Chile Rellenos Bake
This low-carb and vegetarian Chile Rellenos Bake is as good as Chile Rellenos from a restaurant; eat it as a casserole or as an appetizer! If you like roasted green chiles and cheese, you’ll make this over and over.
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This recipe for Chile Rellenos Bake is a low-carb and vegetarian version of a famous Mexican dish, and my version that’s layered in a casserole dish is healthier and easier to make than most versions of this well-known Mexican dish that are often battered and deep-fried.
This original recipe came from my former neighbor Brooke, who shared it with me after I tasted her version at a neighborhood block party. I changed the recipe slightly to make it a bit more carb-conscious, but essentially this idea of layered green chiles and cheese held together with a little egg came from Brooke’s recipe, so thanks Brooke!
And this is so perfect to make on the weekend and eat for breakfast during the week! I’m excited to remind you about this favorite as this week’s Friday Favorites pick; hope you enjoy trying it!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Whole Roasted Green Chiles (affiliate link) (see notes)
- Four-Cheese Mexican blend cheese
- green onions (optional)
- eggs
- half and half
- ground cumin (affiliate link)
- Chili Powder (affiliate link)
What is Chile Rellenos?
Chile Rellenos is a famous Mexican dish of green chiles stuffed with meat or cheese, and often dipped in a batter and fried.
How do you eat the Chile Rellenos Bake?
I’ve enjoyed this Chile Rellenos Bake many times for a low-carb breakfast dish, and it’s also a perfect vegetarian recipe for dinner. But you can also cut it into small squares and serve with toothpicks for a holiday appetizer.
Where can you buy the big cans of roasted green chiles?
The hardest thing about this recipe might be finding the big cans of roasted green chiles. If you have a Mexican market near you, that’s the best place to get a good price on the 27 oz. cans. But you can get whole green chiles in a can at Amazon.com (affiliate link). Of course you can roast your own green chiles for the dish as well, and you could probably make a slightly different version of this using other types of roasted peppers.
How to make Chile Rellenos Bake:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Spray glass or crockery casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. (I used a 9″ X 13″ dish, but anything close will work.)
- Drain the chiles well then split them open and remove any seeds.
- Lay chiles on paper towels and blot dry.
- I like to stack them up in two piles so I can make the layers even.
- Make half of the chiles into a layer in a casserole dish that’s about 9″x13″ or close to that size.
- Top the green chiles with a generous amount of cheese and sprinkle on green onions if you’re using them.
- Then make a second layer of chiles and cheese.
- Beat eggs, mix in the milk and spices, whisk together, and pour the egg mixture over the top.
- Bake about 40 minutes (covered with foil for the first 15 minutes), or until the mixture is set and the top is lightly browned.
More Recipes with Roasted Green Chiles:
- Vegetarian Mexican Casserole
- Beefy Cheesy Green Chile Bake
- Green Chile and Cheese Egg Muffins
- Cheesy Sausage and Green Chile Breakfast Bake
- Bobbi’s Egg Casserole with Cheese and Green Chiles
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Chile Rellenos Bake
This low-carb vegetarian Chili Rellenos Bake is just as delicious as the Chile Rellenos you get in a restaurant!
Ingredients
- one 27 oz. can roasted and peeled green chiles (see notes)
- 4 cups grated Four-Cheese Mexican blend cheese
- 1/2 cup very thinly sliced green onions (optional)
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup half and half (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
Instructions
- Put green chiles in a colander placed in the sink and let drain for about 15 minutes.
- While chiles drain, preheat oven to 375F/190C.
- Spray glass or crockery casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. (I used a 9″ X 13″ dish, but anything close to that size will work.)
- When chiles are drained, use your thumb to split open each chile, scrape out seeds, and spread chiles out on a paper towel to drain more, pressing down with another towel to get them as dry as you can. (I like to make 2 piles after I do this to get the layers even.)
- Make a flat layer of chiles covering the bottom of the dish. (I alternated every other chile facing the opposite way because they’re slightly v-shaped.)
- Top the layer of chiles with half the grated cheese, then sprinkle on green onions (if using).
- Make another layer of flattened chiles, followed by the rest of the cheese.
- Put eggs into a bowl and beat well, then add half and half, ground cumin, and chile powder, and stir until well combined.
- Pour egg mixture over chiles and cheese, taking care to get it evenly distributed. (The egg mixture will not completely cover the casserole.)
- Cover dish with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking time, then remove foil and continue to bake until mixture is bubbling and cheese on top is lightly browned, about 40 minutes total baking time.
