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Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe) are a healthy, low carb dinner, lunch or meal prep recipe, that has delicious, bold and fun flavours! These Poblano peppers are stuffed with seasoned ground beef, red peppers, zucchini, chopped cilantro or parsley and topped with a layer of melted cheddar cheese and a side of Avocado Crema! It’s perfect for quick and effortless weeknight dinners or lunches for those on the go!
If you are looking for more keto or low carb recipes, you just have to check out my Creamy Garlic Parmesan Shrimp (Low Carb/Keto Friendly), or my Keto Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Bake, or this Easy Keto Tuscan Soup (Zuppa Toscano)!
Table of Contents
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
- Interested in more Low Carb or Keto Recipes? Try These…
- What is the Keto Diet Exactly?
- How the Keto Diet Works
- What is Ketosis?
- What Can I Eat on the Keto Diet?
- Ingredients You Need for Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
- How to Make Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
- What is Avocado Crema
- Are Poblano Peppers Hot?
- Are Poblano Peppers Hotter than Jalapeno Peppers?
- Do You Have to Peel Poblanos Before Stuffing?
- Tips for Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
- Other Keto/ Low-Carb Recipes to Try
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe) Recipe
- DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
- ARE YOU STILL HUNGRY?
Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
This Stuffed Poblano Peppers recipe is one you’ll definitely want to try sooner than later. It’s perfect for those both on ketogenic or low carb diet as well as those that aren’t. It’s quick to whip together and uses simple ingredients that you most likely have on hand (if not, it they’re easily substituted)!
Here are the main reasons I love this Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe):
- Quick, easy, and flavourful ketogenic or low carb recipe
- Perfect for a delicious make-ahead lunch or meal prep lunch or dinner recipe
- Uses simple wholesome ingredients that are readily available for many or easily substituted
Interested in more Low Carb or Keto Recipes? Try These…
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Shrimp (Low Carb/Keto Friendly) – pictured below
Easy Keto Tuscan Soup (Zuppa Toscano) – pictured below
Keto Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Bake
Garlic Butter Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Balsamic Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
What is the Keto Diet Exactly?
The Ketogenic (Keto) Diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. It’s where the body produces ketones in the liver to be used as energy. Although popular in mainstream media, it’s not a new diet as it dates back to the 1920’s.
How the Keto Diet Works
When you consume carbs, your body produces glucose. Glucose is the easiest molecule for your body to convert and use an energy, and as such it will be chosen first, everytime over any other energy source. As such, fats are not needed as an energy source, and therefore stored. When you drastically reduce your carb intake, and replace it with fats you put your body into a metabolic state of ketosis where fats become your body’s primary energy source, not glucose.
What is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body begins to use or burn fat as its main source of energy and is characterized by elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood or urine. Ketones also supply energy for the brain and are produced in the liver.
The key to the ketogenic diet is to understand the importance and different types of fats i.e. saturated, unsaturated and trans fats and how to use these fats to your advantage. Generally, when on the ketogenic diet the breakdown percentages of macronutrients are 60 to 75 percent fat, 15 to 30 percent protein, and 5 to 10 percent carbohydrates or your total daily calories.
What Can I Eat on the Keto Diet?
Diets don’t always have to make you feel restricted, here are some great options as well as recipes:
- Fish and Seafood
- Meat & Poultry
- Eggs
- Plain Greek Yogurt & Cottage Cheese
- Low Carb Veggies – most above-ground vegetables are often lower in carbs such as green leafy veggies, zucchini, asparagus and peppers
- Cheese
- Avocados
- Seeds, Nuts, Healthy Oils
Low Carb/Keto Friendly Recipes
- Jerk Chicken Cobb Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
- W30 Mexican Cauli-Rice Burrito Bowl – pictured below
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Pan Seared Steak with Chunky Tomato Avocado Salsa
- Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites – pictured below
Ingredients You Need for Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
Ground Beef
Poblano Peppers
Olive or Avocado Oil
Chili Powder
Dried Parsley Flakes
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cumin
Cayenne Pepper, more or less to taste
Smoked Paprika
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Zucchini
Red Bell Pepper
Tex-Mex Cheddar Cheese
Cilantro
Avocado Crema
Avocado
Sour Cream or Full Fat Greek Yogurt
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
How to Make Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
1. Prepare Poblano Peppers – halve and de-seed the poblano peppers. Drizzle with olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and add to the prepared baking sheet; bake for 10 minutes. If you prefer your peppers with a slight crunch, skip this step.
