This stuffed poblano peppers recipe is filled with Mexican picadillo, a zesty mix of seasoned ground beef and potatoes, flavored with rich ancho peppers and more. Perfect for dinner any night of the week, and nice and spicy.
Why Stuffed Chili Peppers are the BEST!
The way I see it, stuffed chili peppers, as a whole, are the perfect food. If you take a gander at my collection of Stuffed Chili Pepper Recipes, you'll know I truly believe this.
Chili peppers are the perfect stuffing vessels. They're hollow with very little insides, super easy to core out, and they're packed with flavor and nutrients that are good for you.
There are many, many larger chili peppers in the world that are ideal for stuffing, just the right size to make for a proper dinner. See our Types of Chili Peppers List.
You can even stuff smaller peppers to serve as an appetizer, and jalapeno peppers, of course, for everyone's favorite - jalapeno poppers! Check out my Jalapeno Poppers Recipes.
I have plenty of those, too!
Which brings me to one of the best peppers EVER for stuffing. We're talking...
THE POBLANO PEPPER.
Yes!
Poblano Peppers - The Perfect Pepper for Stuffing
The poblano is an extremely popular chili pepper. 4 inches long, very dark green in color, ripening to dark red or brown. Poblano peppers are mild peppers, quite large and are somewhat heart-shaped. Their skins/walls are very thick, making them perfect for stuffing as they’ll hold up in the oven quite nicely.
They have an earthy flavor that is unlike any other pepper, and DANG do they taste good. Definitely a favorite of mine.
You can learn more about the poblano pepper here.
I have a number of stuffed poblano pepper recipes on the site, but this one is quite a bit different from the others. For this recipe, I'm stuffing them with Mexican style picadillo, which is a highly flavored mix of seasoned ground beef and potatoes.
So delicious!
You can check out that recipe, too, though I've also included it below. See: Mexican Picadillo Recipe.
How to Make Picadillo Stuffed Poblano Peppers
The first thing we need to do is make some ancho paste. You can check out my Ancho-Guajillo Paste Recipe Here, or just lightly toast a few ancho peppers in a hot, dry pan until the skins become puffy. Make sure they do not burn. This brings out the oils in the peppers. Set them into a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them soak for 20 minutes to soften.
While the ancho peppers are soaking, cook down the potatoes, onion, peppers and garlic until they are soft in a large pan. Add ground beef and let it brown, then add tomato sauce and your seasonings.
Simmer it all together. When the anchos are soft enough, scoop out the seeds and stems and process the skins in a food processor until you get a nice paste, which you’ll swirl into the simmering deliciousness, making it even MORE delicious. Truly!
Let the whole thing simmer another 10-20 minutes or longer, until it tastes just right, and serve it up over rice or on tortillas.
While the picadillo is cooking, let's roast our poblano peppers. Easy! You can learn how to roast chili peppers here, or How to Roast Poblano Peppers, but here is a simple broiler method.
First, set your oven to broil. Slice the poblano peppers in half lengthwise and set them onto a lightly oiled baking sheet, like so.
Broil them for about 10-15 minutes, or until the skins puff up and char. They will look like this.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool enough to handle. Then, peel off the skins with your fingers. They should remove easily. Like so...
Flip them over, then fill them with your picadillo mixture.
Finally, bake them for another 10 minutes or so and they're ready to serve!
I like to sprinkle on some fresh herbs and crumbly white cheese. And! Don't forget the hot sauce. So many GREAT ones out there to try!
Let me know how you like this recipe. I'd love it if you posted your pics on social media. Tag me at #ChiliPepperMadness.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- There are many, many larger chili peppers in the world that are ideal for stuffing, just the right size to make for a proper dinner. See our Types of Chili Peppers List.
- You can even stuff smaller peppers to serve as an appetizer, and jalapeno peppers, of course, for everyone's favorite - jalapeno poppers! Check out my Jalapeno Poppers Recipes.
- When lightly toasting ancho peppers in a pan, make sure they do not burn. This brings out the oils in the peppers.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Picadillo Stuffed Poblano Peppers in an airtight container in the fridge may allow to keep them for up to 3-4 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate your peppers promptly and then reheat properly.
Check Out Some My Other Popular Stuffed Peppers Recipes
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers - Mexican Style
- Cajun Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Cajun Shrimp Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Picadillo Stuffed Poblano Peppers – Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ancho chili peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces yellow potatoes about 3-4 small, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 poblano peppers
- FOR SERVING: Crumbly white cheese fresh chopped cilantro, your favorite hot sauce
Instructions
- Heat a pan to medium-high heat and dry toast the ancho peppers on each side until the skins become puffy. Make sure they do not burn. This brings out the oils in the peppers. Set them into a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them soak for 20 minutes to soften.
- While the ancho peppers are soaking, heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the potatoes, onion and peppers and cook them down about 5 minutes to soften.
- Stir in the garlic and ground beef. Break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon and brown it up about 5 minutes or so.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and seasonings and reduce the heat to simmer.
- Remove the stem and seeds from the rehydrated ancho peppers. Add the pepper skins to a food processor along with a bit of the darkened ancho water, about a tablespoon or so. Process until it is very smooth.
- Swirl the ancho paste into the meat mixture and allow it to simmer at least 10 minutes. 20 minutes or longer is better. If you need more moisture, add in a few tablespoons of water or extra tomato sauce.
- While the picadillo is cooking, set your oven to broil. Slice the poblano peppers in half lengthwise and set them onto a lightly oiled baking sheet, skin sides up. Broil them for about 10 minutes, or until the skins char and puff up.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Peel away the skins, then flip the peppers over.
- Fill each poblano pepper half with the picadillo, then bake for another 10 minutes.
- Serve with fresh cilantro, crumbly white cheese and your favorite hot sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Judi Grunstra says
I don't see any mention of oven temperature for baking. I assume 350.
Mike Hultquist says
Judi, this recipe calls for your "broil" setting, though you can bake at 350 degrees F, or until everything is nicely cooked through.
Jérémie says
One of my best meals in weeks!
Here's everything we love so much: I just added a lil cheddar in the last baking part... sorry, dear Mike, but it was worth it!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds GREAT to me, Jérémie! I love it!
Cam says
I would love for you to try my recipe for picadillo filling in roasted poblanos. It can be mild or spicy and it is a hit with my grown kids. Freezes well also and we even serve the left over filling over rice or noodles or add broth and make it into a soup with a bit of rice.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds wonderful!
Nola Prevost says
It wasn't too spicy for me and was very flavorful. Was a great option to use my many poblanos. I'm planning on making another batch and freeze for an easy weeknight meal.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Nola! Thank! Very happy you enjoyed it.
Harriet says
I've never tried stuffed peppers before. Your photos look so nice, I think I will be making your recipe soon.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great! I hope you like it.
Ronda says
I have made and greatly enjoyed your Mexican Picadillo recipe, although I have not tried the picadillo stuffed poblanos. Since the picadillo itself is fabulous, I know the stuffed peppers will be also. I do have one question. Can you roast the poblanos on a charcoal grill? Thanks so much,
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Ronda. Thanks! Yes, you can roast peppers on the grill. Just set them onto lightly oiled grates and char them on each side until they blacken up, several minutes per side. Cool them and you can then peel off the skins. Let me know how it goes! Here is a page for your reference: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/roasting-chili-peppers-how-to-roast-chili-peppers/