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A Poblano Cream Sauce is the sauce you've been looking for to take your tacos, burritos, enchiladas, nachos, pizza, and chicken wings to new heights!
Here are some dishes to serve with this tasty sauce: Fried Chicken Tacos, Beer Battered Fish Tacos, Steak, Egg and Cheese Tacos, Chicken Flautas, Grilled Salmon Sandwiches, and Chicken Bacon Pizza.
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I learned the technique of roasting peppers in culinary school, and I've been obsessed with it ever since. I love the depth of flavor roasting brings to all ingredients.
It draws out the natural sugars, which you cannot draw out by cooking in oil and butter.
The roasted poblano pepper is the star of this dish. You're in for a beautiful treat if you've never roasted anything over an open flame. Now, if you do not have a gas stove, don't worry. Check the tips section for how to do it in a skillet or oven.
This creamy poblano sauce takes only 10 minutes to whip up, and most of that time is waiting for the roasted pepper to steam so you can remove the charred skin.
Is this poblano sauce spicy? It does have a little kick, but a squeeze of fresh lime juice will tame any heat. For the most part, poblanos a mild pepper, but sometimes they can pack a nice punch.
Let's jump into how to make your new favorite taco sauce!
This recipe makes a good amount of sauce. Feel free to cut the recipe in half. If you cut the recipe in half by the smallest poblano pepper you can find.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for this roasted poblano cream sauce.
Poblano Pepper
Poblano peppers look like longer dark green bell peppers. They can be found near them year-round at your local grocery store.
Fresh Garlic Cloves
Fresh ingredients will always be superior to anything else, so please avoid chopped garlic in a jar or tube.
Green Chilies
I love adding them to this creamy sauce. It helps make it a pretty green color.
Fresh Cilantro
I love using cilantro leaves and stems for maximum flavor. Please wash them under cold running water and dry them on a paper towel.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt's creamy and light texture is the perfect balance to sour cream.
Sour Cream
It wouldn't be a roasted poblano cream sauce without sour cream. Regular sour cream will work, but El Salvadorian or Mexican crema is king!
How To Make Poblano Cream Sauce Recipe
The roasted poblano peppers are the key to this sauce being memorable.
Over high heat, place the poblano pepper directly in the flame.
Rotate as the pepper blisters.
Place in a storage bag for 5 minutes; peel off the charred skin by hand or with the back of a knife, and discard the stem.
Add water, roasted poblano, garlic, green chilies, cilantro, Greek Yogurt, sour cream, salt, and black pepper in a food blender and blitz on high for 1 minute until smooth.
Serve creamy polbano sauce with grilled steak, grilled chicken, scrambled eggs, or tortilla chips.
How To Store Poblano Cream Sauce
Store leftover poblano cream sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 30 days.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are the best techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need for a delicious creamy poblano sauce.
- Do not skip roasting the poblano peppers. The roasted peppers provide all the flavors that make this green sauce special.
- Never remove the charred skin under cold water. You will be washing down all the flavor.
- Remove all the seeds from the peppers if you cannot handle any spicy food. If you love heat, remove the stem and keep the seeds.
- For more flavor and to keep the poblano sauce from being too spicy, swap the water for lime juice.
- The poblano sauce is excellent on fish, steak, pork, vegetables, baked potatoes, or anything else you need a delicious sauce for.
- Use a food processor to make the poblano sauce if you do not have a food blender.
- If you don't have gas burners, rub some oil (not olive oil) on the poblanos and char them in a smoking hot skillet or place them under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Rotate them to make sure they roast evenly.
- El Salvadorian or Mexican crema is one of the best sour creams you can buy. Check at your local Latin grocery for them.
- Need a new salad dressing? Use some of this yummy green sauce on your next salad!
FAQ
Here are the top questions readers have about making a homemade poblano cream sauce recipe.
Poblano cream sauce is made with roasted poblano peppers, sour cream, garlic, fresh cilantro, salt, and black pepper. Lime juice can also be used to tame any heat the peppers add.
Poblanos are mild to medium heat pepper. They're spicer than banana peppers but not at hot as jalapenos. Jalapenos range between 2,500 to 8,000, compared to poblano peppers, 1,000 to 2,000 on the Scoville Heat Units.
Poblano peppers are named after their place of origin –– the Mexican state of Puebla. When these mild heart-shaped green Mexican chilis are dried, they're called ancho chiles.
They have a flavor reminiscent of green bell peppers with slightly added spiciness. Roasted poblanos have an even more mellow taste.
Ripe poblanos have a vibrant red hue and pack more heat than their green counterparts. These peppers are often dried and sold as ancho chiles, adding a delightful peppery and subtly smoky flavor to a wide range of delicious dishes.
Poblanos are significantly milder than jalapeno peppers. Jalapenos have a higher spicy rating on the Scoville Heat Unit, sometimes up to 6,000 times more.
Poblano peppers start to sweat when they look at a habanero. With a Scoville Heat Unit of 250,000, habaneros bring the heat, while poblanos, weighing in at a mere 1,000, offer a milder kick.
It tends to be milder when it comes to cooked or roasted poblano flavor. If you're not a fan of spicy food, removing the seeds from the peppers is always a good idea since that's where all the heat is.
More Sauce Recipes
If you love drizzling sauces on top of any and everything as much as I do, I know you'll love these recipes too!
- Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce
- Caramel Sauce with Milk
- Hot Honey Sauce
- Cajun Ranch Dressing
- Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- 5-minute Tartar Sauce
- Bourbon Sauce for Bread Pudding
Before You Begin
Before getting started, here are the steps I use to get organized.
Step 1: Wash and dry your poblano before roasting. Then get all ingredients for the creamy poblano sauce on the counter.
Step 2: Measure everything out.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best poblano cream sauce you’ve ever enjoyed.
This Poblano Cream Sauce recipe is a culinary adventure. The smoky and mild flavor of the roasted peppers, mixed with sour cream and Greek Yogurt, creates a luscious, creamy texture that'll add an extraordinary depth to any dish.
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Recipe:
📖 Recipe
Poblano Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper charred and peeled
- ¼ cup water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 oz. green chilies
- 6 sprigs cilantro
- ½ cup 0% Greek yogurt
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place poblanos over a high open flame, rotate as the pepper begins to blister. Place in a storage bag for 5 minutes; peel off the blistered skin, and discard the stem and seeds.
- Add water, poblano, garlic, green chilies, cilantro, Greek Yogurt, sour cream, salt and black pepper in a food blender and blitz on high for 1 minute until smooth.
Notes
- Do not skip roasting the poblano peppers. The roasted peppers provide all the flavors that make this green sauce special.
- Never remove the charred skin under cold water. You will be washing down all the flavor.
- Remove all the seeds from the peppers if you cannot handle any spicy food. If you love heat, remove the stem and keep the seeds.
- For more flavor and to keep the poblano sauce from being too spicy, swap the water for lime juice.
- The poblano sauce is excellent on fish, steak, pork, vegetables, baked potatoes, or anything else you need a delicious sauce for.
- Use a food processor to make the poblano sauce if you do not have a food blender.
- If you don't have gas burners, rub some oil (not olive oil) on the poblanos and char them in a smoking hot skillet or place them under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Rotate them to make sure they roast evenly.
- El Salvadorian or Mexican crema is one of the best sour creams you can buy. Check at your local Latin grocery for them.
- Need a new salad dressing? Use some of this yummy green sauce on your next salad!
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