Picking the right pepper can seriously make or break a meal. If the jalapeños are too spicy the kids won’t eat it. If there’s green peppers and not red, the picky eaters will complain. And don’t even get me started on spicer peppers. Sometimes your own preferences have to be set aside to make sure a dish will be enjoyed by all, and the pepper that I’ve come to land on more and more is the poblano.
It’s flavorful, but less spicy than a jalapeño. Versatile in a lot of Italian and Mexican style dishes, it’s the middle ground that everyone can get on board with. It’s often a supporting character, but not today. This Cheesy Poblano Rice Bake truly lets it shine!
To start things out we suggest you char the poblano. This step isn’t 100 percent necessary, but will elevate the overall flavor of the dish. We’ve done this under the broiler in our oven, but it could also be done on a grill or gas burner. Keep them under the heat until the skin has mostly blistered and turned dark brown or black. Once the peppers have cooled, that outer skin will peel right off and you’ll be left with beautifully smoky pepper flavor.
This side could be served with all kinds of mains: grilled meats or fish, tacos, a rotisserie chicken, even your favorite soup. One of the best things about this dish is how well the leftovers reheat making it great for weekly meal prepping. The recipe is written for a 8×8 pan, but it can also be doubled and baked in a 9×13 if you’re feeding a crowd!
Cheesy Poblano Rice Bake
Ingredients
- 3 poblano peppers
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese, divided
- 3 green onions, chopped
- Optional garnishes: Cilantro, green onions, avocado, tomatoes
Preparation
- Place the whole poblanos on a baking sheet and broil for 6-8 minutes or until charred, flipping halfway through. Set aside to cool.
- Adjust oven temperature to 375 degree F and grease a 8x8 baking dish.
- In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and then add onions and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or until fragrant and translucent.
- Stir in rice and then vegetable stock. Bring mixture to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until rice is fully cooked.
- As the rice simmers, peel off the charred pepper skin and remove seeds, then dice.
- Add the diced peppers, corn, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheese, and the green onions to the cooked rice. Stir until combined.
- Transfer mixture to the the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining ½ cup cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling and the cheese is fully melted.
- Garish as desired and serve warm.
Recipe adapted from Coleycooks.com