2. Brown Ground Beef – heat a large skillet, add ground beef, seasonings and cook until browned, around 7-10 minutes.
3. Stuff Poblano Peppers – add cheese, zucchini, red bell peppers, and cilantro to ground beef, mix until well combined. Stuff the ground beef mixture into poblano peppers, then top with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese melted and heated through.
4. Add Avocado Crema – top with dollops of avocado crema and more cheese if desired and enjoy!
What is Avocado Crema
This is one of the simplest recipes I’ll probably ever share on this blog. It’s so easy and so delicious. There are other variations of avocado crema, however this version calls simply for sour cream or full fat greek yogurt, smashed avocado with a pinch of salt and pepper. Easy and delicious!
Are Poblano Peppers Hot?
Yes-ish, simply because they are a pepper with a kick, however they are mildly spicy. Meaning, they won’t have you sweating, tearing up or crying.
Are Poblano Peppers Hotter than Jalapeno Peppers?
The Scoville scale is a measurement of the pungency, the level of spiciness or heat of a pepper. A jalapeno has a Scoville measurement anywhere between 2,500 to 8,000 units. A poblano pepper measures between anywhere from 1,000 – 1,500 on the Scoville scale, so it’s definitely a milder pepper.
Do You Have to Peel Poblanos Before Stuffing?
Can You Eat Poblano Pepper Skin? – You sure can, and no you do not have to peel the skin before stuffing. The skin on a poblano pepper can be difficult to digest for some, hence why it’s sometimes removed. If you remove the skin for this recipe it may start to fall apart as the skin is what helps the pepper keep its shape!
Tips for Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
- When choosing Poblano Peppers, look for ones that are large and firm without any wrinkled spots and fresh stems. Smaller poblano peppers work just fine, however they tend to fold in on themselves during the cooking process.
- Feel free to prepare these stuffed peppers ahead of time – up to 8 hours prior. 10 minutes before serving place in oven and bake which make for an excellent, quick and healthy weeknight dinner recipe.
- You can either roast your pepper before stuffing them, or stuff them first then bake. The option is yours and depends on whether or not you prefer your pepper with a slight bite or not.
Roasting them is not necessary, though they are delicious roasted!
Other Keto/ Low-Carb Recipes to Try
Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites & W30 Mexican Cauli-Rice Burrito Bowl
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Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Keto Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Ground Beef
- 5 Poblano Peppers, halved and seeds removed
- 1 tbsp Olive or Avocado Oil
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 2 tsp Dried Parsley Flakes
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper, more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp Salt, more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 Zucchini, diced
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 1/2 cups Tex-Mex Cheddar Cheese, plus more for topping
- 2 tbsp Cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
Avocado Crema
- 1 large Avocado
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream or Full Fat Greek Yogurt
- Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
- Dice red bell peppers, and zucchini, chop cilantro and shred cheese; set aside.
- If you prefer roasted peppers, halve and de-seed the poblano peppers. Drizzle with olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and add to the prepared baking sheet; bake for 10 minutes. If you prefer your peppers with a slight crunch, skip this step.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil. Once heated, add ground beef, chili powder, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, smoked paprika, and freshly ground black pepper and cook until browned, around 7-10 minutes. Be sure to break apart/crumble the beef as it cooks and drain the excess fat if necessary. Remove from heat.
- Add cheese, zucchini, red bell peppers, and cilantro to ground beef, mix until well combined.
- Stuff ground beef mixture into poblano peppers, then top with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese melted and heated through.
- Remove peppers from oven, top with dollops of avocado crema, more cheese if desired and enjoy!
Avocado Crema
- Using a food processor, combine sour cream and avocado. Mix on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, set aside.
Notes
I absolutely love this recipe. So easy and soooooo good! I also change it up and use chicken instead of beef. Thank you for sharing!!
Hi Teresa! This is amazing to hear! Thank you so much for the awesome review – so happy you enjoyed!!
I used leftover roast and Monterey Jack cheese… it was delicious!