These flavor packed Stuffed Poblano Peppers are a staple meatless meal around our house because they are simple, healthy, and SO delicious we crave them on the regular.
The gluten-free and dairy-free filling includes black beans, rice, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices that are simmered in an enchilada or Mexican adobo sauce. Stuff the filling into roasted poblano peppers, bake, and then serve with an extra drizzle of enchilada sauce and a dollop of vegan sour cream.

A while back, a friend of mine looked at this recipe and said, "Wait. No cheese?" Yes, I said. No cheese. You're not going to miss it.
She eyed me with deep skepticism.
And, I get it. Chile Rellenos are one of my favorite things in the whole wide world because chilies or peppers with cheese is DELICIOUS.
BUT - cheese just isn't always a necessary ingredient to get you to delicious.
Having said that, you CAN add some cheese to these stuffed peppers AND keep them vegan by serving them with Vegan Nacho Cheese. So good!
What You'll Love About this Stuffed Poblano Pepper Recipe
I'm not the kind of cook that likes to make the same things over and over again. And yet I make these stuffed poblano peppers all the time. These slightly spicy, flavor packed peppers just check all the boxes for me:
- These stuffed peppers are SO quick and easy to prepare
- They use whole {not processed}, healthy ingredients that just happen to be gluten and dairy free. Hooray for real food!
- They are naturally vegan (unless you top them with regular sour cream instead of vegan sour cream) but hearty enough to satisfy meat lovers.
- They are a GREAT way to use up leftovers! Toss any other ingredients you like into the filling.
- They reheat well! These stuffed peppers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat well in the microwave or in the oven. I always make enough to ensure that I get to eat stuffed peppers for lunch later in the week.
Ingredients Needed to Make this Recipe
There's two ingredients in these stuffed peppers that you can either make from scratch or simply open a couple of cans:
- Enchilada sauce or Mexican Adobo
- Black beans
The recipe for homemade enchilada sauce makes more than you'll need for these peppers. This is not a problem. In fact, it's a HUGE bonus.
Use the leftover sauce to make cheesy Cheese Enchilada Casserole, Southwest Summer Corn Chowder, Black Bean Tostadas with Roasted Corn Salsa, or Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Enchilada sauce also freezes really, really well. So, if you're not wanting to use the leftover sauce in any other recipe this week, pop it into the freezer for when you do.
The other option is to use Mexican Adobo. This recipe for Mexican adobo only takes about 25 minutes to make but is a powerhouse of flavor. Just like homemade enchilada sauce Mexican adobo can be prepared ahead and frozen.
If you've never cooked dried beans you might be surprised to learn that they only take about 5 minutes of hands-on time.
Cook dried black beans in the slow cooker or on the stovetop, or in the instant pot. Either option requires you to simply dump some beans and spices into the pot and then let them simmer for a few hours.
Also like the enchilada sauce, one batch of beans will give you much more than you need for these peppers. Also not a problem.
Use the leftover beans to make Black Bean Tomato Soup, Veggie Black Bean Nachos, Cuban Chicken and Rice, Vegetarian Chili, or Black Bean Tostadas.
If You Don't Want to Make Enchilada Sauce or Cook Dried Beans:
If you want to make stuffed poblano peppers right now (and who doesn't?) and you don't have any homemade beans or enchilada sauce in your refrigerator, just open a couple of cans or jars.
Canned black beans, prepared enchilada sauce, and Mexican adobo are readily available in most supermarkets and perfectly delicious in these stuffed peppers.
Done and done. Easy peasy.
In Addition to Enchilada Sauce or Mexican Adobo and Black Beans, you'll Also Need These Ingredients:
- Poblano peppers (obviously)
- A little bit of olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 small red onion
- Some sound smoked paprika and cumin, salt and pepper
- About 4 cloves of garlic
- A handful of fresh cilantro
- A couple of cups of diced fresh tomatoes (if tomatoes are in season) OR canned tomatoes
- A cup of cooked rice
- Fresh squeezed lime juice
How to Make These Stuffed Peppers:
The most tedious part of making these (and it's not that tedious) is peeling the blacked skin from the roasted poblanos. After that, you simply simmer the stuffing ingredients in a saucepan, stuff the peppers, and bake.
- Wash and dry the poblano peppers and lay them out on the baking sheet so that they are not touching. Set them under the broiler in your oven and cook until the skin is completely black. Turn them over and blacken on the other side.
- Place the peppers in a bowl, cover with a towel and let them cool down a bit.
- In the mean time, cook some diced onions in a saucepan until they are soft, then add the cumin, paprika, and garlic.
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan except for the rice and cilantro. Cover the sauce pan and let everything simmer away and get happy for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in some cooked rice, cilantro, and lime juice.
- Cut open the poblano peppers, remove the stem and seeds, and gently pull off and discard the blackened skin.
- Set the peppers in a baking dish and stuff them with a generous amount of filling.
- Bake the peppers for 20 minutes then serve drizzled with some more enchilada sauce or Mexican adobo and a dollop of vegan sour cream.
What To Serve with Stuffed Poblano Peppers:
1. Sour cream or vegan sour cream.
2. Warm Homemade Flour Tortillas (or Corn Tortillas)
I love serving stuffed poblano peppers with warm homemade flour tortillas. Homemade tortillas take about 30 minutes of hands-on time and they are life changing.
I know that sounds dramatic. But, I'm kinda serious. It's one of those cases where homemade is so much better, once you make them, you might never purchase a package again.
