Seafood Stuffed Poblano Peppers

A close-up view of a seafood stuffed poblano pepper on a plate next to Spanish rice and a bowl of black beans.

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: how to make seafood stuffed poblanos, Mexican seafood recipe, shrimp stuffed relleno

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Pepper resting time: 7

Total Time: 47

Servings:

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Seafood Stuffed Poblano Peppers really is a spectacular dish. They are deeply flavorful and not fishy tasting at all. You can roast and prep the peppers hours in advance and then the sauce comes together very quickly, which makes it ideal for serving guests.

Print Recipe

Equipment

Gas flame or oven broiler for roasting the peppers

Ingredients

4 large poblano peppers
3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
8 oz shrimp medium to large, peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
8 oz scallops bay or sea (if sea, cut into quarters)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¾ cup half and half
¼ cup cheese shredded, Chihuahua, Oaxaca, or Monterey Jack
2 tbsp cilantro fresh, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the Peppers

Preheat oven to 200°F.
If you have a gas stove, roast the peppers one at a time holding each with a pair of metal tongs directly over the gas flame. Roast until charred all over. Place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap for 5 to 10 minutes. If you don't have a gas stove, place the peppers on a baking sheet and broil on high for several minutes, turning the pepper occasionally, until charred all over. Place in bowl and cover for 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the peppers from the bowl and carefully use your fingers to peel away the skin. You can scrape the skin with the tips of your fingernails, too. Try to remove almost all of the skin, but if there is still a few charred places visible, that's completely okay.
Use a small sharp knife to cut a slit into each pepper from the top of the pepper to about ½-inch from the bottom tip. Gently pry open each pepper and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. It's okay to rinse the peppers under cool tap water to help get all of the seeds and flakey charred skin. Place on the baking sheets and put in the oven to keep warm until ready to stuff them.

Make the Seafood Filling

Spread the shrimp and scallops out on a cutting board or large platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper all over. Set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet/saucepan over medium heat. Transfer the shrimp and scallops to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until pink and fully cooked, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp and scallops to a clean platter or bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the chopped jalapeno and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Stir in the flour to create a roux. The consistency is like very wet sand. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Stir in the cayenne pepper.
Whisk in the half and half and continue whisking until all lumps are gone. Stir until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the cheese and cook until melted, about 1 minute.
Season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir in the cooked shrimp and scallops, with any accumulated juices. Stir and let simmer for about 2 minutes, until the shrimp and scallops are heated through.
Place each pepper on a dinner plate and then use a large spoon to stuff the peppers with the seafood filling. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve at once.

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you like the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The peppers can be roasted and prepped several hours before serving. Wrap them in plastic wrap or foil to store them (no need to place them in the fridge). Place on a baking sheet and keep in a low-temp oven until ready to stuff.

This dish is mildly spicy. If you want more heat, increase the cayenne pepper. If you want very little to no heat, omit the cayenne completely and sauté a green bell pepper instead of a jalapeno.

Be sure to have all of your ingredients in place before you start making the filling. It comes together quickly.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat the filling over medium heat until warmed through. You can freeze the filling, but the cream may separate.

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