Learn how to roast poblano peppers in the oven to bring out their amazing smoky flavor. Roasting poblanos in the oven is very simple and the roasted peppers can be used in many recipes or preserved for later.
I planted poblano peppers in the garden for the first time this year. Honestly, I’ve never grown or used them before and wasn’t sure what to expect… The few plants that I planted ended up producing a ton of beautiful, dark, heart-shaped peppers!
So there I was harvesting a ton of poblano peppers and wondering how to use them all. They are a popular pepper that is a listed ingredient in so many recipes so I knew that I’d have no problem finding a good use for them. But, you know how homesteaders are… The first thought that always comes to mind is how am I going to preserve this…
How to Roast Poblano Peppers in the Oven…
Aside from a few different amazing recipes, and aside from adding them pretty much in every recipe that calls for peppers (like Southwest chicken chili or Israeli Shakshuka), I figured that I would… can them, of course! I could have just canned them the way I can hot peppers, however, I really like roasted peppers, so I decided to roast my poblanos and can them that way.
Roasting poblano peppers is no different than roasting red peppers, the process is pretty much the same. They have a little bit of a different flavor, though, so it’s nice to have both options on the shelf ready to be added to any dish.
What Are Poblano Peppers…
Poblano peppers are a very popular variety of Mexican chili pepper that originated in Puebla, Mexico. They are dark green and grow to about 4-6 inches. They are meaty and full of flavor. When we think about chili peppers, the first thought that usually comes to mind is their heat, however, poblanos are relatively mild… In fact, some of them are not hot at all.
Poblano peppers are easy to handle. They hold their shape very well so they are a great pepper to stuff, they can also be added to basically any dish that calls for peppers. They can be preserved easily by freezing, canning, or drying (when dried, they are called ancho chilis).
They are easily found in local grocery stores or markets, and if you happen to grow your own garden, they are a great variety of pepper to include for both fresh eating and long-term food storage. You can read more about poblano peppers here.
Why Roast Poblano Peppers?
- The wonderful smoky flavor – roasting peppers brings out that amazing smoky flavor that elevates any dish into a whole different level! It’s rich, and different, and delicious.
- To get rid of the skin – pepper skin can sometimes introduce an unpleasant texture to some dishes. It never really breaks down in cooking… So if you wish to remove the pepper’s skin, you are going to have to roast your peppers.
3 Ways to Roast Poblano Peppers…
There are a few different ways to go about roasting poblano peppers. I describe all of them below. You choose which one fits you best. If you feel like firing up the grill… go for it. If you use an electric range like me and don’t have access to an open flame, roast your poblanos in the oven (I’ll show you how to do it below in the step-by-step tutorial).
- Stove top (open flame) – if you are using a gas stove top and can turn the flame on with a turn of a knob, roasting poblanos on an open flame is something that you might want to try. Leave the pepper whole, fire up the stove top to produce a high flame and place the pepper directly on the flame. In 2-3 minutes, the skin will start blackening and bubbling, turn your pepper to achieve that on all sides.
Add the pepper to a plastic bag and close the bag. let it rest for 10 minutes before taking it out and peeling the skin off. Now, you can remove the stem and remove the innards before using your pepper. - On the grill – roasting poblano peppers on the grill is pretty much the same as roasting them on open flame, the only difference is that you’d place your peppers on the grates so make sure to oil them a bit so your pepper doesn’t stick.
- In the oven – roasting poblanos in the oven is my favorite way to go because I use an electric stove and a charcoal grill… The stove doesn’t have a flame, and to fire up the grill for just roasting poblanos is too much work. The oven is there and it’s super easy to do this! All the details are in the tutorial below.
A note… Some people like to broil their poblanos. Simply put, every time I try to broil something I end up burning it. I don’t know if it’s my oven or my lack of focus (I tend to do seven things at the same time), but it is what it is. So I roast, not broil.
Also, some people report that it’s possible and easy to roast poblanos in a toaster oven, so if you don’t have a full size oven this might be the way for you to go.
Ingredients…
- Poblano peppers – choose thick, meaty, and firm poblanos. The size doesn’t really matter, you can roast large or small poblanos or any size in between. I used 15 medium poblano peppers in this batch.
- Oil – we are going to spray the skin side of the poblanos with oil. It really doesn’t matter what kind of oil you are using… I personally like to use olive oil but vegetable or canola will work too. A little tip here, this spray bottle makes it really easy to spray olive oil on your peppers!
Kitchen Tools…
Roasting Poblano Peppers in the Oven Step-By-Step…
Step one – prep the peppers. In both the open flame or grilling method, you leave the pepper whole. You can do that when roasting poblanos in the oven as well, however, if you do that, you’ll have to take the sheet pan out of the oven every few minutes and turn your peppers so they roast on all sides.
It’s kind of a pain for me so I prefer removing the seeds from my peppers and cutting them in half before I roast them. So first, wash your peppers, then remove the stem, and then cut them in half.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the peppers in one layer on the sheet pan, skin side up. Then lightly spray the peppers with oil.
Step two – Roast. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and roast the peppers for 20-30 minutes. You’ll notice that the skin bubbles up and separates from the flesh of the pepper, the edges of the pepper might also burn just a bit, that’s fine! It adds a lot of flavor.
