Chiles en Nogada

Roasted poblanos filled with savory fruit-studded meat, topped with walnut sauce and pomegranate.

Mexico · Main Dishes · 75 min

DeSabor Kitchen · Published October 5, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026 · 35 / 40 / 75 min · 4 · Mexico

Roast and peel the poblanos gently so they remain whole enough to hold filling. Cook the picadillo until moist but not watery. Keep the walnut sauce cool while the filled peppers are warm; this version is not battered.

Ingredients

• 4 large poblano peppers
• 400 g ground pork
• 1 tbsp oil; 1/2 onion and 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 apple and 1 pear, peeled and diced
• 30 g raisins; 30 g chopped almonds
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 3/4 tsp salt
• 150 g walnuts; 150 ml milk; 100 g fresh cheese
• 1 tsp sugar; 80 g pomegranate seeds; 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Roast peppers under a hot grill, turning until blistered. Cover in a bowl 10 minutes, peel gently and cut a slit to remove seeds without tearing the peppers.
2. Heat oil; soften onion and garlic 5 minutes. Add pork and cook 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, fruit, raisins, almonds, cinnamon and salt; simmer 15 minutes until pork reaches 71°C and the filling is moist but not watery.
3. Blend walnuts, milk, cheese and sugar into a smooth sauce. Adjust salt and thin with a spoonful of milk if necessary.
4. Fill warm peppers with picadillo. Spoon over walnut sauce and scatter with pomegranate and parsley.

Cook's Tips

• This version is unbattered. Keep the walnut sauce chilled until needed, and use fresh walnuts to avoid bitterness.

Home-style recipe; not independently kitchen-tested. Check all ingredients and substitutions for allergens. Times are estimates; use the texture and temperature checks in the method. Serving accompaniments are separate unless listed. In temperatures above 32°C, refrigerate perishables within 1 hour rather than 2.