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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Vegetarian & Vegan Pasta Recipes

    Roasted Poblano Mac & Cheese

    Published: Oct 29, 2018 · by Nicole · Updated: Jan 10, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Roasted Poblano Mac & Cheese
    Every year that I grow peppers, the same thing happens. The whole summer will pass by and I'll get one or two peppers from each plant. I'm disappointed, wondering what I did wrong, and I vow that I will never (never!) grow peppers again. Then fall starts and suddenly my pepper plants shoot up a foot or so and dozens of peppers appear overnight. Or, at least it seems like it's overnight. Why does this happen?! Aren't peppers supposed to love hot weather? Mine seem to prefer brisk mornings and rainy gray afternoons.

    Bowl of Poblano Peppers
    After spending some time in the garden last weekend, I realized that I had a problem on my hands--what the heck was I going to do with all the poblano peppers that were ready to harvest at the same time? I have a lot of sweet peppers too, but those are a little bit easier. With hot peppers, you can't throw them all in a stir-fry or pile them onto a pizza. (Well, maybe you can, but I can't! I like spicy, but not that spicy.)

    Roasted Poblano Peppers
    My favorite way to use poblano peppers is in my Fresh Corn, Poblano, & Cheddar Pizza, but with corn out of season, that wasn't going to work. I tossed around some ideas with my husband and as soon as the words "Roasted Poblano Mac & Cheese" left my mouth, nothing else interested him. So mac & cheese it was! (And with the remaining poblanos, well, I decided to roast them and pop them in the freezer. I think they might be a good addition to soups or baked potatoes.)

    Roasted Poblano Mac & Cheese
    I considered adding tomatoes or zucchini or something else to veggie up this recipe a little bit since that's usually my inclination with pasta, but mac & cheese is a dish best made simple. The poblanos add a slightly smoky kick to an otherwise traditional recipe. How much of a kick is up to you, though. Two peppers is pretty darn spicy, so if you prefer it a little milder, opt for one pepper.

    Roasted Poblano Mac & Cheese

    Roasted Poblano Mac & Cheese

    Smoky roasted poblano peppers give this lighter version mac & cheese a spicy kick!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: mac and cheese recipe, Roasted Poblano Mac & Cheese, vegetarian mac & cheese
    Servings: 6 ramekins
    Calories: 1190kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 1-2 poblano peppers use 1 if you want it a little bit milder
    • 2 ½ c. milk I used 1%
    • ¼ c. all-purpose flour
    • 5 oz. shredded cheddar cheese divided
    • 4 oz. shredded Monterrey jack cheese divided
    • 6 c. cooked whole-wheat elbow macaroni about 3 c.dry
    • oil mister or cooking spray
    • ½ c. panko
    • 1 tbsp. olive oil
    • ⅛ tsp. salt plus more, to taste
    • ⅛ tsp. Black Pepper
    • 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Turn on broiler. Place poblano peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes or until skin is blistered and starting to blacken, turning halfway through. Place peppers in zip-top bag for 5 minutes. Remove from bag and peel; discard stems, seeds and ribs. Chop peppers and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
    • Combine milk and flour in a large saucepan over high heat, whisking constantly. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 5-8 minutes, continuing to whisk frequently. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces of cheddar cheese and 3 ounces of Monterrey jack cheese and whisk until melted. Stir in macaroni, poblano peppers, and salt to taste.
    • Divide mac & cheese into 6 large ramekins or mini cocottes sprayed with oil or cooking spray (you can also use a casserole dish if you don't have ramekins). In a small bowl, stir together panko, olive oil, salt and pepper. Top ramekins with reserved cheese and then panko. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until panko is golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1ramekinCalories: 1190kcalCarbohydrates: 206gProtein: 52gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 497mgPotassium: 788mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 948IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 561mgIron: 11mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
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    Snack Recipes, Vegetarian & Vegan Pasta Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Vegetarian Side Dishes casseroles, cheese, main dishes, pasta, peppers

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. [email protected] says

      October 08, 2012 at 9:04 am

      That is exactly what happens to me! Peppers in the fall. This looks ridiculously good!

