Chile relleno casserole gives you everything you love about the real thing, like roasted peppers, melty cheese, and that smoky heat, without spending your entire evening in the kitchen. You layer it in a baking dish, pour a simple egg-and-cornbread mixture over the top, and let your oven do the work.
I love traditional chile rellenos. I also love not individually stuffing and battering peppers on a Tuesday night when I still have three loads of laundry and no patience left. That’s exactly how this casserole became a regular in my house.
Roasted whole green chiles go straight into the dish, so you still get that bold chile pepper flavor in every bite. The cornbread-egg topping bakes up fluffy and slightly golden, soaking up all the chile and cheese underneath.
Reader Review
Thanks for sharing this great recipe! Having a community garden potluck to cook for, I found my way here and followed your clear and helpful instructions to make a double batch of this delicious casserole. My dish was voted the favorite at the potluck. The recipe will be featured in our next newsletter! Thanks again
— Nancy
If you’ve written off chile rellenos as too fussy to bother with on a weeknight (or even on a weekend!), this is your answer. There is no dipping, no frying, and no stress. Just a warm, cheesy, pepper-packed casserole that gives you all that cheesy, peppery goodness.
I’ll walk you through the simple steps to make this crowd-pleaser, plus share all my best tips. Once you try this streamlined version, you’ll never go back to wrestling with hot oil and batter again.
Looking for more easy Mexican-inspired recipes? Try my Instant Pot Mexican rice, slow cooker carnitas, or spicy guacamole.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Chile Peppers: I use a mix of poblano, Anaheim, California green, and jalapeño peppers here because I love the layered flavor you get from combining different varieties. That said, use what you can find at your grocery store. Hatch chiles work beautifully if they’re in season, or you can lean heavier on poblanos to make it less spicy. The spicier your pepper selection, the spicier your casserole will be.
- Cheese: Monterey Jack is my favorite because it melts like a dream and has a mild, creamy flavor that doesn’t compete with the chiles. Cheddar works just as well if that’s what you prefer, though it’ll give you a sharper, more pronounced cheese flavor.
- Cornmeal
- Eggs
- Milk
- Baking Powder
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Chile Relleno Casserole
- Turn your broiler on high or fire up a gas burner on your stovetop. Place the peppers directly under the broiler or over the flame, turning them with tongs every few minutes until the skin is completely blackened and blistered all over.
- Transfer the charred peppers to a bowl and cover them tightly with plastic wrap. Let them sit for 15 minutes. The steam trapped inside helps loosen that blackened skin, making it much easier to peel off.
- While the peppers are steaming, set your oven to 450 degrees F.
- Once the peppers have cooled enough to handle, use your fingers or a paper towel to rub off the blackened skin. Don’t worry if a few dark bits remain. Cut off the stems, slice the peppers open, and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Then chop the peppers into bite-sized pieces.
- Here’s where you get to decide what texture you’re after. A 9 x 6-inch casserole dish yields a thick, almost quiche-like casserole that you can cut into neat squares. An 11 x 7-inch baking dish spreads everything out thinner, which is perfect if you’re planning to scoop it up with tortilla chips.
- Spray your chosen baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread the chopped chile peppers in an even layer across the bottom, then sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Make sure you whisk thoroughly.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the peppers and cheese. Slide the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is light golden brown and the center is set.
Serving Ideas
Chile relleno casserole is already delicious on its own, but the toppings can make it even better. Start with the basics: sour cream and tortilla chips. The cool, tangy sour cream cuts through the warmth of the roasted peppers, and those crispy chips give you something to scoop with.
From there, pile on whatever sounds good to you:
- Sliced jalapeños for extra heat
- Sliced avocado or guacamole for creaminess
- Chopped green onions for a fresh, oniony punch
- Cilantro, if you’re into it (I am, but I know cilantro is divisive)
- Lime wedges for squeezing over the top
- Diced tomatoes for a little freshness
- More shredded cheese because more cheese is always good
You can also serve this casserole alongside some simple sides. A quick Mexican rice or black beans round out the meal nicely. I sometimes throw together a quick pico de gallo if I have tomatoes and cilantro on hand, but that’s purely optional.
How to Store
Cover any leftovers tightly with plastic wrap or transfer them to an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, place individual portions in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, until warmed through.
If you’re reheating the whole casserole, cover it loosely with foil and warm it in a 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes to prevent drying.
Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- With this casserole, you’re not locked into one specific pepper lineup. I’ve made this with whatever looked good at the farmers’ market, and it’s turned out great every time. Just remember: the spicier your peppers, the spicier your final dish will be. Last summer, I got a big batch of hatch chiles and made the casserole with all hatch chiles. It was so spicy! So choose your peppers wisely.
- After you blacken the peppers, those 15 minutes of steam time make peeling the skins SO much easier.
- At 450 degrees F, things move fast. Start checking around the 15-minute mark, especially if you’re using the thinner baking dish. You want light golden brown, not dark brown. The difference between perfectly done and overdone is about 3 minutes in my oven.
Reader Questions
You can, but you’ll lose a lot of the flavor that makes this casserole special. The roasting process adds a smoky depth that canned chiles just don’t have. Keep in mind canned chiles tend to be mostly Anaheim peppers, which are mild.
With the pepper combination listed, it’s got a nice mild-to-medium heat – enough to know it’s there but not enough to make you reach for milk. The poblanos and Anaheim peppers are pretty gentle, and the jalapeño adds just a little kick.
