I absolutely love this Chiles en Nogada recipe because it’s an explosion of flavors that celebrate both savory and sweet elements, taking my taste buds on a delightful journey. Plus, the vibrant presentation with the pomegranate garnish and creamy walnut sauce never fails to impress everyone around the dinner table, making it a staple for any special occasion.
In my kitchen, Mexican cuisine bursts into life like nothing else with Chiles en Nogada. This dish vibrantly delivers the essence of Mexico.
It starts with poblano peppers, which are roasted and then filled with a mixture of ground beef, apple, and plantain. I don’t get too crazy with the cinnamon, although some recipes exaggerate its presence.
Then, the nuts. Most people think of walnuts when they consider this sauce, and the dish is indeed topped with a walnut sauce—although, if I’m being honest, calling the sauce creamy makes me a little uncomfortable.
It’s more like an interior texture loosely resembling Nutella, with a rich creaminess to complement the sweet-and-savory filling. Nuts aside, what really comprises the “sauce” are flavors that meld during the blending process.
The walnuts help, but some even consider this dish to be nut sauce with the nuts being more than generous as a garnish.
Ingredients
Poblano Peppers:
Somewhat spicy.
Packed with vitamins and antioxidants to boost your immune system.
Ground Beef or Pork:
Provides a high level of protein necessary for the repair and growth of muscles.
Ripe Plantain:
Contributes sweetness; packed with potassium and vitamin C.
Raisins:
Intrinsic sweetness; excellent supplier of iron and phytochemicals.
Cinnamon:
Spice with a delightful aroma; can assist in regulating blood sugar levels.
Walnuts:
Fats that are good for the heart; plentiful in omega-3 and antioxidants.
Queso Fresco/Feta Cheese:
Yields rich creaminess; provides calcium and protein.
Pomegranate Seeds:
A garnish that is sharp and sweet; very rich in the antioxidants and vitamin C.
Fresh Parsley:
Brings a splash of color and taste; a good source of vitamins A, C, and K.
Ingredient Quantities
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 500 grams ground beef or pork
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 apple, peeled and diced
- 1 ripe plantain, diced
- 1/4 cup almonds, chopped
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup walnuts, soaked and peeled
- 1/2 cup queso fresco or feta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sherry or brandy
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
1. Char the poblano peppers over an open flame or under a broiler until they are blackened all over. Place them in a plastic bag and let them steam for 10 minutes; then, with your fingers, peel off the skins. Make a cut in the peppers and remove the seeds and clinging membranes.
2. Warm the vegetable oil in a big pan on medium heat. Toss in the diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté until they become translucent.
3. Add the ground beef or pork to the pan and cook until browned. Stir in the tomatoes, diced apple, and plantain. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Combine the almonds, raisins, cinnamon, salt, and pepper into the stuffing. Then, cook the mixture for about 10 minutes on low heat until it’s really well combined and has a nice, toasty fragrance. Set it aside to cool.
5. Each roasted poblano pepper should be carefully and gently stuffed with the meat filling; this is to avoid tearing the peppers and ensure they hold all the deliciousness within. Placed on a serving platter, they make quite an impressive presentation.
6. To make the nogada sauce, blend together the walnuts (which have been soaked and peeled), queso fresco (or feta cheese), sour cream, milk, and sherry (or brandy) in a blender until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with more milk.
7. Add salt to the sauce until it is to your liking, then douse the stuffed poblano peppers with it.
8. Add color and flavor contrast by garnishing the dish with pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh parsley.
9. Allow the dish to sit for several minutes to enable the flavors to meld together.
10. Serve Chiles En Nogada at room temperature, reveling in the lovely balance of salting meat and sweet, nutty sauce. Part of why I adore this hands-off dish is the star it makes of incredible, simple ingredients. It’s hard to pick a favorite element, but if you put a gun to my head and said, “Simon, what part do you love most?”, I might lean toward the nuts. Or the nut sauce, to be more precise.
Equipment Needed
1. Gas stove or broiler
2. Tongs
3. Plastic bag
4. Sharp knife
5. Cutting board
6. Large pan
7. Wooden spoon or spatula
8. Medium-sized bowl
9. Blender
10. Serving platter
FAQ
- What are Chiles en Nogada?Chiles en Nogada is a time-honored dish from Mexico. It showcases poblano peppers that have been meticulously prepared. Stuffed with something like meat or a sweet-savory mixture. Then, and only then, it’s ready for the pièce de résistance: a generous drenching of slippery walnut sauce. And if you want it to taste as traditional as possible, garnish it with pomegranate seeds and parsley. But please—no poppy seeds.