      Reply
    2. Carol @ Always Thyme to Cook says

      October 08, 2012 at 10:07 am

      I'm so jealous, I'd love an abundance of poblano's, they are a little hard to come by here. Adding them to mac n cheese, brilliant idea, it looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 08, 2012 at 3:27 pm

        You should try growing them! I couldn't believe how many peppers I got from one plant.

        Reply
    3. Mumseword says

      October 08, 2012 at 10:34 am

      woah! it looks simple.. great twist to the regular mac and cheese!

      Reply
    4. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says

      October 08, 2012 at 10:55 am

      this rocks! I love this idea and the photo is gorgeous!

      Reply
    5. JulieD says

      October 08, 2012 at 10:58 am

      Love love your ramekins!!! I ove this idea to combine poblanos...I know Curtis would totally love this!!

      Reply
    6. Meg @ Beard and Bonnet says

      October 08, 2012 at 11:32 am

      Oh yum! We love poblano peppers and can't get enough of them. What a great way to use them up. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    7. Cassie says

      October 08, 2012 at 12:14 pm

      I love roasted poblanos but don't grow my own since we live so close to the farmer's market. I cannot wait try this, Kiersten, definitely right up my alley!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 08, 2012 at 3:25 pm

        I am jealous--I want to live near the farmers market! 😀

        Reply
    8. Courtney Rae Jones says

      October 08, 2012 at 12:18 pm

      Oh yum!!!! This looks amazing. I adore mac n cheese. And I adore poblanos. Cannot wait to try this out. Lovely photo too! The ramekins are awesome! Where did you find them?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 08, 2012 at 3:25 pm

        I bought them when I was on vacation in Charleston. They're Le Creuset, but the color was specially made to be sold in Charleston. So clearly I had to get them. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Jackie @ Domestic Fits says

      October 08, 2012 at 2:03 pm

      I love this! Poblanos are one of my favorite peppers because you get more flavor than heat so you can add more than say a serano. Beautiful!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 08, 2012 at 3:24 pm

        That's exactly why I grew them! I was tempted by the Thai peppers & habaneros, but I knew there was no way I'd be able to use them all.

        Reply
    10. Lisa Marie @ MidwestVeg says

      October 08, 2012 at 3:27 pm

      Oh that sounds and looks awesome! Very easy to veganize too! I'll have to give this a try. I really like the addition of the cilantro. And those serving dishes are too cute! Where'd you get them if you don't mind my asking? I'm always on the lookout for single serving dishes since I usually have to cook two different meals.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 08, 2012 at 3:37 pm

        I got them at a cooking store when I was on vacation in Charleston--they're Le Creuset mini cocottes. But I've seen them at HomeGoods or TJ Maxx too. I like them because they're bigger than ramekins and they have lids too, which is nice for leftovers!

        Reply
    11. Katie says

      October 08, 2012 at 6:23 pm

      what a great idea - I've never even thought about peppers in mac & cheese. I'm a huge fan of "stuff" in mac & cheese and I bet this would be excellent!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 09, 2012 at 4:22 pm

        Oh, I'm the opposite! I like a little bit of breadcrumbs on top, maybe a single veggie mixed in, but other than that, I'm a purist with my mac & cheese. 🙂

        Reply
    12. [email protected] eco friendly homemaking says

      October 08, 2012 at 6:47 pm

      Oh my goodness this looks so delicious!! I agree I never have thought about putting peppers in mac and cheese.

      Reply
    13. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

      October 08, 2012 at 7:42 pm

      That will be in my belly before the end of October!

      Reply
    14. TastefullyJulie says

      October 08, 2012 at 9:19 pm

      The same thing happens in my garden except for the part where I end up with dozens of peppers. 🙁 I'll do it again next year, though, I'm sure.

