Baked Chorizo-Butternut Squash Chile Rellenos
Baked in a spicy, flavorful ranchero sauce, this roasted chorizo-butternut squash chile relleno recipe offers a fun fall twist on this Tex-Mex dish.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 780kcal
Ingredients
For Chile Rellenos
- 4 poblano or pasilla chile peppers
- Canola oil
- 1 butternut squash halved, seeds removed
- Salt and pepper
- Water
- 1 pound chorizo
- 1 cup smoked cheddar cheese
- Fresh cilantro optional, chopped, for garnish
For Ranchero Sauce
- 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno chopped, with seeds
- 3 garlic cloves minced or grated
- 1 (15 ounce) canned tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Rub the poblano or pasilla chile peppers with canola oil. Place on a broiler-safe pan and roast under the broiler until the skin blisters and turns black. Carefully turn on all sides so that the peppers are completely roasted. Seal in a plastic bag and let the peppers sweat for 10 to 15 minutes.
- As the peppers sweat, heat oven to 425 degrees and rub the butternut squash halves with canola oil and salt and pepper. Place in a baking pan with about an inch of water. Roast until the squash is soft enough to puree. Depending on the size of the squash, this should take about 45 to 60 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the roasted squash and puree to your desired consistency.
- While the squash roasts, brown the chorizo in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until cooked through. Use a wooden spoon to break up the chorizo as it cooks. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- For the ranchero sauce, which you can also make as the squash roasts, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and jalapeno and cook for about four minutes. Stir occasionally. Toss in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato sauce, chicken stock, tomato paste and spices. Cook for about 15 minutes and stir occasionally. Turn off heat. Add salt to taste and stir in fresh cilantro.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Pour the ranchero sauce into a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan. Evenly mix together the butternut squash puree and chorizo in a bowl. Make a slit in one side of the chile pepper and stuff with the butternut squash-chorizo mixture. Place in the pan with the ranchero sauce and top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Top with additional fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
- This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes to an hour before baking to prevent the pan from cracking.
- You can also take care of any or all steps ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for quicker assembly.
Nutrition
Calories: 780kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1991mg | Potassium: 1283mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 20460IU | Vitamin C: 56.1mg | Calcium: 328mg | Iron: 4.1mg