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This chile relleno casserole layers roasted green chiles with fluffy eggs and plenty of melted cheese, baking into a light, soufflé-style dish. It keeps all the flavor of classic chile rellenos, without the batter, deep frying, or stovetop splatter.
Instead of stuffing peppers one by one, the chiles are stacked and baked until the edges puff and brown, the center stays soft, and the whole dish slices cleanly for easy serving.
Here’s Why This Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe Works
Whipped egg whites add lift: Folding beaten whites into the eggs creates a light, airy texture, like a savory soufflé that’s still sturdy enough to slice.
Layered green chiles = flavor: Whole canned chiles bring that roasted pepper taste without much heat, and make layering fast and easy.
Melted cheese trio: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Pepper Jack melt together into gooey, savory layers that run through every bite.
Bright tomato topping: A blend of salsa and tomato paste bakes into the top, adding tangy freshness to balance the richness.
Recipe Tips
Split and flatten the chiles: Lay each chile open so you get even layers without hidden seeds or tough skin.
Whip egg whites to soft peaks: Soft peaks fold in smoothly, adding lift without deflating the mixture.
Rest before baking: A 30-minute pause lets the egg mixture soak into the layers for even baking.
Check the jiggle: The center should be just set (no wobble) before adding the final cheese topping.
Cool before slicing: Let the casserole stand at least 20 minutes. This keeps the layers intact and prevents a cheesy mess.
If you’re looking for more easy Tex-Mex dinners, try my chicken tortilla chip casserole or my Tex-Mex pork skillet bake.
Chile Relleno Layered Casserole
This chile relleno casserole has all the flavors of classic chile rellenos without the batter or frying. The layers bake into a light, soufflé-style dish with a golden cheesy topping. Sliceable, satisfying, and easy to prepare, it’s comfort food that works just as well for a family dinner as it does for a brunch table. Serve it with our fresh corn salsa and chips.
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Chile Relleno Casserole
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Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 4 (7 ounce) can canned whole green chiles, split open and any seeds removed
- 3 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, reserve ½ cup
- 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, reserve ½ cup
- ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- ½ cup salsa
- ¼ cup water, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and prepare a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.
- In a mixing bowl add the egg yolks, milk, flour, salt and pepper and beat together. In a separate bowl whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and set aside while you assemble the casserole.
- Arrange ½ of the peppers on the bottom of the casserole dish. Sprinkle with ½ of cheddar and ½ of the monterey jack cheese. Create the next layer with the remaining chilies and cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese and let stand for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the casserole to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour and the center does not jiggle.
- While the casserole is baking: in a medium size bowl, toss the reserved cheddar, the reserved monterey jack cheese and the pepper jack cheese. In another small dish, mix the tomato paste and the salsa together until smooth. It may be necessary to add a small amount of tap water to get a spreadable consistency. Reserve the cheese and tomato topping in the refrigerator until the casserole has baked for the one hour.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and spread the tomato/salsa over the casserole and distribute the reserved cheese over the top. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and a little bubbly on the edges.
- Transfer the casserole to a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Is there this recipe can be tweaked so it will be low carb? Like replacing the milk for half and half or heavy whipping cream, replacing the flour for almond flour? Or can they be omitted alltogether?
Hi, Maria…Thanks for you interest in our chili relleno casserole. I am sorry but I have not made this as low-carb and looking at the ingredient list substitutions would totally change the recipe.