Stuffed Poblano Peppers Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

Similar to a traditional stuffed pepper recipe, but with a spicy tex-mex spin, these Stuffed Poblano Peppers will knock your socks off! Stuffed chilis are packed with seasoned meat, rice, cheese and veggies, and bursting with flavor.

We love making and eating stuffed peppers at my house. If you think about it, they are kind of the perfect food. They are filling, cheesy, include all the major food groups, and they are naturally pre-portioned for easy serving. If you like this recipe, you’ll also love Mexican Stuffed Peppers, Italian Stuffed Peppers, and this Stuffed Pepper Soup.

I stumbled upon an abundance of Poblano Peppers this week at the farmer’s market, as the summer growing season is ending and peppers tend to be one of the last crops to finish. So I created this recipe with poblano peppers that I am completely in love with. It’s perfectly spicy and has everything in it that you’d expect to enjoy in a burrito, taco bowl, or any other Mexican recipe.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

1. Southwest Flavors: The mild spiciness of poblanos is perfectly matched with southwest ingredients like tomatoes, black beans, corn, and jalapeños. Make these when you need a break from the typical taco Tuesday dishes.
2. Packed with Veggies: This is a great way to get a lot of healthy vegetables on the table. The ingredients in stuffed poblano peppers are overall pretty healthy too, so you can feel good about that.
3. Easy to Make: Stuffed Peppers are pretty much foolproof. Add in your cooked ingredients and bake until tender. That’s it!

Ingredients Needed

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Feel free to make substitutions if you want! This recipe is very forgiving, and can take a little more of one thing, a little less of another if that’s what works for you.

• Olive Oil: Just a bit helps to soften the peppers as they roast in the oven.
• Onion: I always add diced onion to taco meat. The warm, sweet flavor of sauteed onion is always welcome.
• Ground Beef: Use what you have, but I prefer using a 90% lean pound of beef. The leaner the beef, the more meat you actually end up with and the less grease you need to drain off.
• Jalapeño: This tiny spicy pepper gives a ton of flavor and a fiery kick.

• Taco Seasoning: If you don’t already, consider mixing up your own taco seasoning blend from scratch. It’s so delicious. Packaged taco seasoning will work as well, but a homemade one tastes much better.
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Canned fire roasted tomatoes are a great recipe secret! They add acidity and a smoky flavor to the mixture.
• Cooked Rice: This recipe works well with freshly made or leftover rice. You can also use any type of rice that you enjoy. Brown, white, or even cauliflower rice will work!
• Black Beans: Drain a can of black beans and rinse well with cold water to remove the extra starch.
• Corn: Frozen corn is perfect here. Just leave it out for a bit to thaw.
• Cheese: Shredded Mexican cheese blend is the perfect topping for these stuffed peppers. Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese can be used as well.
• Cilantro: The perfect amount of fresh, bright flavor comes from a sprinkle of cilantro.

How to Make Stuffed Poblano Peppers

1. Prepare: Preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C.
2. Roast Peppers: Prepare the poblano peppers by slicing them in halves, then removing the seeds and membrane. Brush them with a bit of olive oil, inside and out, then roast them until they are just undercooked (10 to 15 minutes). Use a silicone pastry brush to make this easy and mess-free.

1. Cook Filling: In a non-stick pan, sauté the diced onion until soft and translucent. Then add the ground beef, jalapeno, taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Brown the meat as you break it down with a spatula or wooden spoon. Add the diced tomatoes, and cook everything together until well mixed and heated through.

1. Finish Filling: Add in the cooked rice and mix well, cooking for a couple of minutes. Mix in half of the cheese, then remove from the heat.
2. Stuff the Peppers:Take the poblano peppers out of the oven and spoon the stuffing into each pepper half, dividing the mixture evenly among the peppers. Top peppers with the remaining cheese.
3. Melt: Put the stuffed peppers back in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld and settle, the peppers to finish fully cooking, and the cheese to melt. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.

Stuffed Pepper Tips

Cook the Peppers First: You might think that you can just stuff raw peppers and bake, but really, the peppers will not cook properly once they are filled with rice and meat. Cooking them first until they are almost done is the key to perfectly tender stuffed peppers.

Try Chicken: Ground chicken or turkey would be a low fat swap to make these poblanos extra healthy. Shredded cooked chicken can be used as well.

Meal Prep: I love making a batch of stuffed peppers and portioning them out as lunches for the week. They reheat wonderfully in the microwave, and I actually think they test better as leftovers!

Leave the Stems: I love the way these stuffed peppers look with the stems left on, but you can remove them if you like. Just be careful not to remove too much of the top of the pepper or the filling will spill out, or just slice them in half lengthwise keeping the stem on.

Use Fresh Peppers: Look for poblanos that are firm and shiny with no signs of damage. These will be the tastiest. If you like to garden, consider planting some poblanos next year. They typically yield a large harvest in the late summer or early fall.

What to Serve with Stuffed Poblanos

This recipe with poblano peppers is Mexican inspired, using a pepper that is served in Mexican restaurants every day, so it makes sense that we serve it with all of our favorite Tex-Mex meals and sides.

Mexican Sides: Cilantro Lime Rice can be used as a side dish with stuffed poblanos, or you can use it in the filling and combine the two meals together. Instant Pot Pinto Beans and Fresh Pineapple Salsa and Chips would be a great side too.

Tacos: Use these stuffed peppers as a side dish or accompaniment to a taco dinner. Mushroom Tacos, Shrimp Fajitas, Shredded Chicken Tacos or Baked Chicken Tacos are all delicious options.

Add Toppings: Make up a batch of Lime Crema, Guacamole, or Pico De Gallo to add more amazing flavor to your peppers.

FAQs

I hope you enjoy this poblano peppers recipe! It’s a perfect way to use up fresh peppers or to get a new and interesting dish on your dinner table tonight.