Chile Rellenos Casserole
My husband loves my cooking, but when we first got married, his taste buds hadn’t grown up yet. The only things he wanted me to make were hamburgers, tacos, and pizza. When I talked about cooking some not-so-ordinary meals, he told me he wouldn’t eat them. Needless to say, to someone who loves to cook as much as I do, this was a bit of a disappointment. After we had been married for a couple of months, I came to the conclusion that the hamburger-taco-pizza routine wasn’t working for me–I was going to have to cook our meals separately. So one Friday night I made myself this Chile Rellenos Casserole, and I made him a plain old hamburger. We sat down to dinner, and both of us enjoyed our own individual meals. It wasn’t until lunchtime the next day that his taste buds suddenly did a 180. While he was talking to somebody on the phone, I got hungry, went into the kitchen, opened up the refrigerator, and pulled out the leftover casserole. Just as I did that, he suddenly interrupted his phone call and called out to me from across the room, “Hey, don’t eat all of that!”
I was naturally puzzled and looked over to him for an explanation. “It looks good! I’m going to have some.” I couldn’t believe my ears, but sure enough, when he got off the phone, he tasted it and loved it. After that, I continued to cook him new dishes. He tried them and realized that he liked more foods than he thought he did. Eventually his taste buds grew up, and now he likes almost all of the foods I cook. So if somebody in your family is stuck in a hamburger-taco-pizza rut, you might want to give this recipe a try. It has all the wonderful flavor of the chile rellenos dishes served in Mexican restaurants, and it might just work wonders for you–like it did for me.
This recipe calls for canned chiles, and when you buy them, make sure you get the whole ones, not the diced. You’ll need to wash them and remove the seeds. I usually run my finger along one side of the chile to open it up, and then I just wash the seeds away with the running water. Dry them on paper towels, and then grate the cheeses.
Reserve 1/2 cup of each of the two cheeses, mixing them together in a small bowl. This will go on top of the casserole later, so you can place it in the refrigerator for now. In a medium-sized casserole dish, approximately 8 x 11 (9 x 13 is too big), layer 1/2 of the chiles and all of the cheddar cheese.
Then layer the remaining chiles. . .
. . . and all of the jack cheese.
Separate the eggs. I have a thingamajig for separating eggs. I think I got it at one of those kitchen gadget parties. And yes, thingamajig is a real word!
Beat the yolks and add the evaporated milk, flour and salt, beating until frothy.
Beat the whites separately for about a minute.
Then combine the two egg mixtures and beat for a few seconds longer so that they are well-mixed.
Pour the egg mixture over the chiles and cheese. Bake at 300 for 1 hour.
Then spread the tomato paste over the top. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese you placed in the refrigerator. Bake 1/2 hour longer. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
When I served this for dinner tonight, my husband said, “Yummy!” It’s been almost 29 years since that first time he tried it, and his taste buds have never looked back!
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Spanish Rice.
Recipe by: Origin Unknown/Adapted by Winner Dinners
Serves 6
3 7-oz. cans whole green chiles
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1 pound jack cheese, grated
4 eggs
1 13-oz. can evaporated milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
Wash the chiles, removing the seeds, and dry on paper towels. Grate the cheeses. Reserve 1/2 cup of each of the two cheeses, mixing them together in a small bowl. This will go on top of the casserole later, so you can place it in the refrigerator for now. In a medium-sized casserole dish, approximately 8 x 11 (9 x 13 is too big), layer 1/2 of the chiles, all of the cheddar cheese, the remaining chiles, then all of the jack cheese. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks and add the evaporated milk, flour and salt, beating until frothy. Beat the whites separately for about a minute. Combine the two egg mixtures and beat for a few seconds longer so that they are well-mixed. Pour the egg mixture over the chiles and cheese. Bake at 300 for 1 hour. Then spread the tomato paste over the top. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese you placed in the refrigerator. Bake 1/2 hour longer. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
This is still one of my favorites after 29 years!
