Fresh Chile Relleno Casserole

This easy Chile Relleno casserole is made with fresh chile peppers for authentic Mexican flavor with low effort. This casserole features layers of spicy chiles combined with gooey cheese and topped off with an egg batter. Get Chile Relleno flavor without deep frying!

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What is Chiles Rellenos?

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 traditional dish is delicious, but I don’t deep fry stuff at home, and stuffing and battering individual chile peppers is tedious. So this chile relleno recipe is a much simpler way to get a similar taste.

What Kind of Green Chiles to Use?

The simple answer is that you can use any kind of chile pepper you want in this casserole. Poblano peppers and Anaheim peppers are frequently used to make chile relleno. But spicy green chilis like Hatch chiles, jalapenos, or any other kind will work.

I like to make this casserole with a combination of chiles. The combination of four different types of green chilies: Poblano, Anaheim, California, and Jalapeno peppers make a slightly spicy and delicious casserole.

Last summer, I got a big batch of hatch chiles and made the casserole with all hatch chiles. It was so spicy! My husband wouldn’t eat it, so my son and I had to eat it all ourselves. This was no hardship at all!

So choose your chiles wisely because the chiles’ spiciness will determine the casserole’s spiciness. Try it first with mostly roasted poblano peppers and just a few hatch or jalapenos in the mix to see how you like it.

Can I Use Canned Chiles?

Canned chiles work fine to make this chile relleno casserole. I like to use fresh chiles because then I can vary the spiciness and control the type of peppers used.

Canned chiles tend to be mostly Anaheim peppers, which are mild. They make a delicious and kid-friendly casserole. In addition, using canned chiles lets you skip the step of roasting the chile peppers, so this becomes a quicker recipe.

What Size Casserole Dish?

Changing the size of the baking dish changes how the casserole comes out. I have made this in a small casserole dish, which is about 6 inches by 9 inches. This makes the casserole thick, which is perfect if you want to cut it into squares.

I have also made it in a larger 7 inch by 11 inch casserole dish. This makes a flatter, thinner casserole which is better for scooping onto chips as an appetizer.

Roasting the Peppers

The first step in making the casserole is to roast the fresh peppers. Roasting makes removing the outer skin layer easy and gives the peppers a nice flavor.

There are lots of ways to roast peppers. The basic idea is to char the skin with high heat. You can do this by using a gas oven or a grill or just baking them. Lately I have been using my air fryer to roast peppers, which is quick and easy.

However you cook the peppers, heat them until the skins are blackened, flipping once or twice. This will take 20-30 minutes if you are baking them and 5-10 minutes if you are using an open flame, grill, or air fryer.

Then take the peppers off the heat and put them in a plastic bag or covered bowl. Let them steam for about 10 minutes which will loosen the skin. After 10 minutes, gently peel off the skin and throw it out.

Once the peppers are roasted, you can cut the tops off and discard the insides and the seeds. Then it is time to assemble the casserole.

How to Make Chile Relleno Casserole

Layer 1 – Chile Peppers

This casserole is made up of layers. The first layer is the roasted chiles, or canned green chilis if you prefer.

You can leave the peppers whole or chop them into bite-sized pieces. I prefer to chop them because it makes serving the casserole easier.

Spread the peppers in a casserole dish and cover the bottom of the dish with the roasted peppers.

Layer 2 – Cheese

The next layer is the cheese. I use Monterey Jack cheese for this layer. This cheese melts well, so it gives you a nice gooey layer, but it is mild, so the chile flavor stands out. White cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack cheese are other kinds of cheese that would work well. Cover the entire dish with a layer of cheese.

Layer 3 – Egg Mixture

The third layer of the casserole is an eggy batter made by mixing eggs with milk, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt, similar to the coating you would find on the fried chiles rellenos.

Mix the batter well, and then pour the milk mixture over the layers. The eggs will bind the other two layers together as they cook.

Bake the Casserole

Once the casserole is assembled, baked at 450 F for 15-20 minutes. The casserole will puff up and get golden brown on top as it bakes. As it cools, it collapses back down to have a flat top.

Toppings for Chiles Rellenos Casserole

This casserole is excellent served by itself, but it is also delicious with added toppings. Here are some toppings that you could add:

• pickled jalapenos
• sour cream
• green onions
• guacamole
• pico de gallo
• tortilla chips
• hot sauce

Serving the Casserole

This dish is pretty versatile! You can cut it into squares and serve it with the toppings, or just spoon it onto tortilla chips. Wrap the leftovers in corn tortillas, and you have a quick burrito for breakfast or lunch.

You can serve this casserole anytime you want a Mexican-inspired side dish. It is excellent for taco Tuesdays or a holiday like Cinco de Mayo or Mother’s Day brunch. Serve it with refried beans for a traditional flavor.

My kids loved this with tortilla chips, and it makes a great game-time treat for football snacking.

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