How to Roast Poblano Peppers – 4 methods

Ever wondered how to roast poblano peppers? Keep reading for 4 easy methods of roasting all varieties of peppers: oven, broiler, grill, and stovetop.

Perfect for salads, soups, stuffed (think chile relleno), or to eat unadorned, roasted poblano peppers are just plain delicious. Sweet, smoky, with gentle lingering heat, tender roasted peppers are a must have in any kitchen. They add tons of flavor and goodness to many recipes. Poblanos with cheese is a match made in heaven!

Did you know? Poblano peppers = ancho chiles:  Fully ripe poblano peppers turn a deep red color, and when dried, are called ancho chiles. Dried ancho chiles are widely used in popular Mexican dishes. You may even have ground ancho chile powder in your spice rack. 

You all know how much I like roasted vegetables. Roasting vegetables brings out so much sweet flavor because the high heat caramelizes the natural sugar in vegetables. The flavor is enhanced by the browning/charring/ smoky flavor of the the heat source. 

Roasting peppers has an additional benefit: once roasted and steamed, the tough outer skins easily peel off. Piece of cake!

Shiny dark green poblano peppers are firm, slightly smaller than bell peppers, and are readily available in most grocery stores. You may be wondering if these peppers will leave your mouth burning. I’m not a huge fan of super spicy things, but I love these peppers. They have a pleasant heat that won’t have you running to the sink for cold water. 

How hot is it? Poblanos clock in at 1000-2000 on the Scoville scale, milder than jalapeño peppers, which range from 2500-8000. While 2000 sounds like a lot, it’s in the mild range for peppers. The Scoville scale starts at zero (bell peppers) and goes to 16,000,000 (pure capsaicin). Yowza! If you’re into things like that, check out the Scoville scale here. It’s interesting to see where your favorite peppers fall on the scale.

And you don’t have to feel guilty about eating poblanos: peppers have less than 50 calories each and are good for you! Poblanos are rich in vitamin C and vitamin A, both powerful antioxidants. A good source of fiber, low in carbohydrates and with no fat or cholesterol, poblanos also provide important minerals such as potassium and iron.

Enough talking, are you ready to start roasting? Here we go!

How to Roast Poblano Peppers:

I’m going to show you 4 ways to roast poblano peppers. The same methods can be used to roast other varieties of peppers, including bell peppers.

First of all, for all four methods, wash peppers thoroughly, dry, and leave whole with stems intact.

Note: If you want to shorten the roasting time, cut the peppers in half, lengthwise, and lay them cut side down on the baking pan. You won’t have to flip them halfway through the cooking time.

Easy so far, right?

Method 1: Roasting poblano peppers in the oven

• Oven roasting is the preferred method for roasting larger batches of peppers because you can do several peppers at the same time. Only have a few peppers? Bake them in your toaster oven. 
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper for easy clean up. Place the peppers on the pan and put it in the oven. 
• Roast for 35-40 minutes, turning once with tongs, or until the outsides are somewhat blackened (or browned) and peppers feel softened. How can you tell they’re done? You should be able to see the outer layer blistering, cracking, and starting to pull away from the flesh.
• With tongs, remove the peppers from the baking pan and put them into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a large plate, anything that contains the steam. You can put them into a plastic bag. Let the peppers cool long enough so that you can handle them, 10-15 minutes.
• When the peppers are ready, you should be able to gently pull the stem and seeds right out. Or carefully cut the pepper in half and remove just the seeds. Use your fingers or a paper towel to rub off the tough outer skin. That’s it!

Method 2: Roasting poblano peppers using the broiler

• Position oven rack 6 inches from broiler flame and preheat oven broiler (or toaster oven) to high (500°F). Place whole poblano peppers on a baking sheet (line with foil for easy clean-up) and broil for 10 minutes, flipping once, until all sides are blackened.
• With tongs, remove the peppers from the baking pan and put them into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a large plate, anything that contains the steam. You can put them into a plastic bag. Let the peppers cool long enough so that you can handle them, 10-15 minutes.
• When the peppers are ready, you should be able to gently pull the stem and seeds right out. Or carefully cut the pepper in half and remove just the seeds. Use your fingers or a paper towel to rub off the tough outer skin. 

Method 3: Roasting poblano peppers on the grill

• Prefer to take it outside? You can easily roast peppers on the grill. 
• With your grill preheated to a high temperature, place poblano pepper directly on grill grates. Use tongs to flip pepper occasionally, until the skin blackens and bubbles, 2-3 minutes on each side. Don’t allow it to turn white or catch fire.
• With tongs, remove the peppers from the baking pan and put them into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a large plate, anything that contains the steam. You can put them into a plastic bag. Let the peppers cool long enough so that you can handle them, 10-15 minutes.
• When the peppers are ready, you should be able to gently pull the stem and seeds right out. Or carefully cut the pepper in half and remove just the seeds. Use your fingers or a paper towel to rub off the tough outer skin. 

Method 4: Roasting poblano peppers on a gas stove

• Only have one or two peppers to roast? You may want to use your gas stove burner instead of turning on the oven or broiler. Protect your stove top from drips with foil around the burner. Be super careful with the open flame! Sorry, this method won’t work with an electric stove.
• Place poblano pepper directly over an open flame, medium heat. Use tongs to flip pepper occasionally, until the skin blackens and bubbles. Don’t allow it to turn white or catch fire.
• With tongs, remove the peppers from the baking pan and put them into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a large plate, anything that contains the steam. You can put them into a plastic bag. Let the peppers cool long enough so that you can handle them, 10-15 minutes.
• When the peppers are ready, you should be able to gently pull the stem and seeds right out. Or carefully cut the pepper in half and remove just the seeds. Use your fingers or a paper towel to rub off the tough outer skin. 

How do I use roasted poblano peppers?

Try poblano queso dip, it’s so creamy and delicious! You’ll find that it disappears quickly at parties and get-togethers. Or make chile relleno soup, with all the deliciousness of cheesy stuffed poblano peppers in a wonderful soup. Another one of my favorites is this Southwestern farro salad with roasted poblanos, sweet potatoes, black beans, and corn. So good!

Storage Tips

Once cooled and peeled, roasted peppers of any kind can be stored in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days. Or pop them into a freezer-safe container and store them in your freezer for 10-12 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge. They can also be canned but that’s a post for another day!

Learn how to…

I hope “how-to” tutorials like this post on roasting peppers are helpful to both new and experienced cooks, maybe answering some questions you may have. Cooking is definitely a learning process!  Here’s a few of my most popular ones. Learn:

 

• How To Cook Butternut Squash (4 methods) or Kabocha Squash (3 ways)
• How To Make Whipped Cream
• How To Cook Spaghetti Squash (5 different ways)
• How To Make Croutons (you’ll never go back to store bought!)
• How To Cook Acorn Squash (a sweet and a savory way)
• How to Cook Beets

Verdict: I’ve used all of these methods and they’re all very easy and effective. Poblano peppers are so tasty, if you haven’t tried them, you must! 
Husband’s take: Ben loves everything I make with poblanos.
Changes I would make: None at all!
Difficulty: Each and every method is very easy. Pick the one that works best for you!