I love a good cheesy Mexican dish, but they can be high on the calorie scale. Here’s a healthy version of a classic my Grams made growing up – Chile Rellenos. Instead of stuffing them with cheese and frying them, I made a casserole with some hidden veggies and creaminess from greek yogurt.
Last night I made a stir-fry with brown rice. Does anyone else make 18 cups every time they cook it? So, I always end up racking my brain to think of what I can do with the extra rice. Luckily, I thought up this recipe and was able to use it up!
This is a Mexican Meatless Monday Recipe too! It’s just not Monday, lucky us.
Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
{Vegetarian, Gluten free}
Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Chop onion and bell pepper. Cook until soft, season with garlic powder.
Mix rice, corn and green chile in a big bowl.
Add bell pepper and onion mix. Combine.
Add eggs, yogurt and half the shredded cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Combine.
Place in 8×8 sprayed baking pan. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until set.
Done!
Enjoy!
Question: Did your Grams or Gramps cook for you growing up? What was your favorite thing she/he made?
Tanya says
I just made this for dinner tonight, absolutely amazing! Thank-you for sharing!!!
runeatrepeat says
Yeah! Glad you liked it!
Smitty says
I know the post is old, but I was searching for an easy recipe to use up some cooked chicken and this one caught my eye. I used chicken instead of rice and added Mexican tomato sauce before the cheese! Wow! I think the big difference is the greek yogurt. It really made it creamy.
Thanks so much for a great recipe! I will try it meatless when I have extra rice on hand:)
runeatrepeat says
Glad you liked it!
Kristin W says
Made this for dinner tonight and everyone (even the kind of picky 5 year old) slurped it right up. So delicious! Thanks for a great recipe.
MPaula says
I make a casserole that I call mock pizza. It has a layer of cooked rice on the bottom, then a layer of cooked vegetables, a layer of tomato sauce and shredded cheese. I made it to use up cooked rice and cooked vegetables. My father loved it so much that it became his contribution to pot luck dinners.
My grandmother made all kinds of preserves, any of which I was happy to eat. She also made fruit cake and I wish she were still around to make it. (I have no idea why some people hate fruitcake.) She made wedding cakes with the fruit cake and was in great demand.
janetha says
oh. yum.
Kelly says
How many servings is this supposed to make???
Christine says
I made this for dinner last night and I loved it! My husband was pretty skeptical about it when I told him what I was making, but he ended up loving it as well. Thanks for the recipe!
runeatrepeat says
Yah! Thanks for letting me know!
Elizabeth says
making this for dinner tonight. Chile rellenos are a fav of mine, you know the ones drowned in oil. Glad this is a healthier version. Using chiles poblanos as my store was out of green peppers?!
runeatrepeat says
Let me know how it comes out with those!
Elizabeth says
It was great. Family enjoyed every bit of it. Had a strong chile relleno taste to it. I’m sad there was no leftovers.
Allison says
My grams is Amish Mennonite and whenever she would have the family over she was always serving green beans and mashed potatoes with some kind of meat… but it is her baking that I always looked forward to: cookies and pies, oh my!!
Sarah says
I made this last night – it was super easy and really delicious – thanks!
Ashley says
I made this lastnight with a few small changes for “Meatless Monday” and it was a huge hit! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Bonnie says
My grandmother on my dad’s side (we used to call her “Mamita” ha ha) used to cook us arroz con pollo. I’ve had many versions, but not were as good as hers. On Mom’s side, my other grandmother (Mimi) was a fabulous baker, handing down the secret apple and pecan recipies from the deep South. Your post sparked memories. I miss them both.
Sarah says
I made this last night–with just a few changes–and it was WONDERFUL! My changes were creamed style corn for regular (thought I had a can of regular but didn’t) and I added a few tablespoons of TJ’s Corn Salsa (our favorite TJ’s salsa). I really like that this is a casserole recipe that doesn’t use a can of cream soup! I will be making this again! Thanks Monica!
runeatrepeat says
Yah! Glad you liked it!
Nicole says
My Grandma on my Mom’s side used to bake and cook everything from scratch. She would even make her own jams and jellies. I remember being on her farm and there would be loaves of homemade white bread which we’d slather with butter (from their dairy cows) and/or spoonfuls of jelly. I loved her Strawberry Jelly!
Ashley @ OurPersonalRecords says
This looks delicious! I think I’m going to have to try this with quinoa and a boat load of hot sauce.
Doni says
Both my grandmas made “creative” (i.e. disgusting) things. (green jello with cottage cheese, pineapple, and mayonnaise? blech.) We ate a lot of KFC at one house, and pancakes (with fresh honey from her bees) at the other.
