Homemade Chiles Rellenos de Carne Molida

Here is my favorite chiles rellenos de carne molida recipe, with roasted poblano peppers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, coated in a light egg batter, and fried until golden brown.

These stuffed peppers are always a hit at our dinner table. My kids love the crispy outside and the savory meat filling inside. It’s comfort food that feels a little fancy but is totally doable on a weeknight.

What Kind of Poblano Peppers Should I Use?

For chiles rellenos, you’ll want to pick poblano peppers that are large, firm, and have thick walls since they need to hold up to stuffing and roasting. Look for poblanos that are dark green and glossy with smooth skin – avoid any that feel soft or have wrinkled spots. The bigger the pepper, the easier it will be to stuff with your ground beef mixture, so don’t be shy about choosing the largest ones you can find. Fresh poblanos work best for this recipe, but if you can only find frozen ones, make sure to thaw and pat them completely dry before using to prevent excess moisture from making your filling soggy.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Poblano peppers: These are really the star of the dish, so try to stick with poblanos if possible. In a pinch, you could use large bell peppers, but you’ll lose that mild smoky heat that makes chiles rellenos special.
• Ground beef: Ground turkey, pork, or chicken work great here. You can even use a mix of ground beef and chorizo for extra flavor – just reduce the salt since chorizo is already seasoned.
• Roma tomatoes: Any fresh tomatoes will do, or you can use a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (drained) if fresh ones aren’t available.
• Serrano pepper: Jalapeño peppers are a good substitute if serranos are too spicy for you, or use half a serrano if you want less heat.
• Mozzarella cheese: Monterey Jack, Oaxaca cheese, or even sharp cheddar work well. Traditional Mexican cheese like queso fresco is also a nice option.
• Mexican oregano: Regular oregano works fine, though Mexican oregano has a more citrusy flavor. If using regular oregano, use a bit less since it’s stronger.
• Chicken bouillon: Beef bouillon works too, or you can use 1 teaspoon of salt mixed with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder if you don’t have bouillon on hand.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chiles rellenos is not properly charring and peeling the poblano peppers, which can leave you with tough, bitter skins that ruin the dish – roast them over an open flame or under the broiler until the skin is completely blackened, then steam them in a plastic bag for 10 minutes to make peeling easier.

Another common error is overstuffing the peppers with the ground beef mixture, which causes them to split open during cooking, so fill them just enough that you can still close the opening without forcing it.

Don’t skip draining the corn thoroughly, as excess moisture will make your filling watery and prevent the cheese from melting properly, and be sure to let the ground beef mixture cool slightly before adding the cheese to prevent it from melting too quickly.

Finally, avoid cooking the poblanos at too high heat once they’re stuffed, as this can cause the outside to burn before the filling is heated through – medium heat works best for even cooking.

What to Serve With Chiles Rellenos?

These stuffed poblanos are pretty hearty on their own, but they pair beautifully with some fluffy Mexican rice and refried beans on the side. A fresh salad with lime vinaigrette helps cut through the richness of the cheese and beef filling, or you could go with a simple avocado and tomato salad with a squeeze of lime. Warm corn tortillas are always a good idea too – you can use them to scoop up any extra filling or sauce that falls out. Don’t forget some Mexican crema or sour cream on top, and maybe a sprinkle of queso fresco to finish things off!

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: These stuffed poblanos keep really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two as everything melds together. Just make sure they’re completely cooled before putting them away.

Freeze: You can freeze these chiles rellenos for up to 3 months, which is great for meal prep. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. They freeze best after they’ve been cooked and cooled completely.

Warm Up: To enjoy them again, just pop them in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes if they’re from the fridge, or 35-40 minutes if frozen. Cover with foil to prevent the tops from getting too brown, and remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to crisp things up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1700-1900
• Protein: 110-125 g
• Fat: 100-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 75-90 g

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 medium white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8.5 oz canned corn, drained
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

For the peppers:

• 8 poblano peppers

For the sauce:

• 6 roma tomatoes
• 1 serrano pepper
• 1/4 medium white onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
• 3/4 tsp mexican oregano

Step 1: Roast and Prepare the Poblano Peppers

• 8 poblano peppers

Wash and dry the poblano peppers, then arrange them on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Broil the peppers for 10 minutes, flip them over, and broil for another 8 minutes until charred.

