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Chile Relleno Casserole layers roasted poblano peppers, melty Monterey Jack, and a fluffy egg custard for all the flavor of classic chile rellenos without the frying.
There’s a reason chile relleno shows up on so many Mexican restaurant menus. Roasted poblano peppers, gooey melted cheese, and a light, puffy egg coating are just a good combination. But between charring the peppers, stuffing them, dredging them in batter, and frying them one at a time, it’s not exactly a weeknight kind of recipe. But this casserole takes all of that same flavor and turns it into something you can layer into one dish, no frying required!
I like to roast my own poblano peppers for this dish because the flavor is worth the extra few minutes, but on a busy night canned whole green chiles work great too and get dinner on the table even faster. Either way, you end up with layers of tender chiles and melty Monterey Jack cheese under a fluffy baked egg custard that’s every bit as satisfying as the fried version. It’s easy enough for a weeknight, but special enough for a weekend brunch spread.
Erin’s Notes
- No deep frying: you get all the flavor of a classic chile relleno without breading or frying a single pepper.
- Simple ingredients: everything on the list is a pantry staple or something easy to find at any grocery store.
- Make-ahead friendly: prep the peppers ahead, or assemble the whole casserole a day early and bake when you’re ready.
- Great for dinner or brunch: it’s hearty enough for a weeknight dinner and pretty enough for a weekend brunch table.
- Freezes well: bake a batch and freeze the leftovers for an easy meal down the road.
What Is Chile Relleno
A chile relleno is a traditional Mexican dish, the name literally means “stuffed chile.” Poblano peppers are roasted, peeled, and stuffed, most often with just cheese, though beans and meat are common too. The stuffed pepper is then coated in a whipped egg batter and fried until golden.
This casserole takes that same combination of flavors; roasted poblano, melty cheese, and a fluffy egg coating, and layers it into a baking dish instead. It’s a great way to mix up your meatless dinner rotation. It’s creamy, cheesy, full of flavor, and you won’t even miss the meat.
Ingredient Notes
- Poblano Peppers: these are what give chile relleno its signature flavor. Not sure where to find them? Look near the other fresh peppers in the produce section. They’re usually dark green and a few inches long. Canned whole green chiles work as a shortcut (see Variations below).
- Monterey Jack Cheese: shred it yourself from a block if you can it melts smoother than pre-shredded cheese, which is coated in anti-caking starch.
- Eggs: these are what turn the topping into a light, custardy layer once baked.
- Milk: I use skim, but 2% works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
- Flour: helps the egg mixture set up and hold together as it bakes.
- Baking Powder: gives the egg topping its puff.
- Paprika, Chili Powder & Garlic Powder: round out the seasoning without adding real heat.
- Salt & Pepper: adjust to taste.
Want to bulk this up? Layer in cooked and cooled Salsa Chicken, or Taco Meat or even browned chorizo along with the peppers and cheese.
Poblano Peppers
Poblano peppers are not spicy, they are considered a mild chile pepper. So this isn’t a spicy dish, just one with that classic green chile flavor. In a pinch you can swap in bell peppers, but know that it will change the flavor of the dish.
Poblano peppers are the key to any good chile relleno. I think this casserole is best when you roast your own, but jarred or canned whole chiles work too. Just make sure the can says whole, skip the diced green chiles, since they won’t give you the same layered effect.
Chile Relleno Casserole
Ingredients
- 4-6 poblano peppers
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Egg Mixture
- 4 whole large eggs
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F.
- Drizzle olive oil over poblano peppers and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 25 minutes until the peppers start to char and blister.4-6 poblano peppers, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, Salt & Pepper
- Remove from the oven and put them in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut off the stem, remove the seeds and peel off the skin.
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Spray a 9-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Arrange a single layer roasted peppers in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with half of the cheese, and then repeat with the rest of the peppers and cheese.2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- In a bowl whisk together everything for the egg mixture. Pour evenly over the top of the casserole.4 whole large eggs, 1/2 cup skim milk, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Bake for about 30 minutes until the eggs are puffed up, the edges are golden and the center is completely set.
- Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before slicing to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Chile Relleno Casserole
- Roast Peppers. The first step is to roast the peppers. Drizzle olive oil over poblano peppers and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a 425º F oven for about 25 minutes until the peppers start to char and blister. Remove from the oven and put them in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut off the stem, remove the seeds and peel off the skin.