- You can cook it without the foil, but watch it carefully or the top will get too brown. Cooking time without foil will be slightly less.
- Serve hot, with sour cream and salsa if desired.
- This will keep in the fridge for a few days, and reheats beautifully.
Notes
You can use about 24 freshly-roasted and peeled green chiles if you prefer. Use milk or heavy cream instead of half and half if you prefer.
When served as an appetizer, this makes about 32 small squares.
This recipe from Brooke with slight adaptations by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 139Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 5gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 139mgSodium 159mgCarbohydrates 4.8gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Chile Rellenos Bake would be great for any low-carb or Keto eating plan or any phase of the original South Beach Diet. South Beach would recommend low-fat dairy products while other low-carb eating plans would use full-fat dairy.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Casserole Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2008. It was last updated with more information in 2023.
86 Comments on “Chile Rellenos Bake”
This is so tasty. I make a dish of this and we heat up a serving as needed. We love this.
So glad you are enjoying it Carol!
Delicious and easy.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Finally an online recipe I love! Thank you! It tastes like I spent all day cooking this. Also made it with egg whites and it did not disappoint.
So glad you enjoyed it Ashley!
I thought this was great. I served it for dinner with sour cream and guacamole. My husband didn’t like it because he said he doesn’t like eggs for dinner but that’s his loss. My 2 year old liked it too. I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes so I’m trying to find low carb recipes everyone can enjoy. I live in California and had no issues finding peppers. I knew exactly where to get them in the store! I’ve been a fan of yours for a long time. Thank you for all the recipes!
So glad you enjoyed it! Glad you are enjoying the recipes. Good luck with the gestational diabetes.
I made this today and absolutely loved it. Being a vegetarian -I am happy to try new recipes. This was super easy to prepare and looked like something you would take to a brunch! Had a wonderful flavor. Thank you
Hi Carol, so glad you enjoyed it! This has been a long-time favorite for me!
Made this for the first time last week and it was a huge succes at work and I have already shared the recipe. Followed the instructions to a T. I’ll be making it again for my family this weekend. Thanks for posting
So glad you enjoyed it!
My husband loves this dish, and we like to add Tabasco chipotle on top, it is amazing. Asked my husband what he wanted on the menu this week and he wants this again, about the 5th time I’ll have made it! Thank for this delicious recipe that keeps us on our keto diet.
So glad you have enjoyed it!
Can I add sausage to this recipe? If so how would I go about it.
I think sausage would be delicious, in fact I think I will try that myself. I’d brown the sausage in a frying pan, then add the cooked sausage over the green chiles, before you put the cheese on! Love to hear how it works!
Made this last night. What a winner. Will be making again for sure. And you are right… No leftovers. Everyone who was here asked for the recipe.
So glad it was a hit!
Hi , I am planning to make this for a party and one of the guests have egg allergy. So I was wondering ,is it okay to leave the eggs out of the recipe ?
Thanks
I don’t think it will work to make this without eggs; that’s what holds it together.
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I made this last night in a cast iron skillet inside the oven. It rose beautifully. (I subbed heavy cream for the milk just cause we like our cream). Thank you for an easy to make, delicious low-carb recipe. It was beautiful to look at and delicious to eat!
So glad you liked it, and I love the idea of making it in a cast iron pan!
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!
I almost always order chili rellenos when I go to a Mexican restaurant. I really love this layered version in this recipe. I'm trying this soon. Great post, Kalyn!
Thanks Bill, hope you enjoy!
Kalyn! Hello 🙂
I have been following your recipes on facebook for a few months now. This is the first time I am leaving a comment, although I have tried quite a few of them. I am also in Northern Utah, so I can easily get the ingredients you write about. This bake came out delicious but does not look great because it is so flat…would adding another layer solve the problem? Mine is barely an inch…but tastes great !
You could add another layer and increase the cooking time a little. Or use a little smaller pan. Fun hearing from someone in Utah!
Wonderful Post, I highly appreciate those people who share some good information, because I like those people who actually share :).
Thanks Emily, glad you like it!
On 11/24/14 I was able to find both the Hatch Whole Green Chiles (1 lb.11 oz) for $4.99 and the Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (15 oz.) for $2.99 at the Albertson's in at 13401 Washington Blvd., Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 Tel: (310) 574-0606. I have looked all over for them and this is the only place I found recently that carries them.
Sandy, that's great news!
OMG. Kalyn this looks absolutely delicious!
