Shredded Beef Stuffed Poblano Peppers (So Good and Healthy!)
These Shredded Beef, Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Peppers are a healthier take on Chile Rellanos. The poblanos are roasted instead of fried, and they are stuffed with a mixture of Mexican shredded beef, quinoa, black beans, and corn.
Making these Shredded Beef Stuffed Poblano Peppers
In the family I grew up in, birthdays were synonymous with a Tex-Mex feast.
Whether it was at home or our family’s favorite Mexican restaurant, I can’t remember a time when we didn’t have Tex-Mex for birthday dinners.
It has been many years since I’ve celebrated a birthday in Houston, Texas, but this year’s birthday brought the blessing of having my sister nearby.
Allie and I decided to create our own Tex-Mex feast with a heavy side of nostalgia. It made turning 31 just a little bit better.
Though I think I am in the beginnings of denial regarding my age. I’ve already accidentally told people that I just turned 30. Accidental or subconsciously on purpose?
★★★★★
Reader Review
“This is an excellent recipe! My husband and neighbors all loved it! Even their 7 year old son ate all the filling just not the pepper”
—Linda (via Pinterest)
What Makes this Stuffed Poblano Pepper Recipe Different
I have always wanted try my hand at making Chile Rellenos at home.
With two busy kids underfoot and a super health-conscious sister, I decided that fried foods were probably best left for another day.
Instead we opted to roast some poblanos and stuff them with a shredded beef, black bean, and quinoa mixture.
It was a great idea, because they tasted awesome and were far easier to prepare than it would have been to attempt frying peppers with two kids running around the house.
We rounded out the Shredded Beef, Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos with some enchiladas, recipe to come later), chips and a tomato, corn and avocado salad.
And of course, with a birthday cupcakes are a must. We had Coconut Lime Cupcakes (Logan and Madeline’s favorite recipe to help with that weekend). It was a day well spent in the kitchen!
Tips for Making the Best Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Look for larger poblano peppers so you have plenty of room for the shredded beef filling.
- Wear disposable gloves to protect your hands from hot pepper residue – the worst is when you accidentally touch your eyes after handling peppers!
- Cook the quinoa in the instant pot for the stuffed poblano pepper filling. It’s so easy! See how here: how to make quinoa in the instant pot.
Stuffed Poblano Pepper FAQs
Got questions about how to make these easy stuffed poblano peppers? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
Can I Make My Stuffed Poblano Peppers Vegetarian?
You could easily leave out the beef and increase the beens and add extra vegetables for a vegetarian option. I think diced zucchini and fire roasted tomatoes would probably make great additions.
What Would Be a Good Substitute for Black Beans?
If you don’t have black beans, I would recommend using pinto beans when making these stuffed poblanos. You can also used dried beans instead of canned – here’s everything you need to know about cooking dried beans.
Can I Make this Recipe with Regular Bell Peppers?
Sure! The taste will be slightly different due to the difference in pepper flavor, but the filling will work in either variety just fine.
Can I Use Shredded Chicken Breast instead of Shredded Beef?
Sure! I would use this Crockpot Mexican Chicken recipe for the meat portion of the recipe.
What Should I Serve with Stuffed Poblano Peppers
If you’re looking for side dish ideas to make this a complete meal, here’s what I recommend:
- Tortilla chips and Restaurant Style Salsa, pico de gallo, Guacamole, or Tomato Mango Salsa for an appetizer.
- Cilantro Lime Kale Slaw or Cilantro Lime Broccoli Slaw for some veggies.
- Pineapple Margarita or Strawberry Agua Fresca for a fun drink.
Try these Stuffed Poblano Peppers!
Next time you’re looking for a delicious and healthy recipe with tons of flavor, give these Shredded Beef, Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos a try!
Did love the delicious stuffing in the spicy poblanos? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this delicious meal.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this poblano pepper recipe!
More Poblano Peppers Recipes
Want more poblano pepper recipes? Here are some of our family favorite recipes:
Chicken Verde Chili has tons of flavor and a surprising amount of good for you ingredients. It features chunks of tender chicken, tomatillos, peppers, and cannellini beans in a thick chili verde base.
This Green Chile Turkey Tetrazzni is loaded with flavor thanks to the addition of green chiles, poblano peppers, and spicy pepper jack cheese.
Easy Roasted Salsa Verde is a mix of roasted tomatillos, roasted poblano pepper, roasted jalapeño pepper, fresh garlic, cilantro, and shallot.
These Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffed Peppers are a great updated version of the classic stuffed bell pepper Recipe.
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
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Shredded Beef, Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos
These Shredded Beef, Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos are a healthier take on Chile Rellanos. The poblanos are roasted instead of fried, and they are stuffed with a mixture of Mexican shredded beef, quinoa, black beans, and corn.
Ingredients
For the Shredded Beef
- 1 recipe Shredded Tex-Mex Crock-Pot Chicken (subbing your preferred cut of beef roast)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 can Black Beans
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup of Roasted Salsa Verde
- salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder - to taste
Remaining Ingredients
- 4 - 6 poblano peppers, depending on the size
- Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
Instructions
For the Filling:
- Prepare the shredded beef according to the directions of the Shredded Tex-Mex Crock-Pot Chicken - substitute your preferred cut of beef roast, trimmed of excess fat and adding the tomato paste.
- This can be done a day in advance and refrigerated, or longer if you store the shredded, cooked beef in the freezer.
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
- After cooking, combine the shredded beef, beans, corn, cilantro, salsa verde, and seasonings. Set aside.
For the Peppers:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Wash and dry the peppers. Coat all sides with olive oil and place on a greased baking sheet or in a greased oven safe cast iron skillet.
- Place the peppers in the oven with the rack in the second position from the top.
- Turn the broiler on and broil, turning every few minutes, until the peppers are browned and blistered on all sides.
- Remove from the oven, let cool.
- When cool enough to handle, slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the sides.
- Fill each pepper half with 1/4 - 1/2 cup of filling, depending on the size of the pepper.
- Top with a sprinkling of Mexican cheese blend.
- Return the peppers to the baking pan, cheese side up, and bake at 375 degrees F until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish, if desired, with additional cilantro, chopped onion, and/or lime wedges.
Notes
Substitutions
- Substitute Mexican seasoned ground beef or chicken or Shredded Tex-Mex Crock-Pot Chicken if you prefer.
Freezing Instructions
- Prepare through the assembly stage.
- Cool completely.
- Place on a baking tray and freeze.
- When frozen solid, transfer to a freezer safe gallon sized zip top bag.
- Remove as much air as possible without smashing them, seal, and place flat in the freezer.
- To bake, remove from the oven and thaw in the fridge, then bake according to instructions.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 422Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 8gSugar: 4gProtein: 15g
Disclosure: I’m proud to continue my relationship as a compensated Bush’s Beans brand ambassador. All opinions expressed are my own.
Carla @ Gluten Free Recipe Box says
This looks awesome! Now this a quinoa recipe I could sink my teeth into!
gigi kennedy says
LOVE poblanos! & this is great, I’ve been looking for a healthy substitute for my favorite chile rellenos. Thank you! will definitely try w/ the diced zucchini sub out.
TiffanyAzure@CremedelaCrumb says
Ooh these look super yummy! I love stuffed anything, especially peppers!!
Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats says
These sounds wonderful! And I have everything needed to make them! YUM!
Tieghan says
Sounds like a good birthday to me! Tex-Mex if one of my favorites and these look awesome! I can not wait to try them!