Learn how to roast poblano peppers in the oven (psst -- it's not hard!). Just a little bit of olive oil and a baking sheet are all you need to make roasted peppers year-round and in any kind of stove. These are so great in tacos and on sandwiches!
Roasted peppers are one of those foods that I can eat by the bowlful. Roasting them mellows their flavors and gives them the BEST charred exterior, making them a wonderful addition to a ton of savory recipes.
Or you can be like me and eat slice after slice as-is. Such is the story with me and roasted red peppers. I have a hard to resisting their siren song and not snacking on them straight up, which makes it a bit difficult to reserve some for delicious things like Italian sausage quesadillas.
YUM.
Today though is all about the poblano pepper. When I read recipes by chefs that include peppers, I'll cross my fingers as I go through the ingredient list hoping that there aren't any far-flung varieties included. While I'm certainly lucky to have several different grocery chains close by, I wouldn't bet money on finding much more than the usual bell/jalapeno/habanero range.
Scotch bonnet? Piri piri? Cherry peppers? I wish.
Luckily though poblano peppers are pretty prevalent across the board! They're not a spicy pepper (much less spicy than a habanero in fact), so don't worry about that if you're sensitive to heat. Instead they bring a meatiness and slightly smoky flavor to recipes that you wouldn't get with, say, a raw poblano or green bell pepper.
There are a few different ways to roast poblano peppers, but I wanted to stick with what might be the most accessible - oven roasting. While you can also roast them on a grill or stick them on a gas stove burner, oven roasting is an easy year-round method and doesn't shut out electric stove owners (like me!).
For starters, high heat is a must. We're heating the oven to 425°F here.
The rest is pretty simple: rub poblano peppers with oil, place on a baking sheet, and roast on all sides until they develop that beautiful charred surface.
Tip to Easily Peel the Skin
Once the poblano pepper has roasted, place it in a heat-safe bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a dish towel. This traps the steam in the bowl and makes it SO easy to remove in just a few seconds.
From there, slice off the top of the poblano and to remove the stem and seeds. Even though poblano peppers aren't super spicy, I always use disposable gloves (something powder-free and affordable like these <-- affiliate link) when I'm slicing and dicing them. Better safe than sorry, right? I wear contact lenses and I don't even want to imagine putting my fingers near my eyeballs afterwards.
I also use disposable gloves when I make meatballs because I prefer mixing everything with my hands. They come in handy in more ways than just cleaning!
What recipes should I make with roasted poblano peppers?
The sky's the limit! I've used them in amazing grilled cheeses (any grilled cheese will do, but this sourdough havarti grilled cheese with peppers and onions specifically) and love them in tacos. Speaking of, strips of roasted poblanos would be the perfect addition to grilled carne asada tacos or a hearty southwestern frittata with potato and beef.
Blending two of them into salsa verde adds a wonderful smokiness to an easy homemade blender salsa. You can find that recipe in this DIY salsa bar post.
Recipe notes:
- For simplicity's sake, the recipe as written below is for one poblano pepper. It can easily be increased for multiple peppers. Unused roasted poblano pepper portions can be refrigerated for several days.
How to Roast Poblano Peppers in the Oven
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper
- Olive oil, for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Rub all sides of the poblano pepper generously with oil and place on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 6-8 minutes on each of the three sides by carefully turning pepper over with tongs, until the skin is charred and blistered evenly around. Continue roasting for extra time as needed until all sides are well charred/blistered, as this will help the skin come off easier in the next step.
- Place roasted poblano pepper in a heat-proof bowl and cover the top with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Let the pepper sit for 10-15 minutes, at which point the pepper will be deflated and the skin will appear shriveled and easily slide off.
- Once the skin is removed, slice off the very top of the pepper to remove the stem. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Slice and use the roasted and peeled poblano peppers in your favorite recipes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
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Becky Billings says
I cut out the stem and slice down one side to get all the seeds before roasting. They don't seem to fall apart so badly.
Alyssa says
Great tip! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Barbara Parris says
I did it and it was delicious! I cooked one poblano to see if I could do it and I nailed it! I cleaned it, used some queso Fresco inside, put it in the microwave and then ate it! I couldn’t wait. Next time, I will have more patience.
Alyssa says
So happy it worked for you! Sounds delicious. 🙂
Mindy says
This turned out amazing. Seriously, the best I’ve ever had with a broiler - love it! Thanks so much for sharing this.
Alyssa says
You're very welcome! So glad you liked. 🙂
Gayle Davis says
I am roasting Anaheim Chilis for chili rellenos. I read somewhere if peeling is difficult you can use lukewarm water and they peel extremely easy. I won't be removing the stem, just removing the seeds to stuff with cheese, coat and fry. Thanks for the alternative to the gas stove charring.
Alyssa says
Chili rellenos sounds delicious. Happy to be of help!
Dave says
Thanks for this; for the how hot and how long, because I would have done it wrong if I'd guessed.
I'm preparing a Mediterranean style Lamb and Eggplant stew out of a cookbook, and long story short, I'm going to add roasted Poblano peppers instead of the complicated green sauce the book suggests.
Alyssa says
You're welcome, Dave! That stew sounds delicious.
Tina says
Why do they need to be peeled? Don’t you want the char part?
Alyssa says
Hi Tina, the pepper itself will be softened and charred. What you're peeling is the very very thin, crinkly looking layer that you can see in the first picture in this post. You'll generally want to remove that as it can be tough to chew. The fourth picture in this post of the pepper on a white plate is charred and has had the skin removed already.
HW Bass says
Many years ago , I spent time in New Mexico. I was really into peppers . After enjoying charred, peeled peppers , I brought a parcel of them home to coastal Texas. It was difficult to peel peppers outside on coals. I believe it had something to do with the humidity here. I have learned to use a gas flame to accomplish this now.
Sharon says
No, it’s bitter. These are very good in recipes like black bean soup and chicken enchiladas. I also love them in an omelette.
Aline Terrell says
Works beautifully! Thank you for the instructions. I've wanted to roast fresh poblanos for ages but we have an electric stove/oven, and all the instructions I've seen were for gas or an open flame. I found a recipe for stuffed poblanos I'm going to try tonight, but my first use was in a lamb chili, and they were *delicious*.
I've got multiple pepper plants starting to produce now, so I can guarantee this recipe is going to get quite a bit of use!
Alyssa says
You're so welcome, Aline! That chili sounds absolutely delicious. And I'm jealous of your garden - I didn't get around to planting any peppers this year!
Carolyn says
How do you stuff them once they've been charred and peeled? They don't look very stuffable!
Alyssa says
Hi Carolyn, once roasted and peeled, you're right - they're pretty slippery and don't hold their shape well. When I stuff poblanos I like to bake them so they're just sitting on a baking sheet so their lack of structure isn't as big a deal. You can see some pictures of the roasted/peeled/stuffed poblanos in my post here: https://www.mysequinedlife.com/healthy-stuffed-poblano-peppers/ (specifically the 4th and 6th pictures). I hope that's helpful!
Christie says
Yes!! These instructions were perfect!! I was able to remove the skin easily. And I’m glad that you mentioned wearing gloves. My neighbor works in healthcare and gave me a full box of powder free nitrate gloves one day, “just in case”.
Thank you for sharing!!
Alyssa says
Perfect! You're so welcome -- glad you like them! 🙂
Puck says
I was doing peppers in the broiler, I even did them on the stove top... What a mess! I thought one our neighbors would call the fire department with all the smoke coming from our apartment. Lol
Today I tried roasting them exactly the way in your recipe and they came out gorgeous! And it was so easy to peel them. And the flavor was amazing! Thanks for simplifying this recipe it is going to be my go to recipe from now on.
I am using the roasted peppers to surprise my guy with one of his favorite Mexican dishes, chili riano. Now if I can keep my eggs thick and fluffy all will be good and he will be happy! Wish me luck!
Alyssa says
Oh I'm so glad you like them!! My last apartment didn't have windows that opened so cooking on the stovetop/searing things was always an adventure. That dish sounds amazing - hope you enjoy! 🙂
Thisbouquet says
I’m going to try this method as opposed to using the broiler. You should totally try these stuffed! I use whatever meat I have on hand (last time it was a leftover rotisserie chicken). I chopped it up and mixed with 4 oz cream cheese then placed that and a pepper jack cheese stick, then rolled them in aluminum foil. Everything is already cooked, so really, you’re just waiting on the cheese to melt. I also use mozzarella/provolone shredded if I don’t want the heat of pepper jack. We eat them with fried potatoes and queso fresco in a Mexican dish called Rajas con papas. Delicious!
Alyssa says
Ooh wow that all sounds amazing. Like a take on a jalapeno popper. I frequently have leftover rotisserie chicken meat so I know what I'm going to make next time. Thank you for the suggestion! 🙂
Brenda says
How do you make stuffed with cheese/cream cheese ?
Alyssa says
Hi Brenda, I don't yet have a recipe on my site for stuffed poblanos so I don't have a method to recommend, though stuffed with cream cheese sounds delicious!
Jennifer E says
How can I store these in the freezer
Alyssa says
Hi Jennifer, once the stem and seeds are discarded, I'd let the peppers cool to room temperature and then place them in freezer bags for freezing. If you've roasted multiple poblanos you may want to break them up over several bags/containers and freeze in smaller batches. That way you won't have to struggle to pull them apart to use once frozen together.
Lynn R says
Instead of multiple bags, wrap each pepper in plastic wrap, then put them all in one zip bag. Easy to separate one from the bunch! I do this with lots of things, including slices of bacon, so I can use just one at a time. AND you have all of one thing in one bag, so they don't get scattered in the freezer and possibly lost in the shuffle.
Alyssa says
Those are great tips! Thanks for sharing, Lynn. 🙂
Sandi says
Worked like a charm and so easy. Really appreciate this oven option to roast the peppers and also liked the photos to assure myself that I was on the right track!
Alyssa says
Awesome! So glad you like them, Sandi. 🙂
Robbie says
How do I keep from smoking out the apartment? I’m worried the amount of smoke it’s producing is going to set of the fire alarm.
Alyssa says
Hi Robbie, I know it can be tough in an apartment to manage kitchen smoke. A tip to lessen the amount is to make sure just the pepper has oil on it (i.e. there's not excess oil pooled on the sheet pan). Other than turning on a ceiling fan, opening a window if your apartment has ones that open, and turning on the vent above the stove if you have one, I'm afraid I don't have other tips.
Brandi says
Poblano peppers are my favorite for tacos and burritos! Great to know how to roast them!
Alyssa says
Love them! Thanks Brandi!
Jillian Wade says
I don't have gas burners on my stove so I was unsure how to roast peppers in the oven. Thankfully I came across your recipe and your method worked beautifully!
Alyssa says
So glad! 🙂