Name: Chiles En Nogada
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 4-6 servings
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: For the Filling:; 6 large poblano peppers; 1 lb ground pork or beef; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tomatoes, chopped; 1/2 cup raisins; 1/2 cup chopped almonds; 1 apple, peeled and diced; 1 pear, peeled and diced; 1 peach, peeled and diced; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; Salt and pepper, to taste; Vegetable oil, for cooking; For the Nogada Sauce:; 1 cup walnuts, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and peeled; 1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream; 1/2 cup milk; 1/4 cup fresh cheese (queso fresco), crumbled; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; For Garnish:; Pomegranate seeds; Fresh parsley, chopped

What is Chiles En Nogada?

Chiles En Nogada is a traditional Mexican dish made of poblano peppers stuffed with a savory filling, topped with a creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds.

Where does Chiles En Nogada come from?

Chiles En Nogada originates from Puebla, Mexico, and is deeply rooted in Mexican history and culture.

What are the main ingredients in Chiles En Nogada?

The key ingredients include poblano peppers, ground pork or beef, onion, garlic, tomatoes, raisins, and chopped almonds.

How long does Chiles En Nogada take to make?

Chiles En Nogada takes approximately 70-100 minutes to prepare and cook.

What do you serve with Chiles En Nogada?

Chiles En Nogada is often served with rice and a fresh salad, or paired with warm tortillas.

Chiles en Nogada is a dish built around a calendar: it appears in September when pomegranates ripen and fresh walnuts are harvested in Puebla, and it is tied to Mexican Independence celebrations since its origin in August 1821, when Augustinian nuns in Puebla created it to honor the newly signed Plan of Iguala. A large poblano chili (charred and peeled) is stuffed with picadillo — ground pork, dried fruits, spices, almonds — then draped in a cold nogada sauce of fresh walnuts blended with cream cheese and sherry, and finished with pomegranate arils and fresh parsley to display the red, white, and green of the Mexican flag. The dish is never served hot; the nogada must be cold against the warm stuffed pepper. Seasonality is strict: fresh (not dried) walnuts make the sauce creamy and mild; dried walnuts make it bitter.

⚡ Medium 🔥 ~450 kcal / serving

Ingredients

For the Filling:
6 large poblano peppers
1 lb ground pork or beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 apple, peeled and diced
1 pear, peeled and diced
1 peach, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil, for cooking
For the Nogada Sauce:
1 cup walnuts, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and peeled
1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh cheese (queso fresco), crumbled
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Garnish:
Pomegranate seeds
Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preparing the Poblano Peppers

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

Place the poblano peppers on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skins are blistered and charred.

Remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a sealed plastic bag or cover them with a clean towel. Let them steam for about 10 minutes.

Peel off the charred skins, cut a slit down the side of each pepper, and carefully remove the seeds and membranes. Set aside.

Preparing the Filling

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and cook until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the ground pork or beef and cook until browned. Drain any excess fat.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, raisins, chopped almonds, diced apple, pear, and peach.

Season with ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

Cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the filling is well combined and the flavors have melded together.

Stir in the chopped cilantro and remove from heat.

Preparing the Nogada Sauce

In a blender, combine the soaked and peeled walnuts, Mexican crema or sour cream, milk, crumbled fresh cheese, sugar, and ground cinnamon.

Blend until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add more milk to reach the desired consistency.

Assembling the Chiles en Nogada

Carefully stuff each roasted poblano pepper with the prepared filling.

Place the stuffed peppers on a serving platter.

Serving

Pour the nogada sauce generously over the stuffed peppers.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped fresh parsley.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Chiles en Nogada?

Stuffed poblano with fruit-meat picadillo in cold walnut cream sauce; pomegranate and parsley finish creates Mexican flag colors.

Where do they come from?

Puebla, 1821; created by Augustinian nuns for independence celebrations; seasonal dish available only in August-September.

What are the main ingredients?

Poblano chili, ground pork, dried fruits (raisin, peach, pear), spices; nogada: fresh walnuts, cream cheese, sherry, cinnamon; pomegranate seeds, parsley.

What is the key tip?

Use fresh (not dried) walnuts for the nogada — fresh walnuts are pale and mild; dried walnuts turn the sauce bitter and brown; serve the sauce cold over a warm pepper.

What do you serve with them?

White rice with tomato (arroz rojo), black beans; served as a main course in September; dry white wine or light lager.

Chiles En Nogada