Mac & Cheese Chile Relleno

⏱ 50 mins 🍽 8 serving(s) 🏷 Macaroni And Cheese

This dish offers a creative fusion, featuring a creamy macaroni and cheese filling packed into roasted poblano peppers. The peppers are baked until the cheese topping melts, then served on a bed of tomato and salsa sauce. It is finished with fresh pico de gallo and cilantro for a vibrant garnish. The recipe yields eight generous servings and takes about 50 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

Mac & Cheese Chile Relleno

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 cups small diced red onions, divided
  • 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, divided
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno chili, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder, divided
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 cups shredded monterey jack pepper cheese, plus 1 cup
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, plus 1 cup
  • 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked for 6 minutes, drained and rinsed with cool water
  • kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 8 large poblano peppers, roasted and peeled
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1 cup small diced pico de gallo (to garnish)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (to garnish)

Method

  1. Set your oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Cook 1 cup of onions, 2 garlic cloves, the red bell pepper, and jalapeno until softened, which takes about 5-8 minutes.
  3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to melt. Stir in 1 teaspoon of chili powder and the flour. Pour in the milk, increase the heat, and bring to a simmer until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Add 2 cups of pepper jack and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, stirring until melted. Fold in the cooked macaroni, season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
  4. Slice open the roasted poblano peppers, rinse out the seeds, and keep the stems. Stuff them with the macaroni and cheese mixture, folding the edges to close. Place on the baking sheet and top with the remaining 1 cup of combined cheeses.
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted and the filling is hot.
  6. For the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan. Cook 1 cup of onions and 2 garlic cloves for 3-5 minutes until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes and salsa, then simmer to warm through.
  7. To serve, spoon about 1/2 cup of sauce onto each plate, place a stuffed poblano on top, and garnish with pico de gallo and chopped cilantro.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium508200 mg

Recipe details

CategoryMacaroni And Cheese
AuthorGenius Kitchen