Chiles rellenos (stuffed poblano peppers)
Charred poblano peppers stuffed with gooey cheese, lightly battered and fried until golden. Serve with lime and fresh coriander.
Chiles rellenos are peak comfort from Mexico: smoky roasted peppers, gooey cheese and an impossibly light batter. They look impressive but are perfectly achievable at home if you keep a cool head and a hot pan.
Make them for a weekend lunch, a fun dinner with friends or when you want something joyous and slightly indulgent. This version uses vegetarian Oaxaca-style cheese so it’s suitable for meat-free guests — just serve immediately for maximum crunch.
Ingredients
- 6 poblano peppers — choose large, even-sized peppers
- 400 g vegetarian Oaxaca-style cheese
- 120 g plain flour — for batter and dusting
- 6 large eggs — you will separate whites and yolks
- 5 ml fine sea salt
- 700 ml vegetable oil — for frying; amount does not all get absorbed
- 10 g fresh coriander — leaves, roughly chopped, to garnish
- 2 limes — quartered, to serve
Equipment
- slotted spoon
- tongs
- baking tray
- hand whisk or electric whisk
Instructions
Char the peppers: place the poblano peppers on a baking tray under a hot grill or directly over a gas flame. Turn every few minutes until the skins are evenly blackened and blistered all over (about 12–15 minutes).
Steam the peppers: transfer the hot peppers to a large bowl, cover tightly with clingfilm and leave to steam for 10 minutes. This loosens the skins for easy peeling.
Peel, seed and stuff: using kitchen paper, rub away the charred skin. Make a lengthwise slit in each pepper, open gently, remove seeds and membranes with the tip of a knife, keeping the stem intact if possible. Stuff each pepper with about 65–70 g vegetarian Oaxaca-style cheese and close the slit (use a little flour to help it stick if needed).
Make the batter: separate the large eggs. Put the whites in a clean bowl with a pinch of the fine sea salt and whisk to soft peaks (about 3–5 minutes by hand, quicker with an electric whisk). Beat the yolks lightly and fold them into the whites with the remaining plain flour, mixing gently to keep the batter airy.
Dust and coat: lightly dust each stuffed pepper with a little plain flour (this helps the batter adhere), then dip and coat them in the egg-and-flour batter so they are evenly covered.
Heat the oil: pour the vegetable oil into a deep-sided frying pan to a depth of about 2–3 cm and heat until it reaches roughly 170–180°C (or a cube of bread browns in about 20 seconds).
Fry the peppers: fry the coated peppers in batches, 2–3 at a time depending on pan size, turning carefully so they brown evenly. Fry until the batter is golden and crisp all over and the cheese is melted, about 3–4 minutes per side (total 10–15 minutes for all batches). Transfer to kitchen paper to drain.
Season and garnish: sprinkle the fried peppers with a little fine sea salt, scatter over the fresh coriander and serve immediately with lime wedges.
Tips
- Char the skins thoroughly and steam the peppers — that step makes peeling simple and keeps the flesh tender.
- Whisk egg whites to soft peaks only; overwhipping makes the batter collapse and won’t give you a crisp, puffy coating.
- Work in batches when frying and keep an eye on oil temperature; use a thermometer or test with a small cube of bread.
- Make ahead: you can roast, peel and deseed the peppers a day ahead and keep them in the fridge; stuff and fry just before serving.
- Store leftovers in the fridge up to 2 days and reheat in a hot oven (200°C fan/220°C conventional) for 8–10 minutes to regain some crispness, though they’re best fresh.
Substitutions
vegetarian Oaxaca-style cheese → mozzarella, 400 g
Stays closeplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, 120 g
Stays closepoblano peppers → large anaheim peppers or mild green bell peppers, same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 690
- Calories
- 35 g
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I bake instead of fry?
You can brush the battered peppers with oil and bake on a hot baking tray at 220°C fan/240°C conventional for 12–15 minutes, turning once. They’ll be lighter and less oily but not as crisp as deep frying.
How do I stop the cheese from leaking out?
Don’t overfill the peppers and press the seam closed after stuffing. A light dusting of flour inside the slit helps the batter seal. Frying with the seam uppermost for the first minute also helps set the batter.
Can I prepare components ahead of time?
Yes — roast, peel and deseed the peppers up to 24 hours ahead and keep airtight. Stuff and batter just before frying for best texture.
My batter collapsed — what went wrong?
Most likely the egg whites were overwhipped or you folded too vigorously. Aim for soft peaks and gentle folding; also ensure equipment is clean and dry before whisking whites.
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