Vegan rajas con crema is a creamy dish using savory, roasted poblano peppers, onions, and garlic. It’s a true Mexican comfort recipe that is slightly spicy, creamy, healthy, and authentic. The creamy “crema” complements the flavor of the poblano peppers nicely and is perfect to stuff into a tortilla.
Vegan Rajas con Crema
This recipe is so simple, what makes it so special? Well, let’s start with the fact that poblano peppers are the kind of peppers used to make chiles rellenos. If you’ve had chiles rellenos, you know how flavorful this pepper is! The combination of the delicious poblano with a creamy, mexican sour cream, onions, and garlic, makes for the perfect combination. This recipe is typically made with corn kernels but I switched it up and used beans for extra protein. You can add whichever you’d like.
Roasting the poblano peppers enhances the taste and gives it a bit of a “smoky” flavor. It also helps soften the pepper and makes it easier to digest. Click here for a guide on how to roast your poblanos! You can definitely skip this part though! I’ve sliced poblanos and sautéed them without roasting them before. They are a bit tougher to chew but those that like a crunchier texture can try.
Tips and Substitutes:
Poblano Peppers: I highly recommend using this type of pepper. This is one of my favorite poblano pepper recipes and I don’t think any other pepper would do it justice. They are fairly easy to find at local grocery stores too.
Onion: I like to use sweet yellow onions or white onions with this recipe. I would try to avoid red onions if possible, but you do you!
Vegetable broth/water: I use this to help cook the onions and use less oil. I also recommend having it ready when adding the vegan sour cream to the pan. When you heat up the sour cream it can dry up or get less creamy. Add splashes of veg broth/water to get the desired consistency.
Pinto beans: I love adding beans for protein but you can also add corn kernels! Canned corn kernels are best to use and make life a whole lot easier.
More Authentic Mexican Recipes:
Esquites (Mexican Street Corn)
Vegan Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)
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Vegan Rajas Con Crema
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan rajas con crema is a creamy dish using savory, roasted poblano peppers, onions, and garlic. It’s a true Mexican comfort recipe that is slightly spicy, creamy, healthy, and authentic. The creamy “crema” complements the flavor of the poblano peppers nicely and is perfect to stuff into a tortilla.
Ingredients
- 6 poblano peppers
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup pinto beans (or beans of choice)
Crema:
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2–3/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Crema:
- Soak cashews overnight or boil in hot water for 20 minutes.
- Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Rajas:
- Roast poblano peppers on the griddle or oven until charred on all sides. If using the oven, bake at 400 F for 20 minutes and then 2-3 minutes on “broil”.
- Immediately place hot poblanos inside a plastic bag and seal tight. Let sit inside a plastic bag for 10 minutes.
- Once peppers cool off, peel the skins to the best of your ability. Slice into long, thin slices.
- Turn pan on medium heat and add oil. Once hot, add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with vegetable broth or water if they begin to stick to the pan.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Next, add sliced poblano peppers, beans, and sauté for a few minutes until everything is hot.
- Pour cashew crema into the pan and mix everything in until well incorporated. Add extra vegetable broth/water to thin out the sour cream to your liking.
- Serve with corn tortillas or add to quesadillas, burritos, and more!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Mexican
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican
