Poblano Peppers Produce Guide + 25 Recipes!
Learn everything you need to know about poblano peppers in this handy produce guide, including how spicy they are, how to grow them, nutrition information, and snag 25 poblano pepper recipes!
Chili peppers were never an ingredient that my mom cooked with when I was growing up, so I didn’t really have any exposure to them until I got older.
I’ve grown to love them now, and would incorporate them into my recipes more often if I could. My family doesn’t appreciate spicy food the way I do, so I have to keep it to a minimum!
I can safely incorporate mild chili peppers to my recipes without a fuss, so I look for mild varieties like shishito peppers, some jalapeños, Anaheim and poblano peppers.
It’s all about compromise. 🙂
Poblano Peppers
I fell hard for poblano peppers years ago. They’re one of the most popular chili peppers in Mexican cuisine. Poblanos are generally used in chiles rellenos, one of the most popular Mexican recipes ever.
I decided to grow poblanos in my summer garden this year for the first time, and I’m so glad that I did. They’re so easy to grow, and my poblano plant is still going strong.
After harvesting several poblanos from my plant, I couldn’t get over how beautiful they were, and decided to highlight them in a produce guide.
I couldn’t keep these glossy, dark green peppers all to myself now could I? 🙂
See more of my produce guides here:
What is poblano?
Poblano peppers are mild chili peppers that originated in Puebla, Mexico. They’re in the capsicum family, which includes chili peppers and bell peppers.
When poblanos are dried, they’re referred to as ancho chilis.
Are poblano peppers hot?
Poblano peppers are some of the most mild chili pepper varieties. They have a deep flavor with mild heat, which makes them a great family-friendly choice.
How hot are poblano peppers exactly? According to the Scoville scale, which measures the pungency or spiciness of chili peppers, poblano peppers are between 1,000 and 2,000.
Below you can see the comparison between the heat of poblano peppers vs. jalapeños, and a few others:
- Serrano: 8,000-22,000
- Jalapeños: 2,500 – 10,000
- Poblanos: 1,000-2000
- Anaheim: 500 – 1,000
- Shishito peppers: 500
- Green bell pepper: 0
Every now and then, a chili pepper may be much hotter than it should be, so if you’re feeding spice-intolerant people or children, proceed with caution!
What is a substitute for the poblano pepper?
Anaheim chilies are the best substitute for poblano peppers as they’re also mild in heat, and on the larger side.
How to grow poblano peppers
You can grow poblano peppers from seed or plant, and grow in full sunlight in raised beds or containers. Plant in damp organic potting soil or mulch.
See this guide if you’d like to know how to plant poblanos from seed.
I chose to plant my poblano from plant, and I dug a large enough space in my raised bed to plant the entire bottom third of the plant. Planting it deeper helps make the plant sturdier, as it will become top heavy when the peppers come in and grow larger.
The poblano pepper plant will grow to be about 2 1/2 feet tall, and will begin to produce peppers in about 65 days.
Harvesting poblano peppers is very easy. When your peppers are about 4-6 inches in size, snip the the stem about an inch from the top of the peppers.
Poblano pepper nutrition
Poblano peppers are low in calories and fat, low carb, and are a good source of fiber, Vitamins A and B-6, iron, and potassium.
One poblano pepper includes:
- 48 calories
- 1.4 grams of fat
- 9 grams carbohydrates
- 3.7 grams of fiber
- 410 mg of potassium
- 69% Vitamin A
- 30% Vitamin B-6
Choosing poblano peppers
Look for glossy, dark green peppers without discoloration or bruises. The peppers should be smooth and firm to the touch, with no wrinkles.
How to store poblano peppers
Store poblano peppers in a paper bag or plastic in the crisper section of the refrigerator for up to one week.
Can you freeze poblano peppers? Absolutely!
- Chop the peppers and freeze raw
- Roast the poblanos, then chop and freeze
- Store in an air tight container for up to 6 months
How to cook poblano peppers
Poblanos aren’t generally eaten raw as the outer skin is a bit tough, so cooking them is your best bet.
The most popular recipes are stuffed poblano peppers and roasted poblano peppers, but they’re also amazing in soup, chili, salsa, sauces, and any recipes that include chili peppers as an ingredient.
Poblano peppers are very versatile, as you’ll see by the recipes below. Enjoy!
25 Poblano pepper recipes
Poblano Pepper Produce Guide + 25 Recipes!
25 poblano pepper recipes include stuffed poblano peppers, chili rellenos, corn and poblano soup, chili, mac and cheese and more!
Southwest Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Southwest stuffed poblano peppers are filled with a flavorful ground turkey and rice filling and topped with cheese!
Creamy Roasted Poblano Pasta
Silky strands of tagliatelle pasta twirled in a smoky, spicy, DELICIOUS Poblano Cream Sauce.
