Stuffed Poblano Peppers in Walnut Sauce (Chiles en Nogada)

Stuffed Poblano Peppers in Walnut Sauce, or chiles en nogada as we call it in Mexico, is an exquisite dish that perfectly marries a variety of satisfying flavors and textures. It is easier to prepare than you might think, learn how with my step by step instructions and short video. Enjoy!

Chiles en nogada is most often prepared in September, but is a favorite dish during the Christmas season as well. We traditionally garnish it in the green, white and red of the Mexican flag. It requires a little bit of time to prepare, but the final dish is well worth it, a treat you don’t want to miss.

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What Are the Ingredients for Chiles en Nogada?

The Mexican dish, chiles en nogada, is made with poblano peppers (sometimes called pasilla peppers in the United States) which are big in flavor and mildly spicy.

The delicious filling includes various meats, nuts and fruits all combined into a perfect balance of sweet and savory, soft and crunchy

All this is topped with a creamy walnut sauce and covered with sweet pomegranate seeds and parsley. Heaven!

My family has made this chiles en nogada dish for years, especially for the Mexican Independence Day celebration, and today I’m sharing our traditional family recipe with you.

RELATED POST: Cheese Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers

If you make your own stuffed poblano peppers in walnut sauce be sure to snap a photo and share it with us on social media using the #mamalatinatips hashtag. I’d love to see it and have the chance to share it as well.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers in Walnut Sauce

12 peppers

Prep time: 30 minutes – Start to finish: 1.5 hours

Ingredients

• 12 poblano chiles, roasted and peeled (check out the process here)
• 3 cups of water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salt

For the filling

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 cup white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup chopped ham
• 1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 peach, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped (approx 2.5 oz or 70 gr)
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped (approx 1.8 oz or 50 gr)
• 3/4 cup raisins (approx 3.5 oz or 100 gr)
• 1/2 tablespoon salt

For the Walnut Sauce

• 1 cup crema Mexicana
• 1 cup walnuts* (approx 3.5 oz or 100 gr)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• Water

*The traditional recipe calls for walnuts, however, you can use pecans instead. I’ve made them with both and they are equally delicious.

For the Garnish

• Parsley
• 2 pomegranates, seeded

Equipment

• Saucepan
• Knife
• Cutting boards
• Big glass bowl
• Serving Platter

Process

Take one poblano pepper and make a cut from the stem down. Carefully open it and remove the seeds. Repeat with the other 11 chiles.

Pepper seeds contain the heat of the chile, I would recommend using kitchen gloves to remove them, or, as we do in our family, covering your hands with oil. Seed them and wash them right after.

Bring the 3 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Place the poblano peppers in a big glass bowl. Pour in the hot, salty water and vinegar. Let them sit in the water for 2 to 3 minutes, no more.

Drain immediately and reserve them. This process will help to reduce the spiciness and remove more seeds.

Make the filling

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over high heat. When the bacon is crunchy, add the onion and garlic. Lower heat to medium and cook until onion and garlic are soft (approx 2 minutes).

Brown the beef with the onion mixture for 5 minutes. Add salt and bay leaves.

Incorporate the ham, almonds, pecans, raisins, apple, and peach. Mix well.

Cover, lower temperature to medium heat, and let the meat cook until all the flavors are mixed, 20-30 minutes approx. depending on your range and your pan. Stir once in a while.

Make the Walnut Sauce

In a blender or food processor, add cream, walnuts, salt and cinnamon. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. If necessary add some water (1/8 cup of water at a time).

The sauce has to be liquid enough so you can cover the chile easily, yet thick enough so you cannot see the green skin of the chile under it.

With a paper towel pat the chiles dry, fill them with 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture each and cover with the walnut sauce.

Garnish with the pomegranate and parsley.

¡Buen Provecho

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5 from 17 votes

Stuffed Poblano Peppers in Walnut Sauce

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Servings: 12 peppers

Calories: 391kcal

Ingredients

• 12 poblano peppers roasted and peeled (link to the process in notes)
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup white vinegar

For the filling

• 4 slices bacon chopped
• 1 cup white onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup chopped ham
• 1 green apple peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 peach peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds chopped (approx 2.5 oz or 70 gr)
• 1/2 cup pecans chopped (approx 1.8 oz or 50 gr)
• 3/4 cup raisins approx 3.5 oz or 100 gr
• 1/2 tablespoon salt

For the Walnut Sauce

• 1 cup crema Mexicana
• 1 cup walnuts* approx 3.5 oz or 100 gr
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A pinch ground cinnamon
• Water
• *The traditional recipe calls for walnuts however, you can use pecans instead. I’ve made them with both and they are equally delicious.

For the Garnish

• 6 parsley sprigs
• 2 pomegranates seeded

Utensilios

• Saucepan
• Knife
• Cutting boards
• Big glass bowl
• Serving Platter

Instructions

• Take one poblano pepper and make a cut from the stem down. Carefully open it and remove the seeds. Repeat with the other 11 chiles.
• Pepper seeds contain the heat of the chile, I would recommend using kitchen gloves to remove them, or, as we do in our family, cover your hands with oil, seed the peppers and wash them right after.
• Bring the 3 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Place the poblano peppers in a big glass bowl. Pour in the hot, salty water and vinegar. Let them sit in the water for 2 or 3 minutes, no more.
• Drain immediately and reserve them. This process will help to reduce the spiciness and remove more seeds.

Make the filling

• Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over high heat. When the bacon is crunchy, add the onion and garlic. Lower heat to medium and cook until onion and garlic are soft (approx 2 minutes).
• Brown the beef with the onion mixture for 5 minutes. Add salt and bay leaves.
• Incorporate the ham, almonds, pecans, raisins, apple, and peach. Mix well.
• Cover, lower temperature to medium heat and let the meat cook until all the flavors are mixed, 20-30 minutes approx. depending on your range and your pan. Stir once in a while.

Make the Walnut Sauce

• In a blender or food processor, add cream, walnuts, salt and cinnamon. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. If necessary add some water (1/8 cup of water at a time).
• The sauce has to be liquid enough so you can cover the chile easily, yet thick enough so you cannot see the green skin of the chile under it.
• With a paper towel pat the chiles dry, fill them with 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture each, and cover with the walnut sauce.
• Garnish with the pomegranate and parsley.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Stuffed Poblano Peppers in Walnut Sauce

Amount per Serving

Calories

391

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

27

g

42

%

Saturated Fat

 

7

g

44

%

Cholesterol

 

50

mg

17

%

Sodium

 

1192

mg

52

%

Potassium

 

672

mg

19

%

Carbohydrates

 

31

g

10

%

Fiber

 

7

g

29

%

Sugar

 

15

g

17

%

Protein

 

15

g

30

%

Vitamin A

 

531

IU

11

%

Vitamin C

 

104

mg

126

%

Calcium

 

62

mg

6

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: how to make chiles en nogada, recipes with poblano peppers

Notes

*The traditional recipe calls for walnuts, however, you can use pecans instead. I’ve made them with both and they are equally delicious.

If you wish to save time, you can make the filling the day before. Put it in the fridge overnight. You just need to warm it up before you fill the chiles.

Learn how to roast and peel poblano peppers here. 

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• Author
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Silvia Martinez

Silvia started bilingual website Mama Latina Tips in 2009 to connect and share her stories, recipes and culture with readers. Silvia loves dancing, cooking, watching movies, reading, throwing Mexican parties and spending time with family and friends. Silvia is the winner of The Great American Recipe.

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