Sometimes the heart wants what it wants, and it just so happens that this heart wants chiles rellenos. Are vegan chiles rellenos even possible? Yes they are my friends! At first, I was doubtful, I wasn't sure of this was going to work, but after a couple of tries, the result was truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, and spicy. Everything a chile relleno should be.
I just want to be crystal clear and honest with you, and tell you that they are not healthy. They are fried in oil, lots of it! However, they are still 100% vegan. A couple of weeks ago I told you that I was trying to drop oil from my diet, and I am still trying (very unsuccessfully). How weird is it that I had an easier time giving up dairy?
Like I said before though, sometimes there are special occasions and moments in our lives that call for a special dish and nothing else will do except a chile relleno. However, if you are looking for a healthy option you can try this chile relleno stuffed with quinoa, zucchini, and corn that is topped with a chipotle cream sauce.
The Recipe: Vegan Chiles Rellenos
For this version I have stuffed the chiles with two types of cheeses. I am not a fan of the processed vegan cheeses, but I finally found one that I actually like Chao vegan cheese. The other one is stuffed with my macadamia nut queso fresco. Both of the cheeses worked very well with the dish.
The Follow Your Heart cheese is very much like a traditional cheese, you can grate it, slice it, and melt it. The macadamia nut cheese behaves like a queso fresco, you can spread it but not melt it. I think it worked very well in the chiles rellenos. I like both of them, but be sure to try them and let me know which one is your favorite. Enjoy!
Vegan Chiles Rellenos
Ingredients
- 4 Poblano peppers roasted, peeled
- 10 oz. Vegan cheese*
- 3 Tomatoes large
- 2 cloves Garlic chopped
- ½ Onion peeled, chopped
- 2 -3 cups Vegetable oil
Batter
- ¼ cup Flour all-purpose
- ¼ cup Chickpea flour
- ½ cup Cornstarch
- ½ tsp. Kosher salt
- ¾ cup Soda water cold
Instructions
- Once your poblano chiles are roasted and peeled, using a knife, make a vertical cut from the stem to the tip of the chile.
- Fill with your favorite vegan cheese, close the chile, and secure with toothpicks. Set aside.
To make the sauce
- Place the tomatoes, garlic, and onion in the blender and process until smooth.
- Heat a medium sauce pot to medium heat and add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 7 – 10 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
To make the batter
- Combine the flour, chickpea flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in soda water gradually and whisk, until the batter reaches the consistency of a thin pancake batter.
- Heat three inches of oil in a high sided pan to 360°F. Dip each chile into the batter, letting excess drip off, then place in oil and fry until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chiles and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Serve the chile on top of a plate of the tomato sauce
This is literally one of my family's favorites! Thanks so much.
I have had this recipe bookmarked for a while and I finally got around to making it. Wanted a heartier filling so I did a mixture of cooked lentils with vegan cream cheese. We loved it and will definitely make these again. Thanks so much, Dora!
So happy you liked them. The filling sounds delicious.
At what point do you use the flour for the sauce? Do you blend with the rest of the ingredients, or create a slurry and add in later?
You use it to make the batter. Mix it with the rest of the ingredients
I cannot recall if I commented before or not but this has quickly become one of my very favorite meals! I thought it would be difficult to make but it turned out so delicious. The sauce was something I can eat all day. Thanks so very much.
I tried this recipe and it’s the best! Have made it a few times already. Do you think, or have you tried baking the chiles verses frying them?
I’m looking for a no fry Chile, but with the same crispy batter. Is that possible?
Do you have an air fryer?? This can be done in the air fryer but you have to dip it in the batter then coat it in panko bread crumbs then put it in the airfryer
We absolutely loved these! Thanks for this wonderful recipe
I am going to make these with Miyokos pepper jack cheese(it is the best!)
Love the recipe. I like to batter and fry then batter and fry again for a nice thick coating
Thanks for the tip!1 Glad you liked them
Omg AMAZING! I added Serrano pepper for heat and roasted all the veggies prior to blending. Better than the fried chicken ones I’ve had at Chuy’s! Thanks so much ☺️☺️
Wow!!!! Great recipe and just in time!! I have a huge crop of poblanos!!!! Thanks!!!
At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, these are easily the tastiest chili’s rellenos I’ve ever eaten, vegan OR traditional. I used your macadamia queso, per your suggestion. I made everything as instructed with the exception of a very small amount of vegan cheddar shreds (only because I needed to use them up). Next time I make them I won’t make any changes at all because it really isn’t necessary.
I'm so glad you liked them Michelle!! Using the macadamia queso is my favorite way to make them too.
Very delicious and gorgeous presentation. Compared to regular way using pork lard&dairy and heart attack unhealthy ingredients Doras is an excellent alternative.you can use tempura batter or just Brown rice flour as other options. Maybe try fry in new no oil deep fryer if you have one&tell us if works
Question. Can you actually make these ahead of time and store or is it not recommended? And by store I mean in the fridge the day before you serve?
Hi Gabby, you can store the assembled chiles and then coat them and fry them the next day. Once you fry them, they should be eaten right away.
I had good success re-heating left overs in my air fryer. Love this recipe! I use a mixture of vegan cream cheese and shredded vegan mozzarella for the filling.
So glad you like it!1
Did you forget to blend the 1/2 cup flour into the tomato sauce ???
When my mom makes this dish traditonally she boils the chilies in the sauce for a while but I'm excited to try this out with my moms chilie recipe but the batter is what I was trying to figure out thank you ❤!
I hope you liked the Alejandra!
Please post your moms chile sauce recipe????
Try it with vegan cream cheese. It melts really well. I popped these under the broiler for just a minute because I topped with some shredded almond cheese. Super good! Thanks for the recipe.
Oh I didn't even think about vegan cream cheese. That's a great suggestion. Thank you!