Cheesy Baked Corn and Poblano Rice
This easy cheesy baked corn and poblano rice is the perfect side to serve with any kind of Mexican food. It's incredibly creamy and cheesy and loaded with sweet corn and smoky poblano peppers. It's a rich, filling casserole that is always a hit at parties.
This recipe is an easy, flavorful side dish that feeds a crowd.
Serve it as a side with your favorite tacos, enchiladas or quesadillas. It's even better with a dab of homemade hot sauce or salsa!
For more great rice recipes, try my Sicilian rice balls, wild mushroom risotto or spring vegetable risotto.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy, beginner friendly recipe.
- Can be made with fresh or frozen corn.
- Rich, cheesy, kid-friendly comfort food.
- Naturally gluten free.
Corn - I recommend using fresh in-season corn on the cob for this recipe since it's sweeter and has a plump, juicy texture. But it works just as well with frozen corn. Canned corn can work in a pinch, but drain and rinse it well before using.
Poblano Chillies - These dark green chili peppers are similar in flavor to a bell pepper, but more robust and with a little bit of spice. Poblanos tend to vary in their spiciness, so if you're sensitive to heat, test a small piece first before adding them to your dish so it doesn't turn out overly spicy. If you can't find poblanos, you can substitute with green bell peppers and add a jalapeño in for a little extra heat if you desire.
Cheese - This recipe calls for Monterey Jack cheese but it can easily be swapped out for pepper jack, cheddar or any other mild cheese that melts well.
Rice - This recipe can work with any variety of rice but it's best with a long grain, such as jasmine rice (avoid arborio or short grain risotto rice).
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Saucepan
- Medium casserole dish (9x9, 6x10, or similar)
- Disposable Gloves
How to make cheesy baked corn and Poblano Rice
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Char the poblanos until blackened on all sides. You can do this over a gas stove top, on the grill or under the broiler. Place the blackened peppers in a bowl, cover, and set aside to cool.
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and half of the salt, then cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir until coated with oil, then add the chicken stock (or turkey stock or water. Bring it up to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, remove the blackened skins from the cooled poblanos, then use a knife to scrape out the seeds. Finely chop the peppers.
- When the rice is cooked, remove the lid and add the poblanos, the remaining salt, corn, sour cream, ¾ of the cheese and half of the scallions, then stir to combine.
- Transfer to a medium casserole dish (9x9, 6x10, or similar) and spread out evenly. Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and browned around the edges.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Top with remaining scallions and cilantro if desired.
Tips for Success
- Don't be tempted to rinse the charred poblanos under water - it will remove all of their beautiful charred flavor! It's ok if some of the charred skin or seeds remain.
- It's ok if the rice isn't fully cooked through after simmering for 10 minutes - it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Add some shredded rotisserie chicken to the rice before baking to make this a complete all-in-one meal!
FAQs
Yes. It will have a slightly different, nuttier flavor, but it will still work. You will need to increase the simmer time to 15 minutes.
This recipe will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the oven or microwave with great results! I do not recommend freezing.
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Cheesy Baked Corn and Poblano Rice
Ingredients
- 2 poblano peppers medium size
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion medium size, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon salt divided
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock or water
- 1 cup corn removed from about 2 ears, or frozen (defrost before using)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 8 ounces Monteray Jack cheese grated
- 3 scallions thinly sliced, divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro minced, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 ℉.
- Char the poblanos until blackened on all sides. You can do this over a gas stove top, on the grill or under the broiler. Place the blackened peppers in a bowl, cover, and set aside to cool.
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and half of the salt, then cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir until coated with oil, then add the chicken stock or water. Bring it up to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
- While the rice cooks, remove the blackened skins from the cooled poblanos, then use a knife to scrape out the seeds. Don't rinse under water or it will wash off all the charred flavor. Finely chop the peppers.
- When the rice is cooked, remove the lid and add the poblanos, the remaining salt, corn, sour cream, ¾ of the cheese and half of the scallions, then stir to combine.
- Transfer to a medium casserole dish (9x9, 6x10, or similar) and spread out evenly. Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and browned around the edges.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Top with remaining scallions and cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Don't be tempted to rinse the charred poblanos under water - it will remove all of their beautiful charred flavor! It's ok if some of the charred skin or seeds remain.
- It's ok if the rice isn't fully cooked through after simmering for 10 minutes - it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Add some shredded rotisserie chicken to the rice before baking to make this a complete all-in-one meal!
Nutrition
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This was not as flavorful as I hoped. I tried the recipe because I had corn, onions and poblano peppers from my garden. I made a note to myself to fry up bacon to include with the casserole and use the bacon grease to cook the onions. Alternatively, perhaps I should have left more membrane on the peppers? This is my first growing this type.
I'm sorry you didn't think this was flavorful as it's a family favorite in our home. No, leaving the membranes on the peppers would not have added more flavor. I'm not quite sure what kind of additional flavor you're looking for, assuming you used all of the salt in the recipe. You can always add some garlic or garlic powder, cayenne pepper or increase the peppers and onions. Appreciate your honest review, hope this helps!
Very yummy, however the tablespoon of salt is way too much. Next time I will cut it down to 1 1/2 tbsp. Also I “baked” this in a smaller pyrex in the air fryer at 375 for 12 minutes, came out great.
Thanks so much for your review! I always use Diamond brand Kosher salt which is not as salty as iodized table salt, which is why yours may have tasted too salty. Hope that helps!
Delish!
Can this be made a day in advance and reheated? Best method?
Thanks!
Yes, just assemble the casserole, cover and refrigerate, then bake as directed for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until golden and bubbling around the edges.
I added cooked chicken divine
SO glad you loved it!
I made this tonight. It was So Yummy! I halved the recipe since I didn't have very big poblanos. (I grew them myself), plus I was making it only for one. I also only had instant brown rice or brown basmati rice, so I used the basmati, but it took longer to cook. I also didn't have Monterey Jack cheese on hand, so I used mild cheddar and it was still delicious! I will Definitely be making this again!! Thank you!
Thanks for noting your substitutions! really glad you enjoyed 🙂
I plan to experiment with this recipe for a side dish at my mom's birthday party!
I hope you enjoyed it!
This was delicious!
SO glad! Thanks Janie!
Perfect side dish for Taco Night👏 This was simple and delicious, doubling recipe next time:)
Thank you Sarah! So glad you enjoyed it!
I want to dive head first right into a big bowl of this stuff. Seriously, this looks incredible! I've got to try this out!
Haha! Thanks, Karly. 🙂 Hope you give it a try!