BLACK BEAN STUFFED POBLANOS

Chorizo & Black Bean Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Gluten-Free)

Author: Willow at Will Cook For Friends

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  35 mins

Total time:  45 mins

Serves: 8 small servings or 4 large servings

These peppers are packed with flavor, and incredibly easy to make. Serve them just as they are, or with a side of brown rice, quinoa, or other grain for a heartier meal. Naturally gluten-free.

Ingredients

For the peppers:

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• ½ small onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ lb. ground chorizo
• ½ cup cooked black beans (homemade, or canned and drained/rinsed)
• ½ cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup grated chihuahua cheese, divided (or monterrey jack, or mild cheddar)
• 4 poblano peppers

Optional, for serving:

• fresh salsa or your favorite hot sauce
• cumbled queso fresco
• chopped cilantro
• sour cream or mexican crema
• lime widges
• rice, quinoa, or other grain on the side

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions until they start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chorizo, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the chorizo is fully cooked, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the beans, corn, and cilantro. Stir to combine, then mix in ½ cup of the grated chihuahua cheese.
4. Cut the poblanos in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds and veins. Stuff each half with the chorizo mixture, packing it in as tightly as you can, and place the peppers into a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
5. Divide the remaining cheese evenly over the top of the peppers, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and the cheese is bubbly and browned.
6. Remove from the oven and serve with the toppings of your choice -- I like mine with crumbled queso fresco, a bit of cholula hot sauce, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve them as they are, or with a side of brown rice, quinoa, or other grain.

Notes

Depending on the size of your poblanos, this recipe should make just about the right amount of filling... but if you happen to have a little extra, don't let it go to waste. Once you've cooked up the filling, you can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, and use it for all kinds of things -- fill quesadillas with it, stuff it inside a baked potato, spoon it over rice, top it with fried eggs, or make the most amazing plate of nachos. In fact, now that I think about it, you might want to just go ahead and double or triple the amount of filling here, because there are just so many uses for it!