How To Make Creamy Poblano Sauce

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Image shows stuffed poblanos in a pan smothered with Poblano Sauce
Stuffed Poblanos With Poblano Sauce

Poblano Sauce is a beautiful cream sauce that highlights the flavor of fresh Poblano Chiles. We love to make this sauce when the chiles are fresh at the Farmers Market. It freezes well so we make a big batch to freeze in Souper Cubes. We’re using a picture here of stuffed poblanos cooked in this poblano sauce to give you delicious ideas.

This recipe is gluten free if you use gluten free flour, such as one-to-one when making the roux. This recipe can be vegetarian if you use vegetable broth.

Watch a Video

Here is a video of 2 Cooks in the Kitchen making Poblano Sauce.

Ingredients For Poblano Sauce

  • 3 Poblano Chiles, roasted, peeled and seeded
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 3 or more cloves of Garlic
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
  • 2 Tbls Butter
  • 1 Tbls Flour
  • 1/4 cup Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Manchego Cheese

Roast the Chiles On the Grill

We’ll start by peeling the poblanos and removing the seeds. You’ll need three poblanos for this recipe and if you are planning on stuffing some you might as well do them all at once. The sauce is a good use for the peppers that don’t end up good enough to stuff. Roast the chiles to blacken the skins. We like to do this on the barbecue but you can use the oven broiler or an open flame.

Photo shows chiles darkening on the grill
Roasting the Chiles On the Grill

Steam the Chiles While They Cool

Put the chiles into a large soup pot with a lid. This allows them to steam a while as they cool, making the skins easier to remove.

Photo shows a darkened chile being put into a large soup pot.
Put the Darkened Chiles Into A Soup Pot

Remove Stems, Seeds and Peels

Let the chiles cool until you can handle them and remove the stems, seeds and peels. Since we are blending these you don’t have to be careful to keep them whole like you do if you are stuffing them.

Photo shows peeled chile with a small slit for removing the seeds.
Carefully Remove the Peel and Seeds

Cut Strips and Put In the Blender

Cut the chiles into strips and add them to the blender.

Photo shows the ingredients with the poblanos cut into strips.
Poblano Sauce Ingredients

Add Onion, Cilantro, Garlic, Cream and Salt

Add the onion, cilantro, garlic, cream and salt. Cut the onion into chunks just to help it blend up easier. Make it a packed half cup of cilantro. You don’t want to skimp on that flavor for this sauce. We do like heavy cream for this sauce but half and half would probably be okay if you want to watch the calories.

Image shows all the ingredients in the blender
Everything in the Blender

Blend Until Smooth

Blend until smooth. This makes a fairly thick sauce and it takes some work to get it smooth. Blend some, stop and use a spoon to move it around and blend some more. This needs to get very smooth.

Photo shows very smooth sauce in the blender.
Blend Very Smooth

Make A Roux

Now we make a roux. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk it all together. This will keep it from developing lumps. Continue whisking until the roux bubbles uniformly.

Photo shows the roux bubbling uniformly in the pan.
Roux Bubbling Uniformly

Add the Sauce and Broth

Now we tip in the contents of the blender and stir it all together. Once it starts to bubble, bring the heat down so it is just a light simmer. Add the 1/4 cup of broth. We like the chicken broth here but you can use vegetable broth for a vegetarian sauce. Cook this for 15 minutes. It just needs the flavors to marry, there’s no need to thicken it more and we don’t want it to darken so it stays a vibrant light green.

Photo shows the sauce going into the roux
Add the Sauce to the Roux

Add the Cheese

After 15 minutes add the grated Manchego Cheese and stir until it is melted and incorporated into the sauce. At this point our sauce is done. This sauce is great with chicken, enchiladas, rellenos, in an omelet just to name just a few possibilities.

Photo shgows the sauce done
Our Sauce Is Done

This sauce can also be made with other fresh chiles. It is a great way to bring out the unique flavors of different chiles.

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Poblano Sauce

This is a beautiful cream sauce that highlights the flavor of fresh Poblano Chiles.

  • Author: 2 Cooks in the Kitchen
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 Poblano Chiles, roasted, peeled and seeded
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 3 or more cloves of Garlic
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
  • 2 Tbls Butter
  • 1 Tbls Flour
  • 1/4 cup Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Manchego Cheese

Instructions

  1. Peel and seed the poblanos and cut into strips. Put them in the blender.
  2. Chop the onion and put in the blender.
  3. Add the garlic, cilantro and heavy cream to the blender.
  4. Blend until very smooth.
  5. In a soup pot on medium heat, melt the butter.
  6. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk until smooth.
  7. Tip the contents of the blender into the soup pot. When it starts to bubble, reduce the heat.
  8. Add the broth and and let simmer for 15 minutes.
  9. Stir in the cheese. Once it’s incorporated the sauce is done.

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