Chile Rellenos
A Step by Step walkthrough on how to make the BEST Chile Rellenos! A fried chile stuffed with cheese and smothered in a red spanish style sauce.Â
Sweet Potato, Poblano and Chorizo Chili
Sweet Potato, Poblano and Chorizo Chili is a southwest twist on classic chili with just the right amount of spice. Quick and easy to whip up, too!
Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos
Quick, easy and delicious Vegetarian Black Bean Tacos with corn, poblano peppers, queso fresco and cilantro crema.
Easy Roasted Poblano & Chicken Soup (VIDEO)
This Roasted Poblano & Chicken Soup is the perfect one-pot soup for any day of the week! Flavorful, light & hearty, and packed with good-for-you ingredients.Â
Chicken and Black Bean Stuffed Poblano Peppers
A Mexican style stuffed pepper recipe made with poblano peppers, seasoned chicken and rice.
Roasted Poblano & Chorizo Egg Casserole {Low-Carb Recipe}
Roasted Poblano & Chorizo Egg Casserole is a low-carb breakfast recipe perfect for brunch or dinner! Fire roasted peppers are layered with spicy Chorizo and Mexican cheeses for a healthy egg bake bursting with bold flavors.
Baked by Rachel » Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili
Slow cooker white bean chicken chili is hearty chili recipe with a kick from 3 varieties of chili peppers!
Vegan Chayote Green Chile Soup (Instant Pot pressure cooker option)
A nutritious blend of bright clean vegetable flavors, this verdant velvety soup is made with chayote. Creamy smooth with a gorgeous pale green color, you will find chayote chile soup hard to resist!
One Pot Green Chili Chicken & Rice (GF, DF, Egg, Soy, Peanut/ Tree nut Free, Top 8 Free)
A quick and easy weeknight meal. Â Using just one pot, and less than thirty minutes you have a complete Tex-Mex meal including: chicken, rice, and beans all in a flavorful green chili sauce.
Chile Relleno White Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese with a chili rellenos twist!
Cream Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers
A recipe for earthy poblano peppers that have been roasted and stuffed with cream cheese and white cheddar cheese along with a mixture of seasonings, then grilled or baked until the insides are nice and gooey.
Mexican Chicken Pozole
This traditional Mexican Chicken Pozole Recipe is perfectly flavored and spiced made with comforting hominy, peppers, delicious chicken and so much love.Â
Fire Roasted Poblano Queso Dip
Creamy, gooey and just a touch of heat, this Roasted Poblano Queso Dip is cheesy snack food goals.
Mexican Chiles Rellenos with Chickpeas
Roasted poblano chiles with a meatless filling,  a white crema stripe and red dice garnish, these green chiles rellenos with chickpeas follow the flag theme in the most tasty way!
Poblano Corn Chowder - CPA
A creamy corn chowder loaded with poblano pepper, Yukon gold potatoes, and sharp cheddar cheese. It’s the comfort food you need on any cold night!
Slow Cooker Chicken Sofrito (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
A super spicy and easy dinner recipe you can throw together in minutes! Slow Cooker Chicken Sofrito made right in your crockpot, gluten-free, paleo, and allergy-free! This flavor-packed healthy recipe gives you a dose veggies from the homemade salsa!
Baked by Rachel » Slow Cooker Roasted Poblano and Corn Soup
A flavorful slow cooker recipe for roasted poblano, corn and chicken soup!
Taco Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Perfectly seasoned taco meat is the filling for these easy stuffed poblano peppers! This recipe is fun, flavorful and a nice change for ordinary stuffed peppers (and tacos)!
Beef Poblano Black Bean Chili
Beef Poblano Black Bean Chili is flavorful with a slight hint of sweetness from the poblanos. Ground beef, Mexican beer, poblanos, jalapeños and beans create a hearty chili that makes a nice winter dinner or addition to game day!Â
Cajun Shrimp Stuffed Poblano Peppers
A recipe for gorgeous poblano peppers stuffed with Cajun seasoned shrimp, Manchego and goat cheese, and basil, then baked or grilled.
Summer corn salad
Summer corn salad with roasted poblanos, cilantro and a creamy dressing is a fresh and flavorful veggie side dish.  It’s great served in individual cups for a portable and fun BBQ recipe everyone will love!
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken & Poblano Street Tacos
Tender, flavorful, and juicy, these Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken & Poblano Street Tacos have a delicious smoky flavor with just a little kick of heat...
Healthy Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Healthy, low carb stuffed poblano peppers make a satisfying, not to spicy main dish!
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Marcie, your peppers are gorgeous! I’m so inspired to grow my own next year. And such a great collection of recipes to use them in! (I’m also amazed at how you formatted the list – looks so cool!)
Thank you Kelly! I highly recommend growing them, and the list was created using the Create recipe plugin. I love it!