These Stuffed Poblano Peppers make for such a delicious dinner. With easy-to-find ingredients, you have a hearty dish that everyone is going to love.
Stuffed peppers are a family favorite around here, and I’m so excited to share this new spin on them with you. Poblano peppers have a bit of a natural smokey taste to them, so they pair perfectly with the other ingredients in this recipe.
You are going to love this well-rounded dinner.
How to Make Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Here is a brief overview of how this stuffed pepper recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Prepare the peppers. Wash the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the ribs and seeds. The goal here is to leave the rest of the pepper intact for filling, so use a sharp knife and careful cutting skills.
- Roast the peppers. Place the peppers cut side down on the prepared baking sheet and rub them lightly with oil. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for eight minutes. Then reduce the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the beef. While the peppers are in the oven, cook the ground beef. Once the beef has just begun to brown add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is soft.
- Add the other filling ingredients. Add the seasonings and stir in the cooked rice, black beans, tomato sauce, green chiles, and some of the cheese.
- Bake the stuffed peppers. Divide the mixture between the roasted poblano peppers, be careful working with hot peppers. Top with the remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Garnish with some fresh cilantro and enjoy!
Choosing Poblano Peppers
Similar in size to bell peppers, poblano peppers are green and skinnier with a pointed tip. Look for poblano peppers that are firm, shiny, and vibrant green in color. Avoid any that appear wrinkled, soft, or have blemishes. Choose peppers that are roughly uniform in size so they cook evenly.
Pre-Cooking Peppers
One of the key parts of delicious stuffed peppers is that the pepper itself is soft and fully cooked. To ensure that the pepper is soft and the filling isn’t overcooked, we pre-cook the peppers. This happens while the ground beef cooks, saving time since things are happening at the same time.
By baking the poblano peppers at a high temperature, they cook enough to soften. Then we lower the temp while we bake the peppers again, this time with the filling and cheese added.
What Rice to Use
You have a few time-saving options when making stuffed peppers with rice. I love to use microwaveable rice. It is a convenient way to keep this recipe simple and save time! You could also have your rice made ahead of time or use minute rice.
Making Stuffed Peppers Low Carb
If you would like to make these peppers low carb, you could swap the rice for cauliflower rice. While cauliflower rice doesn’t taste like rice or have its consistency, it still is a fantastic swap. It also provides additional nutrients. It is easy to find premade in the freezer section of your grocery store, but I also have a fantastic recipe for it.
Cauliflower Rice
Tips and Tricks
- Grate cheese from a block. You’ll always hear me say it is better to grate cheese from a block rather than buy pre-shredded cheese. This is because pre-shredded cheese is covered in preservatives that prevent it from clumping together in the bag, which also affects how well it melts. Buy a block and take the extra couple of minutes to shred it yourself.
- Swap out the cheese. I think these are perfect with Monterey Jack cheese. But if that isn’t your favorite, just pick another melty cheese! Cheddar cheese would be great here, and for a little extra kick, add some pepper jack cheese.
- Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken. If your family prefers ground turkey over ground beef, you can totally use that in this recipe. Since there won’t be as much grease, you won’t need to drain it.
- Add toppings. Sour cream and/or salsa would be delicious on these stuffed peppers for serving!
FAQ
Yes, this recipe would also be delicious if made with bell peppers.
No, they are not. They have just a subtle kick compared to bell peppers but are not spicy like jalapeño peppers.
Yes! Crockpot stuffed peppers are fantastic. Prepare the recipe to the point of stuffing them. Put the roasted poblano pepper halves in the bottom of your slow cooker. Top each with filling and cook on low for three to four hours. Then top with shredded cheese and allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Making Ahead
This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Prepare the stuffed poblano peppers up to the point of putting them in the oven. Cover the pan and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake them, bake uncovered in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat the portion you plan to eat by baking in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Freezing
If this recipe makes more than you need for dinner, it is a great one to freeze for a quick meal later. Follow the recipe through step four. Rather than baking them, flash freeze the stuffed peppers by putting them on a plate or freezer-safe container and in the freezer for two to four hours. This will prevent them from sticking together and the filling from coming out of the peppers. Then transfer the frozen stuffed poblano peppers to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to three months.
When you are ready to eat the peppers, transfer them to a baking dish. Cover and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.
Other Stuffed Peppers Recipes
If you make this stuffed poblano peppers recipe or any of my other recipes, leave a comment and let me know! I love hearing how you enjoy my recipes.
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 poblano peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (453.59 grams)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (if using table salt, please start with half this amount)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup cooked rice read about what rice to use (200 grams)
- 1 cup black beans (260 grams)
- 15 ounces tomato sauce (425 grams)
- 4 ounces green chiles drained well (113 grams)
- 2 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded and divided (282.5 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Wash the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the ribs and seeds. Place the peppers cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Rub them lightly with olive oil and roast them for 8 minutes. When done baking reduce the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.4 poblano peppers, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- While the peppers cook, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and break up. Once the beef has just begun to brown, add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is soft, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off any excess grease. Season with the chili powder, cumin, and paprika.1 pound ground beef, 1/2 medium yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Stir in the cooked rice, black beans, tomato sauce, green chiles, and 1 cup of the cheese. Taste the mixture and add more salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mixture between the roasted poblano peppers. Top with the remaining cheese.1 cup cooked rice, 1 cup black beans, 15 ounces tomato sauce, 4 ounces green chiles, 2 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
Peggy says
I spend months in Puerto Vallarta Mexico
These recipes will come in handy when we
Get together for dinner parties .
I hope you enjoy it!