Easy Chiles Rellenos Casserole
Chiles Rellenos Casserole is a super simple, irresistible vegetarian Tex-Mex dish that is pure comfort food!
This Easy Chiles Rellenos Recipe with cheese, eggs, and peppers makes an easy meatless weeknight dinner.
Why You Must Make
- This casserole takes the work out of traditional chiles Rellenos!
- The ingredients are layered instead of stuffing the peppers.
- It can be eaten for any meal and at any time of the day!!
I first made this riff on the classic Tex-Mex dish years ago, when my parents were in town for a visit. My dad went back for seconds and then thirds. Hot, cheesy, and mildly spicy, this chili Rellenos casserole sure hit the spot on a brisk autumn day. I was a huge fan as well.
Growing up in small-town Iowa, many, many moons ago, tacos were about as ethnic as we got as far as cooking went. I would have loved a Tex-Mex Cobb Salad or even a Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken Stew but, alas, we got hard-shelled corn tacos filled with ground beef! Granted, my dad could eat a dozen of those, but he grew to love more traditional Mexican cuisine as time went on.
Ingredient Notes:
If you don’t have half and half on hand, to make one cup, you can:
- Mix ½ cup whole milk + ½ cup light cream.
- Mix ¾ cup whole milk + ¼ cup heavy cream.
- Mix ⅔ cup skim or low-fat milk + ⅓ cup heavy cream.
Expert Tips
- Where the typical chiles rellenos recipe consists of stuffed and fried poblanos served with homemade tomato salsa, this shortcut version is much less labor-intensive. Whole mild peppers (right out of the can!) are layered on the bottom of a baking dish, then topped with a generous amount of Monterey Jack and cheddar before pouring on an egg and cream mixture.
- The last step is to drizzle on a small can of tomato sauce before baking.
- If you’d like a carnivore version, saute and drain some ground beef or even chorizo sausage, add Tex Mex/taco seasonings if using ground beef, and add an extra layer in the middle.
- Or even add a layer of refried beans if that’s your jam!
- I love the combo of Monterey Jack and cheddar in Tex-Mex dishes, but you can use any melty cheese you like.
- Feel free to roast your own poblano peppers if you have access to fresh peppers. Just remove the peels and seeds before using them.
- There is no way to mess this casserole recipe up! Of course, you can use a homemade or jarred salsa in lieu of the tomato sauce, but for a quick meal, this easy chile Relleno casserole is perfect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chiles Rellenos is a Mexican dish made of cheese-filled mild green chiles that have been coated with an egg batter. they are then fried until the outside is crisp and the cheese is melted.
Pronounce this dish CHEE-lehs rreh-YEH-nohs.
Yes, if your canned chiles still have the peel, slip them off since the skins can be tough and difficult to digest. Also, remove any seeds.
You May Also Like:
- Balsamic Peppers and Onions Recipe from Cookin’ Canuck
- Beef Tacos
- Asian Beef with Peppers
- Oven Roasted Peppers
- More Main Dish Recipes
Chiles Rellenos Casserole Recipe
An easy recipe with the delicious flavors of chiles rellenos.
Ingredients
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 3 cans of whole green chiles, 4 ounces each
- ½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- ½ pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º. Grease a 9 x 9-inch (or comparable-sized) casserole dish.
- Rinse chiles to remove seeds. Drain on paper towels.
- Layer chiles on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with the mixture of cheeses, reserving ½ cup for the top.
- Whisk together half and half, eggs, flour, salt, and cumin. Pour over the cheese.
- Drizzle top with tomato sauce and sprinkle with reserved cheese.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes, until browned and cooked in the center. Cool a few minutes before slicing.
Notes
Adapted from Desert Treasures.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 615Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 221mgSodium: 1208mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 34g
27 Comments on “Easy Chiles Rellenos Casserole”
I absolutely love the flavors in this dish! I can’t wait to make it again!
I used skim milk and heavy cream because that’s what I had in the house and it came out delicious! This is my perfect comfort food.
Any dish that takes the work out of making dinner is one that I want to make. This looks fabulous!
I’ve always been a little intimidated to make chilis rellenos – This version is very do-able! Love all the flavors going on in here!
I’ve always been a little intimidated to make chilis rellenos – This version is very do-able! Love all the flavors going on in here!
Now that I live and work on a tropical island and dont have easy access to a kitchen, I am all about the easy dishes that can be frozen and reheated and served with a salad. This dish is going straight on the list. YUM!
waOOo sounds amazing need to try soon thanks for sharing
Yummo, I do like Tex Mex and this casserole sounds devine.
This is a dish I would down in a second. I’ve always stayed away from the actual Chiles Rellenos because they are deep fried, and this tasty version sound 100 times better. I know our friends whom we are visiting in February, would love this dish, so I know I’ll make this for them.
I am all about quick and easy meals these days and this is going to be a big hit!
Comfort food is just what I’ve been craving. Your casserole is a must make!
During the Christmas holidays, when I was in Bishop, one of Melissa’s clients brought dinner to the house as a gift. Everything was vegetarian to accommodate our sweet Emma. One of the main courses was a Chiles Rellenos casserole which everyone including our non-vegetarian Clara, enjoyed. The guy who loved it most was Stephen. He really, really loved it. He and the girls do most of the cooking in the family. A few days later, as he was eating the last of the leftovers, his words to Emma and Clara were, “We have to learn to make this.” I just sent the recipe to them but will be making it myself next month. So many of my friends are vegetarian and will love this. (This comment is too long!!!)
I think I might ahev gone for 4th! Looks so good and cheesy, very quick as you said. Great tip on the half and half subs.
I love that you made this into a casserole! So much easier this way but all the great flavors.
Well this is right up my alley! I still have a half of freezer full of green chile, so I’m see this a breakfast in the morning. Fabulous dish Liz!
Lovely! Did you know I can’t buy green chilies in South America. Weird…!
OMG!!! This looks epic!! My hubby would love this!!!! *WANT!* – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
What a great casserole, Liz! No wonder your father couldn’t resist it. And I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Liz, I can see why your father went back for seconds and thirds, love everything about this casserole, looks like it’s super creamy and has lots of flavor.
love this casserole .. perfect for anytime!
I bet this tastes amazing, I like chillies like that which have a little heat but a great flavour too.
My casserole has never looked this good, Liz.
I’ve never tried them and love the idea of a casserole:@)
Such a pretty and delicious casserole, Liz. Absolutely in love with this classic Tex-Mex dish. Would love to try this sometime soon. Just one question, though, what can be used instead of half and half?
Anu, I gave some substitutions at the bottom of the post. Or are you dairy free? What would liquid would you use to make a custard or quiche along with the eggs?
Hi, Kate! Phooey…I was wining and dining my dad and forgot to get to Broad Ripple…will definitely go next Saturday!
Becky, it was so good and easy…great idea on the individual casseroles!
I am so totally going to copy this! My box of Hatch chilies came while we were in Louisiana and I am roasting them today. I’m thinking individual casseroles with 2 chilies each would work out nicely for the three of us. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and your delicious looking pics!