Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Everyone will love this hearty meatless entree. These stuffed poblano peppers are boldly flavored and legitimately hearty, boasting 20 grams of protein per pepper. They’re stuffed with soft, blended black beans followed by two kinds of cheese.

The cheese turns gloriously golden in the oven while the chili peppers become nicely tender and caramelized. Two layers of red salsa, one underneath and one drizzled on top, bring this crowd-pleasing vegetarian main dish together.

Consider it a simpler alternative to enchiladas or layered casseroles that’s just as satisfying. This recipe will be perfect for game days and casual home get-togethers as the temperatures drop.

I hope you’ll make them again and again this fall—I’m already looking forward to my next batch.

How to Make Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Here’s a preview that explains why this recipe works so well!

I worked hard to streamline this recipe as much as possible. You’ll find a brief instruction video below, and the full recipe at the bottom of the post. - Puree the black beans in a food processor.

We’ll blend ground spices (warmed in a skillet to bring out their best flavors), chipotle chili in adobo sauce, lime juice and cilantro. - Pour some salsa into an oiled baking dish, enough to coat the bottom.

The salsa makes sure that the peppers cook through on the bottom. - Cut a slit down the length of each pepper, and discard the seeds and membranes so we’ll have plenty of space to stuff!

Place the peppers in the baking dish and brush them all over with oil, which helps them soften and caramelize in the heat of the oven. - Stuff the peppers with the pureed beans, followed by a mixture of Monterey Jack, Cotija (or feta) cheese and a squeeze of lime juice.

Drizzle the remaining salsa back and forth over the peppers. - Bake until golden and tender, about 40 to 45 minutes!

Serve as desired—over cooked brown rice or not, but definitely with a dollop of creamy sour cream, cilantro lime sauce or guacamole on top.

Ingredient Tips

- Avoid pre-shredded or pre-crumbled cheese, which will not melt as nicely in the oven since it’s coated in powder.

As a bonus, it’s less expensive per ounce. - Look for chipotles in adobo sauce in the international aisle of your grocery store.

You can freeze the extra flat in a sealed freezer bag. Or, substitute 1 to 3 teaspoons of Tobasco’s chipotle hot sauce.

- I recommend making my simple red salsa because it tastes amazing and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare (you can simply rinse out the food processor and use it again to make the beans). If you’re in a big hurry, use store-bought red salsa instead.

Serving Suggestions

Looking to round out your meal?

You could start with guacamole or avocado dip and tortilla chips. For sides, try Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad) or Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing. For a simpler salad option, top fresh greens with sliced cherry tomatoes, avocado and Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Please let me know how your peppers turn out in the comments!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

These stuffed poblano peppers are hearty and delicious! This protein-rich recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it.

Recipe yields 6 stuffed peppers.

Black bean puree

- 1 tablespoon ground cumin

- 1 tablespoon ground coriander - 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, reserve ¼ cup cooking liquid, then drain but do not rinse - 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce

- 2 tablespoons lime juice - ½ cup fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

- 2 cups (16 ounces) red salsa - 1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing, plus more for greasing the pan

- 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese - ½ cup (2 ounces) crumbled Cotija or feta cheese - 1 tablespoon lime juice

- For serving: cooked brown rice (optional), sour cream, cilantro lime sauce or guacamole - Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with olive oil or cooking spray. - To make the black bean puree: In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the cumin and coriander, stirring often until fragrant, about 1 minute.

- Transfer the spices to a food processor. Add the beans and reserved liquid, chipotle chili and adobo sauce, lime juice, and salt.

Process until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the cilantro and blend for a few seconds, until it’s broken up into tiny bits.

- Pour about ⅔ cup of the salsa into the prepared baking dish, and tilt it from side to side until the bottom of the dish is evenly coated. Cut a slit down the length of each poblano. Use your fingers and a paring knife to remove (and then discard) the membranes and seeds from each pepper.

Arrange the peppers in the baking dish with the cut side facing up, and brush them all over with oil. - In a bowl, combine the shredded cheese, crumbled cheese and lime juice.

Use a spoon to fill most of each pepper with the pureed beans, then stuff a handful of cheese inside. Drizzle the remaining salsa back and forth over the peppers.

- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are roasted and golden and the pepper is tender all around. Serve peppers warm, with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro on top.

Leftover peppers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days—gently reheat them in the microwave or at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through. Recipe adapted from Beer Bean-Stuffed Poblano Peppers (I like this recipe much more!), with the black bean puree adapted from Milk Street’s Tlayudas.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Though I haven’t tried, I think these peppers would be great with 1 batch of vegan sour cream in place of the cheeses. You could double the sour cream recipe to have extra to replace the sour cream garnish, or substitute dollops of avocado dip or guacamole instead. The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.