Absolutely. You can roast and prep the peppers a day ahead and refrigerate them. But wait to mix the egg mixture until right before baking, or it might get a little watery sitting in the fridge.
Making authentic chile relleno involves stuffing chile peppers with cheese, covering them in batter, and deep frying the peppers. The deep-fried peppers are then served with spicy red salsa. This is a simple way to get a similar taste.
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Chile Relleno Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 poblano chile peppers
- 2 Anaheim chile peppers
- 1 California green chile pepper
- 1 jalapeño chile pepper
- 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- ⅓ cup cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper optional
Instructions
- Roast the chile peppers by broiling or cooking over a flame until the skin is blackened.2 poblano chile peppers, 2 Anaheim chile peppers, 1 California green chile pepper, 1 jalapeño chile pepper
- Let them sit in a bowl covered in plastic wrap for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Peel the blackened skin off the peppers, then remove the seeds and chop.
- Use a 9 x 6-inch casserole dish for a thick casserole that cuts into squares. Use an 11 x 7-inch baking dish for a thinner casserole, better suited for tortilla chips.
- Spray the baking dish with nonstick spray. Then spread the chili peppers in a single layer and sprinkle the cheese on top.6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
- Combine the eggs, milk, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well making sure there are no lumps.3 eggs, ¼ cup milk, ⅓ cup cornmeal, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Pour the mixture over the chile peppers and cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes until it is light golden brown on top.
- Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, jalapeños, avocado, green onions or other toppings.
Video
Notes
- With this casserole, you’re not locked into this specific pepper lineup. I’ve made this with whatever looked good at the farmers’ market, and it’s turned out great every time. Just remember: the spicier your peppers, the spicier your final dish will be.
- After you blacken the peppers, those 15 minutes of steam time make peeling the skins SO much easier.
- At 450 degrees F, things move fast. Start checking around the 15-minute mark, especially if you’re using the thinner baking dish. You want light golden brown, not dark brown. The difference between perfectly done and overdone is about 3 minutes in my oven.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
How important do you think the corn meal is? That is the only ingredient I don’t have on hand.
Corn meal is an integral flavor component. Wheat flour just wouldn’t taste the same. I do think it could be replaced with masa harana for a more authentic flavor.
What temp do you bake the casserole at? The peppers are to roast at 450, but that seems much too high for the dish…
I baked the dish ate 450 but I used the shallow casserole and it was done in 15 minutes.
I’m not sure any of these reviews are from people who actually made the casserole. Disappointed.
This was delicious! My husband couldn’t stop saying how good it was and he is a chile relleno connoisseur – his favorite meal. If you have Hatch green chiles in the freezer, ready to go, this also becomes one of the easiest and quickest meals to prepare.
We love roasted green chiles so many ways, every August when the NM chiles are harvested, we buy at least a bushel, roast, peel and freeze for the year.
My husband and I loved this, and even the kids thought it was pretty good! It was very much like a deconstructed chile relleno, including the sponginess of the egg batter. Perhaps some of the reviewers were expecting something more cornbread-like, which this is not (and really shoudn’t be if it is to simulate an actual chile relleno, though these flavors would indeed be excellent in cornbread too). I will definitely be making this again! Delicious!
Added some beefless ground beef (aka TVP) on top of the cheese layer — delicious. The topping came out flat for me so will probably try a more full blown cornbread next time.
Serve with Spanish rice and refried beans and a margarita.
We call this “hot pie” in Kentucky and use pickled jalapenos as the chili layer. I super excited to try this with roasted poblanos though! Just found your site and I can’t wait to try a bunch of your recipes!
The Fresh Chile Relleno Casserole sounds so good and I think I’m going to make it this weekend. I absolutely love Tex/Mex and Mexican food especially when it’s fresh.
I baked 15 min and didn’t see any browning so I left in the oven the full 20 min. Browning was beautiful but eggs were a bit overcooked. I used 6×9 baking dish. 17 min next time.
This is a bit bland if you are using mild peppers but it totally serves my purpose (wrapping in tortillas for breakfast). Note I used crumbled queso fresco for cheese ‘layer’ which also contributes to my bland results. Unlike the pic the cheese really ends up on top (which I prefer) because the eggs pour right through it.
I thought this felt like a lot of peppers for only 3 eggs (especially larger peppers like Anaheim and Poblano) but this ratio seemed fine in the finished casserole. Definitely a great way to use up all the peppers from our garden this summer!
I want to make this next weekend, but was thinking of putting half the batter on the bottom, then chilis, cheese and remaining batter?
Sharon, I think you would completely mess up the recipe by doing that.
How would this be if I added some corn to the batter?
It would be corny.
This was a big hit. Added cumin , hotter chile and the fam loved it..
I had three big Anaheim peppers and was looking for a recipe to make and found this (so tweaked it for what I had). Despite the fact that I only had one kind of pepper, it still turned out great! I would describe it as a spicy cornbread. I used refrigerator coconut milk and vegan cheese (because I don’t do dairy) and both substitutions worked. (I forgot to put the cheese in before adding the cornbread mixture, so just pressed it in to keep it from drying out/burning). I cooked it at 350 for 25 minutes. Will definitely make again!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe! I was given a bucketful of Anaheim sweet peppers, and this was my first time making something with chili peppers. Having a community garden potluck to cook for, I found my way here and followed your clear and helpful instructions to make a double batch of this delicious casserole. I used ten large Anaheim sweets and three tiny cans of mild green chilis, and my dish was voted the favorite at the potluck. The recipe will be featured in our next newsletter! Thanks again