Chile relleno casserole with chorizo is an easy and delicious, savory and flavorful casserole recipe made with roasted poblano peppers, chorizo, seasonings, bathed in a creamy egg mixture, and topped with three types of melty cheese.
Casseroles are classic dinners for a reason. They’re so easy and so delicious. When I became a mom, I found myself making an absolutely absurd amount of casseroles. They were so easy, and the leftovers could carry us through for a couple of days. As a lover of Mexican and Tex-Mex food, I eventually branched out into zestier casseroles like this chile relleno casserole. By the time I started making it, my kids were old enough to appreciate bolder, zestier flavors, and this dish was always a hit with everyone in the house. With its spicy sausage, roasted poblanos, and all that cheese, this casserole is an explosion of south-of-the-border flavor in every bite. Even now that my kids are gone, I often make this casserole because it makes a great dinner and breakfast the next day!
Chile Relleno Casserole
This delicious casserole starts with poblano peppers that I roast to create deep flavor and mellow the heat a bit. Then, I cook chorizo, onions, garlic, and bold seasonings in a pan until the chorizo is cooked through and veggies are tender. I layer the roasted peppers and meat mixture in a casserole dish and top it with a mix of eggs, cream, and flour. Finally, I load it up with cheese and baked it until it’s a bit browned and bubbly. When I’m all done, I have a delicious breakfast, dinner, or even potluck dish that takes less than an hour from start to finish!
Why You’ll Love This Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
- It’s a delicious casserole that combines the savory chorizo with the creamy richness of three types of cheese and poblano peppers for a hearty and delicious meal.
- It’s an easy recipe with no fuss with stuffing and frying the individual peppers.
- It is a flavorful and hearty casserole recipe made with poblano peppers with a mild flavor that won’t overpower the other ingredients.
Chile Relleno Casserole Ingredients
This recipe might be full of south-of-the-border flavor, but you won’t have to travel that far to get everything you need to make it. You can find it all in a quick trip to your local grocery store!
- Large poblano peppers, roasted, seeded
- Pork chorizo
- Onion, diced small
- Cloves garlic, minced
- Black pepper
- Paprika
- Chile powder
- Ground cumin
- Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
- Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Half and half
- All-purpose flour
- Large eggs
How to Make Chile Relleno Casserole with Chorizo
Although you’ll be roasting your own poblano peppers for this casserole, it’s still an easy recipe to make. Roasting peppers is so much easier than you think, and the entire recipe only requires a modicum of basic cooking skills.
Step 1: Roast the Poblano Peppers
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray it with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Then, wash and dry the peppers and place them on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the skins are charred, black, and bubbly, turning a few times during the process.
Step 2: Prepare the Peppers
Remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a glass bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Then, when the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the skins, slice the peppers in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Pat dry. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees.
Step 3: Cook the Chorizo
Cook the chorizo, onions, garlic, and seasonings in a large frying pan over medium heat until the chorizo is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Drain and return to the pan.
Step 4: Layer the Casserole
Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray and layer roasted peppers in the bottom. Top with 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese, half of the chorizo mixture, 1 cup of Pepper Jack cheese, and ½ cup of sharp cheddar cheese. Repeat, ending with cheddar cheese.
Step 5: Add the Eggs
Whisk the half and half, eggs, and flour in a small mixing bowl, then pour it over the casserole.
Step 6: Bake
Bake the casserole uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes. Then, remove it from the oven and add the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is a bit browned. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Always wash your hands and NEVER touch your face when working with hot peppers.
- The chiles have finished roasting when the skins are black and bubbly. Don’t worry, you’re not burning them.
- Be sure to let the chiles cool in a covered bowl. The steam helps loosen the skin.
Variations
- You can make this recipe with chorizo, ground beef, or ground turkey.
- Use your favorite cheeses in this recipe. Any will work well.
- You can use jarred minced garlic if you don’t have fresh.
What to Serve with Chorizo Chile Relleno Casserole
Serve this casserole with classic sides like frijoles de olla or salsa fanchera. You can also pair it with your other favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex sides like:
- Chips and guac
- Chips and salsa
- Nachos
- Refried beans
- Churros
Recipe FAQ
Chile relleno casserole is a casserole version of classic chile relleno, a Mexican dish made with roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, coated in a fluffy egg batter, and fried until golden brown.
This casserole is made with roasted poblano peppers, just like classic chile relleno.
Yes, you can. Cook and layer the casserole ingredients, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
Casserole leftovers will last for up to 4 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Chile relleno casserole is a freezer-friendly dish you can store for up to 3 months for later use.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Chile Relleno Casserole
Refrigerate this casserole for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
To reheat the casserole, bake it at 350 until heated through and bubbly on top.
Try This Chile Relleno Casserole Today
This chile relleno casserole is meaty and cheesy and packs a punch of heat in every bite. With all the traditional flavors of chile relleno stuffed into an easy-to-make casserole, this is one recipe you have to try. Whether you’re serving it for dinner or bringing it to a potluck, this easy, flavorful recipe is always a hit. Give it a try and get ready to fall in love!
More Delicious Casserole Recipes You’ll Enjoy
This Beef and Cheese Empanadas are a quick and easy empanada recipe made with deliciously seasoned ground beef and two types of cheese in a flaky, buttery crust.
Chile Relleno Casserole with Chorizo
Ingredients
- 8 large poblano peppers, roasted, seeded
- 16 ounce pork chorizo
- 1 cup onion, diced small
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 2 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 8 large eggs
Instructions
Roast the Poblano Peppers
- Preheat the oven to 450° and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Wash and dry peppers, and place poblano peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until peppers are charred and skins are blacked and bubbly, making sure to turn a few times during the baking process, approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Once peppers are charred and blustery, remove from the oven and carefully place in a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool for about 15 minutes. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove skins, slice in half lengthwise, and rinse to remove seeds. Pat dry.
Chile Relleno Casserole
- In a large frying pan, over medium heat, cook chorizo, onions and garlic, and seasonings. Drain grease and return to the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place a layer of peppers in the bottom, then top with 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese, half of the chorizo mixture, 1 cup of pepper jack cheese, and ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese. Repeat layers ending with sharp cheddar cheese.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk half and half, eggs, and flour together.
- Pour egg mixture on top of pepper mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese on top and pop back in the oven for 15 additional minutes.
- Once cheese has browned a bit, remove from the oven and enjoy.
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I loved how cheesy and spicy this was. It was also easy. Perfect dinner!
What a delicious family meal! Love the spicy and smokey combo and it makes for delicious leftovers!
This casserole looks absolutely incredible—comfort food at its finest! I love that you get all the delicious flavors of Chile rellenos without the fuss of individual stuffing and frying. This is a must-try for dinner soon!