Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano Peppers

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My hearty, spicy, vegetarian stuffed poblano peppers with quinoa, tomatoes, and corn are a Southwestern classic that’s a real crowd-pleaser. They’re ready in under an hour, loaded with flavor and melty cheese, and make a perfect Mexican side dish to enchiladas.

If you didn’t know by now, I’m a huge fan of Southwestern and Mexican flavors! The sweet, savory, and spicy flavors in recipes such as roasted poblano corn chowder, my healthy black bean quesadillas, and these stuffed poblano peppers are just so comforting and perfect for sharing.

With Southwestern spices, quinoa, and gooey, melted cheese, these 45-minute oven-roasted poblano peppers have become a household favorite. My husband loves spicy food so much that he dips them into tomatillo salsa verde sauce for extra heat, and my kids drizzle over sour cream to cool them down. No matter how you eat these stuffed poblano peppers, I’m sure you’ll love them!

🥘 Ingredients

My vegetarian stuffed poblano peppers recipe uses pantry staples that blend perfectly together for comforting Southwestern flavors and are topped with a citrusy homemade lime crema sauce.

Stuffed Poblano Pepper Ingredients

Poblano Peppers: I like to use poblanos because they have a slight heat compared to bell peppers. Roasted poblanos are rich in vitamins and the perfect size for stuffing with this delicious Southwest-inspired quinoa with corn mixture.

Oil: I find avocado oil or olive oil works best for roasting the poblanos.

Tomatoes: I use diced Roma tomatoes for adding color and flavor to this Southwestern dish.

Scallions: For this quinoa-stuffed poblano pepper recipe, I use the white part of the diced scallion for the filling and the green part as a tasty garnish to add crunch and a pop of color.

Vegetable Stock: For adding flavor to the quinoa while cooking, I use low-sodium vegetable stock.

Quinoa: I love quinoa. It’s a crowd-pleasing and nutritious whole grain that is the perfect filling for this roasted poblano recipe.

Corn: For extra nutrients, color, and texture, I add fresh or frozen corn to this vegetarian dish.

Taco Seasoning or Southwestern Spice Blend: No need to make your own spice blend for this. I just use the premade spice blends to give lots of flavor in one ingredient. You can buy the sweet, mild, or spicy variety for this recipe. I used the mild taco seasoning blend, so it’s not overpowering for the kids.

Pepper Jack Cheese: This recipe requires a good melting cheese with a peppery taste that will complement the peppers, like shredded pepper jack cheese.

Salt and Pepper: Add to taste.

Lime Crema Ingredients

Lime: I recommend using fresh lime zest and lime juice to give the crema a refreshing citrus flavor that balances the mild heat of the peppers.

Greek Yogurt: I use Greek yogurt to give this crema a smooth, creamy, and slightly tart taste. 

Water: To make the crema slightly thinner, I add a small amount of water to perfectly drizzle over the stuffed Mexican peppers.

Substitutions

Sour Cream: I substitute Greek yogurt with sour cream or vegan sour cream.

Cheese: Many types of cheese work well in this recipe. My favorites are Pepper Jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, Cheddar cheese, a Mexican cheese blend, mozzarella cheese, or even goat cheese.

🔪 How To Make

Making these easy roasted stuffed poblano peppers is super easy is less than an hour, Here is how it make it :

Preheat Oven, Prep The Poblanos: I adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, then halve the poblanos through the stem and remove seeds and ribs.

Cook Quinoa: First, I bring vegetable broth and a big pinch of salt to a boil in a small pot with a lid, then add the quinoa and cook it according to the package instructions.

Roast Peppers: While the quinoa cooks, I rub poblano halves with oil and season them with salt and pepper. Then, I place them on a baking sheet, cut side down, and roast on the middle rack until tender, about 20 minutes.

Cook Filling: For the veggies, I heat a drizzle of oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over high heat and add the corn, and cook it (stirring occasionally), until slightly charred, 4-5 minutes. When the corn begins to pop, I cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium before adding diced tomatoes, scallion whites, and Southwest spice blend or taco seasoning, cooking for about 2 minutes until the tomato breaks down.

Stir in Quinoa: Then, I combine the cooked quinoa with the veggies in the pan and season with salt and pepper.

Stuff Peppers: Once the poblanos are done roasting, I stuff each with as much of the grain mixture as will fit.

Prepare Poblanos To Bake: I place them in a single layer in a pan with the remaining grain mixture, nestling each poblano half in the grains, and sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Broil: I turn the broiler to high, and transfer the pan with stuffed peppers to middle rack of oven, broiling until the cheese melts and is lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.

Make Crema: While the poblanos broil, I make the crema in a small bowl, mixing the Greek yogurt or sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper, and water.

Serve Baked Poblano Peppers: Once the cheese has melted, I remove them from the oven, drizzle the lime crema, and sprinkle chopped scallions on top of the peppers. Divide among plates and serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.

📖 Variations

If you want to switch things up a little, I have some tasty variations for you to try at home.

Extra Cheesy: For an extra cheesy dish, I add ½ cup of pepper jack cheese or cheddar cheese to the quinoa mixture before filling the peppers.

Spicy Stuffed Peppers: Elevate the heat level of this dish and get your spicy food fix! I add two diced jalapeno peppers to the pan when adding the tomatoes for some extra heat, or I swap the tomatoes for half a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. Garnish peppers with additional diced jalapenos.

More Protein: To add more plant protein to this vegetarian stuffed poblanos recipe, I spread a layer of refried beans in the peppers before adding the rest of the stuffing ingredients!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

These vegetarian stuffed poblano peppers are delicious on their own and are a hearty meal with other vegan dishes. Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair with these spicy stuffed peppers.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy roasted stuffed peppers is with a boatload of condiments: pineapple pico de gallo for a sweet, tangy, spicy topping, edamame guacamole without avocado for a protein-packed, flavorful dip, and a bowl of air fryer tortilla chips to scoop up all that deliciousness.

Then, if we have more mouths to feed, I bring out the tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and nachos to complete the table. My personal favorite that I think complements the stuffed peppers perfectly are these vegan black bean enchiladas packed with flavorful veggies and a creamy tomato sauce.

🧊 Storage Directions

Storing: I store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For optimum freshness, I wrap each pepper individually in foil or plastic wrap before placing it inside the container.

Freezing: Once the stuffed peppers have cooled completely, I wrap them individually in foil or plastic wrap before placing them inside a freezer-safe bag or container. Mexican stuffed poblanos keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.

Reheating: Place the leftover stuffed peppers on a microwave-safe dish and heat them on high for 1 to 2 minutes. I also reheat them in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.

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