Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe

Chile relleno casserole is a delicious and convenient variation of the traditional chile relleno dish. This casserole captures all the flavors of a classic chile relleno, but it is prepared in a simple, layered format, which makes it perfect for feeding a crowd or as a make-ahead meal.

The base of the casserole starts with poblano peppers. Instead of individually stuffing the peppers, you'll roast, peel, and de-seed the peppers prior to layering them at the bottom of your baking dish. The second layer of the casserole is ground beef (or your preferred protein), which helps makes this a hearty recipe! We'll then sprinkle shredded cheese over the ground beef. (I like to use mozzarella cheese, since that's the cheese my mom would use in her traditional chile relleno recipe.) Depending on the size of your baking dish and how many portions you're making, you should have enough ingredients to add another layer of peppers, ground beef, and cheese. Finally, we'll add an egg mixture to help bind everything together as it bakes in the oven. The end result is a cheesy dish with layers of tender peppers that's reminiscent of chile rellenos but with a fraction of the effort!

Serve your casserole with a side of Mexican rice or on its own, topped with cilantro and sour cream.

Why You'll Love This Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe

• Convenient - Making a chile relleno casserole eliminates the need for individually stuffing and frying individual peppers, which save time and effort in the kitchen.
• Scalable - The casserole format makes it easy to feed a crowd. Simply double or triple the recipe below if you're making this dish for family gatherings or potlucks.
• Versatile - This chile-relleno inspired casserole can be adopted with various fillings to suit different tastes and dietary preferences. You can swap the ground beef for shredded chicken, ground turkey, or carnitas. You can also swap the shredded mozzarella with your preferred cheese.

Recommended Tools for This Recipe

• Baking Sheet - Use a baking sheet to roast your poblano peppers, which will make them easier to peel and deseed.
• Baking Dish - I used a 7" x 12" inch quart glass dish, such as this one! Because of the lid, I can easily store any leftovers once my dish has cooled.
• Whisk - Use a whisk to get a smooth egg mixture.

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Chile Relleno Casserole Ingredients

• Ground Beef - Ground beef and beef bouillon will add substance to this dish! Feel free to replace the beef with ground turkey, shredded chicken, or omit all together!
• Poblano Peppers - Roasted, peeled, and seeded, poblano peppers are used as the base of this casserole.
• Shredded Cheese - While other chile relleno casserole recipes call for Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese, I prefer to use shredded mozzarella, as it's the cheese my mom would use when preparing chiles rellenos.
• Egg Mixture - A mix of eggs, milk, and flour will help to add structure to the dish. Meanwhile, spices such as sea salt, garlic powder, paprika, black peppers, paprika, and oregano will add a burst of flavor your tastebuds will enjoy!