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Authentic Chile Relleno Recipe with Melty Oaxacan Cheese and Salsa Roja Easy

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A traditional Mexican dish featuring roasted poblano chiles stuffed with melty Oaxacan cheese, battered and fried to golden perfection, served with a smoky and fresh salsa roja.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large poblano chiles
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for roasting if needed)
  • 8 oz Oaxacan cheese (quesillo), shredded or pulled apart
  • 3 large eggs, separated (room temperature)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 medium ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 small white onion, quartered
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1–2 fresh serrano chiles (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for sautéing)

Instructions

  1. Roast the poblanos over an open flame, broiler, or hot skillet until the skin is charred and blistered on all sides (about 5-7 minutes).
  2. Place roasted chiles in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel for 15 minutes to steam.
  3. Peel off the charred skin carefully without tearing the flesh. Cut a slit down one side and remove seeds and membranes.
  4. Stuff each chile cavity generously with shredded Oaxacan cheese, leaving some space to close the chile.
  5. Separate eggs into whites and yolks. Beat whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form (3-5 minutes). Lightly beat yolks in a separate bowl.
  6. Gently fold yolks into the whites, sift in the flour, and fold gently until just combined to form a light, airy batter.
  7. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking (about 350°F or 175°C).
  8. Holding the stuffed chile by the stem, dip it into the batter to coat evenly, then carefully place into hot oil.
  9. Fry until golden brown on one side (2-3 minutes), then gently flip and fry the other side. Use tongs and a slotted spoon for handling.
  10. Remove chiles from oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  11. While chiles fry, blend tomatoes, onion, garlic, and serrano chiles until smooth.
  12. Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat, pour in the blended salsa, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  13. Season salsa with salt and stir in chopped cilantro at the end.
  14. Plate the fried chile rellenos and spoon warm salsa roja over them. Serve immediately.

Notes

Pat chiles dry before dipping in batter to prevent batter from falling off. Maintain oil temperature around 350°F (175°C) for best frying results. Avoid overcrowding the pan to keep oil temperature consistent. For a dairy-free version, substitute Oaxacan cheese with plant-based melty cheese and use aquafaba-based batter. Salsa roja tastes better after sitting for a few hours. Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet or oven to avoid sogginess.

Nutrition

Keywords: chile relleno, Oaxacan cheese, salsa roja, Mexican recipe, stuffed poblano, fried chiles, authentic Mexican, easy chile relleno

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