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Creamy Chiles en Nogada with Festive Walnut Sauce

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A classic Mexican celebration dish featuring roasted poblano peppers stuffed with a sweet-and-savory pork and fruit filling, topped with a silky walnut sauce and festive pomegranate seeds. This approachable version is perfect for holidays, potlucks, or any night you want a comforting, colorful meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 large poblano peppers
  • 1 lb ground pork (or beef, or a 50/50 mix)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium apple, peeled and diced (Granny Smith or Gala)
  • 1 ripe pear, diced
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots, diced (optional)
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds (lightly toasted)
  • 1/4 cup candied citron or dried pineapple, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 medium tomato, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup shelled walnuts (soaked in hot water 1 hour, drained)
  • 1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk (or unsweetened almond milk)
  • 3 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1–2 tbsp dry sherry or white wine (optional)
  • 2 tbsp sugar (or honey)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat broiler to high. Place poblano peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning every 3-5 minutes, until skins are blistered and blackened.
  2. Transfer roasted peppers to a large bowl, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. Once cool, gently rub off skins, make a slit, and remove seeds, keeping stems intact.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  4. Add ground pork and cook, stirring, until browned and no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
  5. Add apple, pear, raisins, apricots, almonds, citron (if using), and tomato. Stir well. Sprinkle in cinnamon, cloves, allspice, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5-7 minutes until fruit is soft and flavors meld. Adjust seasoning.
  6. Gently fill each peeled poblano with about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture. Do not overstuff.
  7. Drain soaked walnuts and add to blender or food processor. Add crema, milk, cream cheese, sherry, sugar, and salt. Blend until silky-smooth, scraping sides as needed. Adjust thickness with more milk if needed.
  8. Arrange stuffed peppers on serving platter. Pour walnut sauce over each chile. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and parsley.
  9. Serve immediately at room temperature or gently warmed.

Notes

Soak walnuts to remove bitterness for a creamy sauce. Anaheim peppers can substitute for poblanos. For vegetarian, use mushrooms and lentils in the filling. Sauce can be made ahead and thinned with milk if needed. Do not rinse peppers under water after roasting to preserve flavor. Leftovers taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: Chiles en Nogada, Mexican Independence Day, walnut sauce, stuffed peppers, festive, holiday, comfort food, gluten-free, easy Mexican recipe

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/creamy-chiles-en-nogada-recipe-easy-festive-walnut-sauce-guide/