- Can I substitute the meat in this recipe?You can, of course, use ground turkey instead of beef or pork. For a vegetarian option, use a plant-based ground meat alternative.
- Do I need to peel the walnuts?Indeed, it is essential to soak and peel the walnuts in order to guarantee that the nogada sauce is smooth and white.
- Is it necessary to use both sherry and brandy?Although both can be used, it is advised to include one of them to amplify the taste of the walnut sauce.
- Can I make the filling ahead of time?Certainly, the filling can be made a day prior to the event and stored in the fridge until the moment you are ready to fill the peppers.
- What is the best way to roast poblano peppers?Charring the peppers over an open flame or under a broiler until blackened and then putting them in a covered bowl to steam makes peeling them much less labor-intensive.
- How should I serve Chiles en Nogada?Present it at room temperature or warm, with pomegranate seeds and parsley, for an eye-catching dish.
Substitutions and Variations
For a milder flavor, use Anaheim peppers instead of poblano peppers.
Substitute ground turkey for ground beef or pork to create a lighter dish.
Substitute pears for apples for a somewhat different sweetness.
Replace almonds with pecans to achieve a taste that’s much richer.
Substitute ricotta cheese for queso fresco, and you will be rewarded with a creamier texture to this dish.
Pro Tips
1. Roasting and Peeling Poblanos: Ensure the poblanos are evenly charred for easy peeling. After charring, placing them in a sealed plastic bag helps steam the skins off more effectively, making peeling easier.
2. Balancing the Sweetness: Check the sweetness level of your apples and plantains before adding them. If they’re very ripe and sweet, you may want to adjust the amount or add a bit more salt to the filling for a balanced flavor.
3. Nogada Sauce Consistency: Achieve the right sauce consistency by incrementally adding milk to the blender. A silky smooth sauce should coat the back of a spoon, so add milk sparingly to reach this point.
4. Cooling the Filling: Allow the filling mixture to cool slightly before stuffing the peppers. This makes stuffing less messy and prevents the peppers from tearing.
5. Garnishing Precision: For a beautiful presentation, sprinkle pomegranate seeds and parsley just before serving to maintain their fresh appearance and vibrant color contrast against the creamy sauce.
Authentic Mexican Chiles En Nogada Recipe
My favorite Authentic Mexican Chiles En Nogada Recipe
Equipment Needed:
1. Gas stove or broiler
2. Tongs
3. Plastic bag
4. Sharp knife
5. Cutting board
6. Large pan
7. Wooden spoon or spatula
8. Medium-sized bowl
9. Blender
10. Serving platter
Ingredients:
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 500 grams ground beef or pork
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 apple, peeled and diced
- 1 ripe plantain, diced
- 1/4 cup almonds, chopped
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup walnuts, soaked and peeled
- 1/2 cup queso fresco or feta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sherry or brandy
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions:
1. Char the poblano peppers over an open flame or under a broiler until they are blackened all over. Place them in a plastic bag and let them steam for 10 minutes; then, with your fingers, peel off the skins. Make a cut in the peppers and remove the seeds and clinging membranes.
2. Warm the vegetable oil in a big pan on medium heat. Toss in the diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté until they become translucent.
3. Add the ground beef or pork to the pan and cook until browned. Stir in the tomatoes, diced apple, and plantain. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Combine the almonds, raisins, cinnamon, salt, and pepper into the stuffing. Then, cook the mixture for about 10 minutes on low heat until it’s really well combined and has a nice, toasty fragrance. Set it aside to cool.
5. Each roasted poblano pepper should be carefully and gently stuffed with the meat filling; this is to avoid tearing the peppers and ensure they hold all the deliciousness within. Placed on a serving platter, they make quite an impressive presentation.
6. To make the nogada sauce, blend together the walnuts (which have been soaked and peeled), queso fresco (or feta cheese), sour cream, milk, and sherry (or brandy) in a blender until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with more milk.
7. Add salt to the sauce until it is to your liking, then douse the stuffed poblano peppers with it.
8. Add color and flavor contrast by garnishing the dish with pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh parsley.
9. Allow the dish to sit for several minutes to enable the flavors to meld together.
10. Serve Chiles En Nogada at room temperature, reveling in the lovely balance of salting meat and sweet, nutty sauce. Part of why I adore this hands-off dish is the star it makes of incredible, simple ingredients. It’s hard to pick a favorite element, but if you put a gun to my head and said, “Simon, what part do you love most?”, I might lean toward the nuts. Or the nut sauce, to be more precise.