Low Carb Chile Rellenos Casserole
With a bit of spice, oodles of cheese, and loads of deliciousness, this Low Carb Chile Rellenos Casserole Recipe is pure comfort any time of day! It’s ridiculously simple and absolutely irresistible!
I’ve served this versatile Tex-Mex Casserole Dish for a Lenten Friday night entree, Meatless Monday, and weekend brunches. Plus, I love having leftovers for lunch.
Why You Must Make
- It’s super easy to make! All the ingredients are layered instead of stuffing individual chiles.
- If you’re following a low-carb diet, you’ll love this dish.
- It’s a delicious vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for Lent or Meatless Monday.
How to Make
A cheesy egg casserole screams comfort to me. And one with a bit of heat is even better. Turns out this Chiles Rellenos Casserole Recipe met all this criteria and was perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Layers of green chiles, cheese, and tomatoes are topped with a spicy mixture of eggs and milk…and then baked into a gooey, savory meal. The hubby asked what the green things were, a clue that I had added too many peppers to the recipe. I also did not slice them open and each bite he took had a double dose of peppers.
I amended this Egg Casserole Dish to ensure a better balance of peppers, eggs, and cheese. I’m thinking that two cans of chiles might be enough, but please let your palate lead the way. Loyal readers know that the hubby has a few food quirks, even though these green chiles don’t pack much heat at all.
Tex-Mex Egg Casserole Dish
My dad, on the other hand, would have loved this Chiles Rellenos Recipe. For most of my childhood, we spent our summer vacations in picturesque Aspen, Colorado. Mind you, at the time it was a relatively unknown, yet still chic, ski resort. In nearly 2 decades, not one celeb sighting.
We hiked, picnicked, and with much grumbling, drove to a Trappist Monastery each Sunday at dawn for Mass. But we were bribed with breakfast on the town after our religious excursions. And as you might guess, since we were smack dab in the middle of the southwest, classic huevos rancheros was on all the breakfast menus. And 9 times out of 10, that’s what my dad would order.
He was also known for eating more tacos than any other relative at our family reunions. A Tex-Mex fan for sure. This chiles rellenos casserole would be right up his alley. I hope I can make it for him one day soon.
Expert Tips
This egg casserole is a versatile dish that can be served any time of day. Here are some tips for the best results:
- Check the expiration of your shredded cheese packages. If you purchase close to the “Sell By” date, the cheese could lose some quality and be more likely to spoil before you use it.
- Watch your oven temperature and cooking time when a casserole is topped with cheese. You may want to cover the dish with greased foil if you want the cheese to remain gooey, like with a lasagna. Removing the foil for the last few minutes will add a little color if desired.
- If you elect to grate your own cheese, it’s much easier to use very cold cheese. PRO-Tip: I find that cheese grated at home melts better than the already shredded cheese.
- PRO-Tip: Rinse the chiles to remove any seeds as well as lay the tomato slices on paper towels to drain so they don’t add any excess liquid to the casserole.
- Besides being extremely tasty, this chili relleno casserole is perfect for when you need a meatless or vegetarian entree. I make this Tex-Mex dish at least one Friday during Lent.
- Unlike my other version of a chiles rellenos casserole, this one only has 2 tablespoons of flour added so it is lower in carbs. But both are delicious!
- Lasagna is an excellent cheesy dish that can be frozen either before it’s baked or after it’s baked and cooled for a future meal. My Chili Relleno casserole may not freeze well due to the eggs, but I have not tested this.
- P.S. There appear to be numerous ways to spell this dish. Since both of my casserole versions have different spellings, I’m obviously not an expert!
Frequently Asked Questions
Chiles Rellenos is a Mexican dish that translates to stuffed pepper, and they’re usually coated in batter and deep-fried.
Chile typically refers to the plant and chili to dishes such as chili con carne.
Any Tex-Mex sides would be delicious with this dish or casserole. A Mexican rice dish or coleslaw, refried beans or a Mexican street corn salad would pair well.
You May Also Like:
- Broccoli Cheese Casserole from View from Great Island
- Cheesy Spinach Souffle
- Cheese Straw Tomato Tartlets
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
- Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
- Easy Pizza Casserole
- Round out your menu with this Homemade Potato Bread
- Plus More Easy Main Dish Recipes
- And for dessert, this Tres Leches Cake would be perfect!
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Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
An easy way to enjoy the flavors of chile rellenos!
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- A pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 large tomato, cut into thin slices (set slices between paper toweling to remove excess juices)
- 2 7-ounce cans of whole green chilies, drained well, and split open (may use a 3rd can if desired)
- 1 pound shredded cheese, I used a combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 9-inch pan (or similar-sized casserole dish).
