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Chiles en Nogada Recipe: Best Creamy Walnut Sauce to Impress

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Chiles en Nogada is a traditional Mexican dish featuring roasted poblano peppers stuffed with a sweet-and-savory meat and fruit filling, topped with a silky walnut sauce and garnished with pomegranate seeds and parsley. This showstopping recipe is perfect for celebrations and delivers pure comfort with every bite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 large poblano peppers
  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 small white onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium apple, peeled and diced
  • 1 ripe pear, peeled and diced
  • 1 ripe plantain or banana, diced
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots or candied citron
  • 1/2 cup diced tomato (fresh or canned)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup walnuts, shelled and peeled
  • 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 2 tbsp sherry or brandy (optional)
  • 2 tbsp sugar or honey
  • Pinch of cinnamon and salt
  • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven broiler or gas burner. Roast poblano peppers under broiler or over flame, turning every 2-3 minutes until skin is blistered and blackened (10-12 minutes). Transfer to bowl, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. Peel off charred skin, make a slit, and remove seeds, keeping peppers whole.
  2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 2-3 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
  3. Add ground beef and pork, breaking up meat. Cook until browned and no longer pink (6-8 minutes).
  4. Add diced apple, pear, and plantain. Sauté 3-4 minutes until fruits soften. Add raisins, almonds, and apricots. Cook 2 minutes.
  5. Add tomato, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer 5 minutes until thickened and fragrant. Adjust seasoning.
  6. Blend walnuts, milk or cream, crema or sour cream, sherry or brandy (optional), sugar or honey, cinnamon, and salt in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Adjust sweetness or salt. Thin with more milk if needed.
  7. Stuff each roasted poblano with picadillo filling, keeping peppers intact. Place seam-side down on serving platter.
  8. Spoon creamy walnut sauce over stuffed chiles. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.
  9. Serve immediately at room temperature, or chill peppers and sauce separately for up to 24 hours and assemble before serving.

Notes

For a vegetarian filling, substitute lentils or mushrooms for meat. Peel walnuts for a whiter sauce. If poblanos tear, patch with extra sauce. Sauce can be made dairy-free with almond milk and yogurt. Garnish generously for color and crunch. Filling and sauce can be made ahead and stored separately. For nut allergies, use silken tofu and coconut cream for the sauce.

Nutrition

Keywords: Chiles en Nogada, Mexican Independence Day, walnut sauce, poblano peppers, traditional Mexican, holiday recipe, stuffed peppers, creamy sauce, festive dish, Mexican cuisine

Find it online: https://elvafood.com/chiles-en-nogada-recipe-best-creamy-walnut-sauce-to-impress/