Chiles en Nogada is one of the most patriotic dishes and a great way to celebrate Mexico’s independence day.
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I called my tía in Tabasco to get her recipe for this dish. We both love researching and learning. And so, we spent weeks reading and testing different versions of this recipe.
I was about to publish an easier way to make it, but she stopped me.
She said, “You have the authentic Mexican recipe. How can you not publish it for him?”
She was referring to my son.
Our history and our culture is preserved through our food, and I have to pass the torch down to him.
Con mucho sacrificio, pero aquí tienes, mijo, la receta original de Chiles en Nogada.
Table of Contents
- 1 Ingredients
- 2 Step-By-Step Instructions
- 3 How to Roast Poblano Peppers:
- 4 How to Make the Creamy Walnut Sauce:
- 5 How to Make the Egg Coating:
- 6 How to Plate:
- 7 Frequently Asked Questions:
- 8 Reheating Instructions
- 9 Pro Tips:
- 10 Hungry for More?
- 11 Chiles en Nogada
Ingredients
Missing here is FLOUR.
Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements.
Biznaga (or Acitrón) is impossible to find in the United States. Substitute by using dried pineapple or dried apricots.
Sour cream, Crema Mexicana, or whipping cream can be used in this recipe.
Goat cheese is the traditional ingredient in the original recipe but can be swapped out for cream cheese. My tía was very specific about the goat cheese, and she might scold me for mentioning cream cheese. Lol.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ground pork and ground beef are needed to make the guisado, or picadillo.
Using BOTH types of meat is traditional, but you can use only ground pork, or only ground beef.
- Next add the fruits and nuts to the skillet.
- Mix to combine and cook.
Biznaga is candied cactus and adds sweetness to the filling. If substituting, just a small amount of dried pineapple or dried apricots is needed.
Make sure to chop up the filling into small pieces, small enough to fit a fork.
Set the mixture aside, or keep in the fridge until ready to use. This can even be done a day or two in advance.
How to Roast Poblano Peppers:
Many people like to roast poblano chiles under the broiler.
The broiler method is good for when you are using poblanos in a sauce like Pollo en Crema Poblana.
Fire roasted on a gas stove is the BEST WAY to make roasted poblanos for chile rellenos – also see Shrimp Chile Rellenos or Pork Chile Rellenos.
- Stuff each roasted poblano pepper with the filling.
- Put them in the fridge until ready to use.
Save yourself an extra step, and make these ahead of time.
They last in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How to Make the Creamy Walnut Sauce:
- Place walnuts in hot water for 5 minutes.
- Using a paring knife, peel the skin.
Peeling walnuts is absolutely necessary. If you leave the skin on, the nogada, or walnut sauce, will be BITTER.
It’s the most tedious thing in the world, but it’s only a small amount.
Better yet, buy already peeled or skinless walnuts.
- Add all the ingredients to a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Taste for salt.
Some people like to add a pinch of sugar to the nogada sauce.
Since the filling is savory sweet, I don’t think it’s necessary to add sugar. However, adjust as you see fit.
How to Make the Egg Coating:
- Separate the egg whites.
- Whip up until you get stiff peaks.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time.
To my son…
I have a hard time doing this because it reminds me of my grandmother. We would do this by hand. TRY THAT!
When it gets to stiff peaks, the foamy egg whites don’t fall if the bowl is flipped upside down. As kids, my cousins and I would take turns going under the bowl of egg whites. My grandmother was always happy to oblige our silly requests.
That flavor combination of egg with roasted poblano chile, please taste it. Savor it. That is the flavor that I remember most from my grandmother’s cooking. It brings me to tears every single time I taste it.
- Use toothpicks to close the chile opening.
- Then, dust the chiles with flour.
- Dip the chiles in the egg batter.
In Spanish, this is referred to as “capeado.”
This will go by very fast. Set up a station like this – flour, egg mixture, frying pan.
Remember to remove the toothpicks before serving.
- Heat the oil.
- Add the chile coated in egg.
- Fry about 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Fry the chiles one by one.
Spoon over some of the hot oil in areas that are hard to get like the stem of the chile. Doing this will help cook the egg.
Turn the chile to fry on all sides using TWO spatulas.
- Place on a paper towel.
- Drain any excess oil.
- Remove the toothpicks.
Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
OR, place in a warm oven as the rest of the chiles are cooking.
How to Plate:
- Pour the walnut sauce all over the chile.
- Top with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley leaves.
Do not substitute parsley for cilantro. It will change the flavor.
There’s a nice pop in your mouth from the pomegranate seeds when you bite into them.
We usually do not serve sides with this dish, but you can add Arroz Mexicano or Refried Beans.
Frequently Asked Questions:
It’s a very distinct dish with a combination of sweet and savory flavors. The decadent walnut cream sauce tames any heat from the chile pepper. There’s also a popping sensation of pomegranates bursting in your mouth.
This dish was invented in 1821 by nuns in city of Puebla, Mexico. It was made in honor of the Mexican Army General Agustín de Iturbide who helped in winning the Mexican War of Independence. The colors of this dish are green, white, and red to represent the colors of the Mexican flag.
Nogada refers to a sauce made from nuts. Traditionally, the “nuez de castilla,” or walnuts, are soaked in hot water, and the skin is peeled in order to make the walnut sauce.
Reheating Instructions
It is best to store the cooked chiles separate from the walnut sauce. To reheat, place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in an oven at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Then pour the sauce, top with pomegranate and parsley.
Pro Tips:
- Do it in stages. The filling, walnut sauce, and roasted chiles can be done the day before, up to 2 days before.
- Buy already shelled walnuts and pomegranate seeds (as opposed to the fruit that needs peeling).
- Skip the egg coating. It’s a big part of the authentic Chiles en Nogada recipe. However, many people skip it because of how complex the dish already is.
Chiles en Nogada is the most traditional and festive dish to celebrate Mexican Independence Day on September 16th. It is considered the national dish of Mexico.
The combination of flavors is truly distinct, delicious, and exquisite.
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Chiles en Nogada
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ onion finely diced
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- 1 apple diced
- 1 peach diced
- ½ plantain diced
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 3 tablespoon chopped biznaga (or dried pineapple)
- pinch ground cloves
- pinch ground cinnamon
- 6 poblano peppers
For the Walnut Sauce:
For the Egg Coating:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup flour (or more if needed)
Other Ingredients:
- 1 cup oil (for frying)
- parsley (topping)
- pomegranate seeds (topping)
Instructions
To Make the Filling:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet.
- Add the onion and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the ground pork and ground beef.
- Begin to break the meat up.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic, and tomato sauce.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked.
- Stir occasionally.
- Add the remaining fruits and nuts to the skillet.
- Stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Turn heat off. Set aside until ready to use.
How to Roast the Poblano Peppers:
- Rinse and pat dry the poblanos.
- Place over the flame and char the skin on all sides.
- About 3 minutes on each side.
- Place in a sealable bag, or cover with plastic wrap.
- Steam for 10 minutes.
- Peel the skin, using a knife or spoon.
- Make a cut lengthwise on one of the sides of the pepper.
- Don't cut all the way through. We are making a pocket.
- Remove the seeds and veins from inside the pepper.
- Repeat with all the peppers.
- Cover and set aside until ready to use.
How to Remove the Skin from the Walnuts:
- Place the walnuts in hot water for 5 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to remove the skin.
- Let cool before making the nogada.
How to Make the Walnut Sauce:
- Place all the ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Taste for salt and sweetness.
How to Stuff the Chiles:
- Add 3-4 tablespoons to the center of the chile, depending on the size of the chile.
- Use toothpicks to close the opening.
- Be sure to use as many toothpicks as needed, or the filling will come out during the frying.
How to Make the Egg Coating:
- Separate the egg yolk from the egg whites.
- Using a mixer, beat the egg whites until a stiff peak forms.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time to the egg whites.
How to Fry the Chiles:
- Set up a station – flour, egg mixture, and frying pan.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan.
- Cover the stuffed chile in flour.
- Tap the chile to remove any excess flour.
- Dip chile in the egg mixture.
- Place in the hot oil.
- Fry for 3 minutes on each side.
- Carefully turn the chile, using two spatulas.
- Spoon some of the hot oil in hard to reach areas like the stem of the chile.
- Set on a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- Remove the toothpicks.
How to Plate:
- Place cooked chile on a plate.
- Drizzle with the walnut sauce.
- Top with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.
Video
Notes
- Do it in stages. The filling, walnut sauce, and roasted chiles can be done the day before, up to 2 days before.
- Buy already shelled walnuts and pomegranate seeds (as opposed to the fruit that needs peeling).
- Skip the egg coating. It’s a big part of the authentic Chiles en Nogada recipe. However, many people skip it because of how complex the dish already is.
The walnut peeling is the worst part. Pro tip, you can buy skin removed walnuts on Amazon now! Muy bien.
Yes! It’s the worst. Last time, I just peeled some and not all. But it’s worth it to create that smooth and creamy Chiles en Nogada sauce!
Hi, I would like to know if the apple and peach need to be peeled and if any apple would do.
Hi Mirna. Whatever you prefer. You can do either – peel or don’t peel. I don’t normally peel them. This dish has a lot of steps already. I don’t want to add more work. lol.
Is there a specific apple you should use or any kind? And both peach and apple you be peeled?
I already tried this recipe once and it was really good, but I have a doubt if I did the right thing with the fruits.
Whatever you prefer. You can do either – peel or don’t peel. I don’t normally peel them. This dish has a lot of steps already. I don’t want to add more work. lol.
What would you suggest as a good side for this recipe?
Mexican rice is a great side. Here’s my recipe: https://inmamamaggieskitchen.com/arroz-mexicano-mexican-rice/
You can also serve refried beans or a light green salad. Hope you enjoy the chiles en nogada!
Since I’m allergic to walnuts I’ll need to substitute for another nut. Will cashews, pecans or almonds work best? Thank you… I look forward to trying your recipe.
I would recommend pecans or almonds instead of walnuts. I know people who use these nuts for the same reason, and the dish comes out just as tasty. Hope you enjoy!
I’m making these for a family dinner and am debating between making them without the egg coating or making them with the egg coating a day ahead (I don’t want to have to fry them the day of serving). Which would be better? Will the egg coating still be good if the chiles are fried a day ahead of time?
Anything made the day of is always best. If you want to make it ahead of time, the coating will last a day. They will still taste good. There are a lot of flavors and textures in this dish. No one will know you didn’t make them the day of. This is one of my favorite dishes ever. Hope you enjoy!
Made this dish for the second time (used the dried pineapple), and it was fabulous! I chose not to fry them (trying to get my cholesterol down). Instead we set them in a baking dish, covered with foil, for 25 min at 350F. They really were spectacular. I made enough for our family to have it three nights in a row. Given the amount of chopping and peeling, I wanted to get the most out of my time. Totally worth it though. Thank you for sharing. Definitely a keeper.
That sounds great! Baking instead of frying is a great way to help cholesterol down, and you don’t really notice the difference. This is one of my favorite recipes on the website. So glad you enjoy it. 🙂
Maggie – this dish is absolutely delicious! Every ingredient you included contributes to a wonderfully orchestrated flavor symphony.
Also – I love how you are leaving a legacy for your family. They will cherish this for years!
¡Buen provecho!
Thank you!! My aunt and I worked really hard on this recipe. Our culture is passed down through food, that I firmly believe. Especially when it comes to this dish, Chiles en Nogada.
We thouroughly enjoyed the results of making this step by step. Very well explained so we could make it. Delicious!