      This looks so yummy! I'm trying to lose 5 pounds but for mac and cheese it looks relatively doable. I am purposely NOT looking at your peanut butter cup recipe!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 09, 2012 at 4:20 pm

        I'm trying to lose weight too, so I made this with low-fat milk and reduced-fat cheddar. No diet is ever (EVER!) worth giving up my precious mac & cheese.

        Reply
    15. Lisa | With Style and Grace says

      October 09, 2012 at 1:45 am

      love the idea of adding a little spice with roasted poblanos!

      Reply
    16. shelly (cookies and cups) says

      October 09, 2012 at 7:11 am

      This might be my new favorite dinner, and I haven't even tried it yet! Pinning for sure 🙂

      Reply
    17. [email protected]'s Recipes says

      October 09, 2012 at 10:13 am

      I am going to grow some peppers next year!
      Love the add of poblano in this ultimate comfort food.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 09, 2012 at 4:16 pm

        You should! Peppers are the easiest thing to grow, as long as you're patient. 🙂 Nothing seems to touch my hot peppers!

        Reply
    18. Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

      October 09, 2012 at 10:50 am

      Ooh! Delicious! I made some roasted hatch pepper mac & cheese a couple of months ago but it was way, way, WAY spicy. Good but spicy. Don't get me wrong - I ate it - but it gave me the hiccups, and the baby sure couldn't have any! A milder pepper like poblano sounds like it would be absolutely perfect.

      I adore your photos, as always, and those sunny yellow ramekins make my heart go pitter patter!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 09, 2012 at 4:15 pm

        Yeah, I could see how hatch peppers would be a little much. 😉 I think I cooked with those once and I'm now scared to try it again!

        Reply
    19. Jeanette says

      October 09, 2012 at 8:40 pm

      I've never tried fresh poblanos - love the idea of a little spice in mac & cheese!

      Reply
    20. Natalie says

      October 09, 2012 at 10:20 pm

      I love every kind of mac and cheese and this one looks especially good! I don't see poblano peppers too often around here but I think this would be good with jalapenos too!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 10, 2012 at 7:28 pm

        Yes, jalapenos would definitely work! I think any pepper that's not too hot would be good.

        Reply
    21. Carolyn says

      October 10, 2012 at 6:52 am

      Wow, that looks fantastic! Love the smokey poblano flavour.

      Reply
    22. All Natural Katie says

      October 11, 2012 at 12:07 pm

      I picked poblano peppers at our CSA farm and froze them. I will have to try this recipe!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 12, 2012 at 2:21 pm

        I now have a bunch of frozen poblanos too! I might be making a lot of mac & cheese this winter. 🙂

        Reply
    23. Rachel says

      October 12, 2012 at 12:36 am

      That looks amazing. I need some of that right now.

      Reply
    24. Rachel (teacher-chef) says

      October 13, 2012 at 4:08 pm

      To avoid to deep freeze in the north-east last night my fiance picked all of our peppers - YIKES! This is now on the dinner menu for tomorrow night though 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 13, 2012 at 6:24 pm

        I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
        • Rachel (teacher-chef) says

          October 14, 2012 at 8:32 pm

          We LOVED it - thank you so much

          Reply
          • Kiersten says

            October 15, 2012 at 8:22 pm

            Woo hoo, I'm so glad to hear it! 😀

            Reply
    25. Malia says

      October 13, 2012 at 6:01 pm

      Sounds delish, but I thought you aren't supposed to just add the flour to the milk without cooking it with butter or a fat first, a roux?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 13, 2012 at 6:23 pm

        This comes down to personal preference. Although a lot of mac & cheese recipes start with a roux, there are also recipes out there that don't. There's no right or wrong way to make mac & cheese, but starting with a roux is definitely more common. I've never noticed much of a difference (and I like trimming calories where I can), but if it bothers you, you can definitely sub in your favorite roux-based sauce and stir in the poblanos and macaroni when it's finished.

        Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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