I made this the day after Laura posted it, and it was a huge success. It was easy to make and fool proof…even I could do it! My family loved it, and I will never go to Mi Ranchito again for Chile Rellenos!
Okay, that has to be one of my favorite comments yet! Thanks, Greg!
Please put me on your e-mail list. I did the chile rellenos casserole and was so pleased! My husband actually asked me to put any left overs in his lunch tomorrow!! I used pablano peppers (fresh ones) as I couldnt find canned chiles, but it was wonderful and thank you!!!
Thanks so much! My family is Hispanic, and we have a big traditional chile relleno feast after Christmas. This would be good for other times during the year when you want the taste, but not ALL the work.
I LOVE this recipe! My kids gobbled it up. What a great idea. Thanks for sharing it.
I’m so glad everyone is enjoying the Chile Rellenos Casserole. It’s one of my favorites!
Just curious, why separate the eggs? Thx!
Hi Stephanie! The reason you separate the eggs is because when you beat egg whites alone, they take on a light, fluffy texture that you can’t get if you beat them with the yolks. This recipe only calls for beating the whites separately for about a minute, but if you continued to beat them, they would eventually become REALLY fluffy like meringue.
This is hands down one of the best recipes I’ve ever made and I cook ALOT!! Thanks for sharing. Don’t know if anyone suggested this or not, but I roasted my own peppers. It kept the cost down.
Hi Laura,
Stumbled upon your website and love it. I made the Chile Rellenos Casserole, and my husband loved it. I could not find the whole chiles so I used whole jalapenos. Where do you buy the canned chiles? By the way, I also tried your garlic bread and swear it is the best I’ve ever had. I make an extra batch, separate it into several equal amounts and freeze it. When I want garlic toast, I just pull some of the butter mixture out of the freezer and wa…la.
~Dede
Hi Dede! I just get those canned chiles at my regular grocery store. They are in the Mexican food section—near the salsa, refried beans, etc. But I know some people have told me that they haven’t been able to find them. I guess it depends on what part of the country you are from. I think states closer to Mexico are more likely to carry them. I have never had any problem finding them in either California or Utah. Thanks for the compliments on my recipes!
Good stuff! It was really, really good. Another Keeper!
I too roasted my own poblanos…
Oh and to those of you wondering where to get the canned variety, I suggest the “ethnic” food aisle. That’s where all the good stuff is. LOL
This looks incredible. Do you think you can use raw milk or would that be too watery?
Michelle, I have actually never used raw milk before, so I can’t tell you 100% whether or not it would work, but I just looked it up on Wikipedia, and the photo doesn’t make it look too watery to me. I think you could give it a try. This dish is really good, and I can’t imagine it coming out badly—even if the milk was thinner. Good luck, and thanks for visiting!
This was awesome! My hubby loved it, and I cant wait to make it soon for the whole family. Thanks for the wonderful dish.
Heather, I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it. It’s one of my favorite dishes.
Thanks for re-printing this! I have searched for this for years. I also used to make this as a young bride (35 years ago). My husband will be so pleased to be able to enjoy this dish again!
I’m glad you found it here, Linda. It’s probably going to taste a little different than you remember because I made quite a few changes to it (more chiles, more cheese, and I switched out the tomato sauce for tomato paste). I think all of the changes I made have improved it, and I hope you do, too.
This was wonderful! The best recipe I’ve ever tried from Pinterest!!! Thanks, we loved it!
This was over-the-top delicious! Thank you! Like some others, I roasted some fresh poblanos (I used four), and I did cut the cheese by half. Absolutely fantastic. I had trouble not overeating.
I adore Chile Relena..but EVERY place I have found it…it is made so different.
Only ONE restaurant I have found it to be the best.
Thanks for posting THIS recipe..I CANT WAIT to TRY it!
So glad I found your site, Laura. I love this one, too; you’re the best!