- Beat together, eggs, milk, flour, and seasonings.
- Layer a third of the chilies, then a third of the cheese, and repeat.
- For the third round, layer the last of the chilies, then the tomato slices followed by the last of the cheese.
- Pour egg mixture over cheese. Let rest for about a half-hour while you preheat the oven to 350º.
- Bake for 45+ minutes or until puffed and slightly browned. If the top doesn't look set or watery, just bake longer!
- Let sit 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
Inspired by a Bon Appetit recipe.
Note, I cooled this batch before cutting to get nice clean slices, then reheated.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 369Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 250mgSodium: 630mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 23g
71 Comments on “Low Carb Chile Rellenos Casserole”
This Chile Rellenos Casserole has all the flavor of regular chile rellenos, but without the breading and frying.
I love this dish and we always have it for Cinco De Mayo This recipe looks fabulous and I need to try yours! thanks Liz
Everyone in my family would love this and it’s not as complicated to pull together.
Oh Yum!!! I still have green chile in the freezer just waiting for this recipe. Love this and so much easier than making rellenos. Those make an absolutely mess. 🙂
Dear Liz,
what a wonderful family friendly casserole recipe – lots of flavors, lots of lovely layers of deliciousness! The leftovers (if there are any) must be fabulous for breakfast!
Hi Liz. looks like the perfect thing to make and I must pass the recipe onto my son.
Oh my gosh, I need to make this. My husband would go nuts to have another spicy casserole with a Mexican/Tex Mex flair! Thanks Liz!
xo
I love this recipe. We love green chilies and just had some last night. Now I need to get more out of the freezer thanks to you Liz!
This would make such a good brunch dish! Or lunch. Or dinner… Great flavors.
To me, this is the definition of comfort food – Tex Mex style. Such a great dinner recipe.
Now this is a recipe just posted to our recipes we want to try board and this upcoming Easter and with everyone on a low carb diet is the perfect plan!
This was amazing! A huge hit with my family!!
This looks delicious – I bet it would be great in the lunchbox too.
Growing up in Texas, you know I would love your casserole. I agree with you about cheese grated freshly at home melting better than the already shredded cheese. To me the pre shredded cheese is dry.
This is to die for! You are killing me Smalls!
I love the way the layers show up when this is cut. I sounds wonderful and I would eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner too!
Love this Lizzy . Looks absolutely wonderful!!
xo
Oh, I love cheese and chiles! Your casserole looks and sounds delicious, Liz! I would enjoy it for any meal, it’s my kind of food. Thanks for the great recipe!
Plan to make this for family supper this weekend! I know everyone will love it.
Yum! It’s got the right blend of spices, and my family loves this!
This looks like such delicious comfort food, and the spice sounds just right! I might add just a touch more, but I’d be happy regardless!
Tex-Mex comfort food for the win!! Love those delicious layers!
Where has this been all my life! I want a big fat piece with my coffee this morning. LOVE all these flavors and it’s so pretty too Liz. Great recipe!
My kids LOVED this!
I made this last night since both my fiancee and me love chilis and cheese.
I was disappointed in the consistency of the dish. It was very watery, and I don’t think that much milk was needed in the dish.
The flavors were good, but I won’t be making this again 🙁
That’s too bad. I’ve compared this to other chili relleno recipes and my milk to egg proportion is right on target. It could be that your tomatoes were extra juicy or that it didn’t get baked through. Thanks for passing along your feedback.
I love chili rellenos, Liz, and order it quite often in our local Mexican restaurant. I’ve never seen it in a casserole recipe, but I’m sure it’s fantastic!
My favorite Mexican breakfast is Chili Relleno. I have made Chili Relleno Casserole many times before. This sounds like a good recipe. I will be trying it tonight. Thank you so much.
Hope you enjoy, Kathy!
I’ve been thinking about this dish since you announced you were making it! My mother loves chili relleno, and I can’t wait to make this for her!
A little heat I can handle, a lot? No so much but my hubby would go crazy for this!
Just set this in front of me and hand me a fork!! Lovely casserole and I’m sure quite delicious!
Well, based on our last Am Fam #SS, you know I love Chiles Rellenos, too! I just love that this is in casserole form. I usually make some sort of egg casserole for Christmas morning, but because of our schedule, I like to assemble it on the 23rd, refrigerate it, and then bake on Christmas morning. Think that would work for this recipe?
This looks so good – I love rellenos and I like the idea of no deep frying to get the same flavor – thanks!