Thanks Becca! (And it is, from a fellow cheese lover.)
I have familly staying with us this weekend and I plan on making this dish.
Thank you! 🙂
I have no idea if my neighbor has seen that cookbook, but I'll have to ask her. I'm guessing there are infinite variations of this type of dish.
Hi Kalyn, FYI this is an old recipe from Helen Corbett's Cookbook 1957. I grew up eating this in Dallas. I think before TexMex became what it is today, inventive Texans were trying to make their own spin on traditional Mexican food. I am just glad to see everyone liked your recipe.
Hatch–perfect!! The variety I got had more salt than I anticipated, but c'est la vie. My husband laughs– I only usually make a recipe once, regardless of whether or not we like it, but this one has managed to hang on. We both love the ingredients, and its simplicity cannot be beat.
I'm guessing that Hatch chiles would be great in this; glad you're enjoying it!
This is actually a recipe I've started making regularly! I love it. This time, I only found hatch chiles at the store, so we'll go with that. Egg, peppers and cheese on a blustery day… you can't beat that!
I am always open to hearing honest feedback about the recipes, so no worries at all about that. (What I don't like is when people don't make it the way I wrote the recipe and then complain that it didn't turn out. That happens every now and then, even though it's not what happened here.) I'm glad you liked it better the next day. I did eat it with salsa when I had it; wonder if that's one thing I liked about it?
I came back to share another opinion about the chile rellenos bake. While I mention yesterday I was disappointed in the dish which was true,however today I had some for lunch,and it was so much better. Not sure exactly why that is so,but I did feel I needed to come back and mention this. I did follow as directed,so not sure why I was disappointed,as I love chile rellenos. Hope too I didn't hurt anybodys feelings,but felt the need to review not just the things I love (of which there are many),but also those that I'm not. I've always found that helpful. Hope that's okay. rj
Anonymous, sorry to hear you did not like it. It's a favorite recipe of my neighbor, and I liked it (or I wouldn't post the recipe) but people do like different things. I'm surprised it would be bland with two layers of green chiles though?
This is the first disappointing recipe for me from Kalyn's kitchen. I followed the directions exactly. Considering the cost,and the amount of cheese I thought it would be delecious,but it was bland, & just ok. I would not make it again.
Liz, glad you liked it!
This dish is absolutely fantastic. I just started South Beach phase 1 and this is perfect for really any meal, but a brunch thing specifically. It is yummy and easy to make and goes great with guacamole!
I LOVE this! Made it last night and the hubby loved it too. I think I will try some of the suggestions of salsa in the mix and the cottage cheese. Thanks for such a flavorful meal! I'm even using the leftovers for my breakfasts this week!
Susan glad you liked it. I like the idea of using cottage cheese as a substitution, great idea!
This is my new favourite dish!!! I couldn’t find any anaheim chiles, so I used roasted red peppers from a jar on the bottom layer and (sparingly) canned jalapenos on the top layer. I didn’t have whole eggs or milk, so I substituted liquid egg whites and cottage cheese and blended them up in the food processor with the cheese. It was delicious!
Hi Kalyn! You have made my low-carb diet a breeze for the past 4 weeks with your recipes (down 10 lbs too!). I am putting this together for dinner tonight and it already smells great. I added a lb. of ground turkey because my hubby has to have meat.
I cannot wait to have my favorite Mexican dish! Thank you for sharing so many wonderful recipes!!!
The chiles in this really make the dish for me. But if your husband really doesn’t like them, certainly you could make a layered casserole with precooked veggies like zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers. Even portobella mushrooms might be good.
I got too nervous about the whole wheat tortilla idea so I just added the turkey bacon and it was a nice addition. Actually cut it into small pieces, cooked it in a frying pan and added it to the bake. I didn’t know if I put it into the bake raw if it would cook well enough that way. Anyway, I loved the way this came out, but my husband isn’t a big fan of chiles so I wonder if there is some other veg we could use for layering.
Muhlyssa, I think turkey bacon would be great in this. If you try layering in some whole wheat tortillas, let us know how that turns out. Tastewise, I think it would be great, but I’m not sure if the ww tortillas will just crumble apart. Would be curious though.
I’m going to make this today and add a little crumbled turkey bacon. I’ve got some whole wheat flour tortillas that I’m contemplating layering in as well, but I don’t know how that would go
Laura, I love the idea of using chorizo in this. Do you know the trick of browning the sausage then rinsing with VERY hot water? That will remove a lot of the fat. I do that with ground beef sometimes. I’d love a piece right now with chorizo and salsa on top!