Trish, I’m glad you found my site, too! Thanks for visiting, and I appreciate the comments you’ve made!
This recipe was the best. I love it way more then actual chili rellenos. I also added salsa casera on top of mine at the end and ate it with tortillas! My husband is from El Salvador and their definition of chili rellenos has meat carrots and potatoes, so the next time I try it, I will add some of that!
Made this for company. Only tweaks: cut up 2 flour tortillas to make bottom crust, mixed equal parts tomato sauce, paste, and salsa, and used fewer peppers. Have tried many, many chiles rellenos casseroles over the years. This is the absolute best and the one I’ll keep using. Thanks, Laura!
Loved your recipe. So much easier than “real” chili rellenos. I skipped the tomato paste part and instead served with fresh salsa on top.
Love this recipe! Have you tried making it a few hours ahead of time? I have company coming and wanted to put it together an hour or so before I bake it. Do you think this would work?
Cassie, I’ve actually never made it ahead of time, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. If you try it out, let me know how it goes.
Awesome recipe!!!!! I just tried it, and my husband and kids love it. Thanks !!!
This looks SO good! My husband hates eggs though – can you taste them in this, or is it just a binder? If he can taste them, he won’t eat it!
Rachel, I just asked my family how to answer your question, and they agreed that the eggs are more of a binder. The other ingredients, including two pounds of cheese and a lot of chiles, are really the star ingredients here. I hope your husband loves it!
I have made this for every potluck at work and use it for a nice little appetizer at get togethers. I use salsa instead of the tomato paste just to kick it up a notch.
This one looks wonderful. I can’t wait to try it. It will be on the menu for the weekend!
This has been a family recipe of mine for 40+ years. I LOST it. I tried to recreate it in my mind but gave up. I am so grateful I found this!! I am making it today. Thanks for publishing. It’s fantastic, isn’t it?!!! Happy Thanksgiving. Ellygra DiLalla, CA
Ellygra, somebody else had a similar story where they had lost this recipe. You might notice that it’s a little different from the original because I did adapt it, including increasing the amount of cheese, but I think my changes improved it. Enjoy!
I am definitely going to try this after Christmas! I love Chile Rellenos, but have never had the motivation to try the real thing. This casserole looks much easier, and wonderful, and I’m so glad I saw it on Pinterest!
I made this for Christmas breakfast— yum! I did a few adaptions– I used Rotel tomato sauce on the top and I added a layer of cream cheese. Yummy!
I’ve made Chile Relleno the hard way… doing the real thing. It was fun but this looks like a much easier version. Can’t wait to try it!
Omg, this is one of the easiest ways to make Chiles Rellenos and its good! I am a first time cook and so far so good. Can’t wait for more of your postings!
My one complaint about this dish: it takes so long to cook, and I can’t wait to delve into its yumminess! Thank you for posting this. My 15-year-old son and I are addicted!
The Mexican restaurants I have eaten chilies rellenos at usually deep fry the peppers in a light batter. I’m thinking I may lightly brown the chilies in a light batter, then bake. I’ve eaten this dish many times (Texas girl here). I’m a good cook, and I’m good at exotic foods, so this will be great, Mexican and easy. Thanks for posting. A friend of mine shared it on Facebook. It looks yummy!
I see that you say you use Ro-tel but you did not mention it in the recipe… Or was it the person I pinned it from on Pinterest? If you did use Ro-tel, when was it? I have never heard of it before. This sounds soooo yummy by the way.
Nancy
Nancy, I’m sorry, but I haven’t heard of Ro-tel either, so it must have been a note you saw Pinterest. Is it a brand name for the whole green chiles? The only brand I have ever used is Ortega.
Can you add chicken or meat to this?
Rachael, I’m not sure if adding meat to this recipe would be an improvement. It has so much flavor already, and with two pounds of cheese in it, it’s also very filling. If I were you, I would try making it without meat first, and then see what you think.
