About this recipe
These quinoa-stuffed poblano peppers are my fresh, modern take on classic chiles rellenos. Instead of cheese or heavy fillings, these peppers are roasted, peeled, and filled with a hearty quinoa and black bean salad, roasted cherry tomatoes, and crunchy seeds. They’re lighter, plant-forward, and just as comforting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthier than traditional: No heavy batter or frying, and 100% vegetarian or vegan.
- Simple but impressive: Just roast, stuff, and serve.
- Customizable: Swap in your favorite grains, beans, or seeds.
- Perfect for meal prep: Make ahead and reheat easily.
Ingredient notes
- Poblano peppers: Mild Mexican green peppers. Roast, peel, and seed them before stuffing.
- Quinoa: Adds protein and a nutty base. Can be swapped for rice, couscous, or farro.
- Black beans: Use cooked or canned (drain and rinse). Pinto beans also work.
- Cherry tomatoes: Roasted for sweetness. You can swap with sun-dried tomatoes.
- Seeds (sunflower + pumpkin): Add crunch. Walnuts, cashews, or pine nuts are also suitable options.
- Avocado + cilantro: For freshness on top.
✨Find the complete measurements and recipe below!
How to make them
- Roast the poblano peppers until blistered, then peel and seed them.
- Roast cherry tomatoes with olive oil until caramelized.
- Make quinoa salad: Sauté onions, then add quinoa and beans, season well, and mix in seeds and roasted tomatoes.
- Stuff the poblanos: spoon in the quinoa salad, finish with avocado and cilantro.
VAriations
- Cheesy version: Add queso fresco or cotija.
- Extra protein: Swap beans for shredded chicken or ground turkey.
- Spicier: Leave the seeds and veins in the poblano peppers or add jalapeños.
- Grain swap: Try farro, brown rice, or couscous as alternatives to quinoa.
Home Cook to Home Cook Tips
- Don’t skip the steaming step after roasting poblanos—it makes peeling much easier.
- Roast tomatoes on a separate sheet pan so their juices don’t make the poblanos soggy.
- These peppers hold up great for meal prep. Store them in the fridge and reheat in the oven, not the microwave, to keep the filling fluffy.
- Freeze extra roasted poblanos flat in zip-top bags—they’re gold for quick weeknight meals.
How to serve
Classic chiles rellenos are cheese-stuffed and fried. My version is roasted, lighter, and packed with plant-based protein, so you don’t really need sides. But if you wish to serve with a good salad or roasted veggies.
Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Peppers | Healthy Mexican Chiles Rellenos
Equipment
- 1 10in pan
Ingredients
- 4 poblano peppers
- 5 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 lb Cherry tomatoes 454 g.
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked
- 2 cups cooked black beans If from a can, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut cherry tomatoes in half, add about 2 tablespoons olive oil and place in the oven. They are ready when the top begins to brown.
- In a separate sheet pan place the poblano peppers seasoned with salt and covered with one tablespoon of ,olive oil and put in the oven.
- In a skillet add the onion and remaining olive oil, when the onion is translucent add the quinoa and beans. Mix carefully.Add the seeds, salt, lemon zest and the roasted tomatoes at last (with all the juice that was released).
- Gently peel off the blackened skin after roasting and cooling. It's okay if some parts don't come off; they'll add a smoky flavor. Carefully open the chiles and rinse well in so that all the seeds fall out, . With a pairing knife cut the veins from the stem to the part down.
- Fill ecah chile with the quinoa and bean salad.Finish with the avocado and chopped cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- About the Author
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I’m Ale Graf, a Mexican living in Texas and the creator of AleCooks and Piloncillo&Vainilla. I share easy, family-friendly recipes—some Mexican, mostly plant-based—that can be enjoyed all day, every day. My focus is on recipes that bring people together around the table, making mealtime simple, delicious and meaningful. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino, and my recipes have been featured in numerous online magazines and publications.
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