Charred Pepper Burrito Bowl

Step up your burrito bowl game by swapping out the regular ‘ol bell pepper for poblano and anaheim peppers!

If you’re looking for a great summer meal with fresh, bold flavor, this is the recipe for you! The rice, paired with the corn and beans mixture, is filling and satiating, but the peppers are the star of the show. They’ve got a deep, bold flavor enhanced by caramelizing and charring in them in a skillet that, to me, tastes like summer and is so much more interesting than a bell pepper! The chipotle crema adds a rich, creamy element that pulls everything together. Both the peppers and the chipotle crema pack some heat, so if you like food with a bit of a kick, this is a great dish for you. With some greens, tomato, pickled onion, etc. this bowl is vibrant, fresh, and exciting.

ARE POBLANO AND ANAHEIM PEPPERS SPICY?

While they’re not considered spicy peppers, per se, they are certainly hotter than a bell pepper, and of course, the heat can vary pepper to pepper. Poblanos are milder than jalapeños and anaheims are milder than poblanos. I, personally, remove the seeds and veining from the peppers to reduce the heat. You could swap a few of the poblanos and anaheims for a bell pepper or two to cut some of the heat without losing too much flavor. You can also adjust the heat level of the chipotle crema to your preferred spiciness.

HOW TO GET PEPPERS AND ONIONS TO CHAR IN A PAN

To get the peppers and onions to have a nice char, you’ll want a pan that tolerates high heat (like a cast iron). Heat the pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add a drizzle of oil to coat the bottom of the pan and wait for the oil to heat up ~30 seconds. Add your peppers and onions, stir once, and then let them sit in the pan undisturbed for a few minutes before stirring again (do not add salt at this point). Repeat this process until they are softened to your liking and evenly browned/charred. Add salt to taste at the end. Adding the salt earlier on will make the onions and peppers release moisture, which will make them steam instead of browning.

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THE RECIPE

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Charred Pepper Burrito Bowl

Yield: 2

Author: MADELINE APPEL

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice
• 2 poblano peppers, stem and seeds removed
• 2 anaheim peppers, stem and seeds removed
• 1/2 onion
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 15oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• salt to taste
• pepitas (optional)
• salad greens and chopped tomatoes, optional
• chipotle crema

Instructions

1. Prepare the chipotle crema.
2. Cook the rice per your preferred method, keep warm.
3. In a small pan or pot, add a spray or small drizzle of oil. Once heated to medium heat, add the frozen corn. Once the corn starts to turn golden, add the pinto beans and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the spices and salt to taste, and stir for 3-5 minutes. If the spices start to stick to the pan, add a splash of water. Keep warm.
4. In the meantime, slice the peppers into rings or smaller pieces. Slice the onion to be similar in size/thickness to the peppers.
5. In a cast iron skillet (or pan that does well with high heat), add a drizzle of oil and heat on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced peppers and onions. Stir occasionally, but leave them undisturbed for minutes at a time to allow them to char. Once they are soft and evenly charred, season with salt to taste, stir again and turn off the heat.
6. Assemble your bowl with rice, the beans and corn mixture, the peppers and onions, optional greens/lettuce, tomatoes, and pepitas, and drizzle with chipotle crema.