Chiles en Nogada
September’s tricolor classic: sweet-savory picadillo beneath creamy walnut nogada.
Daily recipe · September 16, 2026
A little about this dish
Chiles en nogada is Puebla’s iconic Independence Day dish, traditionally associated with Mexico’s 1821 victory. Roasted poblano chiles are filled with a fragrant sweet-savory picadillo of pork, beef, fruit, raisins, and nuts, then covered with creamy walnut sauce. Pomegranate arils and parsley create the festive green, white, and red colors of the Mexican flag.
Ingredients (for 6)
- Large poblano chile — 6 (about 2½ pounds total) — wash and dry
- Ground pork — 12 ounces
- Ground beef, preferably 85% lean — 12 ounces
- Medium white onion — ½ — finely dice
- Garlic clove — 3 cloves — mince
- Roma tomato — 3 — finely chop
- Ripe plantain — 1 — peel and cut into ¼-inch dice
- Small apple — 1 — peel, core, and cut into ¼-inch dice
- Small firm pear — 1 — core and cut into ¼-inch dice
- Ripe yellow peach — 2 — pit and cut into ¼-inch dice
- Raisin — ⅓ cup
- Blanched almond — ⅓ cup — roughly chop
- Pine nut — ¼ cup
- Ground cinnamon — 1 teaspoon
- Ground cloves — ¼ teaspoon
- Freshly ground black pepper — ½ teaspoon
- Walnut halves — 2 cups — soak overnight and remove skins
- Whole milk — 1 cup, plus more if needed
- Queso fresco — 4 ounces — crumble
- Dry sherry — 2 tablespoons
- Pomegranate arils — 1 cup
- Flat-leaf parsley — ½ cup — finely chop
- Neutral oil, such as avocado or canola — 2 tablespoons
- Kosher salt — 1½ teaspoons — divide
- Granulated sugar — 1 tablespoon
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🌙💧🥜Soak the 2 cups walnut halves in cold water overnight. Drain, rub off as much skin as possible, and pat dry.
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Step 2 — 🔥🌶️🫑Set the broiler to high. Arrange the 6 poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally, until blistered and charred all over, 8–10 minutes.
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Step 3 — ♨️⏳🥣Place the hot poblanos in a bowl and cover tightly. Steam for 15 minutes to loosen the skins.
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Step 4 — 🍳🧅🧄Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the diced onion for 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
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Step 5 — 🥩🍴🤎Add the ground pork and beef. Cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until browned and no longer pink.
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Step 6 — 🍅🍑🍎Stir in the tomatoes, plantain, apple, pear, peaches, raisins, almonds, pine nuts, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until tender and nearly dry. Cool slightly.
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Step 7 — 🌀🥛🧀Blend the peeled walnuts, milk, queso fresco, sherry, sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt until smooth. Add more milk if needed for a thick, pourable sauce, then chill.
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Step 8 — 🔪🧤🌶️Peel the steamed poblanos without rinsing. Cut a lengthwise slit in each, remove the seeds and membranes, and leave the stems attached.
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Step 9 — 🥄🫑🍽️Gently fill each poblano with about ¾ cup of the picadillo. Arrange the stuffed chiles on a large white serving platter.
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Step 10 — ❤️🌿✨Spoon the chilled walnut sauce over the chiles, leaving some green skin and stems visible. Garnish with pomegranate arils and parsley. Serve at room temperature or with the filling gently warmed; do not boil the sauce.
A final fox tip
Chiles en nogada is strongly associated with Puebla and the celebrations following Mexican independence in 1821, although its exact origin story is debated. The calories are approximately 780 per serving and include the full batch. For a milder dish, remove all poblano membranes; children can help scatter the pomegranate arils and parsley just before serving. The walnuts require an overnight soak, which is not included in the preparation time.