Step three – remove the skin of the peppers. Once you remove the peppers from the oven, use a spatula to scoop them into a plastic bag right away and close the bag to hold the steam in. This will help the skin further separate from the flesh of the pepper.
After 10 minutes or so, open the bag and peel the peppers. I don’t use any special tools here, the skin comes off easily. Once your peppers are peeled they are ready to be served or preserved!
How to Store Roasted Poblano Peppers…
- In the fridge – you can simply add your roasted poblano peppers to a plastic container and store in the fridge. They should last for a couple of weeks.
- In oil – add your roasted peppers to a jar and top them with oil (preferably olive oil). The oil will help preserve the peppers and they can probably stay at room temperature for a couple of weeks but will last longer if you place the jar in a cool place like a root cellar. Feel free to add other seasonings to the jar! Like a couple of cloves of crushed garlic, or rosemary, thyme, oregano, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and so on. They will infuse the oil and will add even more flavor to the peppers. And make sure to use the oil after you used up the peppers!
- In the freezer – it’s as simple as adding the roasted peppers to a freezer safe container and sticking it in the freezer. They should last for a year or even longer!
- Can your roasted poblanos – this is how I preserved my roasted poblanos. Canning simply saves room in the freezer or the fridge, there is no thawing either which is always a plus.
How to Use Roasted Poblano Peppers…
- In a sandwich – see that sandwich above? Just simple whole wheat bread, mayo, summer sausage, and a tomato from the garden. I mean, it can’t get any better than that! A great breakfast, lunch, or dinner in my book. Also, roasted poblanos are great in a pulled meat wrap, a BBQ sandwich, added right on top of your hamburger, or pretty much any other kind of sandwich, vegetarian too, of course!
- Add them in salads – make a Southwest salad, add poblanos to egg salad or tuna salad, or use roasted poblanos in a salad dressing.
- Roasted poblano dip – check out this mouth watering recipe!
- Soups, chili, stews, chowders – roasted poblanos add an amazing smoky flavor to any soup, chili, stew, or chowder. You don’t really need a recipe here, simply chop them and add them pretty much anywhere. They can also be diced and used as garnish.
- Hummus – take it from an Israeli… Hummus is going to save the world. Now, roasted poblano pepper hummus… we might be reaching to other planets here! Check out this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions…
Not really. You can use them fresh if you’d like just as you’d use a bell pepper.
Yes. The skin dries and gets hard, it’s just not a pleasant texture. And besides, one of the main reasons to roast peppers is getting rid of the skin. So go ahead and peel!
I don’t. I use gloves when I handle hot peppers but poblanos are not really hot. I’ve never felt that I needed gloves to handle them.
Yes! You can dry them in the oven (at about 200 degrees F) or in the dehydrator and then grind them to make a powder. Use this peppery powder to season any dish.
Yes! Any kind of pepper can be roasted in the oven the same exact way.
I hope that this simple tutorial on how to roast poblano peppers in the oven was helpful! I love it when a vegetable is easy to grow, easy to prepare, and easy to preserve. It’s like a homesteader’s dream come true. Roasted poblanos are delicious just added to salads or sandwiches, but they also have so many other uses. Definitely something we all should have on hand!
More Pepper Recipes…
- How to Make Red Pepper Paste
- Preserving Peppers in Vinegar and Salt
- Delicious Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers
- Cowboy Candy Recipe – Candied Jalapenos
- Fermented Jalapenos
How to Roast Poblano Peppers in the Oven
Learn how to roast poblano peppers in the oven to bring out their amazing smoky flavor. Roasted peppers can be used in many recipes or preserved for later.
Ingredients
- Poblano peppers (I used 15 in this tutorial)
- Oil (a spray bottle works best. I used olive oil but any oil will do)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash the poblanos and dry them. Remove the stem, cut the peppers in half, and remove the seeds.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the halved poblanos, skin side up, in one layer on the baking sheet. Lightly spray with oil.
- Roast for 20-30 minutes until the skin starts to separate and bubble.
- Remove from the oven and use a spatula to add the peppers into a plastic bag. Close the bag and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Open the bag and peel each piece of pepper at a time by simply pulling the skin off with your fingers. It should come off easily.
- Your peppers are ready to serve or preserve! You can store them in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Notes
- Use any size of poblano peppers but try to select meaty and firm peppers.
- I like using olive oil but you can also use canola or vegetable oil.
- Use in any recipe that calls for peppers or add to sandwiches or salads.
- Keep your roasted poblanos in the fridge for a couple of weeks, in the freezer for up to a year, or you can also can them. Another option is to add them to a jar and top with olive oil. Feel free to add crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, mustard seeds, or other seasonings that will infuse the oil and add flavor. Keep at room temperature for a couple of months or in cold storage for a few months. Don't forget to use the delicious oil as well.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 14Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
Hi! I’m Lady Lee. I help homesteaders simplify their homesteading journey while still producing a ton of food! I am a single mother of four, I was born in Israel and raised in an agricultural commune called a Kibbutz. Now I homestead in central NC.