Cheesy Green Chile Bean Bake

By Ali Slagle

Updated January 21, 2024

  • A cast-iron skillet is full of cheesy green chile bean bake with a scattering of cilantro and a spoon stuck in.
    Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(5,821)
Comments
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This quick and easy skillet dinner is somewhere between an easy take on enchiladas verdes (no rolling required) and a complete-meal rendition of chile con queso. The base is a mixture of charred green chiles, pinto beans and store-bought or homemade salsa verde, which delivers the brightness of tomatillos, chiles, cilantro and lime. Blanket the bean-and-chile mixture with Monterey Jack cheese, then broil until molten. Serve with tortillas, tortilla chips, rice, a baked sweet potato or fried eggs. You could also add Mexican chorizo, bacon or spinach with the chiles, or leftover pulled chicken with the beans.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as grapeseed)

  • 2 poblano chiles or green bell peppers, seeds and stem removed, coarsely chopped

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed

  • 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde, or 1 ¾ cups homemade salsa verde

  • ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves, stems reserved and finely chopped

  • 1 ½ cups/6 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese

  • Lime wedges, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

54 grams carbs; 38 milligrams cholesterol; 491 calories; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 15 grams fiber; 1793 milligrams sodium; 27 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat the broiler to high. (If you don’t have a broiler, see Tip.)

  2. Step 2

    In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the poblanos and cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the beans, salsa verde and cilantro stems, and simmer until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Turn off the heat, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top, then broil until melted and browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve right away topped with cilantro leaves and a squeeze of lime.

Tip

  • You can also melt the cheese on the stovetop. Set the heat under the skillet to low, cover the skillet, and cook until the cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
5,821 user ratings
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Comments

keith c

I wanted mine to be a bit heavier on the veggies so I a small red onion, some garlic, a can of those Hatch green chilies and used 2 poblano AND 2 green bell peppers. Loved it. Perfect blend of junky and veggie. Comes together so quickly and easily.

505

New Mexican here. I would say if you can get a jar of New Mexico chopped green chile, that would be a great sub for the salsa verde. You may need to add a bit more seasonings to taste (salt/cumin/garlic/onion). I like it topped with Tapatio. My husband prefers Cholula. Crack some eggs on top, bake. Or let the eggs poach in the bean and salsa liquids. Delicious.

Tiffany

I made this yesterday--it's much better several hours later or the next day, after the flavors have time to marry each other. It was also a little soupy but stiffened up after I let it set on the stove for a while. I will definitely make it again, but might make it the night before and then broil just before I want to serve it.

John S Martinson

I make this dish once a week in different variations. During this season, I use mild fresh Hatch chiles and my go-to sauce is Tatemada Salsa Molcajete. Delicious!

Liv

This is a weeknight staple. I usually up the amount of poblanos/peppers for additional veggie. I exclude the cilantro (tastes like soap to my boyfriend) but the salsa verde is so flavorful you really don’t even need it. Wonderful with fried plantains, rice, or tortilla chips to make it a full vegetarian meal.

Jacob

I changed it up a bit, but I think it's close enough it still counts as the same recipe. Great recipe. I added onion and garlic in after the peppers browned, and added some seasoning (cumin, chili powder, and adobo powder) while they cooked. Then I cooked the beans a good bit longer. Maybe about 15-20 minutes. It was a solid recipe regardless, but I think it may have been a bit underseasoned without the additions. And as for the cooking longer, that's just a texture preference.

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