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    Home » Dinner Recipes » Vegan Chiles Rellenos

    Vegan Chiles Rellenos

    Published: Sep 12, 2016 · Modified: Jun 22, 2022 by Dora S. · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    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.

    A collage showing how to split and fill roasted poblanos.

    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.

    A collage showing you to mix up batter for chile rellenos.
    A vegan chile relleno with red sauce in a shallow white bowl.
    A vegan chile relleno on a brown clay plate.

    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!

    This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.
    This recipe for vegan chiles rellenos is truly fantastic! They are crispy, melty, spicy and served on a garlicky tomato sauce.
    Save Recipe Go to Recipe Box
    4.74 from 30 votes

    Vegan Chiles Rellenos

    Vegan Chiles Rellenos, filled with cheese and fried until golden and crispy, served on a tomato sauce.
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 394kcal
    Author: Dora S.

    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
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    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

    Video

    Notes

    My favorite vegan cheese for chiles rellenos is Chao cheese, which comes in slices, but I grated it anyway on a box grater. I have also made this with my macadamia nut queso fresco, which doesn’t melt, but behaves very much like a fresh farmer’s cheese. Both cheeses gave good results.
    If you want the batter to be yellowish like traditional chiles rellenos you can add 1/4 tsp. of turmeric to the batter.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 972mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1212IU | Vitamin C: 110mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @dorastable or tag #mexicangonevegan!
    « 18 Delicious Vegan Enchiladas
    The Perfect Vegan Mexican Brown Rice »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. gina

      May 18, 2021 at 7:08 pm

      5 stars
      This is literally one of my family's favorites! Thanks so much.

      Reply
    2. Amanda

      March 07, 2021 at 3:54 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        March 20, 2021 at 1:37 pm

        So happy you liked them. The filling sounds delicious.

        Reply
    3. Brian

      January 16, 2021 at 4:23 am

      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?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        January 28, 2021 at 8:57 am

        You use it to make the batter. Mix it with the rest of the ingredients

        Reply
    4. Auset

      January 14, 2021 at 6:11 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    5. Maria Witcher

      January 06, 2021 at 11:25 am

      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?

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        January 08, 2021 at 12:16 pm

        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

        Reply
    6. Liz McCarthy

      December 27, 2020 at 9:20 pm

      5 stars
      We absolutely loved these! Thanks for this wonderful recipe

      Reply
    7. Lisa

      November 03, 2020 at 9:17 am

      5 stars
      I am going to make these with Miyokos pepper jack cheese(it is the best!)

      Reply
    8. Brian

      June 07, 2020 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      Love the recipe. I like to batter and fry then batter and fry again for a nice thick coating

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        June 14, 2020 at 12:21 pm

        Thanks for the tip!1 Glad you liked them

        Reply
    9. Kierra

      January 29, 2020 at 2:58 pm

      5 stars
      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 ☺️☺️

      Reply
    10. Connie Moultroup

      September 23, 2019 at 3:36 am

      5 stars
      Wow!!!! Great recipe and just in time!! I have a huge crop of poblanos!!!! Thanks!!!

      Reply
    11. Michelle

      April 21, 2019 at 4:15 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Dora S.

        April 23, 2019 at 8:02 am

        I'm so glad you liked them Michelle!! Using the macadamia queso is my favorite way to make them too.

        Reply
    12. Toula Milios Guilfoyle

      June 24, 2017 at 9:13 am

      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

      Reply
    13. Gabby Ramírez

      February 01, 2017 at 5:48 pm

      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?

      Reply
      • dorastable

        February 01, 2017 at 6:12 pm

        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.

        Reply
        • Emily

          January 12, 2020 at 3:27 pm

          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.

        • Dora S.

          January 16, 2020 at 10:46 am

          So glad you like it!1

        • Caroleena

          December 17, 2020 at 10:53 pm

          4 stars
          Did you forget to blend the 1/2 cup flour into the tomato sauce ???

    14. Alejandra

      December 28, 2016 at 1:28 am

      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 ❤!

      Reply
      • dorastable

        January 12, 2017 at 11:29 am

        I hope you liked the Alejandra!

        Reply
      • Tere

        December 17, 2020 at 9:41 am

        Please post your moms chile sauce recipe????

        Reply
    15. Kristen Wilson

      October 14, 2016 at 3:25 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • dorastable

        October 17, 2016 at 7:53 pm

        Oh I didn't even think about vegan cream cheese. That's a great suggestion. Thank you!

        Reply
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