Last Updated on January 18, 2023 by Catrina
I have been working on chiles en nogada for the past couple of years, trying to get this recipe just right. And I am so pleased to have this ready in time for the recipe’s 200 year birthday on August 28th!
Chiles en nogada (stuffed poblano peppers in walnut sauce) is a delicious combination of meat, fruit, roasted poblanos, and a creamy walnut sauce. Top the final dish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley for a traditional and elegant presentation.
Origin of this dish
This dish originated in Puebla, Mexico. But, here I share the recipe that I learned from my Mexican host mother, Rocío Castro, many years ago. I left the US to do a study-abroad program in Cuernavaca, Morelos during college. Rocío and her family graciously invited me into their home and I became like one of their own daughters! I have fond memories of working in the kitchen with Rocío learning to make her delicious Mexican food. Tamales, salsas, rosca de reyes, and one of my favorite seasonal dishes, these chiles en nogadas!
Remember I said that this dish was 200 years old? According to Diana Kennedy’s research, as presented in her book Cocina Esencial de México, this dish was created by the grateful inhabitants of the city of Puebla who offered a feast to Agustín de Iturbide on the 28th of August 1821. This feast was to celebrate him and his followers who had defeated the Spaniards in the last battle for Mexican independence. All of the dishes prepared for the banquet were made with ingredients that represented the red, white, and green of the Mexican flag.
Today, this dish is enjoyed close to Mexican independence day, just as it was 200 years ago!
Ingredients and variations
Like many dishes in Mexico, this dish has evolved over the years and the ingredients are as varied as the cooks. I have seen the meat for the filling range from ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken to shredded or diced cooked pork or beef or some combination.
The fruit used for the filling ranges from apples, pears, peaches, raisins, and even candied fruit varieties.
The sauce or nogada, can be made with milk, queso fresco, or Mexican cream. Some variations call for bread soaked in milk to help smooth the sauce or the addition of sherry. I specifically remember my Mexican mother using cream cheese for her version, which I follow here as well.
Battered vs. un-battered
There are those that insist that a true chile en nogada must be battered and fried, just like in a traditional chile relleno. Others (like myself), prefer the chile without the batter and simply topped with the walnut sauce and other garnish. Both battered and unbattered varieties are common in Mexico and I think, a matter of personal preference. If you do choose to batter and fry the chiles, you can refer to this article for guidance.
How to make chiles en nogada
These chiles are not hard to put together, and with the ingredients already prepped, the total cook time is under 30 minutes!
Have the ingredients prepped
You will need to start with roasted poblano peppers, the skins and seeds removed. Roasting brings out a smokey flavor to the chiles and removing the skin prevents the final dish from tasting bitter.
Another tip is to have the apples and pears diced about the size of the raisins. I like to have the filling ingredients roughly all the same size so that you get all of the flavors and textures in each bite!
Cooking the filling
With the ingredients prepped, heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the beef along with the cinnamon and cumin. You will want to break the beef up into small pieces as it cooks.
Once the beef is starting to brown, but still a bit pink, I add in the fruit. In this case, we are using apples, pears, and raisins. You will want to cook the fruit until just soft. You want the fruit to still have some shape and not be mushy. While the fruit is cooking, in a blender, blend the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and broth or water until smooth.
When the fruit is soft, but still holding its shape, turn up the heat and add in the tomato sauce. Allow the filling to simmer until the liquid is reduced. You want the filling to be moist, not too dry but also not watery.
The walnut sauce (nogada)
I only have one blender, so once I get the tomato mixture into the pan, I give my blender a quick clean and start on the walnut sauce. The walnut sauce or nogada, should be served at room temperature. I blend all of the ingredients together until smooth and set this sauce aside until I am ready to serve.
Now, a quick note on the walnut sauce. The standard block of cream cheese here in Mexico is 180g or about 7 ounces. This is 1 ounce short of the standard US block of cream cheese. I wouldn’t fret over the 1-ounce difference. Use the full 8-ounce block if you are in the US and increase the amount of milk slightly to thin out the sauce. The sauce should be smooth, slightly thick, but still a pourable consistency. Take a final taste of the sauce before you serve and adjust any seasonings to your desired taste.
Putting it all together
Once all of the elements of the dish are ready to go, putting everything together is super simple! Evenly divide the meat filling between the roasted peppers. Fill each pepper, plate and then top with walnut sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds!
Enjoy!
Recipe sourced and adapted from: Rocío Castro, Morelos Mexico
Chiles en Nogada
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 8 poblano peppers roasted, skins and seeds removed, see notes
- 1 lb ground beef I use 90/10 sirloin
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 apple, diced (core removed) I have used gala or red delicious
- 1 pear, diced (core removed) I used anjou
- 4 medium roma tomatoes about 1 lb, or 500g
- 1/2 medium white onion about 4 ounces, 120g
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup water or broth
- 1 cup raisins
- Salt to taste
For the sauce (nogada):
- 7 oz cream cheese ~180g, see notes
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/3 cups walnuts, roughly chopped ~115g
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Salt to taste
For serving
- 1 1/2 cups pomegranate seeds about 2 baseball-sized pomegranates
- chopped parsley
Instructions
For the filling:
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes
- Add beef, cinnamon and cumin. Stir to blend flavors and break up beef into small pieces. Cook until just starting to brown and still slightly pink, about 5 minutes
- Add diced apple, pear, and raisins to meat, stir to incorporate, and cook until beef is browned and fruit is softened, about, 3-5 minutes, stirring occassionally
- Meanwhile, place tomatoes, broth or water, garlic, and onion in a blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute
- Once the fruit is softened, raise the heat to medium-high and add tomato sauce. Stir to incorporate, and simmer uncovered, 5-7 minutes or until liquid is reduced
- Add salt to taste and adjust seasonings as necessary
For the sauce (nogada):
- Blend all ingredients in the blender until smooth
- Set aside until ready to serve
To serve:
- Fill each pepper with the meat mixture, dividing evenly
- Top with the sauce (nogada)
- Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley
Notes
- Click here for a link on how to prepare roasted poblano peppers
- In the US, a block of cream cheese comes in an 8-ounce package. In Mexico, a block of cream cheese comes in a 180g package, which is about 7 ounces in weight. I am using a standard Mexican size block of cream cheese since that is what is available to me where I live. If you are cooking where the standard block of cream cheese is slightly more or less than the amount called for in this recipe, I would just adjust the amount of milk to compensate and provide the desired consistency for the sauce. The sauce should be smooth, slightly thick, but still liquid enough to pour easily.
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