Roasted Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Southwest Rice and Cheese

Poblano peppers are perfect for stuffing-they’re mild, earthy and sweet and they stay a vibrant forest green after roasting. This recipe fills them with a savory mixture of hearty whole grains, fresh tomato and Southwestern spices, then tops everything with melty Monterey Jack cheese.

To finish, we add a chunky avocado salsa (think delicious, extra-chunky guacamole) and a dollop of zesty lime crema. It’s a satisfying, flavor-packed meal that’s sure to become a favorite.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

2 unit Poblano PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chili PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit AvocadoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry all produce. Halve poblanos lengthwise; remove cores. Drizzle each with vegetable oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast on middle rack until softened, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring 1¼ cups salted water to a boil in a small pot. Stir in rice. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. While rice cooks, halve, peel and dice onion. Dice tomato. Zest and quarter lime. Finely mince chili, removing ribs and seeds for less heat. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, lime zest and 1 tablespoon water. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat (preferably nonstick and ovenproof). Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes. Add Southwest spice blend, salt, pepper and half the tomato. Cook, stirring, until softened, 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat.
4. Once rice is cooked, stir it into the pan with the vegetables until thoroughly combined. Return pan to medium-high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Once poblanos are done roasting, stuff each with as much of the rice mixture as will fit. Place the stuffed peppers in the pan with the remaining rice mixture, nestling each poblano half in the rice. Sprinkle evenly with Monterey Jack cheese. Transfer pan to oven. Bake until cheese melts and is slightly crisp, 7-8 minutes. (If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer mixture to a small baking dish and arrange stuffed poblanos in it.)
6. Meanwhile, halve, peel and pit avocado, then dice. Place in a medium bowl with remaining tomato and juice from 2 lime wedges. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Divide stuffed poblanos and rice mixture between plates. Top with avocado salsa, crema and minced chili if desired. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of pepper?

Yes, you can substitute poblano peppers with bell peppers or Anaheim peppers. Adjust roasting time as needed.

What can I use instead of sour cream?

Greek yogurt or a dairy-free sour cream alternative works well in the crema.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

You can prepare the rice mixture and roast the peppers in advance. Assemble and bake just before serving for best results.