Chile Relleno de Queso

Chile Relleno de Queso is a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with cheese, coated in a light egg batter, and fried until golden. I’m serving these chiles rellenos with a simple yet flavorful tomato and onion sauce. Check out this tamale version with poblanos and cheese.

Chiles Rellenos are one of those comfort dishes that take time to prepare, but are so worth it. If you want a faster version, try my Baked Chile Relleno. These are stuffed with shredded chicken for even more protein.

Ingredients for Chiles Rellenos de Queso

The ingredients to make chiles rellenos de queso are simple, here’s what you’ll need:

• Poblano Peppers– You want fresh and firm poblanos.
• Eggs– Use whole eggs and separate the yolks and whites to make the batter.
• Oaxaca Cheese– I love the flavor of oaxaca cheese, but any melting cheese works. Slicing the cheese into long sticks makes it easier to stuff and stay in the poblano during frying.
• Flour– We’re using all-purpose flour to allow the egg batter to coat more easily.
• Salt– to season the batter
• Oil– Use a neutral high-heat oil for deep drying.

Ingredients for the Tomato Sauce

I like to serve the chili rellenos with a simple yet flavorful tomato sauce. These are the ingredients you’ll need for the tomato sauce:

• Roma tomatoes– Use whole tomatoes and blister them to develop a roasted flavor.
• White Onion– The onions get caramelized for a sweeter taste.
• Garlic– Helps to add a punch of flavor.
• Serrano– This adds heat to the sauce, for less spice use a jalapeno.
• Cilantro– Just a few sprigs are needed for flavor.
• Salt– Adjust to your flavor preference.

How to Make Chiles Rellenos

Poblanos have tough outer skin that can be difficult to eat. Start by washing the poblanos and place them on a baking sheet under the broiler. Rotate the peppers every couple of minutes until all sides are charred. You can also place the poblanos directly over a gas flame. Try not to over blister them, since this makes the poblanos more fragile.

Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to steam for 5 minutes to soften them. Use a butter knife to scrape off the outer layer of the poblano. You don’t need to remove all the skin, just most of it.

Make a slit in the pepper and remove the seeds. Fill each poblano with sticks of Oaxaca cheese or a melting cheese like Monterrey jack. Alternatively, you can do a meat filling like Picadillo instead of the cheese.

For the egg batter, separate 3 eggs and place the egg whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a smaller bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Then add the egg yolks one at a time to the egg whites and gently stir with a spatula.

Tip: The egg batter should be light and fluffy, overmixing it with the yolks can cause it to get runny, making it difficult to coat the poblanos.

Add some all-purpose flour to a plate, roll each filled poblano in the flour, and gently shake off any excess. Use your fingers to keep the poblano closed and dip it into the egg batter to cover all the sides.

Carefully place the poblano into the hot oil, it should be 350°F. Fry each side until golden and use a spoon to scoop oil onto any hard-to-reach areas. Remove the chile relleno and allow any excess oil to drain on a baking rack or paper towel lined plate.

How to Make the Tomato Sauce

Blister whole tomatoes in a dry skillet, or you can place them under the broiler with the poblanos. Add oil to a skillet over medium heat and the sliced onions. Sauté over medium heat until they caramelize.

Add garlic cloves and a whole serrano or jalapeno sauté for a few more minutes. Add the blistered tomatoes, garlic, serrano, half of the sauteed onions, water, and salt to a blender and blend until smooth.

You can now taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Pour the tomato sauce back into the skillet where the remaining onions are. Bring to a gentle simmer and add the cilantro sprigs. Simmer on low heat until you are ready to serve the chile rellenos.

How to Serve and Store

Serve chiles rellenos right after making them for the best taste. If you need to make a large batch keep the fried poblanos in the oven on low heat.

When you are ready to eat place some tomato sauce on a plate and then the chile relleno with more tomato sauce on top. You can also do a side of Arroz Rojo or Blanco, and some beans.

For leftovers, store the sauce and chiles rellenos separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the peppers in the oven or air fryer until they are warm and crispy. Heat the tomato sauce in a pot and assemble before serving.

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