Vegan Chiles Rellenos Recipe
Fire-roasted poblanos stuffed with melty vegan pepper jack, fried in a masa harina batter until stupidly golden and crispy, then drowned in salsa roja and finished with a cilantro lime crema that is genuinely going to level up your life a little.
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 675kcal
Cost: $9
Ingredients
For the Chiles Rellenos:
- 6 poblano peppers or large hatch chiles
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup masa harina white or yellow
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened plant-based milk
- 7 oz. vegan pepper jack cheese or vegan mozzarella, cut into strips
- ⅔ cup canola oil vegetable oil, or sunflower oil for frying
For the Optional Cilantro Lime Crema:
- ¼ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons avocado meat
- ½ cup unsweetened vegan yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
To Serve:
- 3 cups salsa rojo or red chile sauce
- Minced red onion
- Cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Place the poblano or hatch chiles on a wire rack directly over a gas burner or under a broiler set to 500°F (260°C). Turn regularly until the skins are evenly charred and blistered on all sides, 5-6 minutes.
- Transfer the charred chiles to a bowl and cover tightly. Let them steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.
- Peel away the skins, then make a small slit along one side of each chile and remove the seeds, keeping the chiles as intact as possible.
- Carefully stuff each chile with the vegan cheese, pressing gently to close the opening.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, masa harina, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and salt. Gradually whisk in the plant-based milk, stirring until a smooth batter forms with a thick, pourable consistency.
- Heat the frying oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. After 3–4 minutes, test the oil by dropping a small amount of batter into it; it should sizzle immediately.
- Dip each stuffed chile into the batter, coating it fully, then carefully place it into the hot oil. Fry in batches over medium heat for 3–4 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and crisp.
- Transfer the fried chiles to a wire rack suspended over a baking pan to drain excess oil.
- To prepare the optional crema, combine the plant-based milk, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, avocado, vegan yogurt, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Warm the salsa rojo or red chile sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through.
- To serve, spoon the warm sauce onto a plate, place the chiles rellenos on top.
- Drizzle with cilantro lime crema and garnish with minced red onion, and cilantro leaves.
Notes
🔥 Roseanne Char
Pale and lightly spotted is not the vibe. Go full blackened all over because this is what creates that deep smoky flavor and makes the skins actually peel off without a meltdown.
Nutrition
Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 6529mg | Potassium: 432mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 910IU | Vitamin C: 101mg | Calcium: 387mg | Iron: 3mg