Chile Relleno Casserole
Chile relleno casserole is a delicious vegetarian dish to add to your table. This flavorful Mexican dish is made easy with canned peppers!
Authentic chile rellenos are one of my favorite dishes to order at our local Mexican restaurant. I love how the flavors come together so effortlessly!
Chile relleno is Spanish for “stuffed pepper,” usually stuffed with just cheese, though many people include other yummy fillings like ground beef or shredded chicken. Once stuffed they’re coated in egg batter and fried.
Our family loves to create homemade takeout nights, and this chile relleno casserole is a twist on that. This is not meant to be an authentic recipe; instead, it’s a family-friendly vegetarian dish that brings together some of those same yummy flavors!
A classic chile relleno usually calls for poblano peppers or hatch chiles. This dish is designed to be made with canned green peppers to make it fast and easy for busy weeknights. Leftovers also make a delicious breakfast dish the next day, too.
With gooey cheese and roasted chiles melded together with cooked eggs, this chili relleno casserole is a family favorite in our home.
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Ingredients Needed for Easy Chile Relleno Casserole
To make this yummy vegetarian dinner, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Canned whole green chiles or fresh roasted green chiles or poblano peppers
Diced yellow onion
Shredded Monterey jack cheese and shredded cheddar cheese
Eggs
Milk
Flour
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Cumin
Garlic powder
Paprika
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and chopped green onions for garnish (optional)
Don’t forget that you can scroll down for the full chile relleno casserole recipe and printable recipe card.
I personally prefer to use canned whole green chiles for this recipe, because they make it quick and easy. You should be able to find these at your local grocery store in the international aisle Mexican food area.
If you can’t find the big 27 ounce can, pick up 4-6 of the small 4 ounce cans instead. In a pinch you can also use the diced green chiles!
If you prefer to make this from scratch, you’ll need to roast the peppers you choose ahead of time. Poblano peppers or anaheim peppers are perfect for chile rellenos if you have the time to prepare them. Both of these are mild peppers, so don’t stress if you’re a spice wimp! I don’t recommend bell peppers as they don’t have the same smokey flavor needed.
You can use whole milk or plant based milk for this recipe. I personally used almond milk to make this as that is what our family drinks.
If you don’t have Monterery jack cheese or cheddar cheese, you can substitute a Mexican blend shredded cheese or a taco blend shredded cheese. You also absolutely can make this with JUST Monterey Jack cheese or JUST cheddar cheese. Pepper jack cheese also tastes great.
If you prefer meat, I recommend browning some ground beef or ground turkey first. Sprinkle it into the layers with the onions and cheese.
I recommend serving this with Mexican rice and refried beans, as well as your favorite taco toppings.
How to Make Hatch Chile Relleno Casserole
While this recipe does require a little it of extra steps, they’re all pretty easy!
In a large bowl add the milk and eggs, flour and seasonings. Whisk thoroughly and set the mixing bowl aside.
Preheat your oven to 375F and spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Slice open the peppers so that they will lay flat. Add a layer of chilis, half the onions and a layer of cheese. Repeat for a second layer of peppers, onions and cheese.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the top of the layered ingredients and sprinkle with the last half cup of cheese.
Let stand for 10 minutes for layers to settle and combine. Tent the casserole dish with foil to prevent over-browning before placing in the oven.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until the egg have set.
Serve with guacamole, sour cream, avocado, a little salsa verde or whatever your favorite toppings are! This goes great with a side of yellow rice for a filling meal.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The flavors for this recipe are so fun! If you love other vegetarian meals, you might love adding a chickpea pasta salad to your dinner line up.
You might also like these recipes:
Crockpot Hamburger Potato Casserole
Chile Relleno Casserole
Chile relleno casserole is a delicious vegetarian dish to add to your table. This flavorful Mexican dish is made easy with canned peppers!
Ingredients
- 1 27 ounce can whole green chiles or (or 6-8 fresh roasted green chiles)
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 ½ cups shredded monterray jack cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 2 Tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Cilantro, chopped green onion and sour cream for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the milk and eggs, flour and seasonings. Whisk thoroughly and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
- Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Slice open the peppers so that they will lay flat.
- Add a layer of chilis, half the onions and sprinkle some cheese. Repeat for a second layer of peppers, onions and cheese.
- Pour the egg mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the last half cup of cheese.
- Let stand 10 minutes or for layers to settle and combine, and then tent with foil to prevent over-browning before placing in the oven.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the egg have set.
- Serve with guacamole, sour cream, avocado, salsa verde or whatever your favorite toppings are!
I hope you and your family love this easy recipe!
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