Vegan Chiles Rellenos

Crispy on the outside and so cheesy in the middle, these spicy vegan chiles rellenos are always a big hit! Delicious vegan cheese-stuffed poblano peppers are battered and fried to perfection in this hearty meal. Just one bite will have your family asking for more and more!

Chiles rellenos are something I have missed since becoming vegan. However, I was inspired to finally veganize this dish after a recent outing to Chuy’s Mexican Restaurant. Smelling the nostalgic aroma in the restaurant instantly took me back to my beautiful grandma’s kitchen. The roasted chiles reminded me of her steadfast labor of love for her family as she cooked so many meals for us. 

Traditionally, at least from my family’s part of Mexico, the breading is all egg and the poblano pepper is stuffed with Mexican cheese. In this recipe though, I stuff the chiles with vegan cheese and use an eggless flour and cornmeal breading. I simplified the steps as much as possible, but just like making tamales or Ravioli, this is one of those meals that can benefit from extra helping hands. 

The tasty cheese-filled, crispy poblano is placed on a bed of red chile sauce of your choice such as my Roasted Ranchero Sauce. Then, we top it with an irresistible Vegan Avocado Crema.

You’ll Love This Chile Relleno Recipe Because…

• It’s eggless and dairy-free, but so delicious!
• This hearty meal is a big hit amongst everyone who tries it.
• The poblano peppers give a hint of spiciness and so much flavor.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Poblano Peppers - Green poblano peppers are the main component of this dish. You can use Anaheim peppers instead, which aren't as spicy. The bigger the better when selecting your chiles at the store.

Vegan Cheese - There are several types that work very well here. I used Daiya’s Mexican Blend when I took these pictures, but Daiya also has a spicy Monterrey Jack that is just as tasty in these peppers. Vegan mozzarella or vegan cheddar would work, too. 

Oil - You can use olive oil or canola to pan fry the chiles rellenos. 

Breading - A combination of all-purpose flour, cornmeal, and salt form the dry ingredients of the breading. 

Plant Milk - I use oat milk for the liquid portion of the breading. Another plant-based milk such as cashew, almond, or soy would work here as well. 

Crema - The avocado crema sauce is completely optional but so perfect for these chiles rellenos. It only needs a handful of ingredients: avocado, jalapeño, garlic, lime, vegan sour cream, plant milk, and a pinch of salt. The instructions for making it are below. Here’s a link to the recipe if you’d like more information. Vegan Avocado Crema Recipe

Chile Sauce - The fried chile relleno is placed over a red chile sauce of your choice. I like to use this delicious Roasted Ranchero Sauce, but a green tomatillo sauce would work as well.

How to Make Vegan Chiles Rellenos

Here are some quick visual steps. The full recipe with exact measurements can be found within the recipe card below.

Cook the Poblanos- Broil the poblano and jalapeño peppers for 5-7 minutes on each side. The skins should have blackened spots and some bubbling. Then place the poblanos in a sealed container so they can continue cooking with steam for 5 minutes. You can use a covered glass dish or even a plastic bag for this. 

Make the Avocado Crema - While the poblanos are steaming, make the crema. Combine the jalapeño, avocado, vegan sour cream, plant-based milk, garlic, and salt in a blender for a few minutes. Add more plant milk if you want to make it thinner. You can also make a drizzling container by adding the sauce to a sandwich bag and cutting a small piece of a corner off when you’re ready to use it. Keep the crema in the refrigerator for now.

Peel Skins and Prep the Oil - After 5 minutes, gently peel off the roasted skins. Try not to steam them longer than 5 minutes as that can make the peppers very soft. Pour the oil into a large sauté pan and place it over medium-high heat. 

Remove Seeds and Add Cheese - Cut a slit down each poblano to remove the seeds. If there’s a natural tear in the poblano, use that spot to continue the opening rather than forming a new one. Remove the seeds with a spoon or with your hands under running water. Then, stuff the peppers with the vegan cheese and close them up with the help of toothpicks. It’s okay if the toothpicks are sticking out because this will make it easier to see them when removing them later.

Prepare the Breading - Rather than the traditional egg-based batter, we will use one with flour and cornmeal. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, oat milk, and a pinch of salt. Dip each stuffed pepper in the batter and flip it over to fully coat it. Only bread each pepper right before you’re ready to fry it.

Cook the Chiles Rellenos - Carefully place the chile relleno into the oil, cooking one at a time. Let it fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Use tongs because the oil will be hot! Once cooked, place it on a plate with several paper towels to absorb the extra oil.

Garnish and Serve - Cover the bottom of each plate with your favorite red chile sauce. Then, place the chiles rellenos over the sauce and drizzle avocado crema over it. You can also garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Storage

These vegan chiles rellenos are so good, there usually aren’t any leftovers. But if you happen to have some to save, simply place them in a sealed container and in the refrigerator for 3 days. The breading will lose some of its crunch, but all the flavor will still be there.

Make Ahead

You can roast and deseed the poblanos 2 days ahead of time. Store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Then stuff, bread, and fry them when you’re ready to eat them. Additionally, you can make ranchero sauce and avocado crema a day or two ahead of time as well.

Frequently Asked Question

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