPES
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Ingredients
- 6 large poblano peppers cut a slice off lengthwise, then remove seeds and ribs
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup corn kernels thawed from frozen
- 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided use
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay the poblano peppers on the pan in a single layer.
- Bake the peppers for 10-15 minutes or until softened.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until the meat is cooked through.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the packet of taco seasoning along with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir to coat the meat in seasoning.
- Add the rice, beans, corn, tomatoes and 3/4 cheese to the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir to combine.
- Divide the meat mixture evenly between the peppers. Top with remaining cheese.
- Return the peppers to the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro, then serve.
MARY MCMILLEON says
I add a jar of alfredo or four cheese sauce……1/2 to the bottom of my dish, and the other to the top of my peppers. After 30 minutesi sprinkle the shredded cheese on top and let melt in oven for a minute. When served, try some sour cream on top.with the cilantro!
Ali says
This recipe is terrific! I did use ground turkey and we all inhaled it!
Brandi says
Loved this, thank you! I swapped out the white rice for Knorr’s Mexican rice becuase I had it on hand and added a bit more cheese, but other than that, followed this exactly. I’d never eaten poblanos before and they were delish!
Allison says
This recipe is great!! My whole family loved it. My 5 year old just had the filling because the peppers were a tad too spicy for him but he had a second serving of it. Thanks for the yummy recipe.
Emily says
Thank you for this recipe!!! It has become a family favorite. Since it is just my husband and I, we freeze the left overs to have as a meal later on! It has become a staple in my sisters household as well and she also freezers whatever she can’t eat the day of. They always come out perfect when thawed and reheated in the oven. We love it!!!
David E Wassam says
Made these and they were amazing
Jeanie says
I made them again so each person could have their won serving. I got tons of compliments and many asked for the recipe!
Kyle says
Only three changes to mine, diced fresh jalapeños into the ground meat and added two more garlic cloves. Used queso Fresca instead for the cheese. Amazing recipe!!!!
Mike Groves says
Hi.
Really want to make this dish but who in the UK dells LARGE POBLANO PEPPERS. Supermarket staff just shrug their shoulders at me and walk off.
If anyone knows Supermarket that sells them regularly I would be grateful
Thxa
Mik
Sara says
Try asking for pasilla peppers, sometimes poblanos can be labeled that way!
Steve says
I tweaked your recipe a bit to make it lower carb — nixed the rice, and poured two beaten eggs into the peppers before topping with cheese. (sadly, I only made 2 peppers.) Added a few other veggies into the saute as well. I like your method of just cutting the tops. I’ve always cut poblanos in half when stuffing them, but this, along with the first, softening bake, made stuffing them much easier to manage. I’ll use the tops for leftovers tomorrow. This recipe’s a keeper. thanks.
Elizabeth Bond says
I changed almost everything about this recipe to make it Cheato Keto and suit our palates, but it is still your recipe AND it was delicious. It only used about half of the filling to fill my home-grown poblanos so the other half is for dinner tomorrow!
12 medium poblano peppers cut a slice off lengthwise, then remove seeds and ribs
1 teaspoon pure olive oil, added after the beef was browned and drained
1.5 pound ground beef, 85% lean
1.5 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Recipe taco seasoning
12oz under-cooked frozen cauliflower rice
1 can black soybeans, seasoned with 1/2 taco seasoning, cooked, drained
1 can baby corn, chopped to size of corn kernels
14 ounce canned salsa (Herdez brand)
1 1/2 cups shredded mixed Mexican cheeses
Parchment sheet
Terry G says
This recipe is amazing!! I substituted steamed chopped cauliflower rice for the white rice, otherwise did everything as called for. Can’t wait to make it again!!
Laurielinder says
Best recipe hands down! Do you think theses would freeze well?
Sara says
Yes you can freeze them!
Carla W. says
This recipe is awesome! Grew many pablano peppers in our garden this year – what a great way to use them! Family loved it!
Ann Baker says
Fantastic! Made these last night with fresh poblano peppers from our garden. Subsituted fresh tomatoes for the canned (because we also had fresh tomatoes in the garden) and added a little more cheese. Loved the flavor and color. Would also make a great stuffing for bell peppers. Will definitely be making this again!
Irina says
The peppers came out t perfect, so delish!
Ii didn’t know what to do with tps….so I did diced the top of poblanos and put them into the stuffing.
Elizabeth Bond says
You are a genius. I just threw mine out. I was afraid they would be too tough…
Brenda says
Deliciousness!…Thank you!