Just wanted to say that I made this last Thursday evening with the poblanos I bought. It was great! Poblanos added just the right amount of bite. Of course, roasting the peppers was a bit of a pain. I tried over the stove flame, which was a failure…I could not get all of the pepper. So I gave up and put the rest in the broiler…much easier. (Found out the next day at the grocery store that they do carry canned green anaheims…I had been looking on the wrong side of the aisle! $8.00 a can, but I think that at $3.99/lb for the fresh poblanos, I may have spent more than eight dollars.)
I also added chorizo to half of it. Drained it well, but I know it adds even more fat. Also, I had salsa as an option to spoon on top for those who wanted it, and it did add a whole new dimension to the dish. Delicious both ways.
Hey, now you are reading my mind. I had that thought about adding a layer of salsa after I made it the second time and I’m planning to try it. I definitely think it will work and might even be an improvement.
I am wondering, could you cook it with the salsa layered in?
I think this would be great with poblanos. They’re the chile that’s usually used in Chile Rellenos, but in the cans you usually get anaheims.
I noticed someone mentioned poblanos. Can it be made with them? I just bought them for this recipe, thinking I was buying the correct chiles until I got home and looked at the recipe again.
i like the sound of this – an excellent way to use up the long green peppers in our garden which are supposed to be going red, but with the dimninished amount of sunlight, are staying green
Brenda, I think a few jalapenos in here would be great. (I wouldn’t put too many for myself though; I’m a bit of a wimp!) Glad to hear the chef gave his approval, but sorry to hear about the $9.00 a can price for the chiles. I got mine at Kroger in Utah. I think I’ll stock up before they raise the price!
Tried this tonight. It was very good. We had a little hard time finding the chiles but finally found them for $9 a can. Not like your $5. Well worth the extra money. One son asked me the next time I make it to chop some jalepenos in it. It was to mild for him. But otherwise I got a thumbs up on it and that is good since he is an Executive Chef.
Mmmmmmm, gorgeous! It was handy finding the can of peppers, much more convenient and they look lovely and big. I will be putting this on to the must try list 🙂
Ah just the thing! How did it get to be fall so soon?
Mary, glad you liked it! The chiles I used were really not hot at all, but the combo of sweet and hot peppers sounds good. The original recipe had a “crust” made of polenta, which might also be good.
Wow. I’m going to have to try that! 😉 I love pablanos.
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That looks really tasty! I am going to have to search for a can of green chilies.
This was yummy! I was afraid of the heat and so did one layer of sweet peppers and one layer of hot. I also added a layers of crushed corn chips. It was great: hot, but not insanely so!
Mary
This looks delicious! I’m definitely going to try this!
Kalyn, I love this recipe! It is similar to one I got from a friend when we lived in Texas, but she chopped the chiles. I think I’ll like it even more with big pieces — can’t wait to try it!
Chiles make everything better! Rellenos was always my favorite New Mexican dish. This version a la Brooke looks delicious. Perfect for brunch. Or anytime you need a tasty make-ahead dish.
I have never had anything like this. Looks wonderful.
Oh Kalyn!! I *love* this. Chiles rellenos are some of my favourite things on a Mexican menu and turning them into a bake is just inspired. None of the fuss, all of the taste 🙂
Hooray for Brooke — this looks like a great dish that will go into my own potluck repertoire.
So happy that people like the sound of this because I had it for lunch just today, and it’s great! And so much more healthful and easier to make than regular chile rellenos.
A wonderful take on chile rellenos, I love roasted peppers and just enough heat.
Wow, this is such lovely recipe. I am already thinking about which chillies i can get to prepare it. i will be in London on Saturday so I might end up stopping at this lovely market called Borough where i am bound to find something nice chillie wise.You have some talented neighbours!It must be great to share recipes.
Looks amazing, Kalyn — I’m definitely putting this on the must-try list.
I would be sure to enjoy this. I can never get enough chiles. A perfect dish for gloomy and cold weather.
This will make my husband very, very happy. Thanks!
Oh man, it’s been ages since I’ve had a chile relleno’s casserole and this sounds so easy and simple (and delicious!). YUM!
Josh is going to love this one!
This looks like a perfect dish for us! My husband adores chile rellenos, but I hate to make them because they are so labor intensive. He is going to love this!
Perfect timing! My wife and I were talking about making Chile Rellenos tomorrow night. We’ll definitely try this out. Looks great!