Chiles en Nogada with Creamy Walnut Sauce

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Mexican celebration dish with a beautiful balance of sweet, savory, and aromatic spices.
• Step-by-step guidance for roasting, peeling, and stuffing chiles like a pro.
• Silky, authentic walnut sauce (nogada) that’s creamy yet light, with easy substitutes available.
• Showstopping red-white-green presentation perfect for holidays or special dinners.

Grocery List

• Produce: 6 large poblano chiles, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tomato, 2 tart apples, 1 pear, 1 small ripe plantain, 1 large pomegranate, flat-leaf parsley
• Dairy: Mexican crema (or sour cream), whole milk, queso fresco (or mild feta)
• Pantry: Shelled walnuts, neutral oil, raisins, dried apricots, slivered almonds, white bread, dry sherry or brandy, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, ground cloves, cinnamon stick, ground cinnamon, bay leaf, apple cider vinegar

Full Ingredients

Roasted Poblanos

• 6 large poblano chiles, stems intact

Picadillo Filling

• 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola or avocado)
• 12 oz (340 g) ground pork
• 12 oz (340 g) ground beef (85–90% lean)
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium ripe tomato, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 small tart apples (e.g., Granny Smith), peeled and 1/4-inch diced
• 1 large ripe pear, peeled and 1/4-inch diced
• 1 small ripe plantain, peeled and 1/4-inch diced
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if available)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Nogada (Walnut Sauce)

• 1 1/2 cups shelled walnuts (about 6 oz/170 g), soaked and peeled
• 3/4 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup Mexican crema (or full-fat sour cream)
• 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco (or mild feta), packed
• 1 slice soft white bread, crusts removed
• 2–3 tsp granulated sugar (to taste)
• 1–2 tbsp dry sherry or brandy
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

To Serve

• Arils from 1 large pomegranate
• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Soak and peel the walnuts

Place the walnuts in a bowl and cover with very hot tap water. Soak for 30 minutes to loosen the skins. Drain, then peel off as much of the thin brown skin as possible (this keeps the sauce creamy-white and removes bitterness). Rinse the peeled walnuts. For extra mildness, soak the peeled walnuts in the 3/4 cup milk for 15 minutes, then drain (reserve the milk only if you need to thin the sauce later).

Step 2: Roast, steam, and prep the poblanos

Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler to HIGH (about 500°F/260°C). Place the poblanos on a foil-lined sheet pan and broil 8–10 minutes total, turning every 2–3 minutes, until skins are blistered and blackened in spots. Transfer hot chiles to a bowl and cover tightly (or place in a zip-top bag) to steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the loose skins. Make a 2–3 inch slit down one side of each chile and gently remove seeds and membranes, keeping stems intact. Set aside.

Step 3: Chop the fruit and aromatics

While chiles steam, dice the onion, garlic, tomato, apples, pear, and plantain into neat 1/4-inch pieces. This size helps the picadillo cook evenly and tuck neatly inside the chiles.

Step 4: Cook the sweet-savory picadillo

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and beef; cook, breaking up with a spoon, until lightly browned and most of the moisture evaporates, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Mix in the tomato, oregano, cumin, ground cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, vinegar, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook 2 minutes.

Add the apples, pear, plantain, raisins, apricots, and almonds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is tender but not mushy and the mixture is thick and cohesive, 10–12 minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or a splash of vinegar to balance sweetness. Keep warm over low heat.

Step 5: Blend the nogada (walnut sauce)

In a blender, combine the peeled walnuts, crema, milk, queso fresco, bread, sugar, sherry (or brandy), a pinch of cinnamon, and salt. Blend on high until very smooth and pourable, 30–60 seconds, scraping the sides as needed. The texture should be like light cream; thin with a tablespoon or two of milk if needed, or thicken with a bit more bread. Chill or keep at cool room temperature; do not heat the sauce or it may curdle.

Step 6: Stuff the chiles

Gently open each chile along the slit and spoon in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the warm picadillo, packing it lightly so the chile holds its shape. Place stuffed chiles seam-side down on a platter or warm plates. If needed, you can keep them warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) for up to 15 minutes while you finish the sauce and garnishes.

Step 7: Plate and garnish beautifully

Spoon a generous blanket of nogada over each chile, leaving the green tip and stem peeking out. Shower with pomegranate arils and sprinkle finely chopped parsley over the top. Serve immediately while the chiles are warm and the sauce is cool for a lovely temperature contrast.

Pro Tips

• Peeling walnuts is key for a white, non-bitter sauce. If time allows, soak them overnight in cold milk, then peel.
• Broil or char the chiles until well blistered; gentle steaming makes the skins slip right off.
• Dice the fruit uniformly so the filling cooks evenly and stuffs neatly without tearing the chiles.
• Let the picadillo reduce until thick; excess liquid will make stuffing messy and thin out the sauce on the plate.
• Add sherry or brandy to the nogada sparingly; it should perfume the sauce without overpowering the walnuts.

Variations

• Vegetarian: Swap the meat for 12 oz finely chopped mushrooms plus 1 cup cooked lentils; cook down until nearly dry before adding fruit.
• With Batter: For a classic restaurant-style version, lightly flour the stuffed chiles, dip in beaten egg, and shallow-fry until golden before saucing.
• Fruit Swap: Use peaches, quince, or candied fruit in season; just keep total diced fruit to about 3 cups.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Picadillo can be made 2 days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate, then rewarm gently before stuffing. The nogada can be blended up to 1 day ahead; keep refrigerated and stir before using. Roast and peel chiles up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate wrapped in paper towels inside an airtight container. Assemble just before serving. Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated; store sauce separately. Reheat chiles gently (300°F/150°C for 10–12 minutes) and spoon on chilled or room-temp nogada after warming.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values: 690 calories; 33 g protein; 47 g fat; 36 g carbohydrates; 6 g fiber; 980 mg sodium. Values will vary based on ingredients and portion size.