Go Back
+ servings
Kate Ramos

Chiles en Nogada Recipe

This chiles en nogada recipe is a true showstopper: vibrant green chiles stuffed with a savory-sweet meat and fruit filling, blanketed in a silky nogada sauce, and crowned with jewel-like pomegranate seeds. The final dish is as beautiful as it is delicious, echoing the colors of the Mexican flag and the spirit of celebration that defines this season.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Poblano pepper recipes
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 760

Ingredients
  

For the Filling:
For the Sauce:
To Finish:

Method
 

For the Chiles:
  1. Place chiles directly over a gas flame and char, turning frequently with tongs, until the skin is blackened all over. If you don't have a gas burner, heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack about 3 inches from the heat source. Place chiles on a baking sheet and place under the broiler. Cook, turning occasionally for 4-5 minutes or until charred on all sides
  2. Place chiles in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle.
  3. Peel off charred skin with your hands, a paper towel, or by scraping the back of the pairing knife against the chile. If you don't get all the skin off, that's okay. If it bothers you, you can run the chiles under cold water to remove the rest.
  4. Leaving the stem intact, carefully cut a slit down the side of the chile. Gently pull out the core and rinse to remove any seeds, being careful not to split the chile all the way open. If it does split, don't worry you can still use it.
For the Filling:
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add 1 diced large onions, 3 cloves chopped garlic, and 1 diced apple. Season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until veggies are soft, about 5-6 minutes.
  2. Add 8 ounces each of ground beef and ground pork and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon until browned, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and toast 1 minute. Add 1 large chopped tomato and cook until tomatoes have broken down and mixture is thick, about 4 minutes more. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Remove from heat and let cool.
For the Sauce:
  1. Place 4 ounces walnuts in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Let gently boil for 5 minutes and drain.
  2. Return walnuts to the pan and add 1/2 cup milk. Bring to a simmer then cover and remove from heat. Let sit 30 minutes to soften.
  3. Transfer milk and nuts to a blender. Add 1 cup sour cream and 1/2 teaspoon salt and blend on high until smooth.
To Finish:
  1. Carefully spoon filling into each chile filling the chile as much as possible but be careful not to split the chile. Close each side of the chile to seal then secure with a toothpick.
  2. Place 4 egg whites in a very clean bowl of a stand mixer. Attach the whisk attachment and whisk on medium until they start to turn opaque, increase speed to high and whip until they form stiff peaks. Reduce speed to medium low and beat in 1 yolk at a time, followed by the 1 tablespoon white vinegar.
  3. Heat 2 cups of oil in a large, dry frying pan with high sides over medium-high heat until shimmering, it will take at least 5 minutes to get the oil hot enough.
  4. Place 1 cup flour into a shallow dish. Place each chile into flour and coat on all sides.
  5. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by putting a little pinch of egg batter into the oil. If it fries up and is immediately covered in bubbles then it is ready. If not, let it heat a minute or two longer.
  6. Once oil is hot enough, dip each chile into the egg mixture, holding it by the stem. Coat the chile in egg on all sides, then carefully slide into hot oil. If some of the egg has come off the top, spoon some more on to cover the chile. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and carefully flip using a slotted spoon and a pair of kitchen tongs. Fry until golden on the other side, this should take about 5-8 minutes total. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and repeat with remaining chiles. If you're feeling comfortable, do 2-3 chiles at a time. Monitor the heat, lowering or raising it to maintain an even temperature.
  7. To serve, remove the toothpick, place each chile on a plate, cover almost completely with walnut sauce, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and sprinkle with parsley.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 760kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 85gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 67gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 641mgSugar: 1g

Notes

  1. Vegetarian version: Swap the meat for sautéed mushrooms, lentils, or plant-based ground meat.
  2. Make Ahead: The filling and walnut sauce can both be made a day ahead. Store separately in the fridge and assemble just before serving. You can also char and peel the peppers up to a day in advance.
  3. Poblano peppers: Poblano peppers are large, dark green peppers sometimes mislabled as pasilla peppers. Choose large, firm poblano peppers for easy stuffing.
  4. Shortcuts: If you’re short on time, skip the batter-frying step and simply roast, stuff, and top with sauce. It won’t be traditional, but it’s still delicious!

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!