Smoky roasted poblano peppers, savory ground beef, cheese, and a fluffy egg topping come together in this easy Chile Relleno Casserole. It’s cozy, satisfying, and perfect for brunch or any time of day.
Looking for more breakfast casserole ideas? Be sure to check out my Ham and Asparagus Strata and Crustless Quiche Casserole.
For traditional chile rellenos, poblano peppers are stuffed with cheese, dipped in egg batter, and fried until golden. This Chile Relleno Casserole captures all those classic flavors in a simpler, fuss-free way. Roasted poblano peppers are layered with savory ground beef, cheese, and a fluffy egg mixture to create an easy-to-serve casserole.
My husband has a thing for poblano peppers and this flavorful breakfast casserole really hit the spot. This recipe is SO much easier than traditional chile rellenos or the stuffed poblanos he loves so much. Easier, but still very effective at satisfying those cravings. This is a big win in my book!
This recipe works well as part of a brunch or lunch spread or toss a salad and call it dinner!
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Poblano peppers: Mild green peppers with a slightly earthy flavor and gentle heat. Often labeled as pasilla peppers in stores, they are one and the same!
- Beef mixture: The meat filling consists of 90% lean ground beef, diced yellow onion, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Want more heat? Sprinkle in some red pepper flakes. Just taste your peppers first since some can have more kick than others.
- Egg mixture: Large eggs are whisked with whole milk and all-purpose flour. I add a little baking powder to add some lightness and lift to the egg mixture.
- Cheese: I use a combination of shredded cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese.
- Optional garnish: I like to finish the casserole with some chopped cilantro leaves.
How to Make Chile Relleno Casserole
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Roast the Poblano Peppers
- Place the poblano peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Set the baking sheet an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and broil the peppers until the skins blister and blacken. Flip them and continue to broil until all sides are blistered and blackened.
- Using kitchen tongs, transfer the peppers to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Let them rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Then, use your hands to peel off and discard the charred skins. Remove the stems and gently break them in half to expose the seeds. Remove and discard the seeds from each half and set the halved poblanos aside.
Make the Filling
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef with the until it’s crumbled and cooked through. Drain off the excess grease and return the pan to the heat. Stir in the garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. Add the flour and baking powder.
- Whisk the egg mixture vigorously until mostly smooth.
Assemble and Bake
- Place half of the peppers in a single layer across the bottom of a baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray (it’s fine if they overlap a bit).
- Top with half of the meat mixture then layer with cheese.
- Spoon the remaining meat mixture over the top.
- Place the remaining peppers over the meat in a single layer.
The peppers may break apart a bit when you’re pulling skin off and that’s totally fine. Just lay the strips down in the pan. The bottom of the pan should be mostly covered with a layer of peppers before adding the other ingredients.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and then slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the top.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until puffed and golden brown around the edges.
Valerie’s Tips
Swap in canned green chiles: While fresh poblanos are the best choice, canned fire-roasted whole green chiles are a mild, flavorful option that will work for this recipe. They also make it super easy because you get to skip the roasting step. Check the recipe card below for the details.
Make it spicier: If your poblanos are very mild, you may want to add a little extra heat. Try adding some diced jalapeños to your meat mixture or sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.
Add veggies: For a bit of extra nutrition and color, toss some fresh spinach or zucchini in with the meat mixture.
Serving: A slice of this casserole is delicious topped with a dollop of sour cream and a little cilantro. You can also set out hot sauce or salsa.
Make-ahead tips: Roast the poblanos in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the casserole. Or, assemble the entire casserole up to a day in advance, cover it tightly with foil, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. Be sure to let it rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to take the chill off before baking or adjust the cooking time as needed.
Storage: Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings briefly in the microwave, just until warmed through.
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Chile Relleno Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 large poblano peppers, about 1 ¾ pounds total weight
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- ¾ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to to taste, optional
- 5 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- Cilantro leaves, optional garnish
Optional for Serving
- Sour cream and salsa or hot sauce
Instructions
Roast the Poblano Peppers
- Set an oven rack in the upper third of the oven (about 6-inches from the heat) and set the oven on BROIL. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Place the peppers on the prepared baking sheet and broil until the skins blister and blacken, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue to broil, an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until all sides are blistered and blackened. Using kitchen tongs, transfer the peppers to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Let them rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Then, use your hands to peel off and discard the charred skins. Remove the stems and gently break them in half to expose the seeds. Remove and discard the seeds from each half and set the halved poblanos aside.
Make the Filling
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with a rack set in the center position.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground beef with the onion over MEDIUM heat, breaking the beef up with a spoon until it’s crumbled and no longer pink. Drain off the excess grease and return the skillet to the heat. Stir in the garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. Add the flour and baking powder and whisk vigorously until mostly smooth. Set aside.
Assemble the Casserole
- Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place half of the peppers in a single layer across the bottom of the dish (it’s fine if they overlap a bit).Top with half of the meat mixture then layer with ¾ cup cheddar cheese and ¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese.Spoon the remaining meat mixture over the top and place the remaining peppers over the meat in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the ingredients.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 14 to 16 minutes or until puffed and golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, if desired. Slice and serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or hot sauce on the side
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Ideas
I added a diced Roma tomato to the ground beef mixture and some adobo… with homemade salsa… So delicious!