Are poblano peppers spicy?

They are usually pretty mild in spice and land somewhere between a bell pepper and jalapeño. You can get one once in a while that has a bit of heat, but in general, they are not too spicy. One thing to watch for- if the skin has started to shrivel up a bit and the seeds look a bit darker, they may be older and have gotten more spicy. If this is the case, you may want to leave out the jalapeño if you are concerned about heat.

Do you have to remove all the skin on the poblano?

You want to make sure most of the skin is off the poblano because it can be on the tougher side and won't puree as well. However, if a tiny bit of skin gets in the blender, it will be fine.

How big are poblanos?

Poblanos are much bigger than jalapeños and are flatter and wider too. They are dark green in color. I prefer the biggest poblanos I can find because they are easier to roast over the open flame on my stovetop without falling through the grates.

The Best Poblano Sauce (Creamy Recipe)

Name: The Best Poblano Sauce (Creamy Recipe)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 large poblanos, rinsed and dried; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; juice from 1 lime; 2/3 cup sour cream; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/8 cup red onion, diced; 1 teaspoon jalapeno, minced; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1/4 teaspoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon hot sauce; 1 teaspoon sea salt

Description

This Poblano Sauce is creamy and so addicting. The poblanos are fire roasted, then peeled and blended into a variety of Mexican flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

3 large poblanos, rinsed and dried
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
juice from 1 lime
2/3 cup sour cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon jalapeno, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

Fire Roast the Poblanos: On a gas stove, turn the burner onto medium. Place the poblanos directly over the open flame and roast until the skin is blistered. Use tongs to rotate the peppers once blistered, to get every surface.
Steam the Peppers: Seal the peppers in a large ziplock or bowl with plastic wrap covering the top for 15 minutes. This will build up a lot of steam and allow the skins to peel off easier.
Peel & Deseed the Poblanos: Remove the poblanos from the bag. Peel the skin off with your hands, slice off the stems, and remove all the seeds.
Combine Ingredients for Poblano Sauce: Add the poblanos to a blender along with cilantro, lime, garlic, sour cream, red onion, jalapeño, cumin, chili powder and salt.
Blend Sauce: Pulse the ingredients in a blender or food processor on high until smooth. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the blender a few times and blend again.
Enjoy this poblano sauce on tacos, enchiladas, nachos and more!

Equipment

Cutting Board

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Flexible Cutting Mats

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wusthof knife

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Blender

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Notes

Alternate cooking method for fire roasting poblanos: If you don't have a gas stove, turn the oven on broil and roast them on the top rack until charred, rotating to get all sides blistered.
The more charred the outside of the poblanos are, the easier they will be to peel.
Don't skip on the steaming time for the poblanos. It's really important and the skin will be difficult to get off if you skip that step.
Wash your hands really well after peeling the poblanos. Sometimes they can have a little bit of heat to them, so be sure to scrub all the oils off your hands and under your nails.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Steam Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Category: sauce
Method: roasted
Cuisine: Mexican