Rajas con crema (roasted Mexican peppers with cream)

Rajas con crema is a delicious Mexican vegetarian dish prepared with roasted poblano peppers, onions, and corn. Everything cooked in a delicious creamy and cheesy sauce.

This recipe is the perfect prep meal and can be served in tacos or as a side dish for your favorites Mexican main dishes.

What are rajas con crema?

Rajas con Crema is a popular Mexican dish made with slices of roasted poblano peppers, cream, fresh corn, onions, and sometimes cheese.

This dish can be found in many restaurants and is served as a complete meal accompanied by corn tortillas and arroz blanco.

It is also very common to use it as a filling for tacos and gorditas or to serve it as a side dish for other preparations.

What type of peppers to use?

To prepare authentic rajas con crema, the most obvious choice is to use poblano peppers, but although the flavor of that Mexican pepper is delicious and unique, the truth is that it is not so easy to find it outside of Mexico.

One option could be to use canned poblano peppers that also saves a lot of time when cooking this dish.

But if you want to make them with fresh peppers, it is best to use other types, for example, Anaheim peppers, or green bell peppers which are also easily found in many countries around the world.

Another type is the so-called Italian peppers (friggitelli) that are less sweet than bell peppers and have a flavor similar to poblanos.

Ingredients needed

Besides the chili peppers, whatever the type you choose, you are going to need the following ingredients:

• Fresh or canned corn.
• Onions, cut into slices.
• Mexican crema or sour cream.
• Oaxaca cheese or your favorite string cheese.
• Vegetable stock or chicken stock.
• Butter and oil.
• Powdered garlic, salt and pepper.

Step by step recipe

Thoroughly wash the peppers, dry them with kitchen paper towels and roast them on a griddle or a comal. They can also be roasted in the oven or even directly on the stove flame.

Once the peppers are roasted, place them in a bag, close and wrap them with a kitchen towel to allow them to sweat (the skin will come off more easily). Let them sit for 20 minutes.

Peel the peppers, you can use a paper napkin to clean them and make it easier to remove all the charred parts. Discard the seeds and the stem and cut them into strips. Set aside.

In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil and butter. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat until the onions will be tender and translucent.

Add the poblano slices and corn. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and sauté for a minute.

Add the cream and the vegetable broth. Mix well and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes or until onions and peppers are tender and the sauce has thickened. Adjust salt and pepper.

Add the cheese and mix quickly until it melts. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.

Useful Notes

• If you cannot find Mexican cream where you live, you can use a mixture of whole cream + 1 tablespoon of lemon, mix and use as indicated in the recipe. You can also use crème fraîche.
• If you want to give your rajas con crema a spicy touch, you can use one or two sliced jalapeño or serrano peppers and sauté them along with the onions.
• if you can’t find Oaxaca cheese where you live, use also other types of cheese like mozzarella, fontina, monterey jack, and even provolone!

How To Store and Reheat

If you have some leftovers, place them in a container with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat them you can do it in a pan with a splash of milk, water, or vegetable broth or you can also heat them up in the microwave.

FAQ

Watch How to Make It

More Mexican Side Dishes To Try

• Calabacitas con queso: Mexican squash with cheese.
• Curtido: Mexican cabbage salad.
• Pico de gallo con piña: Pineapple pico de gallo.
• Spanish Rice: Mexican red rice.

Rajas con crema (roasted peppers with cream)

author Maricruz Avalos

4

Cooked in a delicious creamy sauce with corn and cheese, these strips of roasted poblano peppers will be your favourite meatless dish ever!

prep 10 minutes

cook 30 minutes

total 40 minutes

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Ingredients 

Cups (US) – Metric

• ▢ 1 ½ lb Poblano or Anaheim peppers
• ▢ 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
• ▢ 1 medium white onion (sliced)
• ▢ 1 cup Mexican cream (read notes)
• ▢ ½ cup Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella, shredded.)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 Tbsp butter
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable stock
• ▢ garlic powder (to taste)
• ▢ salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

 

• Roast poblano peppers with the method you prefer (oven, stove or grill).
• Place them in a bag, close and wrap them with a kitchen towel to allow them to sweat. Let them sit for 20 minutes.
• Peel the peppers and discard the seeds and the stem, then cut them lengthwise into strips. Set aside.
• In a medium sauté pan, heat oil and butter.
• Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat until the onions will be tender and translucent.
• Add the poblano slices and corn. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well and sauté for a minute.
• Add the cream and the vegetable broth. Mix well and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes or until onion and peppers are tender and the sauce has thickened. Adjust salt and pepper.
• Add the cheese and mix quickly until it melts. Serve.

Notes

• If you cannot find Mexican cream where you live, you can use a mixture of whole cream + 1 tablespoon of lemon, mix and use as indicated in the recipe. You can also use crème fraîche.
• If you want to give your Rajas con Crema a spicy touch, you can use one or two sliced hot peppers and sauté them along with the onions.
• You can also use other types of cheese like mozzarella, fontina, monterey jack, and even provolone!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1199IU | Vitamin C: 141mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 1mg

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