Crema de Chile Poblano (Creamy Poblano Soup)
A silky green soup of charred poblano peppers and potato, finished with a swirl of tangy lime crema.
Made with Lime crema (Mexican soured cream sauce). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.48 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the grill to its highest setting. Grill the whole peppers on a tray for 12 to 15 minutes, turning, until the skins are blistered and black in patches.
15 min - 2
Put the hot peppers in a bowl and cover with a plate for 10 minutes to loosen the skins. Peel, split, and scrape out the seeds and stalks.
10 min - 3
Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan. Cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
7 min - 4
Add the potato, peeled peppers and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes until the potato is completely tender.
15 min - 5
Blend the soup until very smooth, then stir in the milk and warm through without boiling. Season with salt.
- 6
Ladle into bowls. Swirl in 2 tablespoons of your ready made lime crema (see the base recipe) per bowl, then top with the queso fresco and coriander.
Tips
- Poblanos are hard to find in the UK. Large green peppers plus a couple of jalapeños give a close flavour with a little heat.
- Steaming the charred peppers under a plate is what makes the skins slip off easily. Do not rinse them in water or you lose flavour.
- Blend while hot but keep the lid vented with a cloth, so steam does not push the lid off.
Storing and freezing
Keeps 3 days in the fridge, covered. Freeze the soup without the crema for up to 2 months and reheat until steaming hot. Add fresh crema when serving.
Questions
Can I make creamy poblano soup vegan?
Yes, for the soup only: use olive oil instead of butter, oat drink instead of milk, and skip the cheese. Lime crema is dairy, so use a dairy free yoghurt and lime version instead.
How spicy is poblano soup?
Real poblanos are mild to medium, with more earthy depth than heat. Green peppers with jalapeño seeds left in will be a little hotter, so add the chilli gradually.
Can I use tinned peppers?
Tinned roasted green chillies work in a pinch, about 250 g drained, but fresh charred peppers have a smokier, fuller taste.
More made with lime crema (mexican soured cream sauce)
Sopes de Frijol con Salsa Verde (Masa Cups with Beans)
GFEFNFHuaraches de Frijol con Salsa Verde y Crema (Bean Huaraches)
GFEFNFEntomatadas (Tortillas in Tomato Sauce with Cheese)
EFNFAlitas al Chipotle con Crema de Lima (Chipotle Chicken Wings)
GFEFNFSee every dish made with lime crema (mexican soured cream sauce)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.