Stuffed Poblano | Poblano Peppers Stuffed With Beans And Rice

Stuffed Poblano or Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Rice and beans is a Mexican vegetarian delight
that we enjoy as a family for dinner.

I am redoing old posts this week and this post really needed some good pictures as my old ones were not justifying how delicious the recipe is. My husband loves stuffed Poblano served as Chile Rellenos in restaurants are usually breaded and deep fried. There are few restaurants where we get lucky and get the vegetarian Chile Rellenos that is stuffed just with cheese.

The restaurants ones are so greasy and many times he passes it off. This recipe was made just for him and now it is our family’s favorite casserole dish. I was a little worried about how my little one will take the idea of stuffed peppers, but surprisingly he did great and in fact mentioned that he loves it.

This recipe is very filling as a dinner and pairs beautifully with sweet corn and pineapple salsa on the side. Since the recipe already has rice and beans stuffed in it, there is no need to serve them on side. Also instead of rice, you could stuff them with cooked quinoa or any other whole grain of your choice.

Initially I used to make the rice and beans as a dish together, but lately have been layering them individually. The poblano peppers are quite mild, but I would still deseed them. I use Mexican rice to stuff inside as it makes it much more flavorful.

If you are looking for more vegetarian Mexican dishes, make sure to check the Chimichanga recipe. Also check out the Spinach enchilada casserole which is yet another favorite of ours.

Preparation time – 15 mins
Cooking time – 1 hr 30 mins
Difficulty level – easy

Ingredients to make the Stuffed poblano – Serves 4

Poblano pepper – 4
Mexican Rice – ½ cup (cooked)
Prepared Black beans – Check the recipe below
Sauce – Check the recipe below
Shredded Mexican blend cheese – 1 cup

To Make the Black Beans –

Organic Black Beans – 1 can (15 oz) drained and rinsed
Onion – 1 (chopped)
Garlic – 1 (minced fine)
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Chili powder – 1/2 tsp
Cilantro – chopped (few)
Oil – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste

To Make the sauce –

Whole tomatoes in puree – 1 can (28 oz)
Garlic – 2 cloves
Jalapeno – 1
Onion – 1 small
Salt – to taste

Procedure to make the Stuffed Poblano –

To Make the Black Beans –

In a pan, heat 2 tsp of oil. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent. Now add the minced garlic and fry for one more minute.
Now add the drained and rinsed black beans to the pan and mix well. Also add ground cumin and the chili powder and give it a stir.
Finally add the chopped cilantro and turn off the flame. Keep it aside until ready to assemble.

To Make the Sauce –

In a blender, add all the ingredients listed under the sauce and puree them. If you prefer spicier sauce, leave the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno intact. If you prefer a milder sauce, remove the seeds and the ribs from the jalapeno and then add it to the blender. Pour the sauce in to a 9 x 13 baking dish.

To Make the Mexican Rice –

Prepare the Mexican rice recipe or make any of your favorite packaged Mexican flavored rice and keep it ready.

To Assemble the Stuffed Poblano –

Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Clean the poblano peppers and cut each of them vertically into 2. Remove the seeds and the ribs carefully. Repeat this with all the peppers.

Get the rice, beans and cheese all ready to be stuffed.

Working with one half of the pepper, spread a layer of beans. Then top it off with rice. Make sure that the peppers are stuffed well without much empty space.
Place the stuffed peppers onto the baking dish that is layered with the sauce.
Once the peppers are all stuffed and placed in the pan, spread the cheese over the peppers.

Wrap the baking pan with aluminum foil wrap and place it in the oven.
Bake at 425 F for about 45 mins or until the peppers are soft and tender.
Now open the aluminum foil and cook for some more time until the sauce thickens up and the cheese is browned on top.
Let it sit for few minutes before serving.