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Low Carb Hatch Chile Rellenos Casserole

August 18, 2018 by Cynthia 75 Comments

68.2Kshares

This low carb Chile Rellenos Casserole has all the flavor of  regular chile rellenos, but without the breading and frying. 

  low carb chile cheese casserole

Once a year, my girlfriend Jelayne has a Chile Rellenos party. Her family is from New Mexico, and her uncle sends a large care package of assorted Hatch chiles. Jelayne and her husband, Dan, spend the afternoon charring, filling, battering and then deep-frying dozens of chiles.

The thing is, she never called them “Hatch chiles”, they were just chiles to her. Because to New Mexicans, Hatch chiles are the only chiles!

(This post was originally posted on July 17th, 2013, I’ve updated the photos and the recipe. Affiliate links help offset the cost of providing free recipes, at no additional cost to you.)

Low carb chile casserole

You can see the layers, 3 each of chiles and cheese.

Many years later the Hatch chile craze came to Southern California, with roasting events popping up all over the city, and I finally figured that we’d been eating Hatch Chile Rellenos for years, but just didn’t know it.

Now, it’s hard not to miss the word “Hatch” in August and September! There are roasting events all over the country now! If you can’t find a chile roasting event near you, you can roast them yourself.

 

How to roast chilies

Don’t worry if you don’t have access to Hatch chiles, you can always use poblanos, pasillas, or Anaheim chiles. There are a couple of ways to roast them. First, you can throw them on the grill, no need to do anything to them. Just rotate them until the skin is charred and blackened.

chiles on grill

You can also roast them over an open flame, or under the broiler. Then pop them in a brown paper sack and close. Let them sit and steam in the bag for a few minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

chiles in paper bag

If you don’t use plastic gloves to remove the skins and seeds, be mindful of your hands and don’t touch your face or eyes.

The skins should peel of very easily. Scrape the seeds out and remove the stem end. I usually give them a quick rinse and pat them dry with paper towel to get the last bits of skin, seeds and char off.

Roasted chiles without skins

Roasted chiles. The Hatch ones are the lightest green.

If you are lucky enough to pick up pre-roasted Hatch chiles, you might want to buy a case. (I did just that last weekend when I bought 10 pounds of roasted chiles from my local grocery store).

What do you do with TEN pounds of Hatch chiles?

Well, I’ve make Hatch Chile and Cheddar Egg Bites, which make a nice grab and go, breakfast that’s low-carb and gluten free. Or this Hatch Chile Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich, which is definitely not low-carb! (Spencer gets to eat that!) Or we’ll just dice them up and pop them in omelets or scrambled eggs.

 

How to Freeze Chiles

roasted hatch chiles

Roasted, but un-peeled Hatch chiles ready for freezing.

If you do buy more chiles than you can possibly use in a week, you’ll want to freeze them.

First pat them dry or lay them flat on some paper towels to absorb some of the moisture. DO NOT PEEL them, the skins will help keep them moist. Freeze them flat in plastic bags and then stack the bags. Once they’re defrosted, the skin should easily slip off.

This low carb Hatch Chile Casserole doesn’t involve any stuffing, breading, or frying, so most of the work is in prepping the fresh chilies. Once you’ve got them skinned and cleaned, it takes just a few minutes to pull the casserole together.

We’ll have this for breakfast, lunch or even as a side dish to go with dinner. Since it’s vegetarian, it also makes a great entree. Did I mention that it works well with a Keto diet too?

Step 1:

Roast, skin and rinse chiles. Pat dry on a paper towel.

roasted, skinned and seeded chiles.

Pat dry the roasted, skinned and seeded chiles.

Step 2:

Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil. Line chiles on the bottom of baking dish.

hatch chiles in casserole

Layer chiles in casserole dish.

 

Step 3:

Layer 1/3 of the cotija and sharp cheddar over chiles.

Hatch Chile casserole

Layer 1/3 of both cheeses over chiles.

 

Step 4:

Add another layer of chiles.

 

Step 5:

Repeat, ending with a layer of both cotija and cheddar cheeses on top layer. Beat eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl and pour over chiles and cheese.

