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 1/2 cup whole milk + 1/2 cup light cream
• Mix 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Mix 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 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

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• Balsamic Peppers and Onions Recipe from Cookin’ Canuck
• Beef Tacos
• Asian Beef with Peppers 
• Oven Roasted Peppers 
• More Main Dish Recipes

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The Recipe:

Chiles Rellenos Casserole Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Yield 4 servings

An easy recipe with the delicious flavors of chiles rellenos. Adapted from Desert Treasures

Ingredients

• 1 cup half and half
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 3 cans of whole green chiles, 4 ounces each
• 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375º. Grease 9 x 9 inch (or comparable sized) casserole dish.
2. Rinse chiles to remove seeds. Drain on paper towels.
3. Layer chiles on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with the mixture of cheeses, reserving ½ cup for the top.
4. Whisk together half and half, eggs, flour, salt, and cumin. Pour over cheese.
5. Drizzle top with tomato sauce and sprinkle with reserved cheese.
6. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until browned and cooked in the center. Cool a few minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 615Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 221mgSodium: 1208mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 34g

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