Transfer the peppers to a plastic bag to sweat for about 20 minutes, which helps loosen the skins.

Once cool enough to handle, carefully peel off the skins.

Make a slit in each pepper and scoop out the seeds, discarding them.

Take care not to tear the peppers, as you’ll need them whole for stuffing.

Step 2: Prepare the Ground Beef Filling

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 medium white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 8.5 oz canned corn, drained
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef.

Use a spatula to break up and crumble the meat.

When the beef is halfway cooked, add the diced onion and minced garlic.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Continue cooking until the beef is fully cooked through.

Stir in the drained corn and cook for another minute.

Transfer the beef and corn mixture to a large bowl, leaving about a tablespoon of grease in the skillet.

Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl and mix well.

Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes before stirring in the shredded mozzarella cheese.

I like to let the filling cool a bit so the cheese doesn’t melt instantly but creates a creamy texture once stuffed inside the peppers.

Step 3: Stuff the Peppers

• peeled and seeded poblano peppers (from Step 1)
• ground beef filling (from Step 2)

Carefully stuff each peeled and cored poblano pepper (from Step 1) with the prepared ground beef filling (from Step 2).

Be gentle to avoid tearing the peppers.

Once stuffed, set the peppers aside while you prepare the salsa.

Step 4: Make the Tomato Salsa

• 6 roma tomatoes
• 1 serrano pepper
• 1/4 medium white onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
• 3/4 tsp Mexican oregano

Cut the roma tomatoes into chunks and add them to a blender.

Add the serrano pepper, 1/4 medium white onion, garlic clove, ground cumin, chicken bouillon, and Mexican oregano.

Blend for a couple of minutes until completely smooth.

In the same skillet with the reserved grease, heat the blended salsa over medium heat, cooking for several minutes to develop its flavor.

I like to simmer the salsa for at least 5 minutes to mellow out the raw onion and garlic.

Step 5: Simmer the Stuffed Peppers in Salsa

• stuffed peppers (from Step 3)
• tomato salsa (from Step 4)

Gently nestle the stuffed peppers (from Step 3) into the skillet with the simmering salsa (from Step 4).

Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese inside is melted and the peppers are heated through.

Once done, serve the peppers with plenty of salsa spooned over the top and enjoy!

Homemade Chiles Rellenos de Carne Molida

Delicious Homemade Chiles Rellenos de Carne Molida recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 4

Calories 1800 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the filling:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 medium white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8.5 oz canned corn, drained
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

For the peppers:

• 8 poblano peppers

For the sauce:

• 6 roma tomatoes
• 1 serrano pepper
• 1/4 medium white onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
• 3/4 tsp Mexican oregano

Instructions

 

• Wash and dry the poblano peppers, then arrange them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the peppers for 10 minutes, flip them over, and broil for another 8 minutes until charred. Transfer the peppers to a plastic bag to sweat for about 20 minutes, which helps loosen the skins. Once cool enough to handle, carefully peel off the skins. Make a slit in each pepper and scoop out the seeds, discarding them. Take care not to tear the peppers, as you'll need them whole for stuffing.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef. Use a spatula to break up and crumble the meat. When the beef is halfway cooked, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Continue cooking until the beef is fully cooked through. Stir in the drained corn and cook for another minute. Transfer the beef and corn mixture to a large bowl, leaving about a tablespoon of grease in the skillet. Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes before stirring in the shredded mozzarella cheese. I like to let the filling cool a bit so the cheese doesn't melt instantly but creates a creamy texture once stuffed inside the peppers.
• Carefully stuff each peeled and cored poblano pepper (from Step 1) with the prepared ground beef filling (from Step 2). Be gentle to avoid tearing the peppers. Once stuffed, set the peppers aside while you prepare the salsa.
• Cut the roma tomatoes into chunks and add them to a blender. Add the serrano pepper, 1/4 medium white onion, garlic clove, ground cumin, chicken bouillon, and Mexican oregano. Blend for a couple of minutes until completely smooth. In the same skillet with the reserved grease, heat the blended salsa over medium heat, cooking for several minutes to develop its flavor. I like to simmer the salsa for at least 5 minutes to mellow out the raw onion and garlic.
• Gently nestle the stuffed peppers (from Step 3) into the skillet with the simmering salsa (from Step 4). Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese inside is melted and the peppers are heated through. Once done, serve the peppers with plenty of salsa spooned over the top and enjoy!