This looks lovely! My mother-in-law used to make this every year for Thanksgiving (they are vegetarian) and I loved it – YUM!
This chili casserole looks fantastic! I love the Tex Mex flavors in this cheesy casserole and my hubby would definitely enjoy this for sure with all the eggs it has – sounds wonderful and thanks for the great tips too Liz!
I love a good dinner casserole! This looks great…such yummy mexican flavors 🙂
I’m a fan of this dish as well. When we’re in the mountains over the summer and head out for an occasional breakfast someone will always get this. Your recipe sounds great.
I love chili rellenos, but I hate all the deep frying. This sounds like a perfect way to have all the amazing flavors without the guilt!
This Chili Relleno Casserole sounds delicious. I’ve never had one with tomatoes and I love the idea. Definitely one I’m going to try.
I make this one, too when I have fresh Hatch chilies. We used to spend a lot of time in Aspen and Snowmass during our college years. Vacationed their every summer through the mid 90’s. Love it but haven’t been in awhile.
Lizzy,
This dish looks delicious. My hubby would love extra, extra heat.
Annamaria
This looks so good! Cheeeeeeeseee!
Mmm seems like a nice spicy casserole to warm up on a chilly day!
Pinning this – will be making this week! I can’t say no to a chili casserole!
I could easily eat this for lunch or dinner too Liz, it looks and sounds amazing!
I’m sitting here with some friends watching the 49er game and decided to check my mail. Yahoo!
What a wonderful looking casserole to make for next Sunday’s main dish. I can hardly wait! I may have to cheat and try it a lot sooner!
We make a dish very similar and we LOVE it! Great cheesy pick, Liz!
You’ve got some really great flavors in this dish
Oh yes, load up those chilies!! I love it!
I’ve been making a very similar recipe for probably 25 years…except that the heat in mine comes from roasted Hatch green chiles and a top layer that is a combination of tomato sauce and jalapeno chiles. I will never forget the first person I shared the recipe with (back in the olden days with recipe cards!) calling me and wondering what she had done wrong because it was so spicy hot it was almost inedible. Going over ingredients we discovered that instead of using 1-2 Tbsp of jalapeno that she had used 2 cans; I’ve since revised mine to use fresh peppers and thinking it would take probably 6-8 to replicate her snafu; I still chuckle at the memory. Yeah, that would do it!
I use a combination of Muenster and Monterey Jack for the cheeses and it is probably the most requested dish I get asked to bring to game day gatherings; always a winner!
if using Hatches green chilies, do I mix it with tomato sauce or just put in dish
I don’t think Barb will get back to answer this question, but I’d layer the roasted Hatch chiles with the cheese, then top it all with a mixture of tomato sauce and diced jalapenos to taste. Hope it works for you!
Thank you. starting this now.
When it comes to cheddar and Monetary Jack, I often buy store brands if it’s for cooking. Weird thing is the shredded cheese is usually slightly cheaper than the block cheese! And I’ve done a taste test and couldn’t tell the difference (which probably is pretty revealing about me). Anyway, great dish. I’ll take more, rather than fewer, green chilies.
It looks delicious, I am sure it will be a hit in family gatherings. Have a beautiful week Liz.
OMG This sounds like a bit of heaven! I love all things chile and this casserole looks like pure comfort to me. Yum!
Love a Tex-Mex kick!! What a great dish, also thanks for tip on the foil for lasagna! Mine always sticks, I can’t believe I never thought of that!
Oh Liz, I am all over this! Though my husbands pickyness surrounds needing meat for dinner everyday, so I am thinking of putting i some shredded cooked chicken. Pinned!
Looks delicious! No wonder it’s a favorite!
My whole family would love this – it sounds amazing Liz! (And looks even better…)
Cheese and chiles…perfect flavor marriage!
Love the recipes I will be adding the tomatoes I usually don’t but that sounds like a great addition thanks for the tip Liz! looks wonderful!
Oh Liz… this casserole! Can I just come over and enjoy some with your family.
Love the greased foil tip, Liz for when baking lasagna, mine usually sticks!
I have made a version of this before but did not add tomatoes. What a great idea and I definitely need to try your recipe next time.
Great casserole Liz! All that cheesy goodness and a little heat from the peppers. This is going on my to-cook list for when I’m in the mood for Mexican.
Your casserole sounds great Liz, I’d love the peppers:@)
Aspen is gorgeous and so is your casserole, Liz!
Mmmm…. Reminds me of the casserole that my brother makes, albeit a lot less greasy and much more healthy.
I love the flavors in your casserole, a little heat is fine with me! 😉