I will definitely be making your chile relleno. Looks amazing. And my gluten sensitive MIL can even eat it.
runeatrepeat says
I like your use of the word ‘creative’, nice way to put it 🙂
april says
yum, i love this chile relleno inspired dish! it looks so yummy and easy to make. i always have tons of leftover brown rice and quinoa when i make it, too! i blame the rice cooker 😉
my grandma makes the BEST apple pie and potato salad. i could live off those two dishes for the rest of my life!
Kathleen says
My grandmother made the best cookies – oatmeal banana cookies with a pecan on top and sugar cookies filled with homemade jam. Oh, the memories come flooding back. Miss you grandma.
Ashley @ Eat Run Live Happy says
My grandma made the best chicken and rice soup and stuffed peppers.
Megan says
My grandma was a lazy bumpkin and any time we visited her we ate KFC… it was always on nights when my mom was out golfing so it was basically my dads treat for visiting the g-ma haha
Ashley @ Eat Run Live Happy says
HAHA I had to laugh because after my grandma decided she didn’t want to cook anymore the only thing she wanted when she came over was KFC.
Sue says
First time I’m hearing about this – don’t think I k now of anyone (at least over here) using rice for a casserole. Cool idea! Usually we just make fried rice or porridge/gruel with leftover rice.
Amy H. says
That looks delicious! On a scale of 1-10, how spicy is it (with 10 being so-hot-my-mouth-is-on-fire-thinking-about-it)?
My grandmother makes creamed potatoes that are just SO GOOD! I’ve never tried to recreate it, but one of these days I will.
runeatrepeat says
Not spicy at all! I’d say a 2.
Tom T. says
I have made taco casserole before and this looks similar. However I think the eggs are a nice addition. Good meatless meal.
Angela says
My grandma made the best eggs and ham for breakfast. I don’t know why, but it always tasted best when she made it!
runeatrepeat says
Awww, I like that 🙂
Cassie @ Rural Running Redhead says
This looks like a great make-ahead-and-bake-later recipe! My grandma made (still makes) homemade angel food cake. It’s amazing.
Melanie Riojas says
This made me laugh. You are really something else. Are you sure you’re Mexican because I am pretty sure the word is “chiles” NOT chili. Even the can from Trader Joe says “chile”. Oh and by the way, this is NOT a recipe for chiles rellenos because there are no stuffed chiles in here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile_relleno
runeatrepeat says
It’s a chile relleno inspired casserole, not chile rellenos. Thanks for the head’s up about the spelling error though, I’ll fix it.
Melanie Riojas says
You also need to fix it here: https://runeatrepeat.com/2011/02/21/easy-chili-rellenos/
Melanie Riojas says
But still no chiles rellenos in the casserole. Doesn’t make sense.
betty says
its an inspired dish. get over yourself.
Sarah says
YUM! I love a good chile relleno and this looks like a great take. Plus, I’m from Texas so I love any kind of casserole.
Kim says
Looks delicious – I think it would even be good with some shredded chicken!
My grandma was a great cook. My favorite thing was her fresh green bean with new potatoes and bacon – so good!!
Amanda @ Pink Runner Girl says
OH YUM. My step grandma makes a really good sweet potato casserole and my other granny makes this cool whip/strawberry jelly/pretzel dessert that is just SO GOOD.
Sara @ LovingOnTheRun says
Yummm this looks delicious! I would have to not tell my husband what is in it, but he typically will eat anything if he doesn’t know it’s “good” for him. haha
Christine @ BookishlyB says
My grandmother’s motto has always been, “It tastes better if someone else cooks it.” So yeah, we ate out a lot when we went to visit her.
tara says
Looks soo good. I may try this but doing in stuffed pepper style. Grandmothers house=giant gumdrops!
Jackie says
OMG yum that looks so good! My grandma was quite the cook! I wish I could cook like her!
Sarah says
My grandma used to make meatloaf with a hard boiled egg hidden in the middle. I’m not sure what the deal was with the extra egg but it was fun to cut into.
Then there was the time she hid the meat-juice soaker-upper paper from the ground beef in the middle. That was not as much fun to cut into.
runeatrepeat says
Hard boiled egg – that’s interesting, but I love eggs so I think I’d like it!
Annette says
My friend made a “paleo” meatloaf the same way except it was wrapped in bacon..looks like your grandma was ahead of the times ;0)
Kristi says
My grandma makes the best crab imperial ever. It’s not the greatest for you, but it’s a good thing that she only makes it on Christmas.
Jody - Fit at 55 says
My grandmother made the best NOT healthy mac n’ cheese! 🙂
Heather @ Run Eat Play says
Yum! Looks delicious! My favorite thing about my Grandma’s house was the candy and treat cabinet…
Christine | Oatmeal Bowl says
I love a good chili relleno casserole. Can’t wait to try this one out. Looks so delish!