Omg…..I am making this recipe right now…. It looks soo good!!! One of my favorites to order at a restaurant…… I can’t wait to taste it….This recipe is soo simple. I will definitely be making this again!
I knew I saw this recipe somewhere.. Found it.. I need to buy another can of chilies…. It sounds really good.
Jan, I’m sure you will like this Chile Rellenos Casserole. It’s one of my most popular recipes (at home and on my blog). Thanks for your comments!
I made this last night. Oh, it was good! Chili rellenos is my favorite food to order at Mexican restaurants. This recipe is so much easier than making the rellenos individually. Thanks for the great recipe.
I absolutely LOVED this recipe!! The only thing I did different was roast and peel the peppers. Everyone in my family (including my 2 year old daughter) enjoyed it!! Thank you for sharing!!
Made this last night. Yummy! I used pepper jack cheese on the top and added some green onions. It looked so pretty I almost hated to eat it. This will be great potluck dinners.
Awesome Recipe. I love Chile Rellenos, but they are so hard to make and messy with all that frying. I actually roasted and peeled the green chiles which give it a much better flavor, and I also combined some of the tomato paste with salsa El Pato, which is a chile flavored tomato sauce. It is sold in a can like any tomato sauce, but it’s just so good.
Found this on Pinterest. This looks so good I can’t wait to try it! I was curious if anyone has tried making this using green enchilada sauce or a ranchera sauce instead of the tomato paste.
Cassandra, I haven’t heard of anyone using either of those sauces, but I think they both sound good.
I made this tonight with a few changes. I skipped the salt completely, used less cheese, didn’t rinse the chiles, didn’t separate the eggs, added tomato sauce to the paste along with cumin, chile powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. This one is a keeper, AND my husband enjoyed it! Thank you, Laura!
Wow, Tracy, you made a lot of changes! I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed it.
Hi Laura… This recipe sounds truly delicious, and I am looking forward to making it for my boys. Thanks for sharing. By the way, Ro-tel is the name brand of a canned tomato and green pepper product that was started in Texas in 1943. They are known for being zesty. I think the pinner used it to replace the tomato paste?
The best chile rellenos ever. I like this better than ANY I have ever gotten at a restaurant. Only change I made was to add some salsa to the tomato paste. The flour egg mixture turns into an amazing layer!
Fantastic recipe! I have been making a similar recipe for years for potlucks, but I can’t wait to try the slight changes. For those looking for an even easier recipe, just use egg beaters. They work GREAT too.
I have been making this casserole for more than 40yrs. I sometimes forget the quantities. Your recipe is similar to mine. I was raised in NM so I always use NM chile fresh or frozen (Hatch) and Red El Pato for sauce.I do use the larger dish for parties. Gracias!Maholo!
Sounds delicious. Our favorite restaurant version doesn’t have any tomato as far as I can tell – The fried version is just topped with a cheese sauce. Have you ever tried it that way and if so, how was it? Thanks
Peggy, thanks for your comment. No, I have never tried this dish with out the tomato topping. I really like it that way.
I only have a 9X13 or a square baking dish. Which one would be better to use?? Thanks
Tina, since I’m not sure if it will all fit in the square dish, I am going to suggest the 9 x 13. But since it will be thinner, you might not need to bake it as long. Keep an eye on it towards the end of the baking process. I hope you enjoy it!
Ok so I went with the 9X13, and it didn’t seem to be a problem. But yes, my baking times were off. And my store didn’t have the chilies as whole, so I had to use the diced. Really good! Thanks for sharing!
I loved this and so did my husband who is a Mexican food foodie. It is easy to make and very good. The only thing I will change next time is the tomato topping. I will leave off and just serve with salsa. Thank you for the post.
I have made this many times but use a mild red enchilada sauce instead of the tomato sauce…it gives it an authentic Mexican flavor!
Jackie, thanks for sharing your sauce idea. You’re the first person who has suggested using an enchilada sauce, and it sounds delicious. I might have to try that next time.