Easy Layered and Baked Beef and Chile Relleno Casserole

Name: Baked Chile Relleno Casserole with Ground Beef Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 2 teaspoons taco seasoning; 4 fresh poblano chiles (broiled with charred skin peeled off and seeded or two 7-ounce jars of whole or chopped green chiles); 1 cup heavy cream; 6 ounce can tomato paste; 1 packet cilantro-tomato seasoning SAZON (optional); 6 large eggs; 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded; 1 cup Cheddar cheese or Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

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Sneak Preview: This easy Layered and Baked Beef and Chile Relleno Casserole is for Tex-Mex lovers like me and maybe you. I created this recipe in my Keto days so it is low-carb, in case you care.

serving of Baked Chili Relleno Pie on a plate with cherry tomatoes, sour cream and avocado in the background.

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Heads-up, low-carb eaters. A serving of this layered Chile Relleno casserole contains only 11 carbs (an estimate), so you can enjoy this Tex-Mex specialty guilt-free.

If you love to order Chile Rellenos at your favorite Mexican restaurant as I do, you will appreciate enjoying the same flavors at home. So please invite me to dinner when you make these.

Three Reasons Why You Need This Tex-Mex Recipe

It’s an easy, layered casserole. No stuff, batter, and-fry-each-individual-pepper routine.
It’s low-carb–only 11 carbs per serving.
It’s high in protein, with eggs, ground beef, and cheese.

Uncut Baked Chili Relleno Pie with an empty plate next to it.

Ingredients and Substitutions

GROUND BEEF: I use ground beef with an 85/15 mix. There’s enough fat to flavor the meat but much to drain off.
POBLANO PEPPERS Fresh poblano peppers are cheap and easy to broil and peel. They give this dish the best flavor, making them my first choice.
- However, if you lack the time or inclination, buy two 7-ounce cans of whole green chiles(paid link) and slice them lengthwise to lay flat. If you can’t find the whole ones, use chopped green chiles.
TACO SEASONING: Store-bought packets of taco seasoning are the most convenient option. Or, make it yourself. I love this recipe for homemade Taco Seasoning on Perry’s Plate.
TOMATO PASTE: Provides maximum tomato flavor.
PEPPER JACK CHEESE: Substitute mild Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese. Add a couple of teaspoons of chopped, jarred jalapenos for flavor.
EGGS: Great source of protein; I use large eggs.
HEAVY CREAM: Heavy cream adds richness to this recipe. I have not tried half and half or milk as a substitute.
CILANTRO-TOMATO SEASONING: Ever since a cashier at Kroger told me about this seasoning, I don’t need much of an excuse to use it. Goya Sazon makes several flavors, but Con Cilantro Tomate is my favorite. These mysterious little packets pump up the flavor.

📌Kitchen Tip📌

Leftovers make a savory filling for a burrito using a flour tortilla. I wonder how often I’ve said that about a recipe on this blog. (Stuffed Peppers, Microwave Cinnamon Apples, Refried Beans) It’s my #1 recycling trick.

How to Assemble Chile Relleno Bake Recipe

Browning the seasoned ground beef, then adding the taco seasoning. — Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning.

Preparing the peppers by splitting them in half. — Prepare fresh poblano peppers according to the recipe, or use whole canned green chiles and split into halves.

preparing the sauce mixture containing cream, tomato paste, eggs and Sazon seasoning. — Combine the heavy cream, tomato paste, eggs, and Sazon seasoning into a medium mixing bowl.

Combining the sauce ingredients with an immersion blender. — Whisk this mixture until everything is combined. An immersion blender makes it easy.

First layer of half of the seasoned ground beef. — Make layers inside a greased 9-inch square casserole dish. Half of the ground beef mixture goes in first.

Finishing the layering. — Second, distribute half of the chiles over the beef and cover with half of the Jack cheese.

Pouring the creamy tomato paste sauce over the cheese and peppers. — Pour half of the cream and tomato paste sauce over the top of the first layer of beef, peppers, and cheese.

Final layer is more cheese. — Repent the process with the other half of the beef, chiles, Jack cheese, and sauce. Sprinkle with a final layer of Cheddar or Jack cheese.

single serving of baked chili relleno pie — Bake at 350˚F for 30-40 minutes until set. A knife stuck into the middle should come out clean. Let the casserole sit on the counter for at least five to 10 minutes before serving.

FAQ About Easy Layered and Baked Chile Relleno Casserole

What can I substitute for the ground beef, or can I leave it out?

Substitute ground turkey or diced cooked chicken for the ground beef if you prefer. No meat is required, so making it without meat is OK.

Can I make this casserole ahead of time?

Yes, but serving it the day you make it is better.

Can I freeze it?

I don’t recommend freezing this entree ahead of time because of the heavy cream and raw eggs. However, leftover Chili Rellenos can be frozen.

What do I serve with this Chile Relleno casserole?

Serve with sour cream, cilantro, diced tomatoes, or avocado slices. We like refried beans served on the side. Fresh, hot tortillas are also good.

Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.

Yield: servings

Baked Chile Relleno Casserole with Ground Beef Recipe

By Paula Rhodes

Make this spicy Tex-Mex casserole that mimics the flavor of chili rellenos but requires a lot less time and trouble.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep time: 20

Cook time: 40

Total time: 1

Ingredients

1 pound (454 g) ground beef
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
4 (454 g) fresh poblano chiles broiled with charred skin peeled off and seeded or two 7-ounce jars of whole or chopped green chiles
1 cup (227 g) heavy cream
6 ounce can (170 g) tomato paste
1 packet cilantro-tomato seasoning SAZON optional
6 large (300 g) eggs
2 cups (226 g) pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 cup (113 g) Cheddar cheese or Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Instructions

Preparing the ingredients

Brown 1 pound (454 g) ground beef sprinkled with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in 2 teaspoons taco seasoning.
Broil 4 (454 g) fresh poblano chiles until the skin is charred. Place in a paper bag or covered bowl to steam for about 10 minutes. Carefully peel away blackened skin. Split open and remove seeds. Alternatively, use drained, canned whole green chilies and split them lengthwise to open them out flat. You can also use canned, chopped green chiles if you can’t find the whole ones.
Whisk together 1 cup (227 g) heavy cream, 6 ounce can (170 g) tomato paste, 1 packet cilantro-tomato seasoning SAZON, and 6 large (300 g) eggs in a medium bowl.

Assembling the layers

In a 9-inch square dish or pan, layer half the ground beef, half the green chiles, then half of 2 cups (226 g) pepper jack cheese, shredded. Cover with half of the sauce.
Repeat using the remaining beef, chiles, pepper jack cheese, and cream sauce.
Sprinkle 1 cup (113 g) Cheddar cheese or Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded on top.
Bake at 350˚F (180˚C) for 35-40 minutes or until the pie is set and a knife comes out clean.
Allow to set for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Equipment

Goya Sazon Con Cilantro Tomate

Nutrition

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8 Comments

I, too, love chile rellenos (anything with roasted green chiles) but have rarely had an egg-battered one that was good. Then, we ate at Hacienda Colorado and they stuff their chiles with cheese and roll them in…wait for it…egg roll wrappers and deep fry them! They are absolutely amazing! No more soggy eggy-omelet texture. I’ve made them at home and just shallow pan-fried them with great success. Now, I live a ketogenic lifestyle and egg roll skins are out but your recipe will come to life soon in my keto kitchen! Yah!!! And Sazon is the best spice, I agree, and often forget about it. Co-worker of mine gave me a recipe for rice and olives and Sazon was the star. Thanks for reminding me to use it more often.

Paula says:

at

Hi Tracy,

Can we just get together and sample all the chile rellenos in the world? Wouldn’t that be fun? Where is Hacienda, Colorado? I must go there sometime before I die. I can’t imagine the egg roll wrappers, but I sure would like to try them. The rice recipe also sounds good. I love Sazon!

Reply

This looks fantastic! I just discovered Chili Rellenos about 6 years or so ago. All that time wasted eating fajitas and tacos!
I made them once (charred, peeled, stuffed, dipped and fried…. ) They were better than nothing but an awful lot of work so I’ve been watching for a decent casserole recipe since then. But they all looked like they’d be too eggy, and i wanted the Chile and cheese experience, not the egg.
And then you made a “mistake” when posting your version of this…only 3 eggs!
Pure Genius!!
I’ve gotta try it like that! What have i got to lose? It’ll still be good, considering how easy out is, it’ll be at least as good as the 4 hour ordeal that turned out only so-so fried ones.
If it fails at all i think the only problem might be that without enough eggs it may not hold together that well, but even then it’ll make great burritos!
I’ll let you know hero it turns out.
Gotta run now,go get a large can of chilies!
Thanks again Paula for being such an inspiration too all of us.
You know we love you!

Paula says:

at

Hi Tere,
I’ve just been thinking about doing this recipe with only 3 eggs. Think I would add more cream/milk so it won’t be too dry. But otherwise, I think it should work. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out.

Reply

I cant Wait to try this recipe. I hope My store carries the sazon seasoning. Everything else will be easy to find.
Thank you, Paula!

Paula says:

at

Even if you can’t find the seasoning, it will be delicious. No worries. That same seasoning is also fantastic to use when making Mexican rice.

Reply

Sounds delicious. Cannot wait to make this. Glad it makes only a 9×9 size. I am having a hard time cutting recipes in half for our down size family. Thanks for sharing. By the way. I have made your oatmeal-sunflower bread recipe twice this week and also last week. Wonderful recipe.

Paula says:

at

Cutting recipes in half….I do it, too. In fact, I halve this recipe when it’s just my husband and I, and we still have leftovers.

So happy to hear you are enjoying the bread!

Reply

Paula Rhodes, owner

As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.