Poblanos are the rare pepper that can carry dinner. They are sturdy enough to roast and stuff, gentle enough for a broad table, and flavourful enough that the pepper itself still matters.
This filling leans on tomato rice, herbs, lime, corn or beans, and a little salty cheese. It is flexible, colourful, and built for the kind of harvest basket that has a bit of everything.
At a glance
- Yield: 4 stuffed peppers
- Time: 50 minutes
- Heat level: Mild to medium
- Best season: Fresh pepper and tomato season
Why this variety works
A good poblano has depth: green, earthy, slightly smoky after roasting, and much more interesting than a standard bell pepper.
Ingredients
- 4 large poblano peppers
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup corn kernels or cooked black beans
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco, feta, or cotija
- Cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper
Method
- Roast poblanos until blistered. Cover for 10 minutes, then slit each pepper and remove seeds while keeping the pepper mostly intact.
- Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and tomatoes, then cook until the tomato juices thicken.
- Fold in rice and corn or beans. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime.
- Fill the peppers, place in a baking dish, and bake at 375 F for 15 minutes.
- Top with cheese, cilantro, olive oil, and more lime right before serving.
Make it yours
- Add chopped roasted peppers to the filling for extra sweetness.
- Use cooked lentils instead of rice for a heartier version.
- Finish with Habanada Citrus Sauce or Aji Amarillo Huancaina Sauce.
How to serve it
Serve with a sharp salad, black beans, tomato salsa, yogurt, or a simple pile of dressed greens.
Garden note
Harvest poblanos green for classic flavour, or let a few ripen red for sweeter, softer heat.
Grow it from seed: Poblano Pepper Seeds