Thank you. Glad to hear that you enjoyed these Chiles en Nogada!
I’ve made stuffed peppers a few times but I wanted to try something new. This recipe is so flavorful and delicious!
Hope you try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed.
We just bought some gorgeous local poblano peppers at the farmers market the other day. Now I know exactly what I am going to do with them- yum! 🙂
That’s great! Locally bought produce is the best. Hope you enjoy these chiles en nogada!
This was incredible~ everyone loved it! The creamy goat cheese sauce was so good with the sweet and savory filling.
That’s my favorite part of Chiles en Nogada. Love that sauce!
This looks amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
Thank you. Chiles en Nogada is a must during this time!
Made this without the egg/flour coating, only because I didn’t want to fry my food. I’ve used the coating for chile rellenos before though, and yes, it is good. This dish is probably delicious both ways.
Anyways, I also made some changes based on other recipes I have seen for this, as well as based on other people’s comments. Plus, some changes because I just didn’t have the ingredients on hand.
My changes were as follows…
– doubled the onion (just to use it up)
– only pork, because I didn’t have any ground beef
– used a whole plantain, so I didn’t waste the other half
– used 4 cloves of garlic instead of 1, because I think it adds a lot to fruit based dishes
– my cloves were old, so I used allspice, which is very similar, plus more of it
– I used more cinnamon, probably a tsp in the stuffing and 2 tsp in the sauce
– for the tomato part I used a cup of chopped fresh ones from the garden (gotta use them up), plus a 1/2 to 1 tbsp of paste
– a used a whole cup of walnuts, instead of half
– I used chopped dried cranberries because after going to three stores I couldn’t find a pomegranate
Things I just wholesale added to the stuffing based on other recipes/comments…
– 2 tbsp pinenuts
– zest and juice of an orange
– 2 tbsp dry sherry
– 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
– 1/4 tsp cardamom
So, my conclusions…
This recipe is very forgiving, which I always appreciate…most stuffing recipes are. Peeling the peppers and all the chopping is a little bit of work/time, but if you decide not to fry and just halve your peppers to top with stuffing, then it’s really a very easy recipe. The sauce I made in my Vitamix, so, I blended it smooth and kept going until it was warm. It was almost like a horchata, and the extra cinnamon was a keeper. I then garnished with parsley and my chopped dried cranberries (still disappointed I couldn’t find a fresh pomegranate). It made for a beautiful presentation and a delicious dish with unexpected flavors. I would definitely make this again. I also recommend giving it a try. Though, given the necessity of needing an apple, a peach, and a pomegranate, this is probably a dish made at summers end/beginning of fall in order to find those fruits fresh.
Hi, thanks for making this Chiles en Nogada recipe. I almost published this recipe without the coating, but my aunt insisted on including the coating. 🙂 I agree, either way is delicious. Sorry to hear you couldn’t find fresh pomegranate. I like the little bursts and pops of the fruit, but I think cranberries is a perfect substitute. Hope you make it again when pomegranates are more available!
Is the walnut sauce warm when serving Chiles en Nogada?
I want to make this.
It’s not warm. I leave it in the fridge and take it out when ready to serve. It gets poured all over the chile, and since the chile is hot, it warms up the sauce slightly.
I am so glad that you published the original recipe. If we’ll change something but it’s important to know how exactly this dish is made in Mexico!
Thank you. This is a very special dish to me.
I have never had many Mexican dishes with poblano peppers because I have always thought they were going to be super hot, and spicy. This dish look delicious though so I’ll have to give it a try.
Hope you do. You won’t regret it. So good!
Wow! This dish looks so yummy! Everything in this recipe is just so perfect! Especially the creamy sauce that makes it so enticing!
The creamy sauce is the best part!
Is there a suitable substitute for the goat cheese?
Don’t tell my tia I told you this. lol. Cream cheese can be used in place of goat cheese. I get it too. Many people don’t like the taste of goat cheese. Substitute equal amount 1-1.