- Assemble Casserole. To assemble the casserole layer roasted peppers in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with half of the cheese, and then repeat with the rest of the peppers and cheese.
- Make Egg Mixture. In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, and seasonings. Pour evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake. Bake for about 30 minutes in a 350º F oven until the eggs are puffed up, the edges are golden and the center is completely set.
- Serve. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before slicing to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Blot the peppers dry. Excess moisture on the roasted peppers (or canned chiles) is the most common reason this casserole turns out watery. Pat them dry with paper towels before layering.
- Drain canned chiles well. If you’re using the canned shortcut, drain and blot them thoroughly before layering — any liquid left behind will water down the egg topping.
- Don’t skip the rest. Letting the casserole sit for 5 minutes before slicing gives the egg topping time to set so your pieces hold together instead of falling apart.
- Watch for doneness, not just time. The center should be completely set with no jiggle before you pull it from the oven — ovens vary, so use the visual cue as your guide.
Recipe Variations
- Add protein: layer in cooked Salsa Chicken, seasoned Taco Meat, or browned chorizo along with the peppers and cheese for a heartier dinner. I’ve tested all three and they work great.
- Use canned chiles: for a shortcut, swap the roasted poblanos for 3 cans of whole green chiles, well-drained and patted dry.
- Add a tomato or enchilada sauce layer: I haven’t tested this myself, but if you’d like to try it, a thin layer of tomato or enchilada sauce between the peppers and egg topping is a common variation — spread a small amount over each pepper layer before adding the cheese.
- Build extra layers: you can add more layers of peppers and cheese if you’re feeding a crowd — just know the bake time will increase, so keep an eye on it and test for doneness before pulling it from the oven.
- Double the recipe: this recipe doubles easily. Use a 13×9-inch baking dish and double all of the ingredients; the bake time stays about the same.
Storage
Got leftovers? Cover the baking dish or transfer slices to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Eggs freeze really well, so this casserole is freezer-friendly too. I’ve frozen it after baking with great results. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating, or reheat individual portions straight from frozen in the microwave.
To reheat, warm covered in a 350°F oven until heated through, or microwave individual portions for a quicker option.
Make Ahead
This is a great make-ahead dish! You can roast the peppers anytime and keep them in the fridge, ready to assemble when you need dinner in a hurry. You can also assemble the entire casserole, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
Yes — use a 13×9-inch baking dish and double all of the ingredients. The bake time stays about the same, so just check for doneness.
No — poblanos are a mild pepper, so this casserole has that classic green chile flavor without real heat.
This almost always comes down to moisture. Blot roasted peppers dry before layering, drain canned chiles thoroughly, and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after baking before you slice into it.
What To Serve With Chile Relleno Casserole
This makes for a great dinner or brunch recipe. In my family we like to top it with Restaurant Style Salsa or Homemade Guacamole. You can serve with a side of Spanish Rice or Refried Beans for a dinner recipe.
This was so good. My family loved it. After I put the egg sauce on I put pepper jack cheese on top. Yummy!
I made this using canned whole chiles. It was good, but my husband, a retired chef, objected to it being called “Chille Relleno Casserole”. He says even though the ingredients are the same, the flavor is not; I agree with him. Something about the frying of the whipped egg batter on a real relleno totally changes the flavor of the eggs. It’s become part of our breakfast/brunch roation, but we just call it “Cheesy Green Chile Egg Bake”.
Made this for dinner tonight. I added some chicken. Was pleased and husband says it’s a keeper.
This is delicious, I was looking for a simple tasty recipe without meat, and with pablono peppers. It was perfect, thank you!
I plan to add a leg of pulled rotisserie chicken before each layer of cheese.
Great recipe! The crust on top was a soft consistency and compliments the poblano peppers and cheese. Delicious!
this is mostly edible but does not taste anything like a chile relleno.
I just love these mine were a little more spicy than I like but so delicious I sent this recipe to my sister
Absolutely love this recipe! It quickly became a family favorite. One note of caution: the peppers are mild, but the seeds are not. I clean the peppers out before I roast them. I had been handling the seed pods, and then touched my mouth. First my upper lip and nose were on fire, then they were both numb.
I have made this for my family several times now when my now grown children visit with their families. This is a big hit every time! I have also shared this recipe with several friends and relatives, who all rave about it. I have also made this with roasted chiles ( we grilled on the BBQ grille, steamed in a bag then peeled, and canned). Both are equally delicious.