Chile Relleno Casserole

Purists will burn me in effigy for this, but whatever.

I feel like I’ve been posting a lot of carbs lately so thought I’d better go back to the family cookbook and pull out something equally unhealthy but with fewer carbohydrates.

Chile Relleno Casserole

Great for breakfast or to make to have leftovers. I imagine you could even make it vegetarian by substituting crumbled extra firm tofu or tempeh for the ground beef. Or using one of the plant-based ground beef substitutes. But not cauliflower — that's disgusting.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (or turkey)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon dried cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 4oz cans whole green chile peppers, drained, sliced open
  • cups shredded cheddar cheese (or your choice)
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • cups milk
  • 2-3 dashes good hot sauce (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Garnish

  • 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
  • 1 can sliced black olives (optional)
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, combine the ground beef, onions, cumin, cilantro, and cayenne and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, or until browned; drain excess fat.
  • Arrange 1 can of the peppers on the bottom of a 7×11 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese and top with half of the meat mixture.
  • Top with the rest of the peppers. Add the rest of the cheese, then the rest of the meat.
  • In a medium bowl combine the eggs, flour, milk, and hot sauce (if using) whisking until smooth.
  • Pour over the peppers and meat and cheese. Shake pan to distribute liquid evenly.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and cook another 10-15 minutes.
  • Let set for 5-10 minutes to set before serving with avocado, salsa, olives, or sour cream.

Notes

You could also make this in a 9-x-13″ pan.  Probably have to add a half pound of meat and another can of peppers.  6 eggs instead of 4?  Another 1/2 cup of cheese, too.