3. Jicama Salad with Apples and Honey Lime Dressing
This jicama salad with apples is light, crisp, tart, and refreshing. It's quick and easy to make and packed with nutrition. It's the kind of thing you can make quickly for a light lunch or in large quantities for a summer cookout.
I have made these Pomegranate Margaritas for more dinner parties and get togethers than any other cocktail for three reasons:
- They are super easy to make with ingredients that are always easy to find
- The recipe can be scaled up or down - make margaritas by the pitcher or by the glass
- It's the type of margarita that's a true crowd pleasing cocktail - the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and bitter that will please everyone
More Popular Plant Based Recipes
- Black Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce
- Crispy Corn Tortilla Quesadillas
- Black Bean Soup with Pickled Onions and Cilantro Oil
- Black Bean Tostadas with Roasted Corn Salsa
- Vegetarian Spaghetti Carbonara
- Cauliflower and Chickpea Coconut Curry
- Black Bean Tomato Soup
- Curried Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Fried Mushrooms
- General Tso's Cauliflower with Sriracha Rice
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #alittleandalot on Instagram.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Stuffed Poblano Peppers
These flavor-packed Stuffed Poblano Peppers are a staple meatless meal around our house because they are simple, healthy, and SO delicious we crave them on the regular.
Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream.
Ingredients
- 8 poblano peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 small red onion, peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 18 ounces (2 heaping cups) of black beans
- 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup enchilada sauce or Mexican adobo (*See note)
- 16 ounces diced fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, more to taste
For serving:
- Sour cream - or Vegan Sour Cream (See note below)
- Additional enchilada sauce or Mexican adobo
Instructions
- Set an oven rack so that it's in the top third of the oven and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Wash and dry the poblano peppers and lay them out on the baking sheet so that they are not touching.
- Set the peppers under the broiler until the skin is about 90% blackened on one side. Remove from the oven and, using tongs, turn the peppers over. Put them back under the broiler. Continue to turn the peppers until their skins are blackened on all sides.
- Place the peppers in a bowl, cover with a dish towel and let them cool to room temperature.
- In the meantime, add the oil and diced onion to a large high-sided skillet or sauce pan and set it over medium heat. Cook until the onion is soft and and just begining to turn golden. Add the cumin, paprika, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute longer.
- Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan except for the rice, cilantro, and lime juice.
- Set a lid on the sauce pan so that the pan is partially covered. Let simmer on low heat, stirring every once in a while, for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the mixture should be thickened and condensed. If the mixture is on the runny side, remove the lid, turn the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the excess liquid has evaporate.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, cilantro, and lime juice. Taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or lime juice if you like. Set aside to cool slightly while you peel the peppers.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C)
- For each pepper, use a knife to slice the pepper open, lengthwise. Remove the stem and seeds and gently pull off and discard the blackened skin. Place the peppers in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Open each pepper and add a generous amount of filling; wrap the pepper around the filling.
- Bake the peppers uncovered for 20 minutes. Serve with extra enchilada sauce or Mexican adobo, and sour cream or vegan sour cream.
Notes
- This recipe for Homemade Enchilada Sauce is my favorite recipe because it's super easy and absolutely delicious. Or, simply pick up a can or a jar of prepared enchilada sauce at your local supermarket.
- You can also use Mexican Adobo in these peppers, here's an easy 25-minute adobo recipe, or use a jar of prepared adobo.
- My favorite beans to use in these stuffed peppers are dried black beans cooked in the slow cooker or in the Instant Pot. Or, use canned black beans.
- This Vegan Sour Cream is pretty much the only sour cream we eat at my house here and we're not even vegans. It's just simply more delicious than regular dairy sour cream.
- If you want to add some cheesy goodness to these stuffed peppers AND keep them vegan, serve them with a warm bowl of Vegan Nacho Cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
2 Stuffed PeppersAmount Per Serving: Calories: 321Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 566mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 17gSugar: 8gProtein: 15g
Judy says
I’ve had this on my radar and finally made it. Delicious! Definitely needs the sour cream and a little more enchilada sauce when serving as suggested. And I’m thinking next time to add some roasted corn kernels. It’s like chili wrapped in a poblano. Amazing!
RebeccaBlackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you liked this recipe, Judy! The sour cream and extra enchilada sauce really are delicious on there, I agree. I love the idea of adding roasted corn. I've also been thinking of adding zucchini, since it's that time of year. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! xo
Debra says
An awesome mexican style vegan recipe to add to our rotation. Absolutely loved the flavor and texture...and it was just different enough from our usual stuff. Pinned to always have on hand when needed. THanks.
Andrea Howe says
I love poblano peppers! This sounds so incredible, I can't wait to try them!
Marry says
Made these last night and they were delicious! My poblano peppers were a little sweet tasting which was surprising. I haven't been able to find frozen chili puree here in the Los Angeles area but I will keep looking. Thank you for this good recipe.
RebeccaBlackwell says
Hi Marry! I am so happy to hear that you liked this recipe! Poblano peppers are so unpredictable... sometimes they are so spicy we can barely eat them, and other times not at all. The one thing I find consistent is that they are delicious. 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! I really appreciate it! xo
Jacque Hastert says
We have incorporated Meatless Mondays into our home. I love this recipe and am adding it to my menu for next week. Stuffed peppers are the best and these sound amazing without the meat added.
Prajakta Sukhatme says
These poblano peppers look so hearty and wholesome. I love all the flavor fiesta. Saving the recipe to make as comfort food cravings and cool weather kicks in