A.K.A Poblano Strips (Puebla, Mexico)
Raja Poblanas
Equipment
- Normal Kitchen Utensils
Ingredients
- 4 Poblano Peppers
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 Small White or Yellow Onion Sliced thin
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 C Mexican Crema Substitute with 3/4C Sour Cream and 1/4C Heavy Cream
- 1/2 C Milk
- 1 C Queso Fresco or Oaxaca Cheese, Crumbled or Shredded Roughly 4 oz.; you can also use Monterey Jack
- 1 C Corn Roughly 1 C; preferably straight off the cob
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Roast the Poblanos.You can either:1) Roast them over an open flame, turning occasionally, until the outer skin is blistered and charred, or 2) Remove the tops and cut the peppers in half lengthwise, removing the seeds. Then put the peppers on a baking sheet, outside up, and broil them until the skin blisters and chars. 5-7 minutes.4 Poblano Peppers
- Once roasted, add the poblanos to a bowl and cover them with a lid or plastic wrap. Let them sit and steam for 10 minutes.
- Once the poblanos are steamed, remove the skin and slice the peppers into thin strips. Note: The skin should easily peel away, but you can also run the edge of a spoon across the pepper to help scrape the skin off.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- Sauté the onion and a pinch of salt in the oil until slightly caramelized. Roughly 5 minutes.1 Small White or Yellow Onion
- Add the garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for one more minute.2 Cloves Garlic, Salt to Taste
- Add the poblano strips, corn and another pinch of salt. Sauté another 2-3 minutes.1 C Corn
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the milk and crema. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until it begins to thicken.1 C Mexican Crema, 1/2 C Milk
- Add the cheese and stir until melted evenly throughout.1 C Queso Fresco or Oaxaca Cheese, Crumbled or Shredded
- Season with salt to taste.
- Serve hot with warm tortillas (corn tortillas are the traditional choice, but I prefer flour). This dish is also amazing in a quesadilla.
Flavor-Packed Rajas Poblanas: A Creamy Mexican Classic
If you love smoky, creamy, and just-the-right-amount-of-spicy food, rajas poblanas are about to be your new favorite thing. The word rajas means “strips” in Spanish, and in this dish, it refers to strips of poblano peppers that are roasted, sliced, and cooked with onions, cream, and sometimes cheese or corn. It’s a comforting mix of smoky, creamy, and slightly sweet flavors all in one pan.
You’ve already seen how easy it is to make the recipe—but once you taste it, you’ll probably want to make it again and again. This dish is incredibly versatile. Pile it into warm flour tortillas for quick and delicious tacos, or fold it into a quesadilla for a melty, crowd-pleasing lunch or dinner. If you’re out of poblanos, don’t worry. Anaheim chilies work as a solid stand-in—just use two Anaheims for every one poblano. Want a milder option? Green bell peppers will do. If you’re craving a little more heat, toss in a jalapeño or two!
The Origins of Rajas Poblanas: From Puebla with Love
Rajas poblanas originated in the Mexican state of Puebla, the same region famous for dishes like mole poblano and chiles en nogada. While it’s hard to pin down the exact date this dish was created, it became widely popularized in Mexican home kitchens sometime in the 1960s or 1970s, when dairy products like crema and cheese became more accessible. The combo of roasted poblanos and crema is now a staple across central Mexico, especially in regions where poblanos are easy to grow.
This dish likely began as a simple, rural comfort food—an easy way to use up leftover roasted chiles and whatever else was on hand. Over time, it became a staple of taquerias and family kitchens alike. Today, it’s a beloved part of Mexico’s rich culinary landscape and a perfect example of how a few simple ingredients can turn into something unforgettable.
Serving Ideas and More Mexican Recipes to Try
Outside of tacos and quesadillas, you can spoon rajas over rice, tuck them into tamales, or serve them alongside grilled meats. And if you’re looking for the perfect flour tortillas to wrap around your rajas poblanas, I’ve got a recipe for that right here on the blog—no store-bought stuff needed!
Want to level up your meal even more? I also have a restaurant-style tomato salsa recipe that’s just the thing to spoon on top. Trust me, when those juicy tomatoes hit that smoky creaminess, you’ll be going back for seconds. Maybe even thirds.
So whether you’re craving something cozy or planning a taco night, rajas poblanas are a dish worth learning. Creamy, smoky, simple—and full of flavor. If you haven’t made a batch yet, what are you waiting for?
Some content edited/generated with the help of ChatGPT | OpenAI: https://www.openai.com/