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Vegetarian stuffed poblano peppers with melted cheese on top in a cast iron skillet.
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5 from 32 votes

Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano Peppers

These hearty, spicy, vegetarian stuffed poblano peppers with quinoa and corn are a Southwestern classic and take less than an hour to make! Earthy and sweet, rich and filling, this is a delicious, simple recipe that’s a real crowd-pleaser.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 440kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

  • 4 poblano peppers
  • 2 roma tomatoes chopped
  • 4 scallions sliced
  • 1 tsp lime zest (from 1 fresh lime)
  • 2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
  • 1 cup quinoa rinsed
  • 4 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
  • 2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning or southwestern spice blend
  • 1 cup shredded pepperjack cheese (¼ cup per pepper)
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wash and dry all produce. Halve poblanos through stem, then remove seeds and ribs. Dice tomato. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Wash quinoa. Zest lime until you have 1 tsp; quarter lime.
  • Bring vegetable stock and a large pinch of salt to a boil in a small, lidded pot. Once boiling, add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until quinoa is tender and water has evaporated, 15-20 minutes. (TIP: If not all water evaporates, drain excess.)
  • While quinoa cooks, rub poblano halves with oil (about 1 tsp per pepper - 4 tsp total); season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet cut sides down. Roast on middle rack until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine greek yogurt or sour cream, lime zest, a squeeze of lime juice, and 2 tsp water. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Drain corn and pat dry with paper towels. Heat a drizzle of oil (about 1 tsp) in a large, oven-safe pan over high heat. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred, 4-5 minutes. (TIP: If corn begins to pop, cover pan.)
  • Reduce heat to medium and add tomato, scallion whites, and Southwest Spice blend or taco seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato breaks down, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir cooked quinoa into pan with veggies; season with salt and pepper.
  • Once poblanos are done roasting, stuff each with as much of the grain mixture as will fit. Place in pan with remaining grain mixture, nestling each poblano half in the grains. (TIP: If your pan isn't ovenproof, transfer mixture to a small baking dish and arrange stuffed poblanos in there.) Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Heat broiler to high.
  • Transfer pan with stuffed peppers to middle rack of oven. Broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, then top with lime crema and scallion greens. Divide among plates. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Notes

Storage Directions
  • Storing: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  For optimum freshness, wrap each pepper individually in foil or plastic wrap before placing inside the container.
  • Reheating: Reheat the dish in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.  Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.  Or microwave for 60 second intervals until it is heated through.
  • Freezing: Cool peppers completely and wrap individually in foil or plastic wrap before placing inside a freezer safe bag or container.  Poblano peppers keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.
Recipe Tips 
  • Vegan: To make this recipe vegan, omit the cheese and the Greek yogurt or sour cream, or use a vegan substitute for those ingredients.
  • If desired, the quinoa can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • If the pan you used to cook the pepper filling isn’t ovenproof, transfer the mixture to a small baking dish before broiling the stuffed poblanos.
  • This recipe works best when you use similarly sized poblanos. 
Adapted from HelloFresh

Nutrition

Serving: 1stuffed pepper | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 62.1g | Protein: 17.6g | Fat: 16.4g | Saturated Fat: 5.6g | Cholesterol: 22.7mg | Sodium: 437.5mg | Potassium: 738.8mg | Fiber: 8.4g | Sugar: 6.4g