This Mexican-inspired recipe for Carnitas Stuffed Poblano Peppers is a spicy mix of poblano peppers with rice, carnitas (pulled pork) in a cheesy tomato sauce.
One of the things I love to do on occasion is to change up one of my tried but true recipes and update it with a twist. That’s the story behind this absolutely delicious recipe for Mexican Stuffed Poblano Peppers.
It’s similar to the Midwest famous recipe of Stuffed Green Peppers, however, this version, Mexican Stuffed Poblano Peppers, is made with rice, cheese and carnitas (pulled pork) in a tomato sauce.
The taste is indicative of South-of-the-Border cuisine.
You’ll find that the poblano peppers have just the right amount of kick but not too much of a kick–if you get my drift. And, the meat-rice mixture melds perfectly with the two white cheese blends I chose.
That being said, you can opt to use a Mexican cheese blend, if you can find it at your local grocer.
Best of all, you’ll find that the recipe offers individual portions that are substantial enough for any weeknight meal. And, any leftovers can easily be placed in a tightly-sealed container and frozen for another time–when you need a meal in a pinch.
How to Make Mexican Stuffed Poblano Peppers – Tutorial
Start with a pork shoulder that has been baked to perfection.
Shred it into small pieces, using two forks.
Then, in a bowl place two cups of cooked, long grained rice.
To this, add cumin, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and my favorite: Pimentón or Spanish Smoked Paprika.
This is the Pimenton that I absolutely love to use because it offers a super smooth, smoky taste that subtly permeates any dish. But if you cannot find this brand at your local grocery, try Choquilin Smoked Paprika. Both work very well.
Next, add the meat (carnitas) and green onions to the rice mixture.
Now add one half of the shredded cheese to this mixture. For this recipe I use both an Italian blend and mozzarella. All you need is two cups total.
Mix well.
Prepare the baking dish by spraying it with nonstick spray like Pam.
Then, it’s time to slice the poblano peppers in half, seed them and lay them out in the baking dish.
Time to fill each poblano pepper with the meat-rice-cheese mixture. When finished, top with your favorite pasta sauce.
My all-time favorite has to be hands down Rao’s.
To this, sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
Lastly, bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.
Remove and allow the Carnitas Stuffed Poblano Peppers to cool a bit, then serve. Enjoy!
For more delicious Mexican-inspired dishes, be sure to check out Wisconsin Homemaker’s Recipe Section.
Mexican Carnitas Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 cups pulled pork cooked
- 2 cups cooked rice long-grain
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce (I prefer Rao’s brand)
- 1 cup Italian cheese blend shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika Pimentón
- 4 poblano peppers halved and seeded
- nonstick spray
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Shred cooked pulled pork or carnitas. Set aside.
- In a bowl, add all of the ingredients, except 1/2 of the the cheese and tomato sauce. Mix well.
- Slice in half and seed 4 poblano peppers.
- Place peppers face up in a prepared baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray like Pam.
- Fill each pepper with approximately 1/4 cup of filling.
- Drizzle on the tomato sauce over each pepper.
- Top with the rest of the shredded cheese.
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the cheese has turned golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve. Enjoy!
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