Quick Summary: Poblanos are charred under the broiler until the skin blisters, then peeled and sliced into strips. Combined with sautéed onions, sour cream, and melted jack cheese, they become silky and rich. The dish comes together in about 30 minutes, most of which is passive charring time. Prep: 30 min | Cook: 15 min | Serves: 6
Jump to: RECIPE | Is Rajas con Queso Low Carb? | Char/Peel Poblanos | How to Make | FAQ
Rajas con queso is one of the easiest ways to enjoy Mexican food on a slow-carb diet. The dish is naturally low in carbs and very simple to make. Rajas con Queso refers to roasted poblano chile strips cooked with onions and cream (often sour cream) and white cheese (often jack or asadero cheese). It can be served as tacos, quesadillas or simply in a bowl if you want a low carb dish.
The term rajas is Spanish, and it literally translates to English as “strips” or “slices”.
Rajas con queso (Pronounced ra-HAS con KAY-so) is often used to reference using rajas as a taco filling. We had the rajas alone as a side dish one night and followed it the next night by adding them, along with pulled pork and cotija cheeseto a low carb tortilla.
This recipe is a stripped-down version of rajas con crema, and is the purest expression of the dish: just peppers, onion, cream, and cheese.
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Is Rajas con Queso Low Carb?
Rajas can make a wonderful side dish, a vegetarian main dish or a filling for tacos. And to top it all off, rajas are keto and low carb (without the tortillas of course)!
Speaking of low carb tortillas, I found a convenient one that is pretty good at Target. It is called La Banderita Carb Counter wraps. Check out my post on low carb tortilla options for a detailed summary of store-bought options as well as a homemade version.
Is Rajas con Queso a Spicy Dish?
Rajas depend primarily on poblano chiles, which have a rich distinctive flavor. On a scale of 1 to 10, these chiles are a considered around a 4 in terms of heat. That can vary, of course, depending on where and how they are grown.
The heat of chile peppers increases when they are grown under stress (i.e., hot dry conditions), so the microclimate will determine the exact heat index.
In the grocery store, look for glossy, dark green Poblano peppers (they are often mis-labeled as Pasilla peppers).
Check out this complete guide to stocking your pantry for Mexican cooking, from everyday meals to holiday celebrations.
How to Roast & Skin the Poblanos
Broiler method: Place whole poblanos on a sheet pan under the broiler set to high. Char until skin blisters and blackens, about 5 minutes per side. Turn frequently to char all sides. The skin will blister and darken and you may hear some popping sounds.
Stovetop method: Hold poblanos with tongs directly over a gas burner flame. Turn to char all sides evenly. As in the broiler method, the skin will blister and darken and you may hear some popping sounds.
After charring: Place peppers in a bowl and cover tightly, or use a zip-top bag. Let them steam and cool for about 10 minutes. The steam collects and helps release the skin from the pepper making them easier to peel.
Peeling: Peel the bubbled skin off of the pepper with your fingers (Sometimes it’s easier to use a paper towel to grip it better).
Prep: Remove stems and seeds, slice into strips about 2 inches by ¼ inch.
How to Make Low-Carb Rajas con Queso
The full instructions are in the recipe card below. In short:
- Char and peel the poblanos, then slice into strips.
- Sauté chopped onion in olive oil until slightly caramelized (5-7 minutes).
- Add the pepper strips, minced garlic, salt, and oregano.
- Cook about 4 minutes until heated through and flavors meld.
- Turn off heat, add sour cream and shredded jack cheese, and gently stir until the cheese melts into the mixture.
Another classic Mexican dish using poblanos and cream is Rajas con Crema. This version of rajas adds corn and mushrooms and folds the rajas mixture into cheese quesadillas.
FAQ
Rajas con queso emphasizes the cheese. Rajas con crema emphasizes the cream and often includes additional vegetables like corn and mushrooms. Both use poblanos as the base.
Yes. Mexican crema is thinner and tangier, but American sour cream works fine.
Jack cheese melts smoothly. Asadero and Oaxaca cheese also work well. Avoid cheeses that don’t melt well, like cotija or queso fresco (save those for garnish).
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave.
Yes. Shredded chicken, pulled pork, or crumbled chorizo all work well stirred into the finished rajas.
Remove all the seeds and membranes carefully. The heat concentrates there. Or mix in an additional poblano that’s been seeded but not charred, which will be milder.
Low Carb Rajas con Queso
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 peppers Poblano peppers roasted, peeled and sliced 2″ x 1/4″
- 1 medium onion coarsley chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
- 1 teaspoon oregano Mexican oregano if available
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup jack cheese shredded
Instructions
- Roast & peel the peppers (see post for specific techniques). I place them on a sheet pan and put them under the broiler until charred. Turn them over and char the other side.After they are charred, peel off the skins, cut them open and scrape out the seeds. Then lay them out flat (like you would butterfly something) and cut into vertical strips.10 peppers Poblano peppers
- Sauté onion over medium heat in large skillet (I used 2 Tbsp. olive oil to sauté); sauté for 5-7 min or until slightly caramelized or translucent;1 medium onion
- Add pepper strips, garlic, salt and oregano to the onion mix and cook about 4 minutes or until the entire mixture heats up and flavors meld together3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oregano
- Turn off heat and add the sour cream and cheese and gently mix together.1/2 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup jack cheese
Video
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