These low-carb Stuffed Poblano Peppers check all the comfort boxes! Hearty and completely satisfying, poblano peppers come loaded with taco-seasoned ground beef, rice, and black beans. The filling is coated in a delicious quick-fix enchilada sauce, and the whole shebang gets topped off with cheese and baked until it's perfectly melty.
I can whole-heartedly promise you that you will not feel like you are eating healthy food, but in reality, you are. This dinner packs a high-protein punch and checks the low-carb boxes, yet it is ridiculously hard not to stop eating.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
Preparing poblano peppers can be intimidating but with a few tips, you'll have this process down, no problem! It's best to pre-bake the peppers so they are just the right amount of tender-crisp come dinnertime.
Have you ever made stuffed jalapeno poppers? It's kind of like that. In the same way, it's important to remove those seeds (they are tough). However, for poblanos, you'll want to peel as much of the skin away as possible. It might sound like a lot of work, but you'll be grateful you took 10 minutes to knock out such a simple task. We've got tips and tricks to help the process move along quickly!
I do have one request for this recipe: please don't buy enchilada sauce. There is no canned enchilada sauce as good as the one you can make at home. The sauce for these stuffed peppers has a very similar flavor profile to our homemade enchilada sauce, only this one comes together in two minutes and requires just a simple mix of tomato sauce and spices.
We use a similar sauce on our beef enchiladas and enchiladas Roja.
How to Work with Poblano Peppers
Poblano peppers are chile peppers with a mild to moderate level of heat and rank near the bottom of the Scoville Heat Scale. In comparison to other popular peppers, poblanos are milder than a jalapeno but spicier than a bell pepper (which actually, has no spice at all).
Although I really love stuffed bell peppers, I will take a poblano over a bell any day. They are far and away my favorite pepper and so incredibly delicious.
So, how do you work with them?
Soften the Peppers | To soften the peppers, preheat your oven to 400°F and place the peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the peppers with a tablespoon of oil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the Skins | To remove the skins, place a clean dish towel over the peppers as soon as they come out of the oven and allow them to sit under the towel for about 5-10 minutes. You can also transfer the peppers to a paper sack and seal for 5-10 minutes. As soon as the peppers are cool enough to handle, gently pull the skin away from the peppers.
Take Out the Seeds | The seeds can be spicy, so if you are sensitive to heat, be sure to remove them. To open the pepper for deseeding, cut a slit vertically down the peppers. Use a spoon to gently scrape out the seeds. You might also find the membrane spicy. This can be cut away with scissors or carefully with a paring knife.
How to Make Stuffed Poblano Peppers
For this recipe, you can use ground beef or ground turkey. We love ground turkey in Tex-Mex dishes and use it in our ground turkey tacos.
Once you've got your peppers par-baked, most of the skin removed, and the seeds out, you can start on your filling.
Make the Filling
Cook the Ground Meat | Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. As soon as the skillet and oil have come to temperature, add the ground meat.
Season Meat | Sprinkle half of the seasoning mix over the ground meat and break apart. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked through.
Add the Rest of Filling Ingredients | Add in the tomato sauce, lime juice, the remaining spice mix, white rice, and black beans. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Stuff and Bake
Fill Peppers + Add Cheese | Divide the filling amongst the peppers and top with the Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheese.
Bake | Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and put your peppers with filling in for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
Serve + Enjoy! | Allow to cool slightly, serve, and enjoy!
Make the FillingAdd all of the spices to a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside until readySprinkle half of the seasoning mix over the ground meat and break apart. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked throughSprinkle half of the seasoning mix over the ground meat and break apart. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked through.
What to Serve with Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Creamy sauces are where it's at when it comes time to top off your stuffed poblano peppers. Keep it simple with a drizzle of Mexican crema or a dollop of sour cream. Top that off with a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro and get ready to experience your new favorite bite.
Avocado also pairs beautifully with this dish. Avocado crema or a scoop of homemade guacamole will go a long way!
Bring fresh flavors to forefront with homemade pico de gallo or this cilantro lime dressing (which you can totally user later on a fajita salad).
Traditional sides, like Spanish rice, charro beans, or refried black beans, are no-brainers for any Tex-Mex dish. And you can keep it extra healthy and protein packed with shrimp and avocado salad or Mexican bean salad.
Or feel free to go in the opposite direction and round out this meal with a comforting slice of jalapeno cornbread with a bowl of chicken taco soup on the side.
Want to impress your dinner guests? Chicken empanadas have been known to take this meal to the next level and wow your people!
More Healthy Mexican Recipes to Try
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Ingredients
- 4-6 poblano peppers
- 3 tablespoons avocado or canola oil, separated
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pound low-fat ground beef or turkey
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- Juice of a lime
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
PREP THE PEPPERS:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and have ready a large, rimmed baking sheet.
- Place the poblano peppers on the baking sheet, drizzle with a tablespoon of oil, and rub all over. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Once the peppers blister on both sides, remove from the oven and cover with a clean dish towel for 5-10 minutes. Or, transfer the peppers to a paper bag, close tightly, and allow to sit 5-10 minutes. As soon as the peppers are cool enough to handle, gently pull away as much skin as possible.
- Place the peppers on a work surface, carefully cut a slit from the bottom of the pepper to the stem, and use a spoon to scrap way the seeds. Set aside until ready to use.
MAKE THE FILLING:
- Add all of the spices to a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
- Add two tablespoons of oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. As soon as the skillet and oil have come to temperature, add the ground meat.
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning mix over the ground meat and break apart. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked through.
- Add in the tomato sauce, lime juice, the remaining spice mix, white rice, and black beans. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat and set aside.
STUFF AND BAKE:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Divide the filling amongst the peppers and top with the Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Allow to cool slightly, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Phil says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Kelly says
We loved this recipe!!