Stuffed Poblano Peppers

By on 22 September 2010 in Main Courses with 40 Comments.

 

Stuffed vegetables are a wonderful meatless main dish, and these peppers were no disappointment!  We’ve been on a bit of a Latin-inspired kick lately, so this idea fit the bill for a meal with friends, as well as a few weeknight meals.

The recipe below is a result of several attempts and a fair amount of research (thank you, Google). The main idea is simple, and offers a lot of flexibility – you can choose any grain, veggies, and spices for the stuffing (I think next time I’ll try quinoa and maybe goat cheese or gouda, just to be fancy). Many recipes call for baking the peppers, but since I hate to wait, I’ve included the broiler method below. It makes it a bit quicker – you also can make the grain ahead of time to speed things up.

The result tasted great and was fun to serve; we especially liked the earthy taste of the poblano peppers as an alternative a bell pepper. Enjoy!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Serves 4

What You Need
4 poblano peppers
1 cup uncooked brown rice (or 4 cups of any cooked grain)
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 15 oz. can of black beans
1 1/2 cups frozen or canned corn kernels
3 green onions (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Cayenne to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Shredded cheese (we used a Mexican blend)
Chopped cilantro for serving (optional)

What To Do

1  Combine 1 cup uncooked rice with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer according to package instructions. (Or, prepare the rice or grain ahead of time.)

2  While the rice cooks, prepare the peppers: slice them in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Make sure to wear gloves!  I learned this the hard way (don’t ask).

3  Place the peppers in a baking dish skin side up. Broil about 7 minutes, then flip the peppers and broil 7 minutes more.

4  Chop the 3 green onions (if using), and drain and rinse the black beans.

5  In a large microwave safe bowl, combine: beans, onions, 1 1/2 cups salsa, 1 1/2 cups corn, a bit of the shredded cheese, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, a couple dashes of cayenne (if you like it spicy!). Season with salt and pepper to taste. When the rice is finished, combine with the filling.
Note: Remember that quantities and ingredients are all to taste, so feel free to adjust as needed!

6  Heat the filling a few minutes in the microwave (or on the stove) until warm, depending on the heat of the rice.

7  Place the pepper halves skin side down in a baking dish, and spoon the filing into each half. Top with shredded cheese and broil until the cheese is melted, for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

8  If desired, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream.

Alternative oven method: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Follow Steps 2, 4 and 5 above to prepare the peppers and filling. Then bake until the peppers are tender and browned, around 25 to 30 minutes.

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