Low-carb and vegetarian Chili Rellenos Bake is as good as Chile Rellenos from a restaurant; eat this as a casserole or as an appetizer! If you like roasted green chiles and cheese, you’ll make this over and over.
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This recipe for Chile Rellenos Bake is a low-carb and vegetarian version of Chile Rellenos, that’s healthier and easier to make than most versions of this well-known Mexican dish of stuffed, battered and deep-fried green chiles filled with cheese. This recipe came from my former neighbor Brooke, who shared it with me after I tasted her version at a neighborhood block party. I changed the recipe slightly to make it a bit more carb-conscious, but essentially this idea of layered green chiles and cheese held together with a little egg came from Brooke’s recipe, so thanks Brooke!
I’ve enjoyed this Chile Rellenos Bake many times for a low-carb breakfast dish, but you can also cut it into small squares and serve with toothpicks for a holiday appetizer. And this is so perfect to make for Weekend Food Prep and eat for breakfast during the week! I’m excited to remind you about this favorite as this week’s Friday Favorites pick; hope you enjoy trying it!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
Where can you buy big cans of roasted green chiles?
If you don’t live in the west, the hardest thing about this recipe might be finding the big cans of roasted green chiles. If you have a Mexican market near you, that’s the best place to get a good price on the big 27 oz. cans. But if that’s not an option you can get whole green chiles in a can at Amazon.com (affiliate link). Of course you can roast your own green chiles for the dish as well, and you could probably make a slightly different version of this using other types of roasted peppers.
How to make Chile Rellenos Bake:
(Scroll down for complete printable recipe including nutritional information.)
- Spray glass or crockery casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. (I used a 9″ X 13″ dish, but anything close to that size will work.)
- Drain the chiles well then split them open and remove any seeds.
- Lay chiles on paper towels and blot dry.
- I like to stack them up in two piles so I can make the layers even.
- Make half of the chiles into a layer in a casserole dish that’s about 9″x13″ or close to that size.
- Top the green chiles with a generous amount of cheese and sprinkle on green onions if you’re using them.
- Then make a second layer of chiles and cheese.
- Beat eggs, mix in the milk and spices, whisk together, and pour the egg mixture over the top.
- Bake about 40 minutes (covered with foil for the first 15 minutes), or until the mixture is set and the top is lightly browned.
More Recipes with Delicious Roasted Green Chiles:
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ingredients
- one 27 oz. can roasted and peeled green chiles (see notes)
- 4 cups grated Four-Cheese Mexican blend cheese
- 1/2 cup very thinly sliced green onions (optional)
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup half and half (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. chile powder
Instructions
- Put green chiles in a colander placed in the sink and let drain for about 15 minutes.
- While chiles drain, preheat oven to 375F/190C.
- Spray glass or crockery casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. (I used a 9″ X 13″ dish, but anything close to that size will work.)
- When chiles are drained, use your thumb to split open each chile, scrape out seeds, and spread chiles out on a paper towel to drain more, pressing down with another towel to get them as dry as you can. (I like to make 2 piles after I do this to get the layers even.)
- Make a flat layer of chiles covering the bottom of the dish. (I alternated every other chile facing the opposite way because they’re slightly v-shaped.)
- Top the layer of chiles with half the grated cheese, then sprinkle on green onions (if using).
- Make another layer of flattened chiles, followed by the rest of the cheese.
- Put eggs into a bowl and beat well, then add half and half, ground cumin, and chile powder, and stir until well combined.
- Pour egg mixture over chiles and cheese, taking care to get it evenly distributed. (The egg mixture will not completely cover the casserole.)
- Cover dish with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking time, then remove foil and continue to bake until mixture is bubbling and cheese on top is lightly browned, about 40 minutes total baking time.
- You can cook it without the foil, but watch it carefully or the top will get too brown. Cooking time without foil will be slightly less.
- Serve hot, with sour cream and salsa if desired.
- This will keep in the fridge for a few days, and reheats beautifully.
Notes
You can use about 24 freshly-roasted and peeled green chiles if you prefer. Use milk or heavy cream instead of half and half if you prefer.
When served as an appetizer, this makes about 32 small squares.
This recipe from Brooke with slight adaptations by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 139Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 159mgCarbohydrates: 4.8gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This is good for any low-carb eating plan or any phase of the original South Beach Diet. South Beach would recommend low-fat dairy products while other low-carb eating plans would use full-fat dairy.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Casserole Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2008. It was last updated in 2021.
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Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip
My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip was a Denny family favorite long before anyone heard of Ranch Dressing! And this family favorite Ranch Dip is a delicious low-carb and keto dip recipe and in my family this makes an appearance at every holiday gathering!
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My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is one of my favorite memories from childhood! As early as I can remember, my Grandma Denny made a fantastic dip that she served with carrots and celery as an appetizer at every family gathering. In those days we called Grandma’s homemade ranch dip just *Vegetable Dip* as if there was only one kind of dip that could possibly be served with veggies.
This was long before the introduction of Ranch Dressing to the American culinary scene, and obviously my Grandma Denny was ahead of her time, because now people all over the country are eating Ranch Dip with veggies. And in my own extended family, there would never be a holiday gathering without this delicious homemade Ranch Dip on the table.
Of course there’s nothing wrong with making Ranch-Style Vegetable Dip using a package mix if that time-saver works for you. But my grandma’s Homemade Ranch Dip is a bit fresher tasting as well as being low in carbs, and if you usually use the mix but don’t have a package on hand I bet you’ll love my Grandma’s recipe.
Grandma Denny always used full-fat mayo and sour cream, but for anyone wanting lower fat you can obviously make this with reduced-fat products if you prefer. Or if you don’t like mayo, you might prefer the variation below for Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, made with Greek yogurt and blended cottage cheese for a higher protein, lower-fat dip.
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
Can you make this dip with onion powder?
I love the flavor the grated onion gives to my Grandma Denny’s homemade ranch dip. But if you prefer or want to save time, just use 1 tsp. onion powder.
Can you make this homemade ranch dip with Greek Yogurt?
I sometimes make a variation of this that I call Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip that’s lower in fat and higher in protein. For that variation follow this recipe but replace the sour cream with one cup of cottage that’s blended in the food processor until it’s nearly smooth and replace the mayo with one cup fat-free Greek Yogurt. (This is the version I would make when I was strictly following the original South Beach Diet.)
Want a version of ranch dip with more texture?
You can make a variation of this homemade ranch dip recipe with a little chopped red onion, finely diced cucumber, and finely diced red pepper if you’d like a chunkier dip. I would use about 2 T of each.
How to Make Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning Salt as the secret seasoning in her vegetable dip, but it’s no longer being made (sob!) If you still have Bon Appetit, use it, but now I use Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link). If you’re in Europe you can also use Trocomare Seasoning. (affiliate link)
- Grate a small amount of raw onion into a bowl. (I use the large side of a box grater; don’t use a microplane grater which just turns the onion to liquid.)
- Add mayo and sour cream to bowl.
- Then add Beau Monde Seasoning and dried dill weed (affiliate link).
- Mix all ingredients together well with a whisk. You can use a food processor as well, but the whisk is quicker.
- Let the dip chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two for best flavor.
- Serve with raw vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, bell pepper strips, jicama, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower.
- This is also good with carrots or as a dip for baked sweet potato fries for those who don’t mind more carbs.
- I tested this out on my friend Robin and she gave it two thumbs up!
More Tasty Vegetable Dips You Might Like:
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream (see notes)
- 1 cup mayo (see notes)
- 1 tsp. grated onion
- 2 tsp. dried dill weed
- 2 tsp. Beau Monde Seasoning (see notes)
Instructions
- Grate onion into a bowl, using the large side of a box grater or flat grater (not a microplane grater.)
- Add all other ingredients to the bowl and stir together with a whisk (or you can use a food processor, but it’s not necessary.)
- Chill an hour or so before serving.
Notes
I only use Daisy full-fat sour cream and full-fat mayo for this recipe but if you prefer to make a lower-fat version of the recipe you can definitely use reduced fat sour cream and mayo.
My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning for this. When that was discontinued I started making it with Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link), which is almost identical in flavor.
This will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Nutritional information doesn’t include vegetables and is calculated on 1/4 cup serving size.
Recipe from my Grandma Denny, who was a wonderful cook!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 245Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 564mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is great for low-carb diets.Eat with low-carb vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, jicama, bell pepper strips, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower for low-carb diets. If you’re making this for the original South Beach Diet the Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip variation above is better for South Beach.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Appetizers to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Kalyn was making this dip recipe long before the existence of the internet, and it was first posted on this site in 2005 (probably without a single photo in those days.) The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.
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We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
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