These Stuffed Poblano Peppers are filled with savory seasoned ground beef, green onions, and cilantro then topped with a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese. After baking, I love serving these peppers over a bed of cilantro lime cauliflower rice (or cilantro lime white rice) with a dollop of sour cream. This easy chili pepper dish is the best of summer translated into a warm and comforting dish that carries well into cool fall months.
How spicy are poblano peppers?
Poblanos are generally considered to be a fairly mild chili pepper, though their heat can vary substantially. I've had poblanos that are super mild and others that I've been grateful to eat with a healthy dollop of sour cream to tone down the heat.
To further illustrate the heat level, I find it helpful to compare its Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) to other common chili peppers. As you can see, poblano peppers generally fall at or below the heat level of jalapeno peppers.
- Habanero 100,000-350,000 SHU
- Serrano 10,000-25,000 SHU
- Jalapeno 2,500-10,000 SHU
- Poblano 1000-2,500 SHU
- Bell 0 SHU
How to tame the heat of a particularly spicy pepper
You may have heard that a chili pepper's capsaicin is found in the seeds – This is only sort of true. The capsaicin is actually found in the highest concentrations in the pith and ribs of the pepper (the white part). The seeds are surrounded by the pith and ribs which is why they get blamed as the primary culprit. So, if you want to lessen the heat of a poblano pepper, scrape as much of the white pith and ribs out as you can.
Other things you can do to lessen the heat are to add fat and acid. Capsaicin is a fat-soluble compound, so dairy products such as sour cream will help tame heat. Acidic ingredients like fresh lime juice will also help lessen the heat, so serving with a wedge to spritz on top (and in the cilantro lime rice) is always welcome.
What to serve Stuffed Poblano Peppers with
I love serving these Stuffed Poblano Peppers with a side of cilantro lime cauliflower rice or cilantro lime white rice. Both options add a burst of refreshing acid that helps tame heat from the chili peppers and provide an excellent base for the saucy pepper filling to soak into. Additionally, these stuffed peppers are wonderful with a simple salad if you prefer.
Some other great side dishes that pair well with these Stuffed Poblano Peppers:
- Grilled Corn Salad with Spicy Honey Lime Dressing
- Spicy Cabbage Slaw
- Chili Lime Watermelon with Labneh and Honey
- Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad
What tools do I need to make this recipe?
- A baker's half sheet lined with parchment paper
- A cutting board
- A chef's knife
- A skillet
- A kitchen scale (may use measuring cups for less precise measurements)
- Measuring spoons
- A citrus juicer
- A citrus zester
- A cheese grater (unless you use pre-grated cheese)
Are you looking to upgrade your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.
Looking for more dinner inspiration?
Love this Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Cilantro Cauliflower Rice recipe? Here are some more of my favorite dinner recipes that you might enjoy:
- Jalapeno Poppers with Sausage and Cream Cheese
- Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder
- Chicken Poblano Chili
- Picadillo
- Pressure Cooker Barbacoa Beef
- Sloppy Joe Bowls
- Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce
- Salmon with Adobo Sauce and Blackberry Cucumber Avocado Salsa
- Salmon Tacos with Spicy Cabbage Slaw and Lime Crema
Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 portions 1x
- Category: Mains
- Method: Oven / Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Stuffed Poblano Peppers are filled with savory seasoned ground beef, green onions, and cilantro then topped with a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese. After baking, I love serving these peppers over a bed of cilantro lime cauliflower rice (or cilantro lime white rice) with a dollop of sour cream. This easy chili pepper dish is the best of summer translated into a warm and comforting dish that carries well into cool fall months.
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Poblano Peppers:
- 4 large poblano peppers (about 1 ¼ lbs total), halved with ribs, pith, and seeds removed
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 74 g (⅔ cup) green onion, chopped
- 30 g (½ cup) cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil (may sub for 2 minced garlic cloves)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp Kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 8 oz (2 cups) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Optional: Sour cream to top
For the Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice*:
- 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil (may sub for 1 tbsp olive oil + 2 minced garlic cloves)
- 24 oz (about 6 ¾ cups) cauliflower rice (I like this frozen one, but you can use fresh too)
- 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 limes, zest and juice (about 2 tbsp juice + 2 tsp zest)
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
For the Stuffed Poblano Peppers:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Prep a baker's half sheet with parchment paper and place the prepped poblano halves on top, cut side exposed.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until cooked through, then lower the heat slightly to just above medium.
- Add the tomato sauce, green onion, cilantro, garlic-infused olive oil (or minced garlic), cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, and Kosher salt to the ground beef, stirring to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and hot. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
- Remove the meat mixture from heat and portion equally into each poblano pepper half. Top each with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. I usually pull the peppers out when the edges start to darken slightly and look a bit wrinkly.
- Serve warm on top of the Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
For the Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice:
- In a large skillet (I just wipe out the skillet I cooked the meat in) over medium-high heat, add garlic-infused olive oil (or olive oil + minced garlic), the riced cauliflower, cilantro, lime zest and juice, Kosher salt and pepper.
- Sautee for 3-5 minutes, just long enough to cook the cauliflower and give it a bit of heat, but not so long that it starts to mash. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed, then remove from heat.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
If you prefer, you can use cooked white rice in place of the riced cauliflower to make cilantro lime rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed poblano pepper and ⅛th of cauliflower rice
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 614 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Elaine Benoit says
I love stuffed poblano peppers! Yours looks so delicious and easy and I love the addition of the flavorful cauliflower rice!
swathi says
That is wholesome meal there, cauliflower rice I am yet to try it. I will love these poblano peppers stuffed with cheese and meat so yum.
Tammy says
Oh my goodness that layer of golden, melted cheese is calling to me! This is my kind of meal and I love that its low carb with the cauliflower rice. Perfect for Keto! 😀
Valerie says
These stuffed peppers sound like they have an intriguing flavor combination. I love seeing how different people make their stuffed peppers, some cut the side and some cut the top.
Marisa Franca says
One of our favorite dishes is stuffed peppers and poblanos are also a favorite. Using cauliflower rice instead of regular fills up the poblanos with even more veggies. Excellent!!
Catalina says
This is the kind of meal I like. Easy to make and packed with a lot of veggies. Exactly what I need- a healthier dinner idea!
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
Hearty and delicious! I love the use of poblanos - takes it all up a notch!
Veena Azmanov says
I love stuffed peppers and this stuffing sounds so simple and easy. Cauliflower rice is my favorite and this looks so good. This would make a great brunch or side dish.
Dan Zehr says
Oh God, I LOVE rice, I LOVE pepper. This is really the perfect recipe for me. And this presentation looks very beautiful. I would like to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. LOVE
Gloria says
WOW...look at the flavours in that casserole dish. Super easy to make for dinner any night of the week. I love cauliflower rice, and there are really nice cauliflowers at the market these days.
Mahy Elamin says
Wow and wow, this is so delicious and it makes my mouth watering!
This recipe looks super easy and full of ingredients my family loves. Looking forward to trying soon.
Erin @ Platings and Pairings says
I love stuffed peppers made with poblanos. The little bit of extra heat is what I like, compared to bell peppers, but you're right - it's not too hot! These look delicious and I love that you served them with cauliflower rice.
Michelle says
Yes to alllll the cheese! I love stuffed peppers and the cheese is one of my favorite parts. Also I really like the Le Creuset (?) dish you used 🙂
Catherine says
My daughter has been obsessed with cauliflower rice so we have a lot on hand. This dish looks so hearty and wholesome...I love the flavors and colors. Absolutely delicious!
Denay DeGuzman says
My taste buds are singing with delight!!! I'm loving hard on this delicious stuffed poblano peppers recipe, The flavors and colors...mmmm. Thank you so much for sharing this special recipe!
Jyohi (Jo) says
Everything about this dish sounds just right. Those stuffed peppers looks killer. These low carb meals are my absolute fav type of meal that I wont mind eating all day. Love that you served stuffed peppers with flavor packed cilantro lime cauliflower rice
Veena Azmanov says
It's always amazing to stuff peppers and even more fascinating to me is that we do is so many different ways across the world. I love that you served this over cauliflower rice. My favorite.
Valerie says
Stuffed peppers have always been one of my husband's favorite dishes. These stuffed peppers sound like they have an intriguing flavor combination.
Marisa Franca says
We love stuffed peppers and your poblano with beef looks especially good. That melting cheese on top is making my mouth water. So very good!! Will have to look for some poblano peppers at the grocery store.
Claudia Lamascolo says
oh I love peppers and never had the idea to stuff the hot ones and this stuffing has so much in it sounds delicous