 

Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

Low carb chile cheese casserole

Some of the items used in this post are available at my Amazon store.



4.89 from 18 votes
low carb chile cheese casserole
Print
Low Carb Hatch Chile Rellenos Casserole
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

Chiles are layered with two kinds of cheese and baked. This recipes serves 6-8 depending on whether you're serving it as a main dish, side dish or breakfast casserole.  

Course: Entree
Cuisine: Gluten Free, keto, low carb, Mexican
Keyword: low carb Chile Rellenos
Servings: 8
Calories: 303 kcal
Author: Cynthia
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pounds chiles, Hatch, poblanos, pasilla, or Anaheim chiles, charred, skins and seeds removed.
  • 6 ounces queso fresco or cotija cheese, you can also substitute ricotta cheese for a similar texture and flavor.
  • 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
  1. Roast chiles under the broiler or on a charcoal grill, turning often, until the skin is blackened. Place them in a paper bag and close tightly. When chiles are cool enough to handle, pull away and discard the seed and inside veins.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

  3. Brush olive oil on the bottom of a 10.5" x 7.5" baking dish. Line with chiles. 

  4. Cover chiles with about 2 ounces of crumbled cotija and 4 ounces of shredded cheddar. Repeat, ending with cheeses on top. 

  5. In a bowl, beat 4 eggs, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over chiles and cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 40 minutes, or until cheese is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest 5-10 minutes to set.

  6. Casserole can be frozen. Cut into squares and wrap well. 

Nutrition Facts
Low Carb Hatch Chile Rellenos Casserole
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 303 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 160mg53%
Sodium 896mg39%
Potassium 103mg3%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 675IU14%
Vitamin C 10.2mg12%
Calcium 366mg37%
Iron 0.9mg5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Chile rellenos bake

 

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Filed Under: Appetizer, Breakfast, Entree, Fast, Food, Gluten Free, Keto, Savories, Sides, Vegetarian Tagged With: Chiles, Chiles rellenos, Hatch Chile, how to peel chiles, keto, Low Carb, Vegetarian

 

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Comments

  1. Mimi says

    July 17, 2013 at 3:58 am

    Those chiles are absolutely beautiful!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      July 18, 2013 at 10:18 am

      Thanks Mimi!

      Reply
      • Michelle says

        May 1, 2019 at 7:44 am

        Can you make this the day before and let it sit overnight then bake?
        Thank you!

        Reply
        • Cynthia says

          May 5, 2019 at 8:18 am

          yes you could as long as it’s refrigerated.

          Reply
  2. Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma) says

    July 19, 2013 at 5:09 pm

    Wowza, this looks awesome! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂

    Hope your week is great!

    Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      July 20, 2013 at 8:07 am

      Thank you Cindy!

      Reply
  3. Mimi says

    August 19, 2018 at 4:14 pm

    This is really lovely. I like the two cheeses, too. Without tortillas it’s definitely low carb, but also delicious!

    Reply
  4. Jere Cassidy says

    August 19, 2018 at 9:29 pm

    5 stars
    I love roasting chilis and peppers, the flavor is wonderful. Great post to show how to do it correctly.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      August 20, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      It was something we learned in cooking school…(the brown paper sack part). I’ve noticed that chile roasters at events just put them in boxes, but I think the skins peel off much more easily if they have a chance to steam for a few minutes.

      Reply
      • Jeanette says

        October 20, 2018 at 2:30 pm

        Plastic bags work much better than paper

        Reply
        • Cynthia says

          October 20, 2018 at 2:48 pm

          I do try to avoid plastic…especially with something hot which could release chemicals.

          Reply
          • Mary says

            November 28, 2018 at 2:42 pm

            My mom and dad are both from NM and we grew up with Hatch peppers and the wonderful aroma of them roasting and of course the taste.
            My mom would like the roasted chilies on a moist kitchen towel and then placed in the refrigerator to cool off to await peeling them. Yum!

          • Cynthia says

            November 29, 2018 at 6:40 pm

            Wow! Lucky you! I really only caught the Hatch chilie “bug” 10 years ago. They are awesome! That reminds me…I have some in the freezer I need to defrost!

          • Melanie Sloan says

            March 9, 2019 at 7:13 am

            Here in Colorado I just place them in a large mixing bowl with a plate for a lid, and let them sweat. Works great and catches all that yummy juice. I then add the juice into whatever dish I’m making, for added flavor.

          • Cynthia says

            March 9, 2019 at 10:03 am

            love this idea!

          • Lori says

            August 28, 2019 at 7:06 am

            Paper bags use glues which can also be harmful. I guess you just have to choose your poison.

  5. Natalie says

    August 19, 2018 at 9:40 pm

    5 stars
    Looks so delicious and comforting! Such a great idea for dinner!

    Reply
  6. Tara says

    August 19, 2018 at 10:29 pm

    5 stars
    Such a comforting casserole! I love all that cheese. I am still kicking myself for not trying a single Hatch Chile when we drove through New Mexico during our cross country move this summer.

    Reply
  7. Brian Jones says

    August 19, 2018 at 10:32 pm

    5 stars
    What a great sounding recipe, I love all things chili so this is definitely for me.

    Reply
  8. Amy | The Cook Report says

    August 20, 2018 at 6:10 am

    5 stars
    This looks so amazingly cheesy!

    Reply
  9. Ginny says

    August 22, 2018 at 8:29 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve been to Hatch, New Mexico and I cherish recipes using that beautiful chile. It looks like you did a beautiful classic recipe. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      September 1, 2018 at 3:06 pm

      Thank you Ginny! I’ve been to Santa Fe and Albuquerque, but never Hatch!

      Reply
      • Kristina says

        October 18, 2018 at 12:08 pm

        Hello,
        I made this wonderful dish last week. Amazing! SUch a great fall meal. I was wondering if you have the nutritional breakdown for those watching their macros. Thanks for posting !

        Reply
        • Cynthia says

          October 20, 2018 at 2:49 pm

          Thank you Kristina! I am working on getting nutritional info on my site. the only carbs are really from the chiles though.

          Reply
  10. Priya Shiva says

    August 22, 2018 at 8:34 pm

    5 stars
    wow! This looks so creamy and those roasted chillies would be absolutely delicious!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      September 1, 2018 at 3:05 pm

      thank you Priya! I love roasted chilies!

      Reply
  11. Matt @ Plating Pixels says

    August 22, 2018 at 10:00 pm

    5 stars
    What a great idea. Been trying to cut back on carbs and these look great.

    Reply
  12. Jeff the Chef says

    August 25, 2018 at 10:56 am

    I’m not super into chilis per se, but I love them in other things, and there are few other things I love as much as I love cheese!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      September 1, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      haha! Me too…I could never give up cheese!

      Reply
  13. John says

    August 28, 2018 at 7:18 am

    very nice… i really like your blog…

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      September 1, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      Thank you John!

      Reply
  14. sue | the view from great island says

    August 28, 2018 at 8:02 am

    This is one of my favorite Mexican dishes, but I never thought to make them with Hatch chiles, this is genius!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      September 1, 2018 at 2:58 pm

      I love the taste of Hatch chiles and chiles rellenos, but not all the carbs!

      Reply
  15. Mona says

    September 17, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    How many carbs per serving?

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      September 17, 2018 at 6:37 pm

      under 5 per serving. The only thing with carbs are the chilies and they’re only 2grams per cup. hope that helps.

      Reply
  16. Carrie says

    October 7, 2018 at 2:02 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! I didn’t have fresh chilies so I used a 25 oz can of whole Ortega Green Chilies. I also added chili powder and cumin to the egg mixture. I think in the future, I would use 5 or 6 eggs to add a bit more structure to the pieces.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      October 7, 2018 at 2:08 pm

      Canned chilies work just great! The good thing about adding more eggs is you’re just getting more protein! Chopped green onions would be great too. My oldest daughter has a strong aversion to cumin, but I love it…Sounds great.

      Reply
  17. Maria A Flores says

    October 10, 2018 at 10:37 am

    5 stars
    If you rinse the chiles they lose their flavor, just clean with a paper towel

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      October 14, 2018 at 7:49 pm

      Great to know! I can’t ever seem to get all the seeds out unless I rinse them, I’ll try that next time!

      Reply
  18. Om says

    November 2, 2018 at 6:20 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing very good recipe, god bless you dear.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      November 3, 2018 at 11:46 am

      You’re very welcome!

      Reply
  19. Vicki Traylor says

    November 2, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    Can this be out together the night before?

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      November 3, 2018 at 11:46 am

      Out together? You can make it the night before, but it will need to be refrigerated. It lasts for 2-3 days in the fridge.

      Reply
  20. Kathryn says

    December 13, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these tonight for my husband. We thought they were delicious! I used poblano peppers. I will definitely be making them again. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Liz says

      February 28, 2019 at 5:35 pm

      5 stars
      Made these tonight and they were delicious!! So much easier than making the tradition Chile relleno! Thanks for sharing:)

      Reply
      • Cynthia says

        March 1, 2019 at 6:51 am

        definitely easier than a traditional chilies rellenos! no frying or breading either!

        Reply
  21. Mary Ker says

    December 24, 2018 at 4:19 pm

    I added soyrizo (vegan chorizo) to this and took it to a brunch where there was a ton of other delicious food, and every scrap was eaten and I as asked for the recipe. I was concerned that there was no milk to make it a custard, but it as great!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      December 24, 2018 at 4:57 pm

      The addition of chorizo or soyrizo would be fabulous!

      Reply
  22. Sharrel caldwell says

    March 3, 2019 at 12:04 pm

    Wish i could use a nild peper my stomach can’t take the heat.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      March 4, 2019 at 6:29 am

      Actually you can find mild chilies and still get the flavor without the heat.

      Reply
  23. Mary says

    March 29, 2019 at 5:55 am

    5 stars
    This looks wonderful!
    Does anyone know of anywhere online where the pre-prepped roasted chiles are sold?

    I can just hear the screams of laughter, but I didn’t grow up in the west (though I’ve lived in Arizona and Texas) and I’ve roasted and processed chiles… I’m never doing it myself again, EVER.

    I’d love to make this dish, we’d probably love it, but I’m not up to confronting fresh chiles ever again.
    :-\

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      April 5, 2019 at 7:00 pm

      Yes! The Hatch Chile company sells them!I have a few pounds in my freezer right now!

      Reply
    • sharon sutton says

      May 5, 2019 at 9:36 am

      Walmart sells them online for less than $5/can for the big can. I have never found in my local store, but I order several cans, and have those big, heavy cans delivered right to my door…win/win! I’m never without them.

      Reply
      • Cynthia says

        May 6, 2019 at 5:57 am

        I didn’t know that! I usually buy them fresh and then freeze them. But they don’t last more than 4 months.

        Reply
        • Jane says

          September 2, 2019 at 6:48 pm

          This recipe looks really good. I’ve got a lot of poblanos in my garden. I’ve made chile rellenos but would like something with less fat so will try this one. How do you prep the chiles for freezing?

          Reply
          • Cynthia says

            September 12, 2019 at 8:05 pm

            Hi Jane,
            I usually just roast and lay them on a flat tray. Freeze them flat. After they’re frozen, I stack them
            and freeze a few pounds at a time. Sorry for the late response!

  24. Sissy says

    April 1, 2019 at 3:35 pm

    Thanks so much Cynthia! My boyfriend is a New Mexico native and it’s hard to fudge on the traditional recipes…. but I don’t even think he noticed that this was low carb….I added a layer of pork skins that I ran thru the food processor with each layer and on top that satisfied the need for crunch without frying! Salute!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      April 5, 2019 at 7:05 pm

      Awesome! I love New Mexico and am in love with Hatch chiles!

      Reply
  25. cheryl says

    April 13, 2019 at 2:12 pm

    5 stars
    My Dad was born in Hatch. I love Chile Rellenos. I am making this tonight, but using canned. Sorry. My cousin got Hatch Chile seeds & is growing them for me. I remember when I was younger & my Grandma brought me Hatch chiles to California, I had no clue. Seeded them with bare hands. Oh my! She showed me how to make chile relish & stacked enchiladas. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      April 14, 2019 at 2:38 pm

      Wow! Lucky you! I first heard of them about 20 years ago when a friend of mine whose mom was born in NM used to get a shipment of green chiles every fall. She’d have a chile rellenos party and invite us. She never called them “Hatch” though…I guess because if you’re from NM, they’re just “green chiles”!

      Reply
      • Tara says

        October 3, 2019 at 5:02 pm

        The Hatch name is bcuz they come from the Hatch Chile farm or the Hatch Valley where there are a lot of farms. It’s the soil that makes it taste good. There are also Chimayo Chiles…

        Reply
  26. Teri K says

    April 17, 2019 at 4:50 am

    Do you have the nutritional info for this?

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      April 24, 2019 at 6:17 pm

      it should be there Teri, I updated it.

      Reply
  27. Melisa says

    May 6, 2019 at 11:08 am

    I’ve made this twice, and we love it! I used reduced fat cheese. The second time, I used fat-free cottage cheese. The texture was a little loose, but it was still delicious. Works great in the crock pot, too! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      May 11, 2019 at 2:00 pm

      Wow! I’ve never made it in the crock pot! I’ve tried it with low fat cheeses too and it works fine…the fat keeps it keto and low carb friendly as well as helping keep it a bit thicker.

      Reply
  28. Lori says

    August 28, 2019 at 7:08 am

    Paper bags use glues which can also be harmful. I guess you just have to choose your poison.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      September 12, 2019 at 8:06 pm

      wow…I did not know that!

      Reply
  29. Anita says

    September 13, 2019 at 10:55 pm

    4 stars
    I love this low carb version! It’s similar to a green chile tacos I used to get requests for at the school I taught for Friday treats. It could be eaten with or without tortillas as you like. Difference in the recipe is I added garlic and cumin, cream cheese, black olives and sausage to the mix.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      September 16, 2019 at 4:59 pm

      that sounds wonderful too!

      Reply
  30. Tara says

    October 3, 2019 at 4:57 pm

    4 stars
    NM GIRL here… My only criticism is that this is called a CHILE RELLENO recipe. I expected a whole chile stuffed with the cheese inside of it and somehow made into a casserole.

    We also place our chiles in a plastic bag after roasting so it steams on the way home.

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      October 5, 2019 at 10:09 am

      Hi Tara, You’re right…but I really wanted everything traditional chile rellenos had flavor wise, but without the breading. So I guess “deconstructed” would be a better title! I wonder about the toxins in the plastic bags though? Another reader suggested putting them in a large bowl and covering them. I’m roasting today, so I think I’ll try that.

      Reply
      • Cecelia M Teague says

        October 12, 2019 at 10:49 am

        5 stars
        I’ve found the easiest way is to put the chile on a cookie tray after roasting and covereing them with a damp dish towel. After steaming put as many as you want in a ziplock bag and in the freezer. When you remove the frozen bag and thaw the skins come off very easily!

        Reply
        • Cynthia says

          October 22, 2019 at 5:52 am

          nice! I’ll try that next time. I put my husband on roasting duty this time.

          Reply
  31. CP says

    December 3, 2019 at 7:32 am

    I’m am definitely going to try this recipe. I am only concerned with all egg and no milk mixture. I wonder what 1or 2 Tablespoons of milk or cream would produce texture wise? Another recipe I saw had a mixture with 5 eggs and two cups of milk—that seems like way too much milk!

    Reply
    • Cynthia says

      December 7, 2019 at 10:37 am

      What I was going for here, was more of actual chiles rellenos, rather than a eggy/cheesy dish, so that’s why mine does not have any milk in it…I totally think you could add a couple of tablespoons of cream or whole milk and it will be just as delicious. Let me know!

      Reply

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Cynthia WoodmanHi, I’m Cynthia McCloud Woodman. Welcome to my blog ​where I cook healthy food with a global spin!

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