Meatloaf Stuffed Poblanos

If you love meatloaf and love stuffed peppers, then why not marry the two and make Meatloaf Stuffed Poblanos! With a spiced up meat mixture topped with salsa and three different cheeses, these stuffed poblano peppers pack a lot of flavor in a deliciously gluten-free shell.

Course Dinner, Gluten Free, Main, Main Course

Cuisine American, Comfort Food, Gluten Free, Hispanic, Mexican

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings stuffed peppers

Calories 300kcal

Author Karly Gomez

Ingredients

8 poblano peppers halved and seeded
2 lbs 85/15 ground beef
1 10 oz can original rotel thoroughly drained
1 ½ cups sweet yellon onion finely diced
1 ½ tablespoons fresh garlic minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro minced
1 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅔ cup crushed corn chips
1 large egg
2-3 dashes chipotle tabasco sauce
2 cups monterey jack cheese shredded, divided
2 cups pepper jack cheese shredded, divided
2 cups salsa
½ cup queso fresco crumbled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place 8 poblano halves on each baking sheet, cut side facing up and bake on two center racks for 10-12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool briefly.
In a large bowl, add the ground beef through the tabasco sauce, then add half of the monterey jack cheese and half of the pepper jack cheese. Mix by hand until all the ingredients are thoroughly and evenly incorporated. Spoon mixture into each poblano half, pressing the mixture down to fill the whole cavity. Mound excess meatloaf mixture up in the center of each pepper, as the meatloaf will shrink as it cooks. Place both baking sheets on the two center racks and bake for 40 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
Remove baking sheets from the oven and spoon 2 tablespoons of salsa onto each meatloaf, then sprinkle with the remaining monterey and pepper jack cheese, then sprinkle with the crumbled queso fresco. Place sheets back into the oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for a couple minutes before serving.

Notes

it's best to grab large poblano peppers that are as filled-out as possible. Let them naturally rest on your cutting surface, then set them upright and slice them straight down the middle so you automatically have one side that sits perfectly. Remove the seeds and ribs, but I recommend leaving the stems so they have a better boat-shape to hold the filling.
the meatloaf is very customizable. If you're worried about heat, omit the Tabasco, or use regular diced tomatoes instead of Rotel. You could also use more Monterey jack cheese instead of pepper jack. I wouldn't mess with the chili powder, however, because you need that flavor.
I added a bit of chipotle chili powder and used chipotle Tabasco to add a touch of smoky flavor. If you don't have either, swap it for regular chili powder and regular Tabasco.
If you don't have any queso fresco on hand, you can use feta in its place, or omit it entirely.
if gluten isn't a concern, you can use panko breadcrumbs instead